Introducing Work Groups

Each day many similar job functions are being completed at multiple locations across all of the Clark Companies. For example, at each location sales people are taking orders from customers, products are being delivered by drivers and at multiple locations inventory is being purchased for the warehouses. Today, how these jobs get done can vary greatly from location to location. In the future, with the implementation of Project North Star, we will need to have the processes required to complete these functions to be as consistent as possible at all locations.

Because we are doing the same functions differently at each location it is very difficult for one individual to identify a process that will work for everyone. To overcome this problem we have established “Functional Work Groups”. These work groups have been put together to address a specific function that is being completed at multiple locations. Individuals that make up these groups are not necessarily managers or supervisors. They are individuals that have a working knowledge of how the particular function is being completed at their location today. The goal of the working group is to put together a standard operating procedure that will accommodate the needs of each company.

The role of the working group goes beyond identifying and documenting our current processes and procedures. It will also be the group that will make recommendations for improvements to our processes in the future. The members of each working group will act as our channel of communication and be our source for training others that need to learn how to get their work completed.