I grew up a few miles south of Greensboro in Randleman, N.C. and our home was just five minutes from our most famous local citizen, NASCAR legend Richard Petty. Upon graduating from North Carolina State University, I was lucky to find a great job, joining Honda North Carolina Manufacturing (NCM) in Swepsonville in 2008. Later this year, we will celebrate our 40th anniversary, and throughout this history, the key to our success is what we call The Honda Way – a culture based on teamwork, respect and open communication.
From time to time, there are suggestions from outside the company that there is a better approach. Yet, over the past four decades, no company has been more successful in growing its production operations in America than Honda. This includes NCM, which now employs some 600 associates.
Today I'm honored to serve as the Site Lead, but I was hired in the purchasing department, where I spent 13 of my first 16 years with Honda. I still remember my first two weeks, because I worked on the assembly line and our production associates had fun with me when I couldn't keep up. It was a valuable experience because what I learned working at the spot of production helped me understand my work's impact on the quality products we make. Moreover, the relationships I formed with our associates on the line became part of a human network I've used to help our associates in their daily jobs.
Associate Voice
We value the voice of our Honda associates working on the production line, especially when they have concerns about a production process or plant issue. We not only want to hear their concerns, we want their suggestions for how we can improve.
We are the only Honda plant in the U.S. with a first and third shift, and there was a proposal from leadership to align to the first and second shift approach that is common to our other plants. This would enable direct communication between team leaders on each shift.
However, this decision was about more than work because it would impact the lives of our associates. For many, working at night isn't a hardship, it gives them more time with family during the day. During my career at Honda, I became a mother of three boys. This gave me a much better perspective for the value of work-life balance.
Before deciding, we wanted to hear from the Associate Voice, so we conducted a survey. What we learned is that two-thirds of our associates felt strongly about keeping third shift.
Our leadership listened to the Associate Voice, and our associates working third shift were happy they didn't need to change their work or personal schedules.
Transformation
We also work as one team to find opportunities to make work safer and ergonomically friendly. We are now completing the transfer of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) production from Honda South Carolina Manufacturing (SCM) to our plant in Swepsonsville. Due to changes in the power equipment market, we had production capacity available, while SCM also made side-by-side vehicles, which have become their priority.
The emotional aspects of this transformation were not easy for either plant. But thanks to incredible teamwork, the transition has gone incredibly well. Our associates were welcomed to SCM, learned their new processes and based on that experience, made suggestions for how to implement similar processes at NCM.
For instance, in South Carolina, they use more air-powered tools that require extra protection gear. In moving ATVs to NCM, our associates wanted to shift to the hand-held battery tools they are familiar with from making power equipment, and we made that change.
After making power equipment for 39 years, we began ATV production last fall, a big moment for our associates that will help secure our future.
Investing in Our Future
We will continue to invest in our people, listen to their ideas and work together to create products of the highest quality for our customers. In so doing, we will create unprecedented job security for our associates and their families. That is The Honda Way.
Lynne Hedrick
Site Lead, Honda North Carolina Manufacturing
