Employee productivity is a critical element in any manufacturing business. Even with the latest and most up-to-date technology in place, you’ll always need well-trained and experienced labor to operate them. And while many manufacturers usually have lean manufacturing strategies in place to improve productivity at a very low cost, it may not always be enough. If you have run a manufacturing business and are struggling with poor staff productivity, the following tips can help create a more productive manufacturing workforce.
- Conduct regular performance appraisals
Employee performance appraisals should be regular, as they can directly and sustainably impact worker productivity. For example, you can have it once every semester or three months by creating employee appraisal forms and making them available to your workers to fill. These appraisals can highlight the positives or strengths of your workforce as well as the challenges. Employee appraisals can also help you determine the right training needed, clarify worker expectations, evaluate goals, and provide worker documentation. But even more importantly, a performance appraisal can help improve employee performance and productivity.
- Develop a well-trained workforce
Regardless of the tech solutions and software improvements you have in place, your workforce remains your most valuable asset. And one of the best ways to ensure that you have a workforce that works hand-in-hand with your improved tech solutions to increase productivity is to train them adequately. While many business owners already acknowledge the importance of training, few take the time to plan and execute comprehensive training programs. A comprehensive training regime helps in two main ways. First, it promotes longevity, as your workers will become experts at their jobs because they understand what they’re doing and why. Secondly, comprehensive training gives you a workforce you can rely on to handle various manufacturing machinery and equipment.
- Don’t forget about safety and best practices
Manufacturing plants and factories are common grounds for accidents and health hazards, all of which can significantly dampen employee productivity. That’s why it is important to maintain and promote effective safety guidelines to reduce injury risks. Also, encourage and implement best practices that can lead to significant work improvements.
- Equip them with technology and tools designed to improve productivity
There is no doubt about the role technology plays in improving productivity. But as mentioned earlier, you need a team of well-trained workers to use the technology. The two always go hand-in-hand. So, if you’re looking to create a more productive workforce, you need to ensure that you support them with the right tools, equipment, machines, tech solutions, etc., designed to increase productivity. For example, if your production process requires your workers to broach materials, investing in a broaching machine will help them work more productively, as they’ll be able to remove material from a workpiece in a more consistent, continuous, and accurate way.
- Provide positive and meaningful feedback
Another great way to improve the productivity of your manufacturing staff is to offer them meaningful and positive feedback as often as possible. That means doing your best not to micro-manage them but instead encouraging them with helpful guidance, tips, and even praise.