Discussion:
Who is responsible? Reducing complacency in the workplace

I think Nick Welch makes excellent points in "Reducing complacency in the workplace". FLA, Tuesday, 30 Sept. 2014 (#687). His comment on supervision/management is "food for thought":

"A suitable process for supervising and managing operators will help ensure that standards of operation are kept at the right level. But this is only effective if those charged with the responsibility are knowledgeable enough and prepared to challenge poor practice, taking further action when necessary."

Not too long ago, I interviewed each of nearly 50 operators from different operations, asking them only two questions related to their work process:

1. During a typical work week, how many times do you talk to your immediate supervisor/manager about the work you are doing?

#1Answer: 1 to 5 times (in a typical work week.)

2. During the same typical work week, how many times do you talk to your coworkers about the work you are doing?

#2Answer: 5 to 25 times (After the brief interview, operators would often further describe their frequency of coworker talk as "continuously".)

Simple questions. (What if you asked them in YOUR organization.) The typical answers yield pointed insights into just who really is supervising/managing the work. I think the answers are cause for reconsidering who gets what kind of training and for what purpose!

Who really is responsible...and for what?

Best wishes,

Joe Monaco
  • Posted 2 Oct 2014 15:36
  • Modified 2 Oct 2014 16:18 by poster
  • Discussion started by joe_m
  • New Jersey, United States
www.LIFTOR.com
Operator/Examiner Certification for In-House Supervisors
jmonaco@LIFTOR.com

Post your Reply

Forkliftaction.com accepts no responsibility for forum content and requires forum participants to adhere to the rules. Click here for more information.

Having trouble using the Discussion Forums? Contact us for help.

Global Industry News
edition #1228 - 1 May 2025
There is simply no ignoring the push for a greener, more sustainable materials handling equipment industry as manufacturers and customers alike seek eco-friendly solutions to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions... Continue reading
Movers & Shakers
Linda Häkkilä Linda Häkkilä
vice president, Investor Relations, Konecranes
vice president operations, Elokon Group
President, EP Equipment Europe
Senior vice president human resources, Kalmar
Hangcha CBD15
China
Used - Sale
USD1,600
Toyota 8BNCU15-16.5
Flesherton, Ontario, Canada
Used - Sale
Fact of the week
On average, people read 10-30% slower from a screen than from paper.
Maersk opens French warehouse Hauts-de-France, France
Global Industry News
edition #1228 - 1 May 2025
There is simply no ignoring the push for a greener, more sustainable materials handling equipment industry as manufacturers and customers alike seek eco-friendly solutions to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions... Continue reading
Fact of the week
On average, people read 10-30% slower from a screen than from paper.