Benchmarking: Intersect Investments

LoneStar Plastics is one of the leading plastics can lining business in the manufacturing industry with a history of mediocre customer service and low employee moral. In 1998 Scott Atherely, VP of Operations, decided to challenge the negativity amongst the employees and re-introduce a work environment that consisted of positive leadership and motivation. As he sat looking at the data he struggled to come to a conclusion of why the company was experiencing low retention, excessive absentees, dissatisfaction, and numerous employee complaints. He then realized that “In order to increase productivity we have to change the attitudes of our supervision and employees.” Like Intersect Investments, the organization was going through a change in processes and was not receiving the desired outcomes or employee corporation.

According to Kritner & Kinicki, “Dissatisfaction is a symptom of an underlying employee problem that should be addressed. Unusual or high levels of absenteeism and turnover also represent forces for change (p. 675-676). Mr. Atherley responded to the issue of job dissatisfaction by unfreezing the organizations current attitudes. As defined in Ch. 19 unfreezing is the concept of using the negative attitudes as an incentive to change and get different outlook. He began unfreezing the negative attitude process by doing the following:

1. Every week for four months the company held “town meetings” and discussing/resolved the negative attitudes and issues from the non-exempt employees.

2. Conducted a six day team building workshop for management.

3. Restructured the rewards and incentive program, to reward productivity and positive work attitudes.

4. Re-established goals

5. Reinforced the new behaviors that were achieved through team building.