Are you part of an organization facing challenges with Production and Maintenance teams not working cohesively? If you have successfully tackled this common issue of blame-shifting and want to share your strategies, we would love to hear from you. How can companies achieve a unified team approach? How do you persuade skeptics to transition from reactive to proactive mindsets? Share your insights and help others achieve the ideal one team system.
Hello Camrat, Being part of an organization focused on production versus maintenance, achieving a proactive environment can be quite challenging. In my experience in a similar organization based in the UK, we underwent various trendy initiatives depending on the preferences of new managers. However, what really made a difference in aligning production and maintenance was implementing a TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) program with OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) as the KPI (Key Performance Indicator). This program emphasized the importance of production throughput, quality, and availability, requiring collaboration between production and maintenance teams. Despite facing some challenges, overall, the program was successful in moving us in the right direction. We also encountered issues with production team leaders who prioritized productivity over business needs, leading to equipment breakdowns and downtime. This cycle was frustrating from a maintenance and reliability perspective. Implementing TPM could help foster a unified team environment and shift focus away from reactive problem-solving. Educating non-believers on the true costs of breakdowns and conducting cost benefit analyses could help showcase the benefits of regular maintenance practices. By demonstrating the potential savings for the business, you may be able to change their perspective. Best of luck. Gary
Effective top leadership plays a crucial role in uniting separate departments like Production and Maintenance. In many cases, Maintenance is positioned as a sub-department under Production, leading to internal competition for promotions and recognition. Implementing balanced key performance indicators (KPIs) for both production and maintenance can help alleviate this conflict. Conducting site visits to plants where Production and Maintenance collaborate seamlessly can provide valuable insights. Consider organizing team building sessions that bring together personnel from both departments to foster cooperation and communication. Have you ever tried mixing Production and Maintenance employees to participate in team-building activities to encourage teamwork and break down barriers?
I remain unconvinced that the root cause of the issue lies with management and therefore, management practices need to be altered. While short-term improvements may be seen with trendy strategies and acronyms, sustained success proves to be elusive. Identifying the underlying issues is crucial, as observed in leading companies facing challenges. Key points to consider are: 1. Customer service is an essential aspect of maintenance operations 2. Collaboration is important, not a dictatorship 3. Recognition for good work should not entail avoiding punishment 4. Tradition should not hinder progress 5. Taking ownership is vital 6. Company success relies on production efficiency. Please feel free to contribute additional points or suggest reordering of the list. What should be the next step after pinpointing the problems?
I have encountered similar scenarios in the past: when a new Production Manager takes charge, a proficient Maintenance Manager, along with a skilled maintenance team and the Reliability group, present a persuasive pitch to the Production Manager. The Production Manager is impressed and becomes an asset to the maintenance team. However, issues arise when any of the following situations occur: (1) the Production Manager or Maintenance Manager changes roles, (2) the maintenance staff or Reliability Group changes roles or focus, (3) the maintenance staff and Reliability Group undergo changes such as job transitions, altered focus, outsourcing, downsizing, or rightsizing. Subsequently, production costs escalate, maintenance costs and downtime increase, and new personnel are brought in to address the problem. Eventually, the issue is resolved, only to start the cycle anew. This pattern seems all too familiar to me.
After implementing team building activities and conducting site visits, we have noticed a temporary improvement in our plant's operations. However, we are facing challenges with maintaining this progress. Strong leadership is crucial in addressing points 4, 5, and 6 in our facility, as highlighted by an experienced millwright. We are currently experiencing resistance from middle and lower-level employees, making it difficult to implement necessary changes. It seems that success stories are rare at the moment, with many questioning if they even exist. Perhaps those who have achieved success are taking a well-deserved holiday.
In my experience, fostering a culture of shared goals and accountability is essential for the cohesion between Production and Maintenance teams. What helped us was implementing a regular joint meeting where the two teams discuss the production plan, potential roadblocks, and solutions together. In these meetings, we ensured that the maintenance staff had a say in the work schedule as well. This shared decision-making process helped create a sense of ownership and responsibility, reducing blame-shifting significantly. To transition from a reactive to a proactive mindset, we reinforced the idea that proactive maintenance can prevent breakdowns, save money, and improve efficiency in the long run. Encouraging this perspective required patience, training, and continuous communication, but it was definitely worth the effort.
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Answer: - Common challenges include blame-shifting, lack of communication, conflicting priorities, and a reactive mindset.
Answer: - Companies can achieve a unified team approach by fostering open communication, establishing shared goals, providing cross-training opportunities, and promoting a culture of collaboration and mutual respect.
Answer: - Persuading skeptics to transition from reactive to proactive mindsets involves demonstrating the benefits of proactive maintenance, providing training on proactive strategies, showcasing success stories, and involving skeptics in decision-making processes.
Answer: - Strategies include implementing cross-functional teams, conducting regular joint meetings, encouraging knowledge sharing, aligning performance metrics, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and teamwork.
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