ISO 9001:2000 - 6.7 Natural resources - Resource costs??

[Jim Biz]

9000:2000

6.7 Natural resources

Consideration should be given to the availability of natural resources?
Plans or contingency plans to ensure availability to prevent negative effects on the performance of the organization?

Why would a Quality organization not make plans to go to non-traditional workweek say four 10-hour days? In order to accomplish two at least fairly clear standards approaches.

1) Natural resources
2) Employee satisfaction.

 

[Michael T]

Hi Jim,

I can think of one big reason off the top of my head.... the customer.

For example, you are a manufacturing shop producing... widgets... and your shop is working 4 - 10 hour days, Monday thru Thursday. Customer ABC Inc. calls on Thursday afternoon and needs 400 rush widgets to ship on Friday. If you are a "make to order" shop, you have very little finished goods inventory on the floor. You have no people in the plant to manufacture these widgets... ABC goes elsewhere. :mg:

Like I said, this is just off the top of my head... Personally, I'd love to go to a 4 day work week since I already work 10 to 11 hours a day...

Cheers!!!

Mike

 

[CarolX]

Jim,

Although that may satify the requirements of 9K2K, bottom line is customer satisfaction. Many job shops need to be available 5 days a week.


Michael,

You got it! We are a JIT/make to order shop, and we tried the 4/10 work week and we spent many a Friday working OT to meet a customer's Thursday afternoon request....so we went to a 4.5 work week M-8, T-W-TH-9, F-5
Works for us, but not for everyone.

CarolX

 

[Jim Biz]

I'm not real overly passionate about any of this this but it is a point to ponder....

Could a plan not be developed allowing full 7 days a week availability? Increasing customer satisfaction at the same time?
Say 60% of the shop works Mon- Thurs - 40% works Thurs-Sunday ? (in effect increasing machining & delivery capacity due to availability of "idle machinery" on the off days.

Sure I know it is "Non Normal" but in that manner all employees only need to work 4 days not 5....

Have heard of plans for 3- 12 hour shifts with 40 hours pay (if you miss one of the 12 hr days you loose 16 hrs payment. (decreasing absentees greatly) - split the shop personel & you have 6 - 12's of capability.. alowing capacity to hire extra personnel as/when needs arise.

Have also heard of working 6 straight12's with 4 or even 5 days off in a row - & everyone "rotating" the start day of the 6 days. (with that pan normal "holidays" are disregarded)

Sure - some Individuals would not be available every day - but most would be available 7 days a week with less EMPLOYEE energy/resource used.

From a Management/business standpoint the costs could increase - or be a wash if the plant is currently working 3 shifts anyway.

Regards
Jim

 

[Dan Larsen]

Jim,

I worked for a couple of places where we attempted to put together a seven day schedule similar to what you describe. The rationale in both cases was to reduce weekly start-up/shut down costs and improve availability of our services to the customer. In both cases, we ran into problems with the current employee base. It was surprising how many weren't happy about the non-conventional schedule. They either didn't like the 12 hour days (which admitedly can be tough in a manufacuring operation) or they didn't like a non traditional weekend (the rest of their family was off on Saturday and Sunday).

In both cases, the plans were dropped. Employee satisfaction won.

I'll admit that creative scheduling is in the spirit of the standard, but the standard will have a hard time regulating social norms.

 

[Dan Larsen]

BTW...a note to Michael...

A lot of managers would probably savor the idea of a four day week for exactly the reason you mention (already working 10-12 hour days).

But let's be realistic...my guess is that the managers in this type of shop STILL put in their 50-60 hour weeks, and maybe even more. The problem still exists for maintaining continuity from shift to shift (and now the shifts run longer, which likely translates to an even longer day) and my guess is many still put in a five day week.

Personally, as a manager, I don't know if a four day work week would be a bargain in the long run.

 

[Michael T]

I used to work in a printing plant where the pressroom worked 24/7 with 12 hour rotating shifts. This worked well for them. I don't remember all the details (could probably dredge them up or make a few phone calls if anyone is really interested). Because of the rotation, each press crew ended up with a 7 day off stretch (conversely, they also worked a 7 day stretch), three times a year. Holidays were sometimes tricky, but it worked out in the end.

Now, when the bindery tried to implement a similar plan (going from 3 - 8 hour shifts), it met with a great deal of resistance. The main difference was that the bindery did not always run 24/7 like the pressroom. (The ratio was 7:5 - days the pressroom needed to run to keep the bindery running).

BTW, Dan... I completely agree - there is really no way most managers can work 4 days a week, even if the entire shop works 4 days a week. I can see it now... instead of working 10 to 11 hours a day (when the shop works 8), I'd end up working 13 to 14 hours a day (if the shop worked 12) and still put in time on Friday... *groan* It was simply wishful thinking on my part

Cheers!!!

Mike