Most operations have some kind of continuous improvement initiative ongoing at any given time. There are a variety of continuous improvement methodologies: Kaizen, Six Sigma, Lean and Total Quality Management are all good examples. One of the most common improvement models is the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act). Each step is distinct and intuitive: Plan: […]
Good labor management has become a necessity in today’s very competitive distribution environment. In our hundreds of implementations, we have learned that there are 7 key factors you must have for a successful labor management program (LMS). They are: 1. Track 100% of Time The goal of any labor management system should be to see […]
We are experiencing an explosion of data being created from internet-connected devices. Wearable devices are starting to gain a foothold in the market, and they can provide new insights into how work is being performed in the warehouse, manufacturing plant, or out on the road. Although wearable data by itself can provide useful information, its […]
Creating a successful Pay for Performance program is both art and science. We have designed and implemented PFP programs for over 20 years and have learned the hard way what works and what doesn’t work. Here are the fundamental building blocks for any successful program, as well as a few pitfalls to watch out for. […]
At one of my prior companies (Integrated Management Systems), we used Pay for Performance (PFP) extensively to motivate employees and drive productivity substantially higher. We have worked with PFP for over 20 years and have seen both big successes and big failures with it. We like to look at pay for performance as nuclear fuel. […]
Among the first steps in Continuous Improvement is to map your processes. One of the easiest ways to do this is to walk through the operation starting from the where things begin and then walk through every step until the final step and the product is shipped/delivered. During the mapping process, it is useful to […]
The business world has evolved to one of data driven decision making. From our own experience, we have seen a multitude of times where the data paints a completely different story than just managerial observation. As part of any Continuous Improvement effort, measuring the processes you are trying to improve is critical and that requires […]
