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Five Management Tips for Manufacturing Companies

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |Management Tips|Five Management Tips for Manufacturing CompaniesWhen we speak of manufacturing, we’re often reminded of the factory floor itself, with its workers and automated machines working in harmony to mass-produce equipment and consumer goods for a global marketplace. We rarely think of the managers who make these things happen – and that will be the focus of this article. Managers are able to adapt their factories and production lines to build effectiveness and efficiency – and this is where the five tips below come in, showing you where and how to manage your production facility for the biggest gains in 2020.

Staff

As a manager, your first responsibility is towards your staff. Without staff who are motivated and happy, it’s difficult to run a business. It’s difficult to get them to work the extra hours you may need them to work, and it’s even harder to have them put their all into their work each day. As such, man-managing your staff, with regular meetings, appraisals, and pay rises will help get the most out of your human resources each week of the year.

Processes

You should also, as a manager, be taking a close look at the processes through which your business is working. For instance, your overall production process – from raw inputs to your outputs – is one overarching process, with several smaller processes within it. To really understand these various processes, you should audit your entire production cycle in order to get to grips with where you might, as a manager, be able to intervene and improve upon some of the processes that are central to your work.

Equipment

Astute managers should always be on the lookout for the newest and most reliable equipment to bring into their manufacturing facility. Without the best equipment, you’re unlikely to run at the highest-possible capacity in your facility, with gaps in production when certain elements fail or break. Be sure to use the most advanced in the load cell developer field, and the most impressive sensors and switches, in order for your production crew to continue producing through the weeks and months ahead.

Health and Safety

All facilities – whether offices or factories – require you to be responsible for health and safety. Laws in your locality will stipulate this, by showing you a number of responsibilities that you have towards your staff. While you may not be liable, should your staff suffer injury at work, your company surely will be – and this is something you want to avoid at all costs, as damaging litigation from a former employee will be an unwelcome distraction from your day-to-day operations.

Operational Planning

Finally, managers will hold regular meetings with senior figures across the company in order to divine where, in the future, the company ought to move. For instance, monitoring the market for signs of fluctuation and change can be important for your business – it means you can anticipate demand ahead of time, and put plans in place to ride out dips in demand, or to make the most of the peaks.

Managing in the manufacturing industry is a tricky task – and that’s why this article gathers together five top tips to help you make the most of your managerial role, boosting your company’s performance at the same time.

Get More Efficient In Your Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Efficient business|Get More Efficient In Your BusinessAn efficient business is always going to be more profitable, and you must be looking at taking steps to improve your company’s efficiency so you can really make a big difference. When you look at your business no matter what it is, you need to ensure that you’re improving its performance. From managing financial shares to Best dividend stocks asx, you need to keep your business in great working order.

1. Stop the distractions as much as humanly possible

Even though it may be impossible to eliminate all distractions there must be some methods that you implement in order to keep staff and the entire team on target. Scheduling meetings and other important business functions can be good and also giving your staff targets and access to scheduling tools so they can prioritise can also greatly help. You need to think of the best ideas to keep them from straying during the working day such as checking personal emails or going on their phones. It can be difficult but after all you’re paying them for their time.

2. Implement different solutions for maximum impact

Computers, desks, chairs and equipment that isn’t up to good standard can hinder productivity. Staff may complain, have health troubles or generally not feel that they are working in a great environment and this is bad. You must ensure that you are getting the best things in place for your staff so that they feel at ease and this will lead to better productivity throughout the months.

3. Update your technology

Having efficient and up-to-date technology will help everyone and it will be vital to the production of the company. Improving IT systems and phone systemes will be one of the best ways and a great technological upgrade to perform. Advanced management software can help everyone stay better organised and to also be sure that they can access files quickly without having to wait for things to load. It’s important that they can get on with things quickly.

4. Get the best customer experiences in place and keep them engaged!

By improving the experience for each customer, you will not have the complaints you may have had previously and you will keep them more interested in what you’re doing and want to keep more up to date with you. Your staff will be more focused on other important business matters and this way you can be more efficient and solve problems much quicker than usual. Every staff member should be trained and know how to treat each customer in a kind and polite manner. Efficient assistance to resolve any problems is key to keep your customers happy as afterall, they will always come first. Get your website up to scratch and allow them to have a good user experience online also and give good clear contact information in case of any issues they may have. There are many advantages that come along with improving business efficiency and it starts with you. Today. Get working on an even better business for 2020.

Employee Benefits and Perks that Help Productivity

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StrategyDriven Talent Management Article |Productivity|Employee Benefits and Perks that Help ProductivityKeeping your employees efficient and productive is quite possibly one of the most important parts of running a business. If your workers are happy then they will be more loyal to your company and they will also be able to yield a much higher ROI too. One way for you to keep your team happy and productive would be for you to offer them a huge range of benefits and perks, some of which can be found below.

Flexitime

Flexitime gives you the chance to get rid of the 9-5 workday. Not all employees are the same and some will work better at certain times of the day. For example, early-risers may do their work much more efficiently in the morning. If you are able to give your team more flexibility, then they will experience less stress, and this can have a huge impact on their productivity. If you want to take things to that next level, then you may also want to give them the chance to work from home. Working from home once carried some degree of stigma, because bosses often saw it as their employees taking a day off. This is no longer the case, and your team might actually be more productive if you give them the chance to do this once a week. If you want to get the best result out of this then invest in some wholesale cell phones, as this can help you to keep them connected even when they are not in the office.

Team Events

Team events can include a night out or even a catered lunch. When you host a team event, you have to make sure that it brings the team together in a non-working environment. If you host an event, just to talk business the whole time then this won’t help your team and it will be seen as another business meeting. Try and keep things as fun as possible and also try and help them to feel rewarded for their hard work. This will help them to establish new connections between their co-workers and it will also help them to forge new connections. Team building exercises are also brilliant ways for you to encourage your team to work harder and it also gives them the chance to unwind after a hard day.

Learning Opportunities

Offering your team the chance to learn new skills is always a win-win. Your team will be grateful for the chance to learn and it also gives you the chance to make your team stronger as a result. The type of learning opportunities you offer is completely up to you at the end of the day, but it does help to make sure that your team are actually interested in the course. For example, if one of your team members is interested in working in management then it helps to give them a course that will better their leadership. This course might not be suited to another member of your team however, so do keep that in mind when you plan out your opportunities.

5 Practical Ways to Increase Staff Productivity

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Every business owner’s dream is to have a team of staff that are highly productive, as this contributes to their success as a business. The reality, however, is that people don’t tend to run on one hundred percent productivity one hundred percent of the time. Luckily, you can still reach a level of productivity that meets your standard if you put a few measures in place. It will require demystifying your staff and for you to figure out what motivates them and how to keep that momentum going on a daily basis. To figure this out, you’ll have to engage in a bit of trial and error and then find what works best for you. Below we discuss five practical ways to increase staff productivity.

Show You Care

One of the ways that you can attempt to improve staff productivity is by showing them that you care about their wellbeing. It may come as a shock to you, or perhaps not so much, to know that a recent survey carried out by the NPD Group found that at least 31 million Americans don’t bother eating breakfast in the morning. Seeing as breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day, your staff skipping breakfast could result in them having decreased levels of energy and being less able to concentrate. It will ultimately affect their productivity and how well they perform at work. A solution to this problem could be providing free fruit, bread rolls, and tea or coffee every morning if your budget will accommodate it. It should give staff the boost they need to start the day off on the right note and help increase their output. Try and see if you can get a grocery store or restaurant to deliver fresh fruit and bread every morning. You could also get the office secretary or assistant to look for Office Coffee Deals that deliver. Staff should appreciate this for the most part, or at least have something to look forward to every morning.

Offer Support

You usually hire an employee because they seem to be knowledgeable and suitable for the advertised role and have been able to pass the assessment given to them impressively. It, however, doesn’t mean that they won’t need support throughout the time they’re working for you. Consider supporting your staff by providing them with opportunities to progress such as dedicated training to help them perform better if you can afford to squeeze it into your budget. There is a tendency for organizations to focus on training for people in leadership positions. However, staff who are at the incipient stages of their career may need it more. Other ways to support your staff include giving them flexibility, so they have time to de-stress and don’t feel overworked. You could also think about replacing old equipment so they can work better and be understanding when they’re enduring work-related or personal issues. This kind of support is a way to build trust and loyalty amongst your staff.

Give Feedback

You can’t always control the way people will react to criticism. However, ensuring that it’s constructive could go a long way in improving employee productivity. It is a management skill to understand each employee’s unique personality and be able to find a way to provide feedback in a way that encourages and motivates them. Also, make a note to give feedback as regularly as possible and ensure it is detailed enough as well as balanced. Let them know areas in which they’re excelling as well as where they need to improve. Take the time to find out what their challenges are, and again, what support you can offer to help.

Offer Incentives

Offering incentives and rewarding good behavior might help increase work productivity. Not only does it make people feel good when they’re recognized and rewarded for achieving, but it also gives them something to look forward to. Common incentives you can try are bonuses for those who meet targets or free coupons to enjoy some form of entertainment. You could also try gift vouchers at stores that you think they’re likely to shop at. Explore different incentives and see which works best to encourage staff to be more productive. Better still, it might be a good idea to conduct a survey and simply ask staff their preferences. Bear in mind, that incentives alone most likely won’t give you long-term results for increasing productivity. Combining incentives with the opportunity to grow and feel like a valued part of the work community should create more long-lasting results.

Don’t be too strict

Putting too many restrictions in place at an office can make employees feel like they’re working in a jail. While it may be helpful in increasing productivity, it can likewise be counterproductive as it may affect their enthusiasm towards work. An example of this is imposing internet restrictions in the office. There is a plethora of valuable information on the internet in this day and age, and on social networks too. You may then find that allowing them to be free to browse and visit social media may help spark their creativity or give them a wider variety of information. It could improve their work productivity, especially if you’re in the media or digital marketing industry or your company has social media platforms. It is understandable that you don’t want your staff spending valuable office hours liking their friend’s pictures. Remember, however, that staff can be unproductive even with all of the restrictions in place.

To increase productivity, you have to think of ways to create an environment that your staff enjoy being in. Although people have different reasons for joining an organization, they’re more than likely to give it their best when they feel its adding value to their lives. This value could be in the form of money, support, and personal development as well as feeling like they’re a part of something significant. Hopefully, these tips help improve productivity, and you’ll have a happy owner and happy employees.  Ultimately, the most productive people are those who feel deeply connected to the work they do and what it contributes to society.

Smart Strategies for a More Effective Business

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Running a business is a difficult thing to do. It is even more difficult to do when you are not running your business as effectively as it should be. When your business processes are sub-standard, it means that you are doing more work than you need to, while at the same time producing worse results. The successful business is one that can look at itself, find its weaknesses, and work on improving them. A successful business is one that works on becoming more effective, and one that constantly strives to improve. This is particularly important with how fast new innovations and trends take hold of each and every industry. If you cannot keep up, then you fall behind.

To ensure that your company is as successive and effective as possible, adopt these smart strategies today:

Create a New Business Plan

Though you should have already created a business plan when you first started, it’s important to periodically create new reports. That way you can stay on top of trends, on changes, and can ensure that your company moves forward in the right direction. Creating a new business plan is also an excellent opportunity to analyze and reflect on your current business strategies and work on improving them.

You need to know where your weak points are if you can ever hope to succeed, which is why you should conduct a SWOT analysis as soon as possible. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and it can be vital to drafting a successful business plan. Without this analysis, you cannot move forward and you cannot fix areas that are holding you and your company back.

Improve Work Productivity

When you or your team waste too much time trying to find a document, you are being inefficient. This inefficiency means more important things are held off, that your money isn’t going towards bettering your company, and that you workforce is too slow. Instead, improve your systems to that work can be done quickly and easily. This means using management tools, and training your employees so that they use the same methods to store and retrieve data.

Other ways you can improve your productivity is to actually improve how well you treat your employees. For instance, having a great break room can actually help you improve how well they work when they are on the job. Further if you have cooking means so that your employees can bring food from home (even if it’s a ready-meal), it means that they aren’t wasting money eating out, and aren’t ruining their health with the fatty, salty foods that are available.

Other ways you can improve your employee’s productivity is to give them more incentive. When your employees see your success as theirs, they will work harder for you. Do this by making them feel valued. Give them rewards once they reach milestones, listen to their suggestions and give them genuine responses, and treat them every once in a while. Even something as simple as taking a team who has done well out for lunch can help boost morale and make your office a great place to be. The more you care about your employees, the more they will care about you.

Save Money Wherever You Can

It is a huge mistake to simply accept the first product or replacement that a supplier offers you. By rule, they will want to sell you the most expensive option they have. They want to do this because it means better business for them, but it isn’t a good way to run your business more effectively. Instead, take quotes from several suppliers or businesses, and always try to haggle down.

A great way to save money is by doing price comparisons. That way you get the best deal, even if the product is the same. That is why businesses should visit Side By Side Reviews. That way you can ensure to get the best deal.

Getting the best deal in other areas of business, however, requires a lot of cunning and negotiation. One of the best ways to do this is to be extremely effective in your networking. People help out their friends, and when you network effectively, you become friends with all the right people. Remember to be genuine, and to offer help first. You cannot expect others to do favors for you when you are not willing to do the same in return.

Build a Community

When it comes to your customers, the notion of networking remains the same. You need to be genuine, you need to have a certain “personality” and you need to give before you can hope for them to buy from you. If you don’t work on building relationships with your customers, then you are working extra hard for each and every sale.

Build a community that not only like your products or services, but who also enjoy you as a company. Many companies have seen their public image increase substantially from good PR. Have an effective enough company persona, and people will follow your social accounts for the joy of it. When that happens, you benefit from word-of-mouth, from increased SEO, and from becoming a household name.

Build a community, because when you do you have a circle of repeat customers and a circle of those who will recommend you to their friends and family. Word-of-mouth advertising is the most effective way to get new sales, because we trust our friends. In order to nurture this community, you need to provide great content and even better customer service.

How you treat your customers will dictate how well you are received, but you need to remember that customers are rather savvy; if you are a large business without any bad reviews, for instance, you are immediately suspicious. Don’t delete the negative reviews you receive, but instead respond to them in a courteous manner. This is especially important in a public forum, because it shows other potential customers how well you deal with complaints.

Being a more effective business means working better – it could even mean working less! Don’t bog your business down with inefficient policies or out-of-date practices. Reevaluate, and innovate.