Manufacture Smarter Blog

6/6/2014 - THE CENTER
Michigan’s manufacturers are always looking for ways to strengthen their workforce. In today’s competitive environment, your staff is your company’s most valuable asset. Cross-training is an excellent way to cultivate a versatile workforce that maximizes efficiencies and productivity.  

5/16/2014 - THE CENTER
When you start a new job, it’s a lot like heading into the summer. It’s a fresh start. There’s the rush of meeting new people and a genuine excitement about starting a new journey. Managers walk you through the training process, teach you about the company and orient you to the culture.

5/2/2014 - THE CENTER
The topic of “employee engagement” has been popping up a lot lately. I’ll be honest with you… and maybe it’s just because I took my “let’s be blunt” pills this morning… but most of the articles I read about employee engagement are… well… on the cheesy side. They remind us that it’s important for our employees to be engaged and urge us to give out our annual survey for employee feedback.

4/11/2014 - THE CENTER
Engaged Employees, Human Capital, Invested Workforce, Holy Grail? That’s what you’d believe if you read the headlines. Finding and keeping employees actively engaged and connected to your business vision is becoming harder to find than the proverbial needle in the haystack.

11/15/2013 - THE CENTER
In the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly jobs report, American manufacturers added 19,000 new workers in the month of October, with job growth primarily in motor vehicles and parts, wood products, and furniture and related products. As we all look to see if manufacturing continues its much hailed comeback, economists, business leaders, politicians, pundits and the general public alike, are all closely monitoring trends and data from the manufacturing industry. 

10/4/2013 - THE CENTER
As you probably know by now, we’re pretty excited about manufacturing, particularly Michigan manufacturers. More and more attention is being focused on the industry between the most recent Manufacturing Day events from last week, to the latest Oakland County survey of manufacturers to identify needed skills.

9/13/2013 - THE CENTER
Technology is a wonderful thing . . . or it can be, especially as it relates to medical advancement, gadgetry, and the like. With all technology, it can also displace or supplant something else, creating a lost skill or product. Perhaps somewhere in the middle of the ocean is an island for misfit technology. 8-track and vinyl records, anyone?

6/14/2013 - THE CENTER
According to the findings of a recent Deloitte survey, "Perspectives on family-owned businesses; Governance and succession planning," family-owned business executives may be impacting their companies' long-term success and competitiveness due to gaps in the areas of governance, board operations and succession planning.

2/15/2013 - THE CENTER
In a recent Family Business Advisor session, the concept of Emotional Intelligence was raised.  Traditionally, a person’s intelligence is measured using an Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Test.  The IQ test is a measure of a person’s general intelligence, but it does nothing to measure a person’s ability to succeed as a leader.  Your Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EIQ) may be a better way to measure how well you will do as a leader.

2/11/2013 - THE CENTER
When you make operational changes to either become more efficient or to grow, it’s just as important that your team understands and embraces the importance of the changes. It’s also critical that employees have buy-in from the beginning of your planned improvements.