Manufacturing Musings

In the 22 years that I’ve been working in recruitment I have visited hundreds of different work environments. It has given me the opportunity, first hand, to observe how some are more successful than others. In my manufacturing musings today, I want to offer my opinion on where I feel manufacturing and production environments can make the most of their current workforce to alleviate the staff recruitment challenges, and ultimately thrive.

Empower and engage frontline workers

Engaged employees see their value in a business and the true challenge lies in inspiring that employee engagement. Studies have shown that employees who are invested and committed to their job have a boost in productivity and reduced absenteeism. In short, they are likely to stay in the job longer.

Conversely, a lack of employee engagement results in low productivity and high staff turnover. To address this challenge, it is crucial to prioritize staff engagement. Empower employees to view “on the floor” jobs as long-term options rather than temporary pay cheques. As with most change this also needs to happen from the top. Management needs to welcome, and be open to, suggestions from their frontline employees.

This will help staff realise their value in a workplace where their voices are heard and their opinions considered. Provide them the tools to uncover and fix problems and offer access to learning and career development.

Productivity

There are various elements to consider when looking at productivity. Workflows, training, tools, maintenance, and the supply chain (or value chain). Often managers will look to breakdown this complexity by focusing on forward planning. Instead, it could be more advantageous to concentrate on the here and now.

Here are a few suggestions for enhancing productivity:

● Utilise real-time productivity statistics and reports. By having access to these metrics, employees can gauge their own productivity levels and identify bottlenecks, empowering them to take the initiative to resolve them.

● Encourage staff to recognise when machinery needs maintenance and get them access to “on the floor” troubleshooting to address this. It will trim the equipment downtime costs and free up engineering functions to be more proactive rather than reactive.

● Provide training tools that workers can access and utilise. This will be the first step in developing a culture of continuous improvement.

Connect teams

Too often, the reality of manufacturing and production environments mean employees are focused on their piece of the puzzle with no real insight into other parts of the manufacturing process. Walking between stations, finding the telephone and leaving a message for the right person, or waiting for an email are communication styles that slow production. Fast and efficient communication makes a difference and again it’s important to implemented at all levels. When increasing channels for communication, make sure workers can communicate problems and solutions to team members at all levels. When leadership actively supports such practices, employees feel more inclined to contribute and engage.

Leveraging integrated mobile and digital communication offers opportunities to build relationships that increase engagement. Opening the floor to communication is part of building a strong culture of belonging, and keeps employees satisfied and productive.

Simplify daily operations and toolkits

It is widely recognised that employee engagement and productivity decrease with poor communication. Therefore, it is essential to replace outdated legacy tools with intuitive digital alternatives that are easy to learn and allow people to participate in the conversation.

Automate as much as possible. Identify which production processes need an upgrade and which would benefit from automation. Identify production processes that would benefit from upgrades and automation. By automating routine tasks, skilled workers can be freed up to focus on challenging and engaging responsibilities. Look at the options to integrate with third-party and custom applications for a fully connected business. Working together as a team helps people take control of their lines.

Used together, these initiatives support employee engagement and a mindset of continuous improvement. With enhanced communication and increased opportunities for problem-solving, staff members can identify ways to modify workflows and reduce downtime. As a result, production lines can achieve the same levels of output while working fewer days and hours.

By implementing these strategies, manufacturing and production environments can harness the full potential of their workforce, overcome staff recruitment challenges, and thrive in the face of adversity.