Jan 2, 2006
The Advantages of Keeping Score
Want to boost productivity? Make sure equipment operators understand how they are doing and how they can improve.
By George Linkletter
The best way to boost productivity in a print/mail finishing center is to acquire faster, more reliable and more versatile processing equipment along with the latest advances in software solutions.
But it is a rare mail center that can re-equip every time a new laser printer or intelligent inserting system is launched or a new software solution becomes available. So how do you boost productivity when funds for new technology are not always available?
One way is to make sure your operators are performing at the highest level possible. You can do that by helping them keep score of their performance. The goal is to make sure they know how they doing -- and not just what they are doing -- and especially how they can improve.
If you establish specific performance targets, and share information about individual and group productivity, you’ll go along way toward maximizing efficiency and productivity.
Putting Points on the Score Board
For example, one international brokerage firm, which has made dramatic improvements in productivity without investing in new processing systems, posts the total number of mail pieces scheduled for processing each day in scoreboard-fashion for all to see. The unit also posts regular updates throughout the day listing the total number of finished mailpieces. Why? To illustrate the steady progress toward the daily target and to provide employees with a sense of completion at the end of the day.
The unit also tracks the average cost per mail piece -- although not daily -- to help equipment operators understand the importance of keeping costs low. And managers stress the factors, such as variability, downtime and poor quality materials that can lower productivity and increase costs.
In fact, efforts to improve performance usually center on eliminating variability. Materials that are of inconsistent quality might be one factor contributing to poor productivity. Another might be improper machine settings. Both can cause operators frustrated by excessive stoppages to reduce cycling speeds to try to minimize jams or stoppages.
A third factor might be variation in the way operators respond to problems. Some operators are extremely conscientious and will quickly try to solve the problem. Others may respond more slowly. Some may repeatedly ask for extra service support at the beginning of the shift, in setting up jobs, in replenishing materials, and in trouble-shooting stoppages.
To eliminate instances when equipment is operated at improper settings, be sure to identify the standard settings and operating procedures for each piece of equipment and each application. Standardize the information and communicate it to all operators.
To reduce variation between operators, consider additional or remedial training. You should also identify and share ‘best practices,’ establish concrete goals for each operator, and recognize those operators that regularly meet or exceeded goal.
Some operators will resist the idea of ‘being graded.’ That’s human nature. They’ll assume they’ll be ‘punished’ for any poor performance. One way to overcome the resistance is to use employee ID numbers instead of names when tracking and posting performance. You should also emphasize the concept of unit performance as well as individual performance.
A Team Orientation
Once improvements begin to take hold, be sure to recognize employees for their achievements and efforts. You’ll find that positive recognition will help overcome resistance on the part of the few remaining die-hards. In fact, it is very likely operators will begin to cooperate more fully and openly with each other in an effort to help the entire ‘team’ succeed.
In some shops it is customary for operators to stop processing 10 or 15 minutes prior to a shift change. Others may delay processing until 10 or 15 minutes after a new shift begins. That approach impedes productivity.
If the operators begin to think and work as a team, they can easily keep the equipment running through the shift change, which will instantly yield higher throughput. Also, if operators see a minor glitch, and learn to quickly share that information with co-workers, they can easily minimize the impact of those potential problems, which will help boost productivity.
The use of a custom ‘score card’ for individual operators can also help guide and sustain improved performance. How? By providing managers and operators with useful metrics while uncovering the possible need for additional training or support.
Key criteria that might be included on a score card can include the following: the average time to clear stoppages; the total time involved in break and shift changes; the total number and length of service calls; the total number of mail pieces produced; the total number of flawed mailpieces; and the total throughput for a shift.
Low scores might uncover the need for additional training and might include details on how to set up jobs more quickly and accurately, how to make adjustments more effectively to assure smooth operation, or how to identify and correct the most frequent causes of downtime.
The bottom line? Operators who know what kind of performance is expected of them, including how to minimize or correct common problems such as stoppages, report they feel comfortable and confident in their jobs. And their performance is usually superior as well.
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Comments? Contact georgeol@ntplx.net.