What does operational excellence (OpEx) mean to you and your organization?
In fact, any of those qualities contribute to operational excellence in a manufacturing setting. OpEx isn’t a single behavior or process. Rather - as our friends at Möbius would put it - it describes “a management strategy that strives to achieve consistent and reliable results.”
These strategies help improve efficiency and reduce downtime, increase employee engagement, and generally elevate the performance of daily operations.
Below, we’ll cover the basic steps of how your organization can empower operational excellence on the shop floor.
The performance review is an element of operational excellence, distinct from continuous improvement, that is designed to help companies plan and project their strategies to “translate vision into targets.”
Performance review plays an absolutely critical role in operational excellence because it provides the foundation for not only continuous improvement, but for the activities that actively empower a productive culture.
Example of a physical performance board on a shop floor.
Setting standards and creating a culture that promotes standardization ensures that daily work is consistent, safe, and progresses towards a mutually agreed upon goal.
Example of a digital standard operating procedure made in SwipeGuide.
But these initiatives aren’t practical or productive if leaders in the manufacturing industry don’t actively promote a culture of operational excellence through their behavior. Long term, sustainable success depends on a blend between process, results, and a positive culture.
In short, change and continuous improvement on the shop floor starts with leadership. If positive behaviors are modeled consistently by those in charge, then the rest of the organization will follow.
Operation excellence is a complex concept with a simple principle: it’s about putting processes and behavior in place that lead to consistent results and continuous improvement.
In today’s complex and fast-paced manufacturing industry, that means capitalizing on a range of innovative digital tools and lean initiatives to help our deskless workforce understand performance, capture standards, and create an open and sustainable culture that celebrates a positive feedback loop.
Want to learn more about empowering a culture of operational excellence?
👉 Webinar "Empowering a Culture of Operational Excellence", with Operational Excellence Coach Frédéric Loose of Möbius Business Redesign.
👉 Introduction to Impactful 5S Standard Operating Procedures.
👉 Top-Down is Out: Democratizing Knowledge with Lean Thinking