Door and window fabricators are reporting mixed results this year as some are seeing soft sales while others are running considerably ahead of last year. The rising cost of living and high fuel prices brought on by the war in Iran are putting a squeeze on many household budgets which is deflating disposable income. This, coupled with higher costs for glass, framing and window components, is creating challenges in the door and window industry. Despite this, I am seeing a few of my customers who are achieving double-digit growth and who are busting down walls to expand even further. Their secret sauce is being able to maximize productivity, and it all begins with training.
Why is training so important? Well, as the busiest time of year descends upon us, many fabricators are finding quality labor in short supply. Many of the jobs in a window factory are quite repetitious and the plant environments are hot and dusty which leads to boredom, exhaustion and eventually attrition. In many areas, keeping a drug free environment also means higher attrition rates. With higher turnover rates and demanding production schedules, employee training becomes a critical element to the success of your door or window manufacturing operation.
For this reason, my fastest growing window manufacturers have hired or are in the process of designating a full-time trainer. This is obviously someone who knows all the critical procedures and job functions performed at various stages in the window or door manufacturing operation. This person must also have extremely good people skills and must know what it takes to motivate people.
The trainer’s job goes beyond just teaching employees how to perform various job functions. He or she can also have a huge impact on employee morale and teamwork. By teaching employees how to work as a team, setting up goals and rewarding the teams for achieving daily and weekly production and quality goals, the trainer helps to minimize the attrition rate, improve output and maximize product quality.
A key ability of a superior trainer is to make the individual realize that your company is investing in them, so they feel a part of something much bigger. The trainer takes employees performing specific tasks and transcends their roles from that of individuals to those of team members. The individual then identifies him or herself with the bigger picture as part of his or her production team, as opposed to someone just cleaning corners or installing lock sets. Employees so conditioned in this manner feel the satisfaction and camaraderie that goes along with being part of a successful production team. When the team hits their goals, the team celebrates, and the role that each team member plays has been magnified. The feeling good factor is greater when you are a part of something bigger!
Working in a window plant in the hot summer months can be a very demanding job both from a physical and mental standpoint. “Many times, when we bring in employees in from a temp agency, some of them will be gone by noon,” says one production manager. “Many of today’s young people just do not have a strong work ethic,” he feels. But this same manager goes on to say that “when we get them involved with their co-workers, forming production teams with goals and rewards, they are much more likely to stick around. It gives them a sense of being a part of something bigger!” This is where something as simple as company shirts or hats can also have a huge impact. Perhaps the IG line surpasses any previous daily production record. So, the following week they are wearing new company hats. Such a celebration can be a very powerful motivator since it builds team spirit, sets them apart and provides recognition for their accomplishments.
Cross training is also an extremely valuable concept, even though it is more difficult to pull off during the peak production months when units-per-hour measurements must be maximized with minimal interruptions. However, in the long run it can pay valuable rewards. If one department is suddenly hit hard with absences, the production manager can pull people from other departments who have been cross trained for that department and can therefore help keep production rate and quality standards on track until the missing people come back or are replaced. Cross training is more easily achieved during the off-peak months, but when sales and production quotas start heating up in late fall, then it can pay huge dividends.
Door and window plants present very challenging production environments. This is compounded by the fact that we are playing in an extremely competitive industry, which tends to keep starting wage rates at the low end of the spectrum. However, by designating a highly skilled person with great people skills as a full-time production trainer, door and window companies can maintain and develop a highly skilled production team capable of supporting the sales team with high quality, cost-effective solutions for the company’s customer base. I caught up with a production trainer at my fastest growing customer and here is how he put it: “It’s our people that make this company a winner. They are the key to our success!”