Manufacturing productivity: What is bad, and what does it mean for your company? The reality is that production productivity is make or break for your business. If your productivity is below par, then chances are you won't be able to keep up with demand. If the process is fraught with error, your quality will dip, and over time, this will lead to reduced orders and viability.
Realizing the need for improvements is the first step towards a brighter future for your company. By driving an upward trend in productivity and efficiency, you're paving the way for growth and success. So, how can you make this a reality?
Training
Training employees is commonly overlooked when it comes to improving productivity in production. This is likely because you're investing, quite rightly, in new technology and processes to make things easier. But in the midst of this, employees still need to know how to use the equipment and technology, and if their skills aren't updated, if they're not following or even aware of best practices, even the best setup in the world will fail.
Take a step back and assess your training initiatives within the company. Are you equipping everyone with the skills and knowledge to complete their job roles? Are you including new and long-term staff members in training and updating their skills? Having everyone work to the same standard can enhance productivity and quality across the board. Production training can be instrumental in getting everyone to where they need to be.
Organization
Organization in every part of your facility is vital for improved production. If things aren't stored or housed at points that make sense of the production process time, you're likely wasting a lot of time in getting things to where they need to be. You can cut time costs and increase production by simply addressing your layout and storage arrangements and aligning improvements it how you locate items and how they move throughout the factory.
Top tip: ask employees how things will work better to make their life easier. They'll likely have more than a few ideas on how to make their own lives easier at work. For instance, you can set up regular feedback sessions or suggestion boxes to encourage them to share their ideas for improvement.
Maintenance
Regular maintenance and troubleshooting of your machinery and equipment are not just tasks; they're vital cogs in the productivity process. By ensuring your equipment is fit for purpose, you're securing your operations and boosting your confidence in your ability to meet demand.
In the first instance, you need to ensure everyone who operates any or all machinery is aware of how to use it properly and how to identify when things aren't working as they should be. From here, along with regular checks and inspections, you can preempt any issues, schedule repairs, and change operations to compare for downtime so you're not wasting time simply working with what you have and being prepared. A comprehensive repair and maintenance schedule can assist you in avoiding unplanned downtime, excessive repair bills, and waste and improve productivity, which is the ultimate goal. By having a proactive approach to maintenance, you can ensure that your equipment is always in top condition, reducing the risk of breakdowns and the associated production losses.