What is the Workplace Challenge Programme (WPC)?
The Workplace Challenge (WPC) is a joint initiative of the National Economic Development Labour Council (Nedlac) and the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) that aims to actively encourage and support negotiated workplace change to improve productivity and job creation. WPC operates in the form of Clusters, facilitated by Productivity SA coaches called Change Facilitators.
The Workplace Challenge Programme (WPC) is a focused supply side intervention of the dti, managed by Productivity South Africa, aiming to actively encourage and support negotiated workplace change towards enhancing productivity and world-class competitiveness, best operating practices, continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, while resulting in job creation. The WPC assists South African manufacturing, agriculture and agro processing, mining and beneficiation businesses. WPC is operated in the context of enterprises participating in regional clusters that are made up of five to seven companies in the industrial areas of all of the provinces.
The key objectives of the WPC programme include:
- Implementing leadership practices in participating enterprises that promote teamwork, participation, continuous learning and flexibility.
- Focusing on simultaneous improvement of quality, speed/delivery; cost and morale in participating enterprises.
- Establishing close links with customers and suppliers of participating enterprises
- Driving both linear (kaizen) and non-linear (kaikaku) improvement initiatives within the participating enterprises.
- Eliminating all forms of waste and making value flow within participating enterprises.
Eligibility
Any stable enterprise, from micro, small, medium sized, up to large or corporate companies, in the manufacturing, agriculture and agro processing, mining and beneficiation sectors may approach the WPC Programme contacts in the Regions to sign a contract with Productivity SA (the WPC Programme) for participating in the 24 months programme. The Regional WPC will make an appointment for discussing the implementation of the WPC Programme, before contracting. Participation fees payable
