Best Workplaces, Benchmarks & Trends, Company Culture, Employee Engagement , High Trust Behaviour
Key Takeaways:
- Manufacturing innovation: Every recognized workplace introduced new or significantly improved production processes, while 90% launched new products or services.
- Employee-led innovation: Eighty per cent of employees had meaningful opportunities to develop new and better ways of working.
- PPE production: Arc’teryx applied its problem-solving skills and craftsmanship to provide protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19.
- Cross-functional collaboration: Engineering, sample, training, production and design teams work together to improve manufacturing quality and speed.
- Daily team huddles: Regular discussions about safety, quality, delivery, inventory and productivity give employees space to share ideas and feedback.
This year’s Best Workplaces in Manufacturing are leading they way with innovation. In the past three years, all winners introduced new or significantly improved production processes and almost all (90%) introduced new products or services.
Although innovation has been the cornerstone of the manufacturing industry since its early days, the way organizations innovate is evolving rapidly.
Rather than relying on engineering or product development teams to come up with new methods and products, more and more organizations are engaging all employees in the innovation process. When we asked employees working in all roles at the Best Workplaces in Manufacturing how many meaningful opportunities they have had to develop new and better ways of doing things at work in the past year, 80% said ‘a lot’ or ‘some’.
One of the innovative organizations recognized on this year’s list is Vancouver-based global outdoor apparel and equipment manufacturer Arc’teryx. “We are absolutely thrilled to receive this recognition for the Arc’teryx ARC’One facility” says Rabeya Ropani, Employee Experience Lead. “At heart, we are a community of problem-solvers and craftspeople. We embody our values every day in our work and the way we show up for our communities.
Whether it's evolving and pivoting to deliver PPE for frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19 or bringing cutting edge innovations to our customers through our signature products, our team takes pride in bringing design to life by handcrafting products with the highest level of quality and detail. Our workforce at is a true representation and celebration of the diversity of peoples in Canada, and we work as one.”
According to Ropani, their ‘working as one’ philosophy means all employees play a key role in bringing cutting edge innovations to their customers. “At ARC’One, we are guided by our company code of the collective in the way we work. Our teams are actively encouraged to problem solve and voice their ideas and recommendations for improvements.”
Their manufacturing process is driven by a cross-functional collaboration between their engineering, sample, training and production teams. At the start of each workday, each of their modular teams on the production floor holds a daily huddle that focuses on safety, quality, delivery, inventory and productivity (SQDIP).
This daily huddle is when everyone can share their process improvement ideas, learnings and get feedback from the team. “We’re fortunate to have a continuous and collaborative feedback loop with our team close-by in the Design Centre in Vancouver. It allows us to ideate in real time and ensure that designs are optimized for manufacturing methodologies. And it results in the highest quality product for our consumers – brought to life faster.”
Innovation by All
New research from Great Place to Work shows that high-trust workplace cultures are seeing faster rates of success by inviting every employee into the innovation process. Innovation by All maximizes a company's human potential by tapping into the intelligence, skills, and passion of everyone, no matter who they are or what they do for the organization.
Companies that build an Innovation By All culture generate more high-quality ideas, realize greater speed in implementation, and achieve greater agility—resulting in 5.5 times the revenue growth, over their less inclusive peers. Sign up here to receive this research first.
About Great Place to Work®
Great Place to Work® is the Global Authority on Workplace Culture. We make it easy to survey your employees, uncover actionable insights and get recognized for your great company culture. Learn more about Great Place to Work Certification.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How did Arc’teryx support frontline healthcare workers?
Arc’teryx adapted its manufacturing capabilities to produce PPE, using its technical expertise and craftsmanship to respond to community needs during COVID-19.
How can manufacturers involve employees in workplace innovation?
Invite employees from every role to identify improvements, contribute recommendations and participate in regular team discussions about workplace processes.
What topics can teams cover in daily manufacturing huddles?
Teams can review safety, quality, delivery, inventory and productivity while sharing lessons, improvement ideas and feedback.
How does inclusive innovation support business performance?
An Innovation By All culture can generate stronger ideas, faster implementation and greater agility, contributing to 5.5 times the revenue growth of less inclusive workplaces.
