Does production in your workshop seem to fluctuate? A lack of efficiency can not only hamper production, but it can also put stress on your team and employees. If your business seems to have a drop in productivity, try implementing these tips to increase efficiency in your workshop. Often times, drops in production have a reason; you just need to understand the source of the issue.
Have Clear Goals
Your employees will be more dedicated when working towards a common goal. Maybe your workshop’s goal will be a numerical one, such as you want to produce blank number of parts/products/etc. per week, month, and year. Or perhaps you just want to improve on last month or year’s production rates. Having a clear goal in mind for short- and long-term periods can help boost morale, teamwork, and efficiency, especially with the promise that meeting that goal will be rewarded in some way.
Practice Great Organization
When everything is in its place, your employees won’t have to go searching for tools and supplies, taking time away from production. You can create a policy and enforce good organization practices to help your workshop stay neat. Just make sure to manage this policy with your employees and subordinates; you want everyone to be on the same page in understanding where supplies belong. If you need to restructure your workshop altogether, make sure to walk your employees through the new setup.
Replace Equipment
This might come as a surprise, but your workshop equipment may be working against you. Meaning, it may be time to replace or upgrade some of your old and outdated pieces. If you’re not sure whether it’s time to upgrade or not, there are certain signs you need to replace your tools that you can look out for. Old and outdated equipment is bound to have some mechanical troubles, which can slow down your workshop’s productivity. This is why keeping up with regular machine maintenance and inspections is so important, because it can alert you to problems like these early on.
Even if you are already taking advantage of these tips to increase efficiency in your workshop, there may still be room for improvement if your workshop still lacks productivity. Try going back to the drawing board and implementing or tweaking the above methods for better results.