“My operations manager doesn’t want to cut anyone”™s hours and get new people on board. She”™s in a groove, and even though the people she relies on aren’t doing her any favors, she”™s continuing to funnel work to them instead of fixing the problem by getting new people up to speed. What should I do?”
Thoughts of the Day: Make sure you and your operations manager are on the same page. Set goals to define what improvement means to both of you. Agree to a list of action steps and dates so that you both can measure progress. Make sure to get training for the new people so they have a better chance of doing a good job when they get called on to perform their increasing duties.
Start by checking the facts. Make time to meet and find out, specifically, what you and your operations manager do and don”™t agree on.
Ӣ What is really concerning you about the department? Does your operations manager see it the same way?
Ӣ How much loyalty does the operations manager feel toward the employees who have been around a longer period of time?
Ӣ Does your operations manager have any motivation to mix things up, or is change perceived as more work, more disruptions and more opportunities for things to go wrong?
Ӣ How comfortable is your operations manager at training new employees? Is there enough time in the day to train new people?
Ӣ What does the manager see as consequences if new people get more work and the people whoӪve been around longer get less work?
Explain your case, why you see it as essential to get new people into the mix. Explain your concerns about how the department performs at present. Don”™t sugarcoat things. Lay out the issues ”“ as you see them ”“ and then hear what your operations manager has to say.
Make it clear that you expect change. Ask your operations manager to set goals for how the department will improve over the coming year. Then talk through how those improvements require additional personnel and changes in performance from the existing team.
Ask the operations manager to create structure within the department that will support quality and training initiatives. Ask the operations manager to assign responsibility for quality and training to leaders among the current employees. Get train-the-trainer help, if needed, for both the operations manager and the people assigned to be responsible for quality and training.
Decide together on specific improvements you”™d like to see. Estimate a time frame for accomplishing those improvements. If you”™re still committed to seeing new people get more work, make it clear how much you want them to get and by when. Put a number on the kind of cost savings or reduction you”™d like to see resulting from changes such as improved throughput and eliminating errors and redos.
Agree on measures to track that will help employees understand problems and see improvements. Ask the operations manager to post graphs of those measures within the department and to hold regular meetings with all employees to discuss progress and obstacles.
Set up a training program to get new people up to speed. Assess current employees as potential trainers. Think through concerns you have about performance by experienced personnel. You don”™t want bad habits to be trained into the new team. Pick your best people to pass on their good habits.
Break out tasks that need training into smaller units. Pick people in the organization who are excellent at performing specific tasks. Ask them to train others on how to do what they do well. Develop a training manual that can be used to codify best practices.
Wrap up by discussing how improving performance in operations will make your manager”™s life better. Recognize that there is always more than one way to make changes. Allow your operations manager freedom to make his or her own decisions within boundaries that are defined by the goals you”™ve agreed to.
Looking for a good book? Try “Developing a Lean Workforce: A Guide for Human Resources, Plant Managers, and Lean Coordinators” by Chris Harris, Rick Harris.
