Increase Productivity on the Manufacturing Floor

A wise man once said excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. In other words - great results can come from mastering a simple technique and applying it consistently. This principle is the cornerstone for a successful manufacturing facility and its productivity. 

As an employer, your job is to find the right leaders who can train, guide and motivate employees in order to get the job done. Meeting goals and demands is challenging. In nearly all manufacturing industries, the ultimate goal is to find ways to improve productivity on the floor. 

Here are a few ideas you can begin to implement immediately for boosting productivity and output on the factory floor: 

Reward trainers - First, model the behavior you want. Then, train your floor managers to implement best practices quickly. But also don't stop there. Implement a series of small rewards for achieving milestones and be creative and personal in how you offer those rewards. 

Reward efficiency - Don't obsess over output at the expense of everything else. Structure rewards that allow employees to save and use time saved via productivity enhancements such as vacation or sick time, lunch perks, or late start/early leave “bank” time.

Reward small failures - Productivity is a process, so treat it like one. Allow staff to team up and try small experiments for boosting output, setting aside rewards for both victories and failures. Whether their objective is to find the best high-quality aluminum lubricant system, or to cut down on waste/cleanup time per day, know that anything that moves the floor closer to achieving permanent gains is a win. 

Reward outcomes - Finally, remember the endgame. Identify tangible, measurable goals before embarking on any productivity-boosting campaign. Assign leaders to implement the plan and reward achievements. In the process, workers will come to see that performance isn't just a corporate mandate but a shared goal that comes with shared rewards.

Where are your hang-ups? If you don’t know the answer to this (and every business has them) then you may be positioning your business to be limited in productivity.