3M is known for its innovation efforts and products such as Post-its and Scotch brands. However, this is not the only business that 3M is into. The company is also into healthcare, display and graphics, and the industrial and transportation sectors. So you can just imagine the extent of its workforce.With 34,000 traditional employees and several thousand temporary workers, 3M has to know each of them. By and by the workforce planning squad, a part of 3M’s human resources group, get down to action.
This is how the team rolled out the program.
- put together an HR-led team representing departments such as sourcing, finance and IT
- take questions from various quarters and provide answers
- interview 3M’s staff to identify their issues with contingent workers
- survey the information technology, manufacturing, engineering and marketing groups using a Six Sigma methodology called Voice of Customer.
3M has always been a Six Sigma advocate, although at one point they thought that innovation and Six Sigma don’t mix. Still, I’m just happy that through the years, the company has not changed course. Rather it is continuously moving forward by using Six Sigma.
