Manufacture Smarter Blog

8/25/2023 - BY: TRICIA ONESIAN
In today’s work environment, we still see people bullying each other through demeaning acts that seek to destroy, damage or obstruct someone’s work performance, work product, tools or materials. To help alleviate this issue, building a strong company culture focused on retaining employees and learning from each other is key. My role as a Business Solutions Manager requires strong customer service skills. These customer service skills (or people skills) can be applied to working with coworkers, clients, upper management and so on.

2/3/2023 - BY: BARB SHONIBIN
“Mentor” is often used as a buzzword more often than something that is acted upon. However, mentorship can be a great way to engage employees, new and old, while also benefiting the company. In today’s landscape, engaging and retaining employees has become challenging. New generations entering the workforce have different expectations and mindsets. It is crucial that management teams adapt to the changes and implement new initiatives that will attract, retain and engage staff.

10/7/2022 - BY: ROB STAUFFER
Most manufacturers are facing inflation, which drives up the cost of just about everything they buy. At the same time, the price of petroleum has risen, increasing the cost of transporting items to and from their factories. The current talent and workforce shortage, particularly in manufacturing, has caused an upward pressure on wages. And to make things even more challenging, many economic indicators are predicting a looming recession, which tends to shrink consumption and slow down production.

9/23/2022 - BY: ROGER TOMLINSON
Take a look at your facility. Are there ways you could improve the layout of your plant? Are employees walking far between jobs? Does the arrangement of equipment make the most sense for optimum efficiency? Plant layout is a great way to minimize operating costs by ensuring efficient workflow throughout the shop floor.

4/15/2022 - BY: SHAUN LEAHEY
Nearly every Quality Manager or Plant Manager has had this situation come up: The phone is ringing and it’s the customer. You instantly get a sinking feeling in your stomach, thinking, here comes a complaint. On the rare occasion there isn’t a problem, you take advantage of strengthening your relationship with the person on the other end of the conversation. But often, you’ll begin the conversation listening to what problem the customer is experiencing and how you can help. Your new priority is to begin problem solving, starting with assembling a team. Wait, we’re supposed to use a problem-solving team? Who’s on the team?

8/7/2020 - BY: JAMIE HEADLEY
COVID-19 has forced companies to drastically change work environments in terms of safety, location and culture. Amid this workplace transition, manufacturing companies have faced a more complex challenge in determining how to manage employee "office" locations. When evaluating if it makes sense for your employees to work remotely or in-office, here are some key points to take into consideration. 

5/26/2020 - NJMEP
This pandemic has stretched manufacturers to their limits. Uncertainty and misinformation are both prevalent. Turning to trusted sources will be invaluable to help keep business moving forward.

4/21/2020 - THE CENTER
​We recently published a blog discussing how to keep employees feeling engaged and valued while working from home by prioritizing training. In addition to these engagement challenges, many are working from home for the first time ever and are struggling to stay focused and productive in such a different environment. For those who need extra guidance, there are resources that can help.

2/7/2014 - THE CENTER
There was an interesting article in Bloomberg Businessweek on Tuesday, this week called, “International Paper Recruits Women in War for U.S. Talent.” In the article, International Paper CEO, John Faraci, discussed an important company goal. He wants his payroll to more closely reflect the U.S. population, specifically when it comes to gender.