Strengthening your supply chain one link at a time.
I do the same thing every morning.
I get up, I walk downstairs, and I turn on the coffee pot. While it readies itself, I grind the beans, get my favorite cup, and pour milk into the frothier. Once the desired temperature has been achieved, I press the illuminated button, put my supplies away, and once the cycle has completed, take my morning brew to my office to start the day.
I have set up my environment to support this routine. My coffee cup is above the machine, as are the beans. The milk is four steps away (plus one-half step back to open the door to the fridge), a spoon resides beside the coffee maker for stirring.
Should an anomaly be present (no beans, low water, etc.), I am able to react and adjust quickly because I have spent time ensuring there is a place for everything and everything is in its place. Some mornings may get derailed due to events out of my control, however for things I do control, I have planned and prepared to increase the probability of a consistent morning routine.
And while some may call me predictable, I disagree.
I am standardized.
Benefits of Standardization
Standardization is not only an important part of a chaos free personal life, but also a crucial component to a well-run warehouse.
Standards are the foundation of a performance driven culture and play a key role in:
Standardizing work processes allows an organization to:
Implementing Standardized Processes
The value and savings standardization can contribute to the business is directly correlated to the commitment and involvement of the organization’s employees and leadership to the culture.
While the gains are significant, it is important to understand that the process of introducing standardization can be challenging, as well as time consuming. There may be resistance to the change.
Moving a work force from non-standardized to standardized is best done in phases. When deciding how to roll out task standardization consider the following:
Regardless of the task strategy, plan for potential workforce challenges by engaging in common change management techniques:
As you progress in creating predictable routines, examine the environment and ergonomics associated with each task. If the environment supports the standardized process by bringing tools and resources closer to the task, it is more likely the standardized approach will be chosen.
Once the implementation is complete, audit the results. Creep can happen over time. An audit or observation program will ensure sustainable change through positive and corrective feedback, training, and accountability.
In summary, standardization allows warehouse operations to measure critical KPI’s in the business with better accuracy and predictability. By implementing standardized work processes, organizations can manage costs, as well as understand opportunity for improvement better. Implementation of standardization however is best undertaken with a solid change management and communication plan in place, as well as understood as an ongoing process of auditing and accountability to ensure continued success.
—Dawnya Brown, St. Onge Company