Institute modern methods of training on the job for all, including management, to make better use of every employee. New skills are required to keep up with changes in materials, methods, product and service design, machinery, techniques, and service.
Dr. W. Edwards Deming
A business acquaintance of mine owned a small machine shop back in the ’70’s and 80’s. The last big recession, for those too young to remember.
He had eleven machinists working for him. Business slowed down and the employees knew there wasn’t enough work to keep everyone on board, someone would have to go. My friend called a company meeting. He walked in to some very tense men, each wondering if he was the one who was going to be leaving for good.
Instead of laying a man off, he instituted a program of extensive training and upgrading of skills. Everyday at least one employee was in training on new and better equipment. As his competitors went out of business he bought their newer equipment for a fraction of what it was worth. When the economy picked up my friend was ready, willing and able to produce good quality product at a fraction of the cost of his competition. When other companies tried to pirate his well trained workforce, his employees laughed in their faces. Their boss had stuck with them, they would stick with him.
How did he do it? For one thing he looked at a long term plan. He watched his money and kept a cushion so small hiccups didn’t have a disruptive effect. He had a good solid long term business plan with the track record to demonstrate its’ effectiveness so the banks would lend him money while other companies were being turned down.
Ultimately he fed back into point #1 he had a constancy of purpose to be competitive, stay in business and to provide jobs.
So what about you? Look at some of the grant programs available, you may be able to offer the training at no cost to your company. Even if you don’t have the cash reserves to buy new equipment, or pay roll is tight, ask the employees, would they take a temporary reduction in everyone’s salary to institute a training program that would make them more valuable in the long run? The answer might surprise you.
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