Logan Voss
Productivity is one of the most important factors of any business, especially when it comes to the manufacturing industry. There are many factors that can hinder the productivity of both employees and the various types of equipment in your workplace. These guidelines for how to improve productivity in your manufacturing facility will help you maintain safe and efficient operations on a daily basis.
Assess Your Current Practices
The first step to improving productivity is assessing which aspects of your workplace require it the most. Put together an overview of the daily operations in your facility, including reviews of employees, equipment, and operating methods.
Are your employees properly educated in the process they’re fulfilling, or do some of them need more training? Does the equipment you have in your facility meet your daily needs? Are managers providing the right guidance or resources to machine operators? Are your employees utilizing the most efficient business practices? These are the types of questions you should be asking yourself when considering how to improve your facility’s daily productivity.
Provide Employees with Thorough Training
No matter what kind of experience your new hires may have in the industry, you should always provide thorough training for all employees. By working a training period into the hiring process, you can ensure that your team gets the knowledge and training they need to safely operate the equipment in your facility. In fact, some industrial equipment like forklifts requires employees who operate them to go through OSHA-approved training courses to obtain certification.
It’s also important to train employees when installing new equipment in your facility. Even if employees won’t work with a specific machine, if they work near it, they should know how it operates. You should also periodically offer employees the chance to attend refresher courses and other opportunities to learn more about the machines, practices, and guidelines in your workplace.
To keep training costs to a minimum, consider investing in virtual reality training. This hands on and interactive training, allows staff to fully immerse themselves in the activity and get an understanding of what it is like to run a specific machine, while also working to reduce training costs with VR.
Always Perform Scheduled Maintenance
All of the equipment in your facility requires regularly scheduled maintenance. If you don’t perform maintenance when necessary, your equipment can become less productive and eventually break down entirely. Train employees on the proper maintenance procedures, as well as the best time to carry them out, so that machine downtime won’t hinder your workflow too much. Performing regular maintenance on equipment like air filtration units will keep your work environment productive, safe, and in accordance with the necessary government standards.
Knowing how to improve productivity in your manufacturing facility is a vital part of maintaining a quality work environment. Productivity doesn’t simply mean finishing tasks quicker. A productive workplace requires knowledgeable and trained employees, as well as the correct functional equipment to complete day-to-day operations. By ensuring your facility has the means to provide the best support for your employees and your equipment, your company can fire on all cylinders throughout the workday.
