Poster of the Month, April 2016: Teamwork means working together

We are all in the same boat

But if you are
sticking your oar in
when you should be
pulling your weight
we will never get
the job done

We need to work together to get to where we need to be


April's Poster of the Month is a reminder of the importance of working together and sharing the load.

When you are working to get the job done, there is nothing worse than people interfering and telling you what you're doing, or the way you're doing it, is wrong. This is especially true if these people are supposed to be helping!

Good ideas can often lead to improvements, but there is a time and a place to put those ideas forward and it's not in the middle of a busy shift with deadlines approaching.

The poster is really a gentle reminder that we're all on the same side and that working hard together is the only way to get the job done on time.

Kodiak has many more workplace posters on the subjects of productivity and teamwork.
To find out more, please give us a call on 01530 456 000.

Poster of the Month, September 2015: Attitudes to change in the workplace

WINDS OF CHANGE

When the winds of change blow, some build walls and others build windmills.

~ Chinese proverb

September's Poster of the Month is about attitudes to change.

Change happens in every workplace. New equipment, new management, new rules and new processes can all take some adjustment.

Some people adapt to change better than others. They are the ones who build windmills. They always try to see the benefits and embrace them. 

Others can find it more difficult, especially if they have done their job the same way for a long time. For them, the prospect of change can be very unsettling. They may not understand why it is necessary and they may worry that they won't be able to cope with it.

They sometimes become the ones who build walls — resisting the change, digging their heels in, being unsupportive and sometimes even sabotaging its progress.

The best way of instigating change is to involve your employees before the changes take place. They are likely to be more accepting if you:

• tell them what is going to happen and how it will affect them
• explain why it needs to happen, focusing on the benefits
• invite, and respond to, their questions and concerns
• offer the support and reassurances they need

Kodiak posters regularly cover change, attitude and flexibility.

If you need posters on these subjects, we have a wide range available via our sales team.

For more information, please call us on 01530 456 000 or visit our website: www.kodiak.co.uk

Poster of the Month, December 2014: Respectful communication in the workplace

 

A WEAK ARGUMENT

cannot be strengthened by volume
or aggressive language

Stop raising your voice and try raising your game

December's Poster of the Month is, essentially, a reminder to all employees about communicating respectfully with each other.

This means putting across a valid point, in a reasonable and considerate manner, without shouting or using abusive language.

It's a particularly relevant subject in the run up to Christmas, when deadlines are tight and tempers are often running high.

Kodiak posters regularly cover conflict, communication and listening skills. 

If you need posters on any of these subjects, we have a wide range available via our sales team.

For more information, please call us on 01530 456 000 or visit our website: www.kodiak.co.uk

Seven wasteful habits and ways to stop them

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There is a strong focus on 'Zero Waste' in the media at the moment. Households are trying to achieve it, businesses are trying to achieve it and, in America, whole towns are trying to achieve it.

Zero Waste is a philosophy that encourages reuse and recycling in a way that emulates the process of nature, so that nothing goes to waste. The aim is to cut out all waste that goes to landfills or incinerators.

It's an overwhelming task, which is changing how we think about everything — from original materials and processes to reusing, recycling and repurposing.

In reality, the waste that ends up in landfills and incinerators is only part of the problem for businesses. Not all waste is physical waste that we can see when we look in the dustbin. There is also wasted time, wasted effort and wasted energy. 

If you are looking into new waste reduction initiatives, here are ten habits you might need to stop.

1. Mistakes

Avoidable errors waste time, materials and energy. From manufacturing errors to driving collisions, every company has the capacity to make mistakes and make less of them.

It's much easier to build quality into your process than to find and deal with mistakes that have already been made. 

Cultivate an environment where employees feel more responsible for the work they do and the waste they create. Invite their suggestions for reducing mistakes and waste. Reiterate the need to concentrate fully on the task in hand and to check their work at each stage of the process.

2. Excess

Any activity that involves using or producing too much. From idling engines and machines, to manufacturing overproduction.

Remind employees to turn equipment off when it is not needed and to follow spec sheets and instructions carefully.

3. Idle time 

Waiting for people or things that are missing or not ready wastes time. If you have too much idle time, look at your processes and identify any bottlenecks. 

For example, make sure that:

• The workspace is organised efficiently, with a designated place for everything;
• Tasks are being completed in the correct order;
• There is sufficient planning and preparation;
• There are enough people working on each stage of the process; and
• There is sufficient equipment available for people to work with.

4. Movement

If your employees are having to make too many unnecessary journeys around your workplace this can waste time, effort and energy.

To remedy the problem:

• Talk to your employees to identify where the problems are;
• Store items your employees need most frequently in a more accessible place;
• If certain items are often used together, store them near to each other if you can; and
• Encourage employees to consolidate their journeys to save time.

5. Mishandling

Mishandling is damage caused by carelessness. It could be anything from knocking a wing mirror off a vehicle, to a forklift colliding with boxes, or a manufacturing machine breaking after being used incorrectly. 

If mishandling is a common problem in your workplace there may be specific things you need to address. For example, repeated forklift collisions might be a result of a badly laid out space. A machine that keeps breaking during use, may have a recurrent fault or your operators may need refresher training.

If and when incidents occur, talk to your employees to find out how they happened and try to solve persistent problems.

6. Wrongful disposal

Are your employees throwing things away that are not technically rubbish? For example, used boxes that could be refilled, 'empty' containers that are not actually empty, or recyclables that should go in the recycling bin?

If so, why are they doing this? Do they know what they should be recycling? Is your recycling system difficult to understand? Are your recycling bins in a less convenient place than the normal rubbish bin?

Most such problems can be remedied simply, with a little reorganisation or re-education. Make sure employees are clear about what is expected of them and what their responsibilities are.

7. Using substandards

You can waste time and energy by using or processing substandard materials. For example, using a broken pallet to transport goods could result in the goods falling and being damaged. Likewise, you can waste time and effort by processing substandard materials that will only lead to a substandard product.

Running defective machinery can, primarily, be unsafe. It can also waste materials and energy.

The solution to all of these problems is better checking methods:

• Check the quality of goods-in before you store them away and then again before you process them;
• Check the condition of pallets etc. before use; and 
• Check machines, vehicles and equipment are safe to use and running efficiently.

As you can see, many of these issues can be remedied by improved communications.

This is where Kodiak's workplace poster programme can help, by continually reminding your employees of the protocol around waste and recycling.

If you would like to find out more about Kodiak and how we could help your business to reduce waste, please visit us at www.kodiak.co.uk or call us on 01530 456 000.

Poster of the Month, October 2014: Dealing with hazards in the workplace

WARNING SIGNS

We can't remove every hazard from our workplace, but we can:

1. Warn others of the hazard
2. Isolate the hazard
3. Control the hazard
4. Direct others to avoid the hazard

Respond to hazards quickly and carefully or it could be the end of the road

October's Poster of the Month looks at ways of tackling workplace hazards, using road signs to illustrate each example.

In an ideal world we could eliminate all the hazards that make our workplaces dangerous but, in the real world we can only acknowledge them and deal with them appropriately

What is a hazard?

According to the HSE:

"A hazard is something (e.g. an object, a property of a substance, a phenomenon or an activity) that can cause adverse effects."

Examples may include:

• a newly washed floor, or accidental spill, that could cause a slip hazard
• working with hazardous materials, for example in a paint spray shop
• excessive noise, which could cause hearing damage
• maintenance or renovations happening in one part of the building

Dealing with hazards

As the poster points out, there are different ways of dealing with different hazards. The following are examples of how this advice might be put into practice.

1. Warn others of the hazard

• Make sure all permanent hazards are highlighted with appropriate signage, such as warning signs, no-entry signs, mandatory PPE signs etc
• Supervise visitors correctly — advise them of hazards and make sure they wear appropriate PPE while on site
• Use temporary signs for temporary hazards, such as putting out a wet floor sign after washing the floor

2. Isolate the hazard

• Isolate areas where hazardous activities take place and specify that only authorised personnel are allowed to enter
• If possible, block off areas where there are temporary hazardous conditions, such as areas where outside contractors are working 

3. Control the hazard

• Ensure employees adhere to the site rules and wear the correct PPE when carrying out hazardous tasks
• Advise employees to make sure their PPE is fit for purpose — it should fit them properly and be in good condition
• Ensure chemicals are labelled correctly and that safety data sheets are available for supplementary advice and information on the chemicals in use

4. Direct others to avoid the hazard

• Use no-entry or authorised personnel only signs to prevent unauthorised access to hazardous areas
• Use authorised cordons, cones and diversion signs to block, and direct people away from, temporary hazardous conditions
• Use clearly marked walkways to segregate pedestrians from vehicle movement areas and dangerous or moving machinery

Kodiak Industrial regularly produce posters on all of the above subjects. We also produce a range of hazard warning signs, including custom-made signs.

Visit our website to find out more about how our posters and our workplace poster programme can help you address hazards in your workplace.

Alternatively, give us a call on 01530 456 000 to discuss your needs.

Poster of the month, September 2014: The power of ideas in the workplace

EVERY IDEA is a foundation just waiting to be built on

This is the first of a new series of monthly blog articles we will be posting.

Every month our design studio personnel will choose their favourite poster of the month and we will share it with you here.

September's poster of the month (shown above) is about developing ideas.

Good ideas lead to great improvements

When planning a project or improvement initiative, talk to your staff.

Your staff are the people who:

• deal with your customers first-hand
• experience problems and difficulties in your workplace
• are aware of the dangers and hazards in your workplace
• get frustrated when things are too awkward or complicated
• understand how your current methods waste energy, materials and time

Their input and ideas could help you develop:

• improvements to customer service and the customer experience
• solutions to persistent problems
• a safer environment and safer working practice
• more streamlined systems that are easier to operate
• initiatives to save energy and reduce waste

For more poster examples, please visit www.kodiak.co.uk

Ten ways to lose customers (and better ways to keep them)

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Updated October 2014

Ten Ways to Lose Customers may not sound like a guide you want to follow but, as this article will reveal, sometimes we need to look at what we're doing wrong to put it right or make it better.

So here are ten things you might be doing wrong.

1. Not listening to your customers
Your customers can be full of useful information. For one thing, they usually know what they want and when they want it. For another, they often make valid suggestions that could help you to improve what you do.

I'm not saying that you should immediately implement every suggestion that every customer makes. However, if there is a concensus between several customers that something would be beneficial, or that something isn't working, it might be worth taking those thoughts into consideration.

2. Having a bad attitude
If members of your staff are rude, unwilling or unhelpful they could be losing you customers.

Make sure staff have the training and flexibility to deal with most situations. For example, if they are constantly having to refer simple matters to a person in authority this may be causing them frustration that they are then taking out on the customer.

3. Promising things you can't deliver
Empty promises let customers down – sometimes with devastating results. A customer who has been let down is unlikely to return, but very likely to complain to all their colleagues or friends.

If a customer is asking for the impossible it is better to be honest and let them go elsewhere than to make a promise you can't fulfil.

4. Not dealing with complaints properly
It takes time and energy for a customer to make a complaint so, if they feel something is worth complaining about, it's worth your time to acknowledge it and look into it.

Remember, the customer could have said nothing and simply decided not to deal with you again. If they complain they are giving you an opportunity to put things right.

Making an apology, offering a goodwill gesture, or using the complaint to make a positive change in your organisation might just be enough to keep the customer.

5. Focusing on what you can't do
If a customer won't listen to reason, or is asking for the impossible, repeatedly telling them what you can't do will only cause frustration for you both.

Be solutions-driven and offer feasible alternatives or compromises that you can reasonably deliver.

6. Changing the quality of your product/service
Customers rely on consistent quality, convenience and reliability. It is not always wise, therefore, to make changes that put your own needs before those of your customers. For example using cheaper raw materials to produce your product, shortening your opening hours or changing your equipment.

Remember, some customers would be more amenable to an increase in price than a reduction in quality.

7. Taking customers for granted
It costs around six times as much to gain a new customer than to keep an existing one – however demanding they might be.

Be good to your existing customers – do what you can to reward their loyalty and don't reserve all your best offers for new customers.

8. Not answering the phone
It sounds ridiculous to say it but many companies are still losing business by not answering the phone promptly enough or, in some cases, not answering it at all. Around 30% of first time callers will never call back if their call is not answered.

Make sure your staff are trained to answer the phone within five rings, take messages if the person required is unavailable and be helpful and polite to people who come through to the wrong number.

9. Making excuses
How many times have you heard these lines?

"It's not our policy."
"I'm new."
"We're short-staffed."
"You've come through to the wrong department."
"I was on holiday."
"My computer is down."

These are some of the most commonly used excuses people hear during telephone conversations with companies every day – and they're just not helpful.

Be solutions-driven. If it's not your policy, offer an alternative. If a call has come through to the wrong department, put it through to the right one. Offer to call the customer back if you need to refer their matter to someone else or if your computer is down.

10. Not offering a competitive service
Just because you are selling a great product or offering a great service doesn't make you immune from competition.

For example, if one of your competitors starts trading online, offering a price promise or giving an introductory discount these things could give them a competitive edge.

Be aware of what your competitors are offering – make an effort to stay ahead and make sure you don't lose out.

Kodiak's workplace posters regularly covers customer service and could help you to avoid some of these common mistakes.

If you would like to find out more about how our posters can help you offer better customer service, please get in touch.

For daily tips on dealing with common workplace issues, why not follow us on Twitter.

If you would like to find out how Kodiak posters 
can help your business work smoother, smarter 
and safer, please call us on: 01530 456 000 
or email us.

Communication: How to keep it simple

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I read a quote yesterday that said anything that improves a process does so by simplifying it. This is true of so many processes – especially communication.

Poor communication can cause many failings in a workplace – confusion, inaccuracy and catastrophe are just some of them. Over time these can fester into frustration, conflict and resentment between your employees.

So how do we simplify our communications and make them more effective?

Make it C.L.E.A.R.Ensure the information you are imparting is:

Complete, as far as possible;
Located in the correct and logical place;
Explained as fully and clearly as you can;
Accurate with all the relevant information; and
Readable if hand-written

Choose the correct recipients
How many times, as a customer, have you telephoned a business and been passed through to three or more people before you finally get to speak to the right person?

Reaching the right recipients is sometimes as simple as putting the information in the right place, so that everyone who needs access, has access.

If the information pertains to an issue that needs resolving, then it may be more about listening carefully and gaining a sufficient understanding of the problem to determine who is best-equipped to deal with it.

Choose the correct method of communication
Try to ensure that the method of communication is as clear, concise and efficient as possible.

For example, if a message is so complicated that it would take an essay to explain it properly in writing, then it may be best to talk to the person directly.

Similarly, email is not the best medium if you require an immediate answer or if your issue is likely to need resolving via a two-way conversation.

Communicate as directly as possible
If you ever played Whispers as a child, you will know how a message can change the more people it passes through. The same is true in a workplace – the more people who pass on a message, and put their spin on it, the less likely it will reach the recipient(s) as it was intended.

Within reason, try to encourage a more open system where people can communicate more directly between each other and between departments. The shorter the chain of people involved, the more likely it will be delivered in a timely manner and with less capacity for misunderstandings.

The same is true when making day-to-day decisions. The more people involved and the more opinions on the table, the harder it is to reach a conclusion. Involving only those with the relevant experience and authority makes the process simpler and easier to administer.

Communicate as consistently as possible
As a customer, have you ever been liaising with a company where several different people have given you several conflicting pieces of information? Frustrating, isn't it?

Problems like this are usually down to data quality – or lack of it. To communicate effectively and consistently, both inside and outside the company, everyone needs access to the same current information, which should, ideally, be updated across the board.

Kodiak's motivational workplace poster programme deals with simple and effective workplace communications on a regular basis.

If you would like to find out more about how our posters can help to improve communications in your workplace, please contact us for an informal chat.

For daily tips on dealing with common workplace issues, why not follow us on Twitter.

If you would like to find out how Kodiak posters 
can help your business work smoother, smarter 
and safer, please call us on: 01530 456 000 
or email us.

Tackling aggression and violence in the workplace

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Updated October 2014 

It seems everywhere I have been lately there have been notices about violence. They're in the hospital, in the Post Office, on the bus and even in some shops.

The HSE defines work-related violence as:

Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work.

According to statistics from the British Crime Survey in 2012/13 there were 649,000 incidents of work-related violence. 

Assaults accounted for 332,000 of these, while 317,000 involved threats to victims.

More than half of the assaults resulted in physical injury and 3,697 of these resulted in at least seven days' absence from work.

Work-related violence and stress related absence

Of course it is not just injuries that result in employees being absent from work. Work-related violence is also a major cause of stress, which itself can be debilitating.

Frontline workers in healthcare, and protective services like the police, are identified as most at risk. The risks are also high for lone workers and those who come into contact with the general public. For example:

• anyone who drives for work could be exposed to incidents of road rage;
• lone drivers who deliver to their recipients' homes; and
• bus drivers who have contact with the public on a daily basis – sometimes late at night.

Internal conflicts may also lead to issues if unresolved workplace frustrations or personality clashes reach boiling point.

So what else can be done to combat the problem?

Continue to raise awareness
Make sure your employees understand exactly what violence is, what might cause it and how to recognise it. Identifying early warning signs, such as irrational behaviour, and reacting accordingly could help to prevent an incident.

Give practical advice
Consider everything your employees might need to know. From understanding the risks and using preventative techniques, to taking evasive action and following correct procedures in the aftermath of an incident.

For example, using the right tone of voice and body language can sometimes be instrumental in defusing potentially violent situations.

Address internal problems
Everyday conflicts and frustrations can become destructive over time, or in the heat of the moment. For some employees, knowing when to walk away from a situation and take five could avert an incident they may later regret.

Also consider security risks, such as expired or missing lightbulbs, broken fencing or piles of debris, which may provide a hiding place for would-be thieves.

Take a proactive approach by encouraging employees to report issues or take preventative action. It may help to nip a problem in the bud and stop it from evolving into something serious.

Install additional security measures
CCTV, alarm systems, panic buttons, two-way radios and extra locks are just some of the security measures available to safeguard your employees.

Encourage employees to report incidentsThis can be difficult, but if an incident of violence goes unreported, you may never know that you have a problem.

Be aware that incidents may be difficult to talk about – approach the subject sensitively and be prepared to offer further support should it be required.

Kodiak's workplace posters frequently addresses the subjects of anger, violence and personal security in the workplace. Our posters can help you communicate positively to potential victims and potential perpetrators.

If you would like more information on how our posters can help you tackle the threat of violence in your workplace, please contact us.

For daily tips on dealing with common workplace issues, why not follow us on Twitter.

If you would like to find out how Kodiak posters 
can help your business work smoother, smarter 
and safer, please call us on: 01530 456 000 
or email