How to Motivate Shop Floor Supervisors

[Citizen Kane]

Hi !

How come yor plant has offices for supervisors ?! For me this is unacceptable ! The first and most important thing for the supervisor is that he must be in the gemba - in production ! And from here comes everything ! One of the key roles of the supervisor is to provide fast response to a situation. How can he do that from the office ? How can he coordonate ?

And here comes the most important decission (from Top Management - mandatory !!!): move the supervisors out of the offices and make them a table on the production area - but this table to be a shared one with the computer used for reports on the line.

Also, don't give them a chair and make him aware that he is the support beyod the operator, not the chief above him ! The supervisor must be always on the move on the line to offer support, observe problems, provide solutions and decide actions.

In addition, the supervisors must be held responsible for the production figures and the sinergy between the operators.

And again: the management should have a strong hand in this ! This point is no place for discussions on negociations.

 

[palmer]

Citizen Kane,



You hit the nail on the head with your response. It has always been my experience to follow what you posted. In my experience, it was your a$$ as a supervisor if you were in the office and weren't performing work (usually computer reports, etc...).

I am trying to get the Plant Manager on board with this concept. Once it becomes something that management wants, it will be a war with the supervisors to get it enforced.....

 

[Citizen Kane]

Thank you, Palmer !

I think that in production there are some common sense approaces that must be followed. And, basicly, is not only a poin of method, but more a point of morality and what is fair to do. At the end, passing responsability and/or endless discussions about the subject "am I to do this" - goes nowhere. Besides the due dates, in addition we create more pressure by the atitude.