Timber Products, a leading manufacturer in the wood products industry, faces challenges common to many in manufacturing: skill gaps between veteran and new employees, language barriers within a diverse workforce, and maintaining safety standards.
They needed a solution to effectively train a multilingual and multi-generational workforce, ensure adherence to safety protocols, and capture the tacit knowledge of its experienced workers before they retire. Timber Products operates in a sector where safety cannot be compromised, and the expertise of seasoned employees is invaluable. However, transferring this critical knowledge efficiently to a multilingual workforce presented a set of challenges.
DeepHow was implemented to tackle these challenges. It began with the development of a series of video-based SOPs, starting with crucial Lockout Tagout procedures. These videos served as a blueprint for further SOPs. Key features utilized included:
Video-based SOPsDeepHow enabled the Timber Products team to create step-by-step training videos. This enhanced the understanding of complex procedures and helped retain safety knowledge, driving safety compliance and worker confidence. "The video that comes to mind that we've filmed and used for DeepHow would be our Sander lockout tag-out video. That was our first initial lockout tag-out video, and we saw the benefits of this project," explained Mizraim Jimenez, Spreader Supervisor. This initial success led to subsequent videos capturing more complex procedures.
AI QuizzingTo reinforce learning and ensure comprehension, AI-driven quizzes were integrated following each SOP video and tailored to assess key points of the procedures. The implementation of AI Quizzing and interactive modules further enhanced the learning experience. Employees could engage with the material interactively, ensuring they understood each procedure fully before moving on. "Some of the feedback the employees have mentioned is how informative the videos are," shared Adam Chavez, Compliance Specialist. “They like the fact that it covers everything step by step.”
Multilingual capabilitiesDeepHow's ability to offer training in multiple languages was crucial in addressing the diverse linguistic needs of Timber Products’ workforce, making training accessible to all employees, and ensuring that safety and operational procedures were understood universally. "The multilingual capabilities of DeepHow have been a tremendous help because of how diverse our production team is," noted Jimenez. This feature ensured that SOPs were accessible to everyone, regardless of their native language, fostering a more inclusive environment.
The implementation began with developing the initial lock-out tag-out video, which served as a pilot project. Following its success, a series of SOPs were developed. Key steps included:
Experienced workers were filmed performing tasks, ensuring their invaluable skills were preserved and transferred to others.
Each video was translated into relevant languages to cater to the diverse workforce, ensuring clarity and comprehension.
By involving employees in creating and validating the SOPs, Timber Products fostered a culture of safety and continuous learning.
The results were significant. There was a noticeable improvement in safety compliance and a reduction in training time. New employees could learn at their own pace, revisiting SOPs as needed.
Employees reported high satisfaction with the multilingual SOPs and appreciated the search feature within the videos, which allowed them to find specific information quickly. This feature was handy during complex procedures, helping to ensure procedures were executed safely and correctly.
There was a notable improvement in safety compliance and reduced incidents attributed to a better understanding of procedures.
The onboarding time for new employees decreased significantly, as they could train at their own pace and revisit the SOPs.
The skill gap between seasoned and new employees was narrowed, with new hires learning from standardized, expert-led SOPs.
Workplace priorities shifted to safety and continuous improvement, boosting employee engagement.
Perhaps one of the most significant impacts was the cultural shift within the company. "DeepHow has impacted our safety program by helping shift the safety culture here at Timber Products,” stated Jimenez. “That safety is the number one priority here.” This shift was not just in compliance but in the overall approach to continuous improvement and employee engagement.
DeepHow has been instrumental in transforming Timber Products' approach to training and safety compliance. Through innovative AI-powered solutions, Timber Products has improved operational efficiency and safety and prepared its workforce for future challenges. This case study exemplifies how technology can be leveraged to preserve and extend the knowledge base within industries facing significant transitional challenges.
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