A large, international metals processor located in the eastern United States.
This was a classic example of why many clients hire outside consultants. It was a case of a client having a need — the development and implementation of standardized training procedures at a new facility — and not having the capacity or expertise on staff to get the job done. But, as it happens with many projects, it wasn’t that simple. Some challenges included:
Training in a new facility. The company had hired a training manager who developed and implemented training in one facility. They wanted a similar process installed at a new facility, baselining the competence of operations at eight workstations, but lacked the capacity to do it. Because it was a new facility…
…They didn’t know what they didn’t know. The training process needed to involve standard operating procedures, but because the facility was new, that proved to be a challenge. The company tried to leverage experience from other plants, but because the site was new, they did not already have well documented processes. Moreover, only one of their plants had a formal training program.
Loss of institutional knowledge. Turnover. The Great Resignation. Seasoned employees retiring. It means a loss of institutional knowledge gained through years on the job. It’s a blow to a company in many ways, but most of all in training. Many manufacturers train new people by having them work on the line with their best, seasoned employees … who are retiring or otherwise leaving the workforce and taking that knowledge with them. According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the lack of knowledge transfer when an experienced worker retires can cost individual companies $47 million per year. That’s why SOPs are so necessary. Documented standard operating procedures preserve that institutional knowledge.
USC would be responsible for:
Key deliverables included:
USC conducted a comprehensive analysis to identify and prioritize mature processes that lacked documentation and training, inconsistent processes that needed redesign to then be documented and trained, and to assess leader capabilities and opportunities.
To tackle all of these challenges, USC used a graded, systematic approach to training development, ADDIE.
Employee Retention Increased
Quality of Output Improved
Institutional Knowledge Preserved
Safety Increased
USC worked side-by-side with the client to develop a closed-loop process that documents and updates SOPs, builds a time-based training program, tracks and reports on that training, develops leaders and is dependent on employee involvement that when implemented properly improves employee retention by way of effective management and leadership.
Some of the tangible results and benefits the client has seen:
Through standardizing operating procedures and ensuring all employees across the plant are being trained in the same way, the client increased safety and retention, saw an increased yield and quality of output, identified this training program as an opportunity for implementation across the rest of their plants, and in the process, made their customers happier.
