Surviving the
Recession of 2009
By Greg Pancerev – Senior Project Manager – Applied
Performance Strategies, Inc.
There is hardly any doubt that 2009
will be a challenging year for many of us. As I speak with customers in
a wide variety of industries, it is becoming apparent that the current
economic conditions have deep roots that are now affecting nearly every
type of business. As a nation, we’ve been through recessions before and
we’ll make it through this one too. But somehow this time, it seems
scarier than before.
What does the recession mean for
American industry? For most companies, it means that orders are down,
forecasts are down, and we’re trying to figure out what actions to take
to deal with it. Our survival depends on it.
Bad
news and good news
The bad news is that some
organizations will not survive this downturn. The good news is for those
who do survive, many will emerge stronger and better prepared when
recovery does come. The ones who survive will be those organizations
that make the best decisions now.
In the mean time, many of us are
being asked to
cut budgets, downsize or “right-size” while still maintaining and
improving quality and customer satisfaction. In
short, we are being asked to do more with less.
Doing more with less
The best way to do more with less is
to invest in our people. Over the last 20 years of consulting with
businesses small and large, I have come to the firm conclusion that the
average employee of the average American company possesses far more
skills, abilities, and creativity than are required to perform their job
on a daily basis. Quite often the very nature and structure of their
jobs impede them from demonstrating these abilities.
The organizations that succeed in the next decade will be
those that can figure out how to unlock this untapped human potential
and turn it into productivity and success.
Making the right decisions
To maximize productivity of the
workforce that will get your organization through these difficult times,
consider the following strategies:
-
Implement a
structured problem solving process – If you don’t already have a
standardized problem solving process, get one. It will help your
organization solve problems more efficiently by finding real root
causes, taking the best corrective actions that permanently remove
problems and handling customer issues more effectively and
efficiently. There are many problem solving methodologies in use
today. For most manufacturing and service industries, APS recommends
using the 8D method. Learn more about
problem solving.
-
Analyze your processes
– Use tools like 5S, lean manufacturing, and TPM to analyze and
improve your processes. Capitalize on the talents and creativity of
your employees to find ways to do more with less without sacrificing
safety, quality or customer service. Learn more about these survival
tools here
-
Invest in your
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) – Having accurate,
well-written, easy to follow
use procedures, job aids,
and work instructions is
critical for ensuring consistency of job performance, safety, and
product/process quality. In today’s environment where we may be
asked to perform more functions with fewer people, good reference
documents are more
important than ever. Learn
more about our SOP development services.
-
Build a structured
on-the-job-training (OJT) program – Cross-training and
multitasking are key elements in today’s business world. In a
downsized organization, the workforce that remains may be asked to
perform new and additional jobs and unfamiliar tasks. Having a
structured OJT program in place ensures your people have the skills
and knowledge they need to keep your organization competitive.
Learn more about APS’
structured OJT development services.
-
Keep the lines of communication open
– in tough times a manager’s skills in the areas of communications,
team building, coaching, conflict resolution, anger management, time
management, and project management are really tested. Make sure your
management team is prepared for the challenge. To learn more about
the courses APS offers in these topics, click
here and
here.
-
Consider flexible staffing solutions
– part-time, job sharing, temporary employees, and outsourcing may
be the right solution for your organization, especially in difficult
times.
APS HR
professionals can perform a full spectrum of services in this area
including hands-on management of your HR and training functions and
conducting management and supervisory skills training.
Learn more here.
APS is a full-service provider of
training and human performance improvement services. For more
information email us at
info@aps-online.net or call Greg Pancerev at 610-987-4054.
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