The Lean Manufacturing Process Looks A Lot Different Down Here!

Suppose for just a moment that you were one of the little guys on the production floor, or maybe one of the even littler women on the shop floor. Not to demean anyone, but that's the facts, ma'am. I've spent almost 35 years in manufacturing, and the view looks a lot different from down here.

The lean manufacturing process looks vastly different to the top management, the consultants and the guy on the shop floor.

As a plastic injection mold maker, I get to interact with everyone: managers, accountants, designers, machinists, toolmakers, programmers, shipping personnel, janitors, production and quality control people, and the anybody else who happens to come along.

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I live in Vermont, in the northeast USA, where people tend to be hard-working, honest, and inventive. But they are also rather independent and hard to convince when it comes to change. Unlike Japan, where they have a mono-culture and and national culture of respect and consideration for others, Americans are much more individualistic and free-thinking.

So, what does the lean manufacturing process look like to a production employee?

Not much. Oh, that's a good idea, we'll see what happens in a few months though. Yeah, we did that before, nice posters though. Basically, the reaction, from my experience, ranges from skepticism, to cynicism, to amazement at how much time and money is being spent.

When you don't even make enough to live on, and it takes more than two incomes to support a family, it is not surprising that they react this way. Maybe they got a cost of living increase of 3% last year, which amounts to about 24 cents per hour. Then they see people in nice clothes walking around for days, laughing, going out for lunch, and sometimes 4 or 5 bosses stand around gabbing for 30 minutes at a time about nothing, so they become pessimistic.

If one of these essential workers from the shop floor is late they might get written up. If they talk to each other, they get reprimanded, but at the same time their superiors flaunt their superior status in oblivion to the effects on the workers.

If they have a sick child and need to take them to the doctor, they must use vacation time and are given a warning slip. Then they see their boss leave early to go to his son's baseball game, or maybe takes off to go to the dentist or even leaves to play golf on Friday.

Maybe there are some issues that need to be addressed

If management is truly serious about implementing something as important as the lean manufacturing process, they need to address these other issues first. You cannot impose things on people without their vote of confidence.

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If the workers were treated with more dignity and respect, and management showed some restraint of their so-called privileges, the lean manufacturing process would be much more welcome and lasting.

Many well-meaning programs amount to little more than good beginnings and soon fizzle out with very little to show for all the hype. Unless top-management is willing to be a part of the process, it is doomed. Have the managers participate in a kaizen event, have them involved in implementing 5S, they will see things from a different perspective and maybe appreciate all those unskilled people.

If workers sense that their bosses are along and helping to make things work, they will be enthusiastic and quite willing to help. It is the double standard that defeats the desire to do better.