Facilitating participatory steps for planning and implementing low-cost improvements in small workplaces.

In this paper, practical means of facilitating participatory steps taken in workplace improvement programs in small workplaces were reviewed. The reviewed programs included those organized by partners of our Asian inter-country network for small enterprises, construction sites, home workplaces and agricultural farms. Trainers who commonly acted as facilitators were found to play multiple roles in helping managers, workers and farmers take initiative and achieve immediate improvements. The participatory steps were more successfully facilitated when the trainers supported (a) building on local good practice, (b) focusing on a range of basic ergonomics principles, and (c) stepwise progress through feedback of achievements. The use of action-oriented toolkits comprising low-cost action checklists and group work guides was commonly helpful. The locally adjusted nature of the toolkits seemed essential. Trainers could thus help people build local initiative, plan and implement low-cost ideas through serial group work steps and confirm benefits in a stepwise manner. The review of the results suggested that a local network of trainers trained in the use of locally adjusted toolkits was vital for facilitating effective improvements in different small workplaces.