"MS&A United"
Strategic Employee Communication Using Values

Introduction
In introducing the first of the articles in the new "Values in Action" section on the GVN website we are using an application that was introduced in 1982.  We believe that this application is still unique 20 years on and on this basis are using this as an example of a very successful practical application of the Values Technology. It is also appropriate that the MS&A United approach uses a soccer team as the vehicle, as World Cup 2002 is due to begin during the next few days.   

Background Information
Middelberg Steel & Alloys (MS&A) now Columbus Stainless Steel is situated in the Mpumulanga Province in South Africa, some 180 kilometers East of Pretoria on the N4 National Road to Muputo. 

The company produces both Ferro Chrome and Stainless Steel and at the time had a workforce of some 4000 employees at all levels.  The 1980's were the period in South Africa when there was significant socio-political unrest including the formation of Trades Unions.  During this period South African companies were also experiencing difficulty in exporting, although the country is the largest producer of ferro-chrome in the world.

In the early 1980's it was decided to expand the stainless steel capacity in the company which in turn required new equipment and new skills.  The company also had an enlightened employment policy including skills development, remuneration and quality housing.  However,  the employee values mix included workers from the "Tribal Homelands" as well as conservative workers from the local Middelburg community. 

Communicating Company Values
In 1980 MS&A started talking to Dr Don Beck, who the Operations Director, Des Winship had heard speak at a conference in the United States.  The company invited Don Beck to visit South Africa and to run a Strategic Values Workshop for the top management team at MS&A. 

At this time the political / racial issues in South Africa were very evident with managers facing intense pressure on the shop floor from both the Trades Unions on the left of the political spectrum as well as conservative white employees on the far right. However, at the workshop it became clear that the values technology removed the racial and political divides and allowed for a "New View" of the world. 

A direct by-product from the values workshop was an overall MS&A Corporate Strategy using the values technology in all areas of the business from operations, sales / marketing and engineering to finance, health and safety and human resources.  This strategic vision was then used in other values workshops at different levels of the organisation in order to obtain buy-in and where necessary to review the overall approach from an employee perspective.

However, an important output of the workshops was the awareness that differing values systems required an overarching philosophy. In order to adequately communicate the overall approach to all employees the MS&A United communications strategy was introduced using cartoons and the concept of a soccer team to illustrate the various concepts.    

It was during this period that the company also won numerous national awards in the productivity, export and safety areas among others.    

The MS&A United Concept
In looking at the values spread within the various operating divisions of the company it was clear that the full spectrum existed at MS&A.  These values systems were very broadly as follows:

Purple vMeme
A large percentage of the workforce were migrant workers who commuted from their homes generally situated in the Tribal Homelands distant from Middelburg. These workers often occupied the lower level less skilled occupations.        

Red vMeme
This value level was represented by many of the traditional hard working, hard living steel workers.  The majority of these workers were conservative whites but at the same time black workers were emerging who were politically aware of their rights, particularly through the emerging black Trades Unions.  

Blue vMeme
The conservative supervisors and managers in the operating environment often represented this values system.  The larger urbanised Middelburg town environment was extremely conservative and this was reinforced in the community by a number of the white churches and political parties. 

Orange vMeme
The majority of middle and senior managers occupied this values system in the company. It was interesting to note at the time that where the management group were strongly Orange, South Africa as a country was still strongly Blue. 

Green vMeme
The Green Values were present in the company but in a very small group of individuals who often had strong Orange overtones.  Many of these individuals were in the Senior Management group, but without the negative side of Green which can often present problems.  

Yellow vMeme
A handful of the top management group also had some Yellow values.  Included in this group were John Hall the then Managing Director as well as Des Winship the Director: Operations who both led the move to integrate and change the values within the company as a whole. 

The question was how to lead this initiative on moving the MS&A values.

The Concept of MS&A United
South Africa is a country where sport is very popular with most people from either a player or spectator perspective.  After wide discussions including  exploring the concept at both management and employee workshops the concept of using a soccer team in a communication program was finally agreed on.

Due to the fact that a large percentage of the workforce was functionally illiterate there was a need to use a simple method of communication.  Following extensive consultation within the company structures the concept of using cartoons was finally settled on.  These cartoons were to cover the full range of company and employee issues in each of the four main languages used in the organisation. 

In addition to the printed cartoons a set of video's was also produced, also in the four main languages used in the company Afrikaans, English, Sotho and Zulu.

MS&A United: The Program
The formal MS&A Employee Communication Program comprises the following main sections:

The Employment Code
A set of 18 cartoons covers the full range of employment issues including the Employment Code, Selection, Promotion, Training, Education, Remuneration, Job Description and Grading, Performance and Performance Review, Leave, Retirement and Retirement Benefits, Lay-off, Negotiation, Quality of Life, Safety and Monitoring of Results.  

Safety
This set of 18 cartoons covers the full range of Safety issues including Safety, Protective Clothing, Care and Use of Equipment, Safety Training, Equipment Lock-out, Unauthorised Riding, No Smoking, Fire Prevention, Horseplay, Reporting Damage, Observing Safety Signs, Injuries, First Aid, Security, Safety Committee, Safety Outside Work and Five Star Safety Rating.

The Rules
A set of 18 cartoons covers the full range of topics including Disciplinary Procedure, Communication, Negligence, Incompetence, Dishonesty, Incapacity, Absenteeism, Unpunctuality, Disloyalty, Insubordination, Dismissal, Drunkenness, Assault, Damage to Company Property, Noting the Complaint, Appeal, Appeal Committee and Co-operation.  

Pay and Performance
This set of 18 cartoons covers the full range of issues including Pay and Performance, Proficiency, Job Description and Grading, Performance and Performance Review, Promotional Route and Promotion, Overtime, Bonuses, Medical Aid, Debits for Kit, On the Bench, Retirement Benefits, Insurance Benefits, Tax, Transport and Pay Packet.

Communication in Focus
This program was given to all Supervisors and Managers and provided a more detailed review of the above sections.  In addition it focussed on issues around Teamwork such as Simple Rules, Communicating Objectives, Tactics, Preparation, Dispute Handling, Feedback, Advertising and Labour Stability.

The positive change in race relations during this period was marked and in talking to employees at all levels, both black and white it was very clear that the MS&A United program played a large part in changing the perceptions as well as the "Hearts and Minds" of employees at all levels.  

Additional Programs and Support Information
In addition to the formal modules a whole range of additional MS&A United   products were produced to back up the corporate commitment.  The approach developed its own culture within the company and was widely publicised throughout Southern Africa in the 80's and early 90's.

Values Colour Coding
At the time the management group were attempting to move the values from Red to Blue.  Bearing this in mind the MS&A United team used a Blue strip and their opposition Red.  This was carried through on other aspects of the program including issues of Pay - Debits: Red and Credits: Blue.

It is also interesting to note that MS&A as part of the Barlow Rand Group at the time was offering the MS&A United product range to other operating divisions in the group, including wide use within Rand Mines which was the largest division. At this time the Barlow Rand Group was the major industrial company in South Africa, employing some 140 000 people across the full spectrum of industries in the economy.

The MS&A United program was also used by many organisations in South Africa and elsewhere.

Summary
In looking at the impact of the MS&A United program across the South African economy as well as in MS&A at a particularly turbulent time in the country's history  there is no doubt that it was of great assistance in communicating across racial barriers. The design was specifically crafted in order to communicate with all levels of employee and across all values systems. 

The MS&A United program was truly unique for its time.  In looking at the benefits of the approach we believe that this approach is still as valid, particularly in developing, multi-cultural countries. For further information and details on the MS&A United program contact us at info@globalvaluesnetwork.com

Formal Acknowledgement
In looking at the impact of the MS&A United program we wish to formally acknowledge the major part played by Don Beck in the formulation and  strategic implementation of the above program. 

Note:  We will be adding real examples of selected MS&A United material to the GVN Partner website shortly.  

Alan Tonkin
CEO: Global Values Network