Question for Operations / Manufacturing Types
- Thread starter snowcraig2.0
- Start date
My gut tells me B. I have had both A and B working for me. Often B gets that this is the best job s/he will be able to get and does everything to hang on to it. Many of the A's that I have had don't give a rip (see the problems that you touch on) and end up causing more problems than they are worth.
On another note, I don't mind having an A who works hard and gives you 200 widgets for a relatively short time and then moves on to something better, either. Some say don't hire someone who is over qualified, but if you can get production over and beyond for any significant amount of time your organization is often better off for it. Many times they can see efficiencies that others don't and you can glean that information in their short time on the job.
My absolute favorites are those with B skills and give the half effort and cause the problems of A and then scream bloody murder to any organization that will listen when you try to deal with the performance issues.
On another note, I don't mind having an A who works hard and gives you 200 widgets for a relatively short time and then moves on to something better, either. Some say don't hire someone who is over qualified, but if you can get production over and beyond for any significant amount of time your organization is often better off for it. Many times they can see efficiencies that others don't and you can glean that information in their short time on the job.
My absolute favorites are those with B skills and give the half effort and cause the problems of A and then scream bloody murder to any organization that will listen when you try to deal with the performance issues.
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100 widgets = more $$$
Sounds like A just needs a little of the right motivation. I would rather spend time and effort trying to find that then taking the max 90 widgets and what appears to be a nice idiot.
EDIT: Unless you can somehow train B to utilize his time more, still widgets = $$$, no one is paying you because of a nice employee.
Sounds like A just needs a little of the right motivation. I would rather spend time and effort trying to find that then taking the max 90 widgets and what appears to be a nice idiot.
EDIT: Unless you can somehow train B to utilize his time more, still widgets = $$$, no one is paying you because of a nice employee.
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A should be fired. You want a team full of Bs. The first guy is a cancer that must be removed immediately. If someone is of working age and still has bad behavior you aren't changing him. In a production environment consistency and dependability are critical.
Office Space says you do the bare minimum to get by. If A does more work and Inotech ships a few more units he doesn't see a dime.
You need to be a good manager and look deeper than output. Why do they perform the way they do? What motivates them? Don't just look at numbers look at your employees as individuals with different personalities and manage them as such. This is all relationship based. The more open and willing to help and grow your employees the more open and easier to work with they will be.
What does your Industrial Engineering department tell you should be a reasonably expected output for this operation?
It sounds like you have an operation where one could reasonably expect 200 widgets per time frame. You are getting 100 and 90, so it looks like you have two problems. "A" appears to have problems with motivation, and "B" appears to need more training or may simply not possess the physical/mental skills to produce the necessary output.
What are you paying? Are you paying top wages for that type of position, for which you should expect the best-skilled people and full output, or are you paying lower wages, in which case you might expect to get employees that don't have the skills to produce the full output?
It sounds like you have an operation where one could reasonably expect 200 widgets per time frame. You are getting 100 and 90, so it looks like you have two problems. "A" appears to have problems with motivation, and "B" appears to need more training or may simply not possess the physical/mental skills to produce the necessary output.
What are you paying? Are you paying top wages for that type of position, for which you should expect the best-skilled people and full output, or are you paying lower wages, in which case you might expect to get employees that don't have the skills to produce the full output?
If you answer B then you are stating out loud to the world that you don't want to 'manage'. You want to sit at your desk and read Cyclone Fantatic all day at work instead of being out on the floor actually working. (oh wait... I'm still at work... looks at self in the mirror, says Dam* it)
The answer is A every day and all day. As the owner/manager it is your job to get more out of him. Short of that you fire him and move on to the next guy who can do "100+". You never settle for 90 in business.
I settle for 90 in my personal life and friendships, but not at work. Never.
The answer is A every day and all day. As the owner/manager it is your job to get more out of him. Short of that you fire him and move on to the next guy who can do "100+". You never settle for 90 in business.
I settle for 90 in my personal life and friendships, but not at work. Never.
