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Communication,
Consistency
Teamwork Go
Hand In Hand
By GARY SWAIN
Plant Manager, High Point Knitting
For a manager to be successful at his/her job a
simple formula must be applied. A successful man
ager uses communication and consistency to achieve
teamv^ork, which is necessary to realize our mission.
Communication, consistency and teamwork (all
three) go hand in hand. They begin at the top and
filter down through each link in command.
As managers, we encourage our employees to
pursue a teamwork concept. At the same time we
should always listen to our employees’ problems as
well as advice. Remember, they are the experts.
If we really listen with an open mind we just might
learn something. Above all, a little praise goes a long
way. When someone does a good job, tell them.
It doesn’t cost a thing, but the results are SOLID
GOLD!
February 1994
© Farcus Cartoons Inc. 1990
I don’t get it. We’ve checked every circuit and it still won’t boot.
A-M Ergonomics Program Under Way
A program intended to
prevent cumulative trauma
disorders among Adams-Mil-
iis employees is being imple
mented throughout the com
pany, according to Stephen
Smith, who was recently ap-
poinled Ergonomics Engineer.
“This program is designed
lo provide leasible engineer
ing controls, sound safety and
health practices and effective
medical management to bene
fit everyone,” Smith said. “The
program will first determine if
ergonomic-related problems
exist, identify the nature, lo
cation and scope of them and
then find a viable solution and
implement it.”
The program will be cus
tomized to cover the specific
problems of each Adams-
Miilis facility. It will be re
viewed annually and updated
as necessary.
“This program will include
a teamwork approach,” Smith
explained, “in that ergonomic
teams at each facility will be
involved in worksite analysis.
Hoc. ever, each employee will
be asked to provide input for
the program as well. Nobody
knows better about the stres
sors on a particular job than
the person who does that job
on a daily basis.”
Smith said that ergonomics
will be a permanent consid
eration throughout Adams-
Millis, not only with its pres
ent processes but also will be
lactored into any future
changes that may be made to
enhance production.
Part of the program will be
to analyze records of past iniu-
Benefits Corner
Adams-Millis employees
who work more than 20 hours
per week and at least five
months each calendar year
have the opportunity to par
ticipate in a valuable benefit
program made available by
Sara Lee Corporation.
It’s the Sara Lee Corpora
tion Employee Stock Purchase
Plan and it allows employees
to purchase Sara Lee com
mon stock at a discount from
market value through conven
ient payroll deduction.
For a minimum deduction
of $5 per week, employees can
become stockholders. In fact,
the only limit to the purchase
is the government-imposed
annual maximum of $25,000
of stock at fair market value.
Once every three months
- on the first business Mon
day of each February, May,
August and November -
deductions are used to pur
chase stock at the “exercise
price.” This price is the lower
By Elaine Teague
of 85 percent of the average
market price of the stock on
the day of purchase or 85
percent of the average mar
ket price on the first business
Monday of the preceding
three-month period.
As a result, employees are
guaranteed a purchase price
that is at least 15 percent lower
than the market price.
For example, a.ssume the
market value in November was
$35 and the value in February
is $38. The Februaiy purchase
price would be based on the
lower of November or
Feburary which in this case is
the November value of $35.
In this example, the purchase
price would be $29.75 which
is 85 percent of the $35 mar
ket value.
Stock purchases are re
corded in a safe and conven
ient book account. Employ
ees receive a quarterly state
ment summarizing the activ
ity in their account. Certifi
cates can be easily obtained.
Employees pay no broker
age fees or processing fees
when buying shares. If shares
were purchased through a
stockbroker, employees would
pay a commission. Also, sotek
dividends will be paid after a
dividend record date has
pa.ssed. A separate optional
program is avialable to have
dividends reinvested to pur-
chiise additional shares of stcx:k.
Stock purchase is an excel
lent savings benefit. By own
ing Sara Lee Corporation stock
an employee becomes a part
owner of the Corporation.
Employees may contact
their benefits representative
il they currently are not par
ticipating in this benefit and
wish to take advantage of the
opportunity, or to get additional
information about this benefit
plan. Keep in mind, there are
some restrictions regarding
enrollment and timing of
changes in contributions.
ries of employees to locate
some of the causes of prob
lems that will be addressed
through the new' program.
“Overall, the intent of the
program is to improve the work
environment of each employee
in order to minimize the pos
sibility of inj ury, whether it be
physically acute or one that is
caused over a period of time, ”
Smith noted. “Adams-.Millis
always has been keenly aware
of the need and benefit of a
safe workplace and has been
very proactive in encouraging
each employee to exercise the
highest degree of safety pos
sible.
“The ergonomics program
goes a step further by attempt
ing to make the workplace fit
the employee as much as pos
sible to again reduce the pos
sibility of accident or injury
while enhancing productivity,”
Smith said.
Kernersville facilities are
serving as the pilot Ibr the
ergonomics program. How
ever, during the coming
months as the program is in
stituted in other plants, em
ployees will be asked to pro
vide information on survey
sheets and other materials
about their particular jobs.
“We hope everyone will
participate as much as pos
sible in this effort,” Smith
added. “It is important that
we develop as much data as
possible in order to provide
the most ettective ergonomic
program that we can.”
He said that some ergon
omic measures have already
been pul in place within
Adams-Millis. One example
he cited was the adjustable
platforms which were made
tor several plants to allow em
ployees lo adjust the platform
putting them at the best level
to perform their jobs.
Smith said that effective
work practices also will be part
of the ergonomics program.
They may include instruction
in proper w'ork techniques,
employee conditioning, regu
lar monitoring, feedback,
maintenance, adjustments and
modifications, employee ac
countability-responsibility and
management enforcement.
“Training and education are
critical components of an er
gonomics proces.s/program for
employees potentially e.xposed
to ergonomic hazards,” Smith
added. “Training will allow
managers, supervisors, medi
cal personnel and employees
to understand ergonomic and
other hazards which may be
associated with a job or pro
duction process, their preven
tion and control and their
medical consequences.”
He said all employees will
be given formal instruction on
ergonomic issues associated
with Iheirjobs and equipment.
It will include information on
the varieties of cumulative
trauma disorders, what risk
tactors cause or contribute to
them, how to recognize and
report symptoms and their
prevention.
“What we want this pro
gram to do is simply to make
the workplace safer and more
employee-friendly,” Smith
said. “We feel that this pro
gram will be a win-win situ
ation for both employee and
Adams-Millis.”
Some sessions akeady liave
been conducted with some
supei-visors and managers. The
program is expected to be in
full force by July 1.