Consistent productivity is one of the essential pillars of any successful business. Having a group of employees working day and night and, still, coming up with high-quality products is something that every business owner dreams of. There is nothing impossible in the world of business, provided you keep your priorities in order.
Even with all the right resources in place, the productivity within your factory can gradually depreciate. So, how do you avoid this from happening and ensure continuous growth? It takes more than just money and personnel to increase factory performance & improve supply chain. Here are a few ideas to consider in your workplace;
Workflow Review
Ever heard of the phrase ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it’? There’s no need to start investing in fixing something that’s still working fine. As such, before you strategise on implementing changes to your factory, it’s crucial that you review the workflow. Three things ought to be considered: personnel, equipment, and the process.
Personnel
In your review process, check if you have people with the correct and required skill sets to work in the various departments. How will you know if the people in your team are the right ones?
Apart from their determination and loyalty, good employees are able to recognise the needs of your business and consider decisions that affect them from different perspectives. It is important that your leadership team value building effective working relationships with other managers and employees. They will need to work closely with other employees to deliver results. Fostering a great workplace culture will lead to improved productivity.
Now you know you have a great team in place, it’s important to offer workforce training to ensure that everyone is on the same page, feel valued by the business and remain loyal. This, in turn, reduces your employee turnover, another added benefit.
Equipment
Do you have the right equipment to carry out every task within your factory? Of course, there are some tasks that can be done using the same tool, but it’s a good idea to have a tool for every specific job. Also, ensure that you use the latest versions, especially when it comes to computer-related products. This way, you’ll be able to meet all current consumer demands.
Process
Assessing your factory processes is something that should be done regularly. Figure out all the pain points and bottlenecks, then go ahead and map out a strategy that will help solve these issues.
Organise The Workplace
The layout of the production floor and the whole workplace is crucial for the efficiency and productivity of the employees. For example, reducing the distance travelled by an employee by ensuring that the tools needed can be found within their work area (or as close as possible).
If a product needs to be moved from one machine to the other, find the best solution to reduce the risk of injuries and strains. While doing this, you should consider how to allow the safe movement of those within the workplace by defining specific walkways and removing any barriers to minimise accidents.
Optimise Your Inventory
Make sure you have the correct levels of inventory. Both extremes of too much or too little are a disadvantage to the factory operations. When you have too much, try to find a place to store away from the production floor. Also, ensure that you use all of it to reduce the costs incurred in the production phase.
Too little inventory is quite risky because it can lead to a work stoppage, and that’s the last thing you’d want. Therefore, make sure inventory management is prioritised in whichever strategy you choose to employ.
Conclusion
Factory productivity depends on many factors, but the personnel, process, and equipment used will always be top of the list. Therefore, if you’re looking to improve this part of your business, you must ensure that you have the right people working in those positions that are vital to your operations. Employee development will help further growth as skill sets expand and loyalty to your business will grow. The correct tools need to be available and well maintained, and any procedures you have in place need to be effective and communicated to all relevant employees. Finally, ensure you maintain optimum levels of inventory and provide an organised and safe working environment for your employees.