Celebration Aims to Make Every Day Quality Day
In recognition of World Quality Day taking place on November 10, about two dozen AIS staffers gathered on the first Friday of the month for the company’s inaugural quality control meeting and celebration. But that’s not the only reason for the event.
The team and factory leadership celebrated the expert crew that works to ensure quality for every piece of furniture built by AIS. In fact, the meeting started with a giant ‘thanks’ on the screen reminding everyone that their efforts to ensure quality are greatly appreciated.
Led by Alexis Alonso, AIS’ quality control factory manager, the team consists of more than a dozen trained professionals who help to ensure product quality by working with their peers to mentor and guide them in best practices, process improvements, and effective communications to name just a few of their goals. They cover all 12 departments and all three shifts rotating to different departments to stay fresh and learn all of the factory operations.
Making Quality Control Part of the Culture
Coaching, educating, and collaborating with their peers is a major part of the team’s quality control methodology. By fostering a sense of trust and respect, workers feel safe to acknowledge mistakes giving them the confidence and support to rectify them quickly. Their approach is to present information in a positive, productive way that will be perceived by workers as helpful and received as part of the shared goal of improvement.
The team’s vision of quality control is guided by several principles including fostering positive working relationships, engaging workers in evidence-based decision-making, encouraging them to take on leadership roles, and keeping a focus on the customer. Ultimately, this method creates a sense of “we’re all in this together,” resulting in a better product with fewer errors at all stages of production including packing and shipping. Continued engagement and training of all employees aims to foster a culture of success and create opportunities for everyone.
AIS’ quality control award winners for 2022, as voted by their peers are: Franchesca Jimenez, paint assembly supervisor; Carlos Santiago, panel assembly supervisor; and Adolfo Ortiz, worksurfaces supervisor.
A celebratory lunch of Cuban sandwiches, salad, and chips with flan for dessert followed the presentation of awards.
Annual Celebration Planned with 2023 Goals Set to Benchmark Progress
To achieve a strong culture of quality, each year the factory and quality control team will celebrate world quality day as an important reminder that making high quality products matters.
As for the teams 2023 goals, they are eager to get started. Among their objectives will be efforts to create and optimize reports and dashboards to show trends and performance data; audit and control documents; support the quality control laboratory where products are tested; support production; and continuing to encourage a learning environment.
Next year’s event is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023.