Review of the First Model Labor Innovation Studio Forum of China Institute of Labor Relations

Source: Zhonggong Network

Editor's Note

On December 19, 2020, the first Model Labor Innovation Studio Forum of China Institute of Labor Relations was held in Beijing and attracted the attention of people at all levels. Recently, in the field of labor movement, the theme and content of the forum have been hotly discussed, and the Model Labor College of China Labor Relations College, with the support and attention of many parties, has visited and investigated many times, sorted out relevant data and compiled them into a summary for the reference and reference of the majority of trade union workers and workers.

According to the "Opinions of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions on Further Deepening the Creation of Labor Model and Artisan Talent Innovation Studio" (General Gongfa [2017] No. 13), the Labor Model and Artisan Talent Innovation Studio (hereinafter referred to as the "Labor Model Innovation Studio") is led by labor models and artisan talents with strong technical ability, business ability, innovation ability and management ability, with technological innovation, management innovation, service innovation and system innovation as the main content to solve work site problems. A mass innovation activity group with the goal of promoting the innovation and development of the unit. In the process of creating and operating the Lamor Innovation Studio, many excellent cases and successful experiences have emerged, but there are also many problems. According to the viewpoints of the first model worker innovation studio forum of China Institute of Labor Relations, the author further summarized and analyzed the achievements and beneficial experience of the model worker innovation studio in the process of operation, as well as the opinions and suggestions of experts and scholars on the problem, so as to help the model labor innovation studio better play its function of leading the team and promoting innovation, give full play to the exemplary and leading role of model workers and craftsmen talents, stimulate the enthusiasm and creativity of the majority of employees in enterprise construction, and realize the upgrading of industrial structure. Contribute wisdom and strength to building a manufacturing power.

I. Clarify the responsibilities of the model worker innovation studio and ensure the play of the function of the model worker innovation studio

(1) Clarify the management authority of the model worker innovation studio After sorting out and summarizing the problems of the model worker innovation studio, it was found that in the process of operation of the model worker innovation studio, the management authority of the government, enterprises, and trade unions on the model labor innovation studio was not clear.

Trade union organizations should play a major role in the management of the Model Worker Innovation Studio. Associate Professor Wang Mingzhe of the China Institute of Labor Relations suggested that trade union organizations at all levels should clarify the management functions of the model worker innovation studio, and the trade union should give clear guidance and suggestions on the creation and declaration of the model labor innovation studio, the evaluation and promotion of the achievements, the assessment and supervision of the studio, and the training plan of the leader and backbone employees.

The creation and operation of the Lamor Innovation Studio needs the support of the enterprise. For example, Zhang Donghai, vice chairman of the trade union of Weichai Group, introduced weichai group's exploration in the training of model craftsmen and the investment of innovation studios, and cultivated talents through various competitions, "passing on help", and online and offline learning and training.

Professor Wang Xing of Nankai University suggested further clarifying the responsibilities of the government, enterprises and industries, forming a comprehensive creation pattern of trade union presidency, department leadership, and labor model participation, and ensuring the allocation of resources in various aspects such as personnel and funds in the studio.

Zhu Xun, director of the Labor Model Office of the Labor and Economic Work Department of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, mentioned that many model worker innovation studios are regarded as "bonsai" for external publicity and viewing, and have not played the function of the model labor innovation studio to lead the team and promote innovation. Zhang Wei, Bai Li and other leaders of labor model innovation studios also pointed out that many grass-roots labor model innovation studios have problems such as system flowing in form, insufficient innovation motivation, and insufficient energy of leaders, and there is no clear development direction.

In response to this problem, Wang Jianqing, Yang Bo, Yan Wenjuan and other leaders of the labor model innovation studio shared many useful experiences, for example, the Wang Tao Skill Master Studio led by Wang Jianqing took "imparting skills, technical research and achievement promotion" as the main function of the studio, and carried out technical research work around this function to increase efficiency for enterprise innovation. The Model Worker Innovation Studio led by Yan Wenjuan uses the corporate culture of "Standardization Construction in the Hotel Service Industry" to turn the knowledge in the service industry into knowledge that can be inherited and imparted, and the function of the Model Labor Innovation Studio with a team is well played.

Director Zhu Xun also gave suggestions, many of the model innovation studios are placed at the grassroots level, led by front-line workers to solve front-line on-site problems, each studio needs to combine the reality of its own work and clarify its own functions.

(III) Clarifying the internal division of labor of the model innovation studio Associate Professor Wang Mingzhe mentioned that most of the leaders and members of the model labor innovation studio are the front-line backbone of the enterprise organs, often in a part-time capacity into the construction and operation of the studio, the team members are unstable, the internal division of labor is not clear, limiting the operation and function of the model labor innovation studio. Around this point, the model innovation studio led by Wang Jianqing and Yang Bo have similar problems, such as the unbalanced age structure of the studio, the extremely unstable personnel, especially the enthusiasm of young people to learn skills is not high, and the phenomenon of "faults" is becoming increasingly prominent.

Yang Bo suggested that it is necessary to clarify the management function of the studio, optimize the personnel structure, let the studio form a clear division of labor, and invite professional people to do professional things. At the same time, the studio leader can use the construction of corporate culture to help studio members enhance their sense of identity and acquisition, so as to maintain and consolidate the stability of the labor model innovation studio team.

Second, improve the assessment mechanism and incentive mechanism of the model worker innovation studio, and promote the long-term development of the model worker studio

(I) Establish classification assessment standards for studios in different industries Associate Professor Wang Mingzhe mentioned that the goals and types of labor model innovation studios in different industries are different.

However, at present, there is no classification assessment standard for different types of model worker innovation studios. To this end, he suggested that the assessment standards should be refined according to the industry classification. Wang Jianqing shared the innovative approach of Wang Tao's skill master studio, which has a clear plan and assessment standards within the studio, implements the assessment to weeks and months, and has detailed, dynamic and quantifiable assessment indicators to promote the establishment of industry standards. In addition, he suggested that the model innovation studio should be incentivized according to different assessment standards. Weichai Group's approach is also worth learning from, according to the skill level of skilled workers to establish a precise classification, evaluation and promotion incentive mechanism, smooth the development channels of skilled workers, this experience and practice can also be extended to the internal and external classification and assessment process of the Model Innovation Studio.

(II) Multi-channel continuous financial supportThe lack of stable and sustained financial support is a common problem encountered by many model innovation studios in the process of operation. Through analysis, the author concludes that the economic value of the model innovation studio itself can become the driving force for the model innovation studio to strive for internal and external funds.

From the perspective of external financial support, Wang Jianqing mentioned that the ACFTU or higher-level trade union organizations can take the form of awards instead of compensation to reward and support the model innovation studio. Zhang Donghai said that Weichai Group, as a large energy enterprise, has invested a lot of financial support in enterprise innovation and research and development, solving the funding problem from top to bottom, and is also a benchmark for enterprises to support the labor model innovation studio. In addition, Associate Professor Wang Mingzhe also mentioned that the establishment of the Labor Model Innovation Studio Development Fund can also solve the series of problems of funding stability and sustainable achievement transformation from a certain level.

From the perspective of labor cost theory, the Model Labor Innovation Studio can also achieve continuous financial support through internal benign operation. For example, Professor Ji Wenwen proposed to achieve both labor and capital benefits, establish an internal incentive cycle, and help enterprises achieve innovation and create results. In addition, Director Zhu Xun also suggested that as the leader of the Labor Model Innovation Studio, it is also possible to strive to be an exemplary innovation studio through the continuous improvement and promotion of the innovation studio, and obtain corresponding financial support.

(III) Establish a clear learning and rising channel In the context of the era of knowledge economy, the model innovation studio pays more attention to the learning and rising channel problems of leaders and members. For example, Weichai Group has established a "five-in-one" young craftsman training mechanism with mentoring and apprenticeship, online learning, offline training, skill competition, and job innovation as the starting point, carried out a labor model craftsman lecture hall, and trained and taught front-line employees, which stimulated a large number of front-line labor model craftsmen. In addition, enterprises have also established promotion incentive mechanisms to smooth the development channels of skilled workers. Yan Wenjuan Labor Model Innovation Studio has explored a honeycomb talent echelon, from the team to the grass-roots waiters are included, to establish a talent development model.

In addition, Professor Wang Xing pointed out that to maintain the innovation and learning motivation of the model innovation studio, it is also necessary to encourage more front-line craftsmen to work solidly from the level of social system. Professor He Zhen of Beijing Normal University also suggested from the perspective of vocational education and training that to promote the continuous learning of the members of the model innovation studio, only by ensuring the sustainable development of the model workers can we ensure the inheritance and development of skills.

Third, strengthen the vertical and horizontal links between the model worker innovation studio, and expand the scale and influence of the model worker studio

(1) Forming a studio alliance of a certain scale is not a forest, and in the process of running the labor model innovation studio, it is impossible to do it alone. The "Opinions of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions on Further Deepening the Creation of Innovation Studios for Labor Models and Craftsmen Talents" pointed out that an alliance of innovation studios across regions, industries and enterprises should be established. In the actual operation process, Wang Jianqing, Yan Wenjuan, Yang Bo and other leaders of the labor model innovation studio unanimously proposed to establish an innovation studio alliance. For example, the formation of upstream and downstream vertical alliances on the production line to promote collaborative innovation within the enterprise; cross-enterprise and cross-regional horizontal alliances in the industry, resource sharing, information sharing, win-win cooperation, through the alliance to build a platform for exchange and learning of advanced experience and technical research and mutual borrowing.

Associate Professor Wang Mingzhe also suggested that trade unions at all levels take the lead in guiding enterprises to explore the establishment of cross-regional, cross-industry and cross-enterprise innovation studios with the concept of voluntary, co-construction and sharing, give full play to the role of labor models and artisan talents, integrate innovative talents and innovative resources in a broader time and space, give play to the brand effect of labor model innovation studios, and build and improve the innovation ecosystem of employees.

(2) Open up the channel between the party and government departments and the core departments of the enterprise Associate Professor Wang Mingzhe believes that the model innovation studio still has the problem of limited resources and brand influence to be improved, which is reflected in the lack of vertical communication with higher-level functional departments and the inability to achieve synergy. To this end, he suggested that we should pay attention to the publicity and momentum of the model innovation studio, strive for the recognition of the party and government departments and enterprises, and give play to the brand effect of the model innovation studio. Director Zhu Xun also proposed that the whole society and enterprises should work together to create an innovative atmosphere and use the construction of corporate culture to promote innovation work. Professor He Zhen put forward an initiative from the perspective of vocational education to encourage model workers (craftsmen) to speak out across fields, industries and professions, which has aroused widespread concern from the society for the model innovation studio, and colleges and universities can also actively carry out the exploration of modular teaching courses for skill training, and vigorously promote the construction of industrial workers.

Conclusion

This article summarizes the main viewpoints in the first forum of the Model Innovation Studio of china Institute of Labor Relations, summarizes the useful experience from the frontline and the opinions and suggestions put forward on the problems, in order to provide useful help for the further development of the studio's functions. With the increasing upgrading of China's industrial structure and the continuous improvement of the requirements for skilled talents, the function of the model innovation studio in leading the team and promoting innovation will be particularly important, and the research of the studio will also have more far-reaching theoretical and practical significance.

(Contributed by Model Labor College, China Institute of Labor Relations)

Editor-in-Charge: Zhang Weiliang