Manufacturers continue to seek for cost reduction measure within their operations to improv their bottom line and improve their sustainability opportunity.
Lean strategies are implemented with an intent to seek opportunities to eliminate waste. Waste in various areas is often considered – overproduction, waiting, re-work, conveyance/movement, processing, inventory/stock retention, some however neglect to add underutilized talent.
This waste is common in many organisations albeit not quantified. It is unfortunately most damaging to employee morale, organisational culture and the bottom line. Why? Usually because of outdated management structures in which employees are seen as:
Replaceable: Some managers view shop floor employees as interchangeable laborers, easily replaced especially in the current labour market where unemployment is so high. In fact, many organisations deploy temporary employees rather than developing committed, long-term associates. There are other benefits in reduced labour costs and increased flexibility associated with increased dependence in temporary employees.
Incapable: At many organizations, workers aren’t recognized as potential problem-solvers — which typically excludes them and their knowledge, from improvement initiatives. •
Entitled: Some managers and executives worry that involvement of workers in daily management and improvement efforts will spur demands for enhanced compensation. •
Threats: In command-and-control cultures, managers and supervisors have all the answers and are “go-to” individuals when problems arise. These leaders can be reluctant to relinquish control and firefighting roles, fearing that they’ll no longer be needed.
These perceptions, believes and practices are costly, because shopfloor employees often know far more about their work, hazards and risks in the workplaces, and plant processes than anyone else (including management). They also know how their daily actions impact, positively and negatively on plant outcomes that determine overall business performance. (quality, speed, costs, etc.), as well as their own safety, and the safety of the colleagues
Changing these misperceptions is critical to driving improvement, improving efficiency, and improving safety culture.
If managers seem unconcerned about employee wellbeing, whether in terms of safety, compensation, or workplace engagement, an organization develops a culture in which employees are perversely incentivized to do as little as possible bare minimum). Yet when trust and concern is demonstrated by managers, and employee roles are willing to stretch/demonstrate their capability, embrace new responsibilities in fixing problems and improving processes without management involvement.
SAFETY CULTURE: ENGAGE, EDUCATE, EMPOWER
How can manufacturers create a powerful workforce in which everyone contributes? Engage: Start business conversations with staff, in which managers ask employees to describe what they do, how they do it and why they do it. Genuine engagement by with an intent to listen, learn and unlearn where necessary, will provide managers and employees an opportunity to identify actions and processes they deem faulty and/ or unnecessary. Ask about issues that bother employees, and then solicit suggestions for how to change troublesome processes or policies. Unsafe practices and behaviours driven by lack of knowledge, poor/impractical instructions by management, employee complacency, and pure negligence can then be identified.
Formalize this approach into a dedicated employee suggestion program. Commit to responding in some manner to every suggestion, no matter how big, small, or odd. Ignoring suggestions will destroy efforts to engage employees.
Keep employees informed of plant changes, policy decisions and the reasons behind them. Therefore, be open t their questions and be prepared to provide honest answers – even unpopular answers must be provided.
Update employees on performance and safety data regularly and In a manner that is practical, quick and easy to consume (consider using existing technology for the engagement) .
Reinforce good behaviours and performance through simple techniques of recognition, acknowledgement and simple but genuine gratitude – THANK YOU.
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