Articles

Installing a Tier 1 Labor Management System and implementing Engineering Labor Standards provides a reliable Return-On-Investment for any operation.  It is not unusual to fully pay back the entire project cost within one year. The impact on the P&L is substantial.  The impact on the people can be earth shattering. A Three-legged Stool A Labor Management System implementation project is truly a three-legged stool.  Success requires that all three legs completely support the project.  The three legs are:  the technology, the engineering, and the people.  If any leg falters the stool tips and project success is at risk.  Unfortunately, most companies tend to focus primarily on the technology and the engineering when developing the project plan.  Generally, the people aspect is left out entirely or severely under resourced.  Consequently, the stool tips at project go-live and a great deal of time and treasure is spent righting the stool.  Often the creditability of the management team and the LMS is damaged. The thorough development, execution, and resourcing of a Change Management plan is the only way to ensure the structural integrity of the third leg, the people. The Associate’s Perspective My supervisor has told me for years that I am a good employee.  Every week I meet or exceed my supervisor’s productivity requirements on the jobs that are measured.  I enjoy the pace of my job as it allows me to go to break early, return late, and I usually find time between measured jobs to keep up with what is going on in the lives of my coworkers.  Although I have to keep a steady pace when on a measured job, there is sufficient opportunity between jobs to relax and socialize.  My workplace provides me [...]