by Clark Halladay
Manufacturers in the fenestration industry know quality workmanship is the cornerstone
of their business. But, finding, retaining and depending on a highly motivated and trained
workforce is equally essential to a successful company. In light of today’s
deflationary and price-competitive market, many businesses are having difficulty raising
prices or maintaining profit margins. Add to that the difficulty in staffing your company
with the quality workforce necessary to grow your business, and you may be faced with
serious problems.
To develop a long term competitive advantage, it is important to invest in your employees
and make them partners in your business. Doing so can help you implement two strategic
initiatives critical to any organization: protecting and improving profit margins and
enhancing the collective brain-power and skill level of your workforce.
Improved Job Performance
Quality job performance is based on two key elements—motivation and ability.
Motivation can be expanded through positive reinforcement, equitable treatment, written
goals and a reward system, which is tied to personal and corporate performance. Employees
also respect structure they can count on, thus implementing effective rule and discipline
systems is integral to streamlining daily activities.
Ability is a direct reflection of a person’s education and raw talent. Become
involved with the employee by conducting routine reviews to determine growing skill levels
and continue to challenge good workers.
It is also important to demonstrate how each employee’s role in the company affects
the overall business. Make each job as rewarding and fulfilling as possible by providing
direction and insight into how the employee can grow and develop beyond his current
position. Your end goal is to create passion or excitement among the employees concerning
the company’s direction and each individual’s role in the organization. Help
provide them with reasons to look toward the company’s future and to embrace a
positive attitude.
Career Development Opportunities Create Staying Power
As the company grows, so too should your employees progress and develop with the new and
expanded opportunities. As more sophisticated, automated equipment and machinery is
brought into the manufacturing location, work hard to train and educate existing employees
to operate and maintain the equipment. While you invest in equipment to improve
productivity and efficiency, you should make the same investment in your employees.
The company’s vision must align with the employee’s vision to build a successful
growth strategy for both parties. Establish or build a sense of trust in your organization
by listening to employees at all levels, and encouraging them to offer their ideas
concerning how to improve the workplace or a particular job. By sharing information about
the business in a timely way, both the positive and the negative, you can gain trust and
build open communication.
As your business advances, your workforce will become more motivated, more productive and
more efficient. By giving your workers a sense of involvement in the company’s
future, you foster a staff that is more likely to stay on board to grow and develop with
the company. And to the benefit of all, you will be developing a more competitive and
profitable organization with a workforce that eagerly awaits the challenges the
fenestration market offers.
Clark Halladay is the sales and new business development manager for TruSeal
Technologies Inc., based in Beachwood, OH.
USG
© Copyright 1999 Key Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. No reproduction of any type without expressed written permission.