June 2018
BUILDINGTOGETHER PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AS THE NORM As you know, we kicked off our Smart365 initiative earlier this year at our annual Stakeholders Meeting. I have really enjoyed watching all of the videos that have been added to our YouTube channel (there are more than 150 on there currently, so if you haven’t checked it out lately, get over there!) This is a great avenue for us to communicate ways in which we have “found a better way” of doing an everyday process to our fellow team members. Not all of the ideas will apply to everyone, but even if one doesn’t, it may give you a new idea or make you think of a process in your life that you’d like to improve. Once you start thinking of changes you can make, it gets easier and easier to come up with new ones, because it becomes more ingrained in your everyday life. It’s fun to hear people say the phrase “There must be a better way” or “How can we Smart365 this?” because it means it’s becoming a part of our culture. The Accounting Department is excited about a couple of changes we have made this year and ways that we’ve “Smart365’d” some of our processes. First, we found a way to pull data from our accounting software directly into excel and then refresh that data as often as we want. We are now able to utilize this for several monthly reports. This saves us time from having to manually type that information and it also cuts down on errors.
Second, when the new consulting company, Become Unmistakable, was formed, we decided to go paperless and only keep electronic files on the network. This has given us the opportunity to test the process and bring ideas of how we can use less paper in the construction company. Finally, we are working on more accurate reporting for all of our selfperformed divisions which will allow for better forecasting, planning and decision making. These changes have given us a renewed sense of purpose and excitement about our work, and finding ways to change/ improve your own work environment can have the same effect for you! It’s truly a team effort. We all play a vital role in process improvement and there’s a lot of value to be gained when we share our ideas with others. It’s amazing how good it feels when you find a better or easier way of doing something and can also help someone else in the process. Keep your videos and ideas coming. I can’t wait to see and learn from them!
Grace Silva
Chief Financial Officer
Thanks for Attending Michigan’s Adventure!
BUILDINGTOGETHER | June 2018
Page 1