septemberoctober2024 - 6

Guest Opinion
From Data to Trust: Keolis' People-centered
Approach to Operational Excellence
Transit systems operate for millions of passengers every day not just
because of the physical systems in place, but because of the people who
drive service forward and maintain those operations daily.
By B r ad Th oma s , C o n t r i b u t o r
IN THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY, we often view operational
excellence through the lens of efficiency, data
and metrics. It doesn't stop there, though-true
operational success hinges on a people-centered
approach to leadership. Transit
systems operate for millions of
passengers every day not just because
of the physical systems in
place, but because of the people
who drive service forward and
maintain those operations daily.
That's why at Keolis, we focus
Keolis operator
Steven Polite
conducts a pretrip
inspection at
the OCTA yard in
Anaheim, Calif.
Photo: Keolis North
America
on enhancing service delivery by
improving the management and
treatment of our employees. Our
people-centered approach has
transformed the way we manage
operations for our partners,
ultimately leading to better service delivery, more
robust employee engagement and an improved experience
for both our passengers and our clients.
Our philosophy as an organization is that employees
who are valued and seen will perform at
their best. We take an individualized management
approach, ensuring our operators know that their
work is valued and appreciated. By engaging with
employees on the frontlines and providing feedback
via a personalized scorecard, our managers
can acknowledge and celebrate their employees'
achievements while continuously encouraging
them to reach even higher standards.
We also regularly host employee engagement
About the author
Brad Thomas is
president and COO
of Keolis North
America's U.S. Transit
business.
events to establish relationships and build trust.
This style of leadership cultivates noticeable improvements
in employee engagement and morale.
In our most recent annual employee engagement
survey, 52 percent of approximately 4,000 Keolis
transit employees participated, the highest engagement
rate of all North American business divisions.
One transit contract even had a participation rate
of 95 percent.
Beyond employee engagement, we can only
achieve operational excellence with trust. Trust
6 Mass Transit | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
isn't just a buzzword; it's built through consistent,
honest communication and a commitment
to following through on promises. By delivering on
our promises, we build trust and reduce anxiety,
allowing employees to focus on their work with
confidence. In doing so, we're also contributing to
improving metrics like attendance rates, accident
rates and customer complaints.
For example, in Pomona, Calif., where Keolis is
an operating partner with Foothill Transit, there are
33 passenger complaints for every 100,000 boardings
and on-time performance has improved 10
percent since 2017.
Another crucial aspect of Keolis' people-centered
approach is ensuring every employee understands
their role and is held accountable. At Keolis, we
have a management framework that supports this
understanding. As part of this approach and our
commitment to service-leadership, managers are
expected to support their teams' ability to answer
four questions:
* Where are we going?
* What is my role?
* How am I performing?
* What is my future?
This clarity reduces anxiety and fosters a sense
of purpose. When employees know exactly what
is expected of them and how their performance
is being measured, they can confidently focus on
fulfilling their obligations.
At Keolis, we've seen firsthand how a people-centered
approach can drive operational excellence. By
valuing our employees, fostering trust, encouraging
collaboration and harnessing the power of data,
we've created an environment where our people
and operations can thrive.
This approach makes a better experience for our
passengers, clients and workforce. As we continue
to refine and expand these strategies, we're confident
that we're building a sustainable model for
success in the transit industry and establishing
Keolis as a best-in-class operator and employer
of choice.
septemberoctober2024

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