Robert Henderson's Vision for General Electric
Robert Henderson’s realization that one person could not fulfill General Electric’s goal came at the best moment when he was tasked with opening a new factory in Durham. It is true that the company’s investment of $1.5 billion was quite a huge sum of money to lose, putting in mind that they had not built a jet engine from the ground up in over two decades. Henderson had a huge task ahead of him and every decision he made from this point in time would count. He decided to focus his solution on empowering factory workers to improve productivity. Although this approach sounded easy on paper, it was difficult to implement on the ground, therefore various measures had to be taken to acquire and maintain a suitable workforce. The following are some of the things that brought the workforce together to work as a team.
Empowering Individual Workers
Firstly, Henderson viewed his employees as self-determining individuals who had their own piece of mind rather than the traditional factory setup. Each worker had a role in which they could not only contribute manual labor but also their own thoughts and views. It is a fact that this approach led to happier workers because their jobs were no longer as monotonous.
Hiring Licensed Mechanics
Secondly, instead of employing generic mechanics, Henderson and his team hired people with Federal Aviation Administration licenses. This was a much higher training and enabled the factory workers to make important decisions without being supervised. This ultimately increased the company’s output as well as the employees' feeling of worth.
Implementing Order in the Factory
Thirdly, Henderson implemented some kind of order in the factory. There was minimal chaos that was typical of traditional companies. The calm atmosphere enabled the workers to do their work diligently.
Contracting Non-Related Chores
Fourthly, Henderson decided to contract non-related chores to other external companies. Chores such as cleaning of bathrooms should not be assigned to workers, giving them ample time to work. Also, it promoted some form of professionalism at the workplace. Generally, Henderson showed his workers that he valued them, and as a result, a strong bond was formed among the workforce. The factory workers valued their jobs because they were more satisfied.
Factors Contributing Towards a Cohesive Workforce
Those were some of the things that brought General Electric factory workers together. A key contributor is employee satisfaction in the workplace. Employees of General Electric were generally satisfied by their work because they felt more competent because of the Federal Aviation Administration license, they were allowed to express themselves more freely, and they only did duties that pertained to their line of work. Henderson’s management abilities were also a contributing factor that brought the workers together. He cared for the welfare of his employees. Factors that contribute towards a more cohesive workforce include the following: Treating employees with respect, regularly recognizing employees who are diligent, empowering your employees, and providing your employees with incentives and bonuses for those who work hard. The outcome of satisfied employees is evident because after just six years, the new factory that had been started in Durham had grown beyond everyone’s imagination. The employees took so much pride in their work that they would sweep the eighteen wheelers which transported their engines. It is not only the quality of engines but also the number of engines they produced over a given time, making General Electric one of the most profitable companies in history.
