How Can We Reduce Mistakes by Union Workers Without Resorting to Disciplinary Actions?

Dear friends, It has been observed that blue-collar/unionized workers are making a lot of petty mistakes while working, leading to inferior quality products, production losses, and customer complaints. How can we control or avoid such mistakes? Does anyone have any ideas apart from the regular disciplinary actions, through mutual understanding with the union? If anyone has suggestions, please share.

Regards, Pradeep Agrawal

Dear Mr. Pradeep Agrawal,

I understand your challenge. Nevertheless, rather than focusing on the color of the collar, let us look at the people who commit mistakes. Why do they commit these mistakes? Are they fit to be employed? Have you documented the recruitment standards, and if so, are these used in recruitment? What kind of recruitment tests were conducted before hiring them?

Quality Culture

The second question is whether your company has imbibed a quality culture in the minds of all the staff of the company. Do they live with quality?

Compensation Standards

The third question is whether they are paid as per market standards or just the minimum wages. People receiving minimum wages cannot be expected to deliver maximum quality output.

Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)

I recommend you measure the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ). Identify which factors contribute the most to the COPQ and remove those causes. Later, turn attention to the second rung of factors, and so on.

Measuring the COPQ is just one part of the improvement. What about the other costs and ratios associated with the business? Have you studied the systems and processes of each department and measured them scientifically?

Process Documentation and Training

The next suggestion is to document the processes in detail and train the staff (in the local language) on their implementation. I have seen MNCs employing low-IQ staff; however, their systems and processes are so strong that even a person with sub-par intelligence can work effectively.

Introduction of Automation

The last suggestion is the introduction of automation. Day by day, reliance on manual work is decreasing. Automation helps increase quality.

I provide training and consulting services in the field of Supply Chain Management (SCM), Operations Management, etc. Hence, the above questions and suggestions.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

It looks like you are trying to treat the symptom rather than the disease. Deeper issues seem to be involved, calling for a realistic diagnosis of the situation. Bringing a 'quality culture' into your organization is necessary, and you need to be prepared for it.

Dear Mr. Radhakrishnan Nair,

The problems mentioned in the post are due to the lack of a quality culture. It cannot be fostered merely by creating a strong QC department. What if the QC rejects a lot of material but, in doing so, clears a few unworthy ones? Their unworthiness is discovered at the customer's end.

The production of defective goods generates unnecessary inventory, leading to increased time spent on rework. This, in turn, disrupts the production schedule. Customer dissatisfaction also occurs due to missed deadlines.

The production of defective goods puts the staff under pressure, disrupting the interpersonal environment in the company. This disturbance leads to more errors being committed by workers.

To break out of this vicious cycle, the only solution is to ensure "doing the right thing the first time." Precision and accuracy in work are the best tools for time management and customer satisfaction. However, it is much easier said than done. This is the test of leadership!

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Hi Pradeep, Mistakes that lead to quality issues or customer dissatisfaction are no longer "petty" in nature. Major Quality Issues Even if the production has manufactured non-compliant items, it is the responsibility of the QC/QA department to filter out the low-quality goods.

Thanks,

Regards