Top Recruiter

Best Practices

Best Practices Paper from MBA

Boeing, the world's leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft, provides numerous military and commercial airline support services. It has customers in more than 90 countries around the world and is one of the largest U.S. exporters in terms of sales. Boeing has been ranked the #1 most preferred employer by readers of Equal Opportunity.
This ranking has been made possible, in part by Boeing excelling in several areas with its best practices. Before we delve deeper into the paper let us discuss what a best practice is. Wikipedia describes best practice as a technique, method, process, activity, incentive or reward that is believed to be more effective at delivering a particular outcome than any other technique, method, process, etc. The idea is that with proper processes, checks, and testing, a desired outcome can be delivered with fewer problems and unforeseen complications. In other words, best practices are the most efficient and effective way of accomplishing a task, based on repeatable procedures that have proven themselves over time for large number of people.
Among the various best practices Boeing is known for, Benchmarking Forum of the American Society for Training and Development declared Boeing as one of the 14 success stories for the best and most successful training practices, as well as the methods they use to identify such practices (Training Success Stories).
Boeing has been recognized as having the best practice in Knowledge Modeling. The Forum recognized Boeing for meeting the unique training needs of its many knowledge-based employees through techniques borrowed from the field of artificial intelligence. These techniques shortened the nine-month learning curve for new users of complex computer-aided drafting and modeling software, known as CAD-CAM. Boeing now uses the Knowledge Analysis and Design Support methodology (KADS) to identify and transfer the "thinking" of expert CAD-CAM users. KADS makes non observable thinking processes explicit.

To finalize this best practice, Boeing's KADS analysts interviewed and observed expert users to identify their thinking processes for solving problems, dealing with uncertainty, and minimizing risks. Then, they worked with course developers to identify learning objectives and to integrate the expert CAD-CAM practices into a training curriculum. Though KADS was originally developed to build automated knowledge-based systems, Boeing has also used it effectively in instructional design, reference documentation, and process improvement. (Training Success stories).

Another best practice which Boeing has successfully developed and implemented is Program Management Practice. The Boeing Program Management Best Practices is a management
system for executing to plan, maximizing value and meeting customer expectations. These best practices can help healthy programs see better results and can help reduce problems in programs that are overcommitted or at high risk because of technical, schedule or budget challenges.

The eight best practices of program management are as follows:

1. Business Offer: Understand requirements and prepare executable and profitable proposals and changes.
2. Supplier Integration: Establish and maintain a collaborative working environment from the earliest stage through program end.
3. Organization: Develop an organizational structure with clearly documented team responsibilities.
4. Business Plan Creation and Review: Set strategic objectives and measure progress throughout the program life cycle.
5. Program Execution and Control: Use a formal concept of operations to manage activities, monitor performance and implement changes to meet technical, quality, schedule, cost and other objectives.
6. Risk, Issue and Opportunity Management: Use an integrated methodology to capture opportunities and mitigate or correct risks and issues.
7. Help needed and Independent Review: Promote a culture of open communication and continuous improvement.
8. Program Communication: Maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
(Tried and True)

Another best practice Boeing is known for is, Capability Maturity Model Integration. This appraisal program deals with the means to improve and measure the reliability of contractors. (Mature Appraisal). The rest of this paper will focus on Boeing human resources.

Boeing human resources strives to provide the right environment for its employees to be successful at all levels and attract the best talent available in the market. They have found a balance between transaction and administrative based business model and one of personal attention where HR professionals help guide employees. This evolution is coupled with the HR efforts to contribute improved customer service, best practices and cost savings, and support the Productivity initiatives.

The main components are as follows:
1) Health Risk Assessment: The Health Risk Assessment is an online survey offered by Boeing through the Mayo Clinic. Employees and their spouses—or same-gender domestic partners—who are covered by a Boeing health-care plan can take the HRA and receive a personalized health report identifying potential health risks and suggested steps to improve their well-being.

2) Pay and Benefits Profile: Pay & Benefits Profile gives employees a snapshot of their share of the nearly $20 billion that Boeing invests annually in pay and benefits programs for employees and their families. The profile recently adopted an electronic format, increasing functionality for employees and saving the company $500,000 annually.

3) Leadership Development Programs: Strong leadership drives employee engagement—the way employees think and feel about their jobs. That, in turn, is linked to attracting and retaining a talented, diverse work force. To that end, Boeing provides leadership development programs and uses a Leaders Teaching Leaders methodology to develop leaders, open the culture and create a one-company mindset through all levels of the organization.

4) Training Improvements: Training is a vital service managed by Human Resources. Boeing recently undertook a massive effort to streamline the number of courses offered and the frequency with which training is needed. The work led to a more-efficient schedule for the frequency of completing required training, and a new option to “test out” on some courses. That lets employees proceed to the final test without first taking the course—and to receive credit with an 80 percent passing score. The end result: more efficient and effective training, and increased employee satisfaction. This work supports the companywide Internal Services Productivity growth and productivity initiative—along with HR’s strategy of service delivery, as training services are delivered more efficiently and cost-effectively.

5) Employee Survey: Another area with potential positive impact is the employee survey. The survey, distributed companywide every other year, is designed to measure employee engagement—how an individual thinks and feels about Boeing and his/her job. This is a key part of the HR strategy to establish and maintain a diverse and engaged work experience.

6) Dependent Eligibility Verification: is utilized to minimize expenses and to ensure benefit plans are administered according to the plan’s rules. Dependent Eligibility Verification process asks employees to verify the eligibility of dependents covered under Boeing health care plans. Many large organizations, including Ford, Daimler Chrysler, UPS and American Airlines, have successfully implemented similar programs.

7) HR Functional Excellence Programs: Boeing HR has created a new Functional Excellence Program, designed to align all HR professionals around a “common language” and tool set for driving business results. The HR Functional Excellence Program has two components: a Core Program and a Forum. The Core is designed for senior HR team members, delivered in an interactive classroom-style setting at the Boeing Leadership Center. The Forum is a regional conference-style course that brings together HR teammates in larger groups to hear and talk about the key HR issues facing the company. Both programs are founded on leaders teaching leaders, and tie in with the HR strategies.(Arkell)
The best practices Boeing has been able to develop and implement provides it with a competitive advantage and makes it highly successful. The company has best practices not just in human resources, but in several other areas including leadership, management, supply chain and mature appraisal. The human resources helps Boeing provide a human side to its employees. The HR does its part to reduce costs and streamline services while following best practices and providing improved support. The best practices make a bottom-line difference. And that difference can be quantified for organizations of all sizes.


References:

www.boeing.com
Overmyer-Day, L., & Benson, G. (1996, June). Training success stories. Training & Development, 50(6), 24. Retrieved July 15, 2009, from Business Source Complete database.
Eastman b, Diana. Tried and True, Program managers use best of Boeing to speed improvements
H.H., H. (2006, January). Mature Appraisal. Mechanical Engineering, 128(1), 9-11. Retrieved July 15, 2009, from Business Source Complete database.
Arkell, Debby. Bringing it all together: Boeing Human Resources balances ‘high tech’ with ‘high to

posted by HappinessFactors @ 7:02 PM