How Overcoming Complacency and Embracing Change Can Boost Productivity and Job Security in Material-Handling Operations
People are often so busy reacting to daily needs and problems that they cannot see the opportunities right in front of them. The daily task of operating and maintaining a material-handling system consumes their time and energy, limiting their ability to identify challenges or recognize the benefits of potential improvements.
Complacency, or the “way we’ve always done it” attitude, can affect employees who have become accustomed to certain conditions, procedures, styles, or levels of performance. Surveys show that employees feel their jobs allow them to do what they do “best” only about one-third of the time. Managing in a way that lets employees do what they do best most of the time motivates them and boosts their productivity.
Outside resources can significantly contribute to a plant’s operation. These experts in specific industries, processes, or technologies can be invaluable. Material-handling specialists, for example, can analyze plant systems, identify challenges, and offer recommendations. They provide a broader view of the industry and material handling, serving as valuable resources for solutions to the challenges associated with transporting and storing bulk materials. They can offer a "road map" with directions to achieve a cleaner, safer, and more productive plant.
A common excuse for resisting improvements is the fear that it will reduce job security or give management a reason to reassign key equipment. In reality, the opposite is true. Companies always have more projects than resources. Workers who are open to change and focused on what they do best are more likely to be chosen for new assignments or the next project, enhancing their job security. Additionally, if the company becomes more profitable due to an individual’s contributions, it is more likely to remain in business, further increasing job security.
There are “new” ways to do things that can help plants improve their processes and work more efficiently. Often, the plant can use the same basic equipment to increase capacity and output and have a cleaner, safer plant without investing in an entirely new material-handling system.