The building industry is once again on fire, and too many are stating, “I don’t have enough time” all too often. If your group is always talking about needing more people, equipment, and time, improving time management would undoubtedly benefit you. Improving time management allows everyone to accomplish more with the existing resources, positively affecting net profits.
Stephen Covey, the guru of effective time management, once created a simple matrix that has stood the test of time. By dividing common tasks into four groups based on their urgency and importance (for matrix image, See PDF or View in Full Issue), one can begin to understand some common-sense truths about time management. Too often, we are spending too much time in the quadrant of necessity (1) while we neglect the quadrant of quality and improvement (2).
The quadrants of deception and waste (3 and 4) should be self-explanatory. Neither group is important, and they both are characteristics of self-discipline that define an individual’s work ethics and drive.
The quadrant of necessity (1) is what too many of us are focused on. The more our time is consumed by crises, pressing problems, firefighting, reworks, and all the “MUST BE DONE NOW” issues, the more things get out of hand. How does one reduce this stress and find more time? The old axiom of “work smarter, not harder” is a term that is often stated but seldom implemented. But that old axiom is the key for many of us to become more productive and effective with our time. Essentially, we will have more time by reducing mistakes, producing more with greater skill and speed, and creating system processes that do not need our constant supervision.
Take a quick survey within your group about the following issues. Regardless of any formal education, how many have or are actively pursuing greater knowledge for anything related to better management practices, system processes, and skill development? Does your company actually support training and development, or are such issues not addressed? What kind of returns could a company expect with an active training program?
To calculate training time versus return on investment, consider this example:
- Assume 10 hours of training per employee
- 10 employees = 100 hours of training
- Assume only 1% gain in productivity
- ~2,000 Hours/employee/year * 1% gain * 10 employees = 200 hours gained versus the 100 of training
- Every 1% gain is an extra 200 hours for the same 100 hours spent (2% = 400, 3% = 600…)
- Depending on the department and task, most case studies state an average gain of 5% to as much a 25% in productivity directly related to training programs.
A perfect example is training and implementing lean manufacturing practices in every department, not just manufacturing. Implementation of lean manufacturing gives everyone more time!
Typical results across numerous case studies for effective lean manufacturing implementation are as follows:
- Increased overall productivity
- Quality improvement while having lower reworks
- Shorter lead time for scheduling
- Lower overall cost while improving net margins
- According to every case study published on this topic, higher net profits are always garnered for companies implementing an ongoing lean manufacturing practice compared to those who do not.
If your company wants to improve net profit by improving time management, more time should be spent focusing on the quadrant of quality and improvement (2). Effectively utilizing the time that always seems to be too short of supply takes a concerted effort and active support by the entire management team. Failure is almost inevitable if it is delegated to a department head without the whole management team’s active participation. It has to be more than just talked about; everyone must be playing a role. Once this is done, more time will avail itself, and net profits will improve.
A final word of caution about embracing and trying to implement lean manufacturing: Like any new idea, there is an expected surge of enthusiasm in the initial stage. However, once the arduous task of actual implementation starts, it can quickly falter. There are numerous reasons for this, but knowing the lean terminology and applying it are two very different things. I have been refining my understanding, training, and lean manufacturing implementation for almost 20 years as a full-time lean consultant. Lean manufacturing is not one thing, such as the 5 “S” rules, but many things. It is like an extensive toolbox with many different tools for different situations. All of the lean training needs to be simplified and using real practical examples for everyone to benefit from the training. I cannot state this enough: save your company a great deal of time and money by getting professional help with the training and implementation of lean manufacturing from someone like me who understands the home building industry. It is well worth it.
TDC is now a team of well-established veteran experts with decades of experience specializing in the wood truss and wall panel component, LBM, and homebuilder industries. (See homepage for details) Cost savings and net profit gains that usually take months or years can be accomplished in weeks or months with TDC. The team of TDC is your best source for learning about proven and practical lean manufacturing best practices combined with industrial engineering principles to keep your company at the leading edge of competitiveness. All areas are addressed, not just the manufacturing. Please do not take my word about TDC’s services, though. Read the public testimonials many current and past clients with decades of expertise and experience have been willing to give: https://todd-drummond.com/testimonials/.
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