Efficiency is an area that needs constant improvement and focus. It helps your business in multiple ways, and it helps you save costs on operations and labour in the long term. It cannot only help cut costs, but it can also increase sales, help your company provide better-quality products, and help make your business more sustainable. Each of these benefits leads to more positive changes in the overall quality and scope of your business. Here are some ways your business can increase productivity and efficiency in the factory floor and workshop.
1. Evaluate sources of inefficiency.
The first step to take to reduce operational costs and low productivity is to evaluate your main sources of inefficiency. Review your client list, and try to find out whether it is a certain client who is causing lags in your process. Observe and monitor every aspect of production to identify problematic teams so that they can be retrained. If there is a bottleneck building up, you may have to reevaluate your process and get rid of the bottleneck.
2. Reduce waste.
A good way to make your business more sustainable is to reduce wastage in the production process. Do an overall evaluation to find out which processes are costing your business the most and if there are any ways to make energy or fuel savings. Try to use as much of the material as possible, and recycle materials whenever possible. Sometimes, even small switch-ups can have a huge impact on cost efficiency, such as switching to LED lights. Reducing waste is also better for the environment. It can help your company take advantage of environmental compliance schemes, reducing costs further.
3. Implement better storage.
When evaluating efficiency, we often tend to focus on the process rather than the space. But space is equally important, and attention needs to be paid to the efficient use of space. Make sure that your factory or workshop floor is not crammed. Use customised storage solutions such as storage drawers for small parts for better management. Make use of vertical storage space by using shelves and mezzanine floors.
4. Carry out regular maintenance.
Nothing can be worse for your business than a machine breaking down in the middle of production. Avoid this by always taking care of your machinery. Proper maintenance will ensure that no production is lost to a malfunctioning machine.
5. Train your employees on best practices.
Efficient machinery and design are only one part of the whole production process. If your employees are not well-trained on efficient management practices, then it will be hard to optimise your production environment for efficiency. Carry out regular employee training. Ask them for solutions as this will make them feel more engaged while also revealing to you unique insights from people who actually work in the production process.
The best way to get a more productive working environment is to establish proper process and workflow and stick to it regularly. At the same time, it is important to remember to think creatively. Sometimes, the best solution is the most creative and surprising one.
