Shisa Kanko
What is Shisa Kanko and how does it relate to me?
Japan’s rail system has a reputation for being one of the best worldwide. One of the key aspects of this is the system they call Shisa Kanko. The rail staff spend their day pointing and calling out what they are doing, even when it appears they are not talking to anybody. Using this system of pointing and calling has reduced workplace errors by up to 85%.
Instead of each person carrying out a task automatically, this system has raised the consciousness of workers as it reinforces what they are doing, for example, pointing to the speed of 80mph and saying 80mph. Shisa Kanko is a proven safety technique and in the 1990’s New York subway conductors started using the point and call system which also reduced errors. While it is also used in some other countries and has been looked at by Australia it was considered as over the top by some which I am sure we can all relate to!
I must admit to being fascinated by this process and what if, instead of using this as a health & safety measure here in Australia, we adopted this in the workplace to call out people’s strengths and achievements? Now hear me out, I can hear some of you groaning as you read this, and fair enough. I’m not a lover of fluffy feel-good exercises for the sake of it.
But while health & safety is of course a primary need and essential in the workplace, why do we have so many systems and processes to avoid things going wrong, but not as many systems and processes to focus on what people are doing right? Yes, we have performance reviews, company celebrations when we hit targets, and staff awards, but how about if every day we were recognised by a co-worker for something we did well?
I am not suggesting that we start pointing and calling out to each other all day long although it could be a very amusing exercise, and I know a lot of us are really feeling overwhelmed and finding it hard to feel optimistic about the state of the world. So, how about introducing something fun and constructive into the workplace to consciously support us to be more mindful of each other even if it is not taken all that seriously? More than ever, we need kindness and connection as we are all doing our best to get through what has seemed a crazy world in the last 2 years.
