Crew resource management training within the automotive industry: does it work?

Objective: This article presents the development, implementation, and evaluation of a crew resource management (CRM) training program specifically designed for employees within the automotive industry.

Background: The central objective of this training program was to improve communication, teamwork, and stress management skills as well to increase the workers' situational awareness of potential errors that can occur during the production process.

Method: Participants in the training program of this study were 80 employees, all of whom were working in a production unit for gearbox manufacturing. Effectiveness of the CRM training course was evaluated two times (1 month and 6 months after the training program).

Results: The results showed a significant improvement in a wide range of CRM-relevant categories, especially in teamwork-related attitudes, in addition to an increase in the workers' situational awareness after the training program.

Conclusion: On the basis of the results, it can be stated that CRM training, which was originally developed for the aviation industry, can be transferred to the automotive industry. However, because of the lack of behavioral observations, these effects are limited to CRM attitudes and knowledge changes.

Application: Several recommendations for future research and training development in the field of human factors training are made.