Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Motivating textile staff to be productive.

  1. #1
    Bronze Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    earth, mostly
    Posts
    133
    Thanks
    20
    Thanked 14 Times in 12 Posts

    Arrow Motivating textile staff to be productive.

    Hello folks. Its been a very long time since i last posted so as the advice recommends I'm taking a moment to ask a question . I have recently been helping in with a small textile manufacturing company based in Jo'burg.

    A little background
    They manufacture dog beds for pet shops all over the province and have begun to 'export' to the cape. It is a small setup with 3 sowers 2 cutters, and one manager (who manages all the orders and general stock control.) Currently we pay on a standard 40 hour week wages. As a little background, once on a tight schedule we were requisitioned to make 100 seat covers with zips. The owner had worked it should take about 2 working days to complete. However after a busy week Friday came and they were due Saturday morning. With a little motivation of getting to go home as soon as they had completed the order we were able to complete all the coves in 1 and 1/4 days.

    The production and overall motivation is at an all time low at the moment and I have tried a number of incentives to get them more motivated.

    In January they implemented a production bonus incentive plan. This meant that each item produced would go into a time sheet and when more than 40 hours a week were worked acording to the amount produced double pay would be applied. This worked for two weeks.
    The reason was they complained that 'Bob' who makes 3 items X in an hour is earning more than me because I can only make Item Y in an hour. (Obviously there is very little sense in this reasoning as its time based and not item based)

    We where planning a few changes to help. What are your thoughts on the following implementations?

    * Biometric scanner - simple clockin feature, however this will now be used more strictly.
    * the production bonus incentive plan reintroduced and explained by using a few simple presentations.
    * Somehow bringing back daily objectives to finish the quota required for the day. (The problem I foresee is a drop in quality.)

    What do you guys think about the suggestions? Do you have anything to add or any experiences in this regard of your own? Anything would be appreciated.

    Many thanks in advance.
    once there was a man. the end.

  2. #2
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Durban, South Africa
    Posts
    22,648
    Thanks
    3,304
    Thanked 2,676 Times in 2,257 Posts
    Blog Entries
    12
    To me it sounds like you're trying to put a material bandage over an emotional problem. Motivation isn't just about money.

    What else might improve staff motivation?
    Last edited by Dave A; 16-Apr-10 at 12:33 PM.

  3. #3
    Email problem daveob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Amanzimtoti
    Posts
    655
    Thanks
    107
    Thanked 118 Times in 103 Posts
    how about : "Hey, let's meet the deadline and we get to keep our jobs" !
    Watching the ships passing by.

  4. #4
    Bronze Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    earth, mostly
    Posts
    133
    Thanks
    20
    Thanked 14 Times in 12 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by daveob View Post
    how about : "Hey, let's meet the deadline and we get to keep our jobs" !
    I wish it was as simple as that. I have heard through the grapevine that they are already thinking of leaving anyway. So I don't think job security is such an issue anymore.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    To me it sounds like you're trying to put a material bandage over an emotional problem. Motivation isn't just about money.

    What else might improve staff motivation?
    Thanks Dave, will get it a read.
    once there was a man. the end.

  5. #5
    Diamond Member wynn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    east london
    Posts
    3,338
    Thanks
    548
    Thanked 625 Times in 524 Posts
    the present production is 100T. your present salary is 100s we are going to downgrade your basic salary to 80S but provided you continue to produce 100T your salary will remain 100S.
    However if you produce more than 100T (say 120T) your salary will be 120S conversly, if you produce only 90T your salary will be only 90S.
    The override is that if you produce 80T or less for an extended period (say 3 Months) you will be suspended without pay indefinitely.

    "Nobody who has succeeded has not failed along the way"
    Arianna Huffington

    Read the first 10% of my books "Didymus" and "The BEAST of BIKO BRIDGE" for free
    You can also read and download 100% free my short stories "A Real Surprise" and "Pieces of Eight" at
    http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/332256

Similar Threads

  1. What works to motivate your staff?
    By duncan drennan in forum Entrepreneurship and Business Management Forum
    Replies: 56
    Last Post: 22-Jul-11, 08:51 AM
  2. Control bandwidth usage of staff
    By Martinco in forum Technology Forum
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: 01-Dec-10, 11:44 AM
  3. Are the textile quotas working?
    By Dave A in forum General Business Forum
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 10-Jun-09, 04:37 PM
  4. [Question] Motivating Sales Staff
    By Debron_Recruitment in forum Entrepreneurship and Business Management Forum
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 03-Oct-08, 03:48 PM
  5. Drama queens on staff.
    By Dave A in forum Entrepreneurship and Business Management Forum
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 16-Oct-07, 06:02 PM

Tags for this Thread

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •