Manufacturing companies preparing for growth often focus on re-tooling a process to eliminate waste, wait times and duplicate tasks. Employees play a huge part in these process improvements and may get training to meet new expectations. These efforts result in operational efficiencies that enable production lines to meet increased demand. What if this same focus on continuous improvement was applied to the human resources department and employee development?
Applying a continuous performance improvement mindset to the employee and organizational development can:
--Lead to better utilization of employees and their skills
--Help align employees with company goals and allow everyone to see their role
--Identify where gaps exist and implement employee development plans to shore up skill
An HR management audit offers the same benefits as a process audit
If your company is preparing for growth, it’s likely you’ll need additional employees to reach your goals. Continuous improvement projects start by auditing and documenting the current process. Evaluation of your employee management and development process should start in the same way. Here are a few questions answered in an audit.
--Does the company have an employee manual, so employees know what is acceptable or not?
--Are HR procedures legal?
--Does the company have job descriptions for every position?
--Are the right employees in the right positions?
--How are current employees aligned to help the company reach its growth goals?
--Is the company investing in its employees?
Arizona MEP’s experts help prepare your company for growth
Arizona MEP provides access to HR and manufacturing experts that can assist your company with an audit based on best practices. AZ MEP is also here to help your team implement new employee development efforts and help put in place a structure to manage growth successfully.
HR-related services include:
--Provide senior-level advice on the full range of operational and strategic HR issues
--Audit and introduce additional best practices structures
--Create an evolving organization chart to ensure alignment with growth plans
--Review job descriptions to ensure they reflect what the role demands
If you need help evaluating your company’s performance and implementing best practices to help reach your goals, contact the Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership office at (602) 845-1256 or [email protected]. Its organization development experts help manufacturers reach their goals and build a strong foundation for success.