A PRACTICAL STUDY ON A PROJECT CONFIRMS THAT LEADERS’ ADHERENCE TO THE LEADERSHIP TASKS RECOMMENDED BY STAUFEN LED TO A 67% REDUCTION IN SAFETY DEVIATIONS, A 62% IMPROVEMENT IN COMPLIANCE WITH ACTION PLANS, A REDUCTION IN OVERTIME COSTS AND AN INCREASE IN PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY.
Breno Rodrigues
Project ManagerSTAUFEN.Brasil
9 years working in Continuous Improvement departments in multinationals such as Mahle (Automotive Engine Components), Tenaris (Metallurgy / Oil & Gas) and Embraer (Aeronautics), implementing projects to increase productivity, quality and safety. In consultancy, I focus on projects to increase productivity, change organizational culture, quality and 5S. Mentoring and consultancy for owners of small and medium-sized companies and large farms. Team management and leadership. – Tenaris: co-founding the continuous improvement department in Brazil and completing 28 projects; – Embraer: increasing the perception of customer satisfaction in commercial aviation; – Verallia: simplifying and improving the 5S routine and Kaizen Blitz in two different manufacturing areas; – WR Grace do Brasil: optimizing the production layout and balancing operations in order to optimize the use of resources; – Sebrae: planning, conducting and completing process control and improvement projects in 9 different companies. Contact: breno.rodrigues@staufen.com.br (12) 98177-9090
Read more*Por Breno Rodrigues
Project manager da Staufen
Shop Floor Management is a method widely used in industry to develop leadership, engage people, improve the efficiency of operations and make it easier for teams to achieve targets. However, the journey of implementing Shop Floor Management is quite challenging, as it involves a major cultural change.
One of the main reasons why journeys like this fail is that they only focus on implementing management instruments or tools. In these cases, the behavioral issue, which is the spark for cultural transformation, is left out. It is therefore essential to focus on changing the behavior of leaders, who in turn must develop their entire team. To do this, the 5 Tasks of Leadership must be carried out consistently: Regular Communication, Structured Problem Solving, Confirming Processes, Promoting Continuous Improvement and Developing People.
In order to improve people’s adoption of the Leadership Tasks, a recent study carried out at a pulp and paper company in northeastern Brazil proposed an innovative approach: monitoring and quantifying leaders’ behaviors based on the Five Leadership Tasks to quickly identify opportunities for improvement in implementation and increase their success in the client’s operations.
Another innovative aspect of the study was the application of Shop Floor Management in a forest environment, which is still little explored in academic literature.
THE CHALLENGE OF IMPLEMENTING SHOP FLOOR MANAGEMENT IN FOREST AREAS
The great geographical dispersion and the difficulty of communication in the forest areas represented an obstacle to the implementation of SFM practices. To overcome this challenge, the team opted to use digital management boards, allowing indicators to be updated in real time and consulted remotely.
The survey revealed that although the training and tools implemented were working, the change in behavior expected of leaders could still be improved. Leaders had not internalized all the behaviours expected in Shop Floor Management, and adherence to the tools on a day-to-day basis was limited.
That’s when the mapping of Leadership Tasks and behaviors by each leader came into play, an innovative technique used to identify opportunities for improvement in the execution of SFM in leadership. From then on, each leader received weekly coaching and feedback sessions, focusing on aligning their behaviors with the model’s expectations.
SIGNIFICANT RESULTS AND FUTURE CHALLENGES
After weeks of monitoring, the results began to show. Adherence to the proposed model increased significantly, and unit M, where Shop Floor Management was implemented in the forestry area, became a benchmark for the company throughout Brazil. The leaders’ adherence to the expected behavior jumped from 13% to 77.8% in just a few months.
67%
FEWER SAFETY DEVIATIONS
62%
FEWER DELAYED ACTIONS
This change in attitude was reflected in tangible operational improvements: a 67% reduction in safety deviations, 62% fewer delayed actions, lower overtime costs and an increase in production efficiency. Unit M consistently achieved its operating cost targets, demonstrating the positive impact of focusing on human behavior.
On the other hand, other units faced difficulties, such as resistance to incorporating communication routines and dependence on limited internet connections in some regions. Even so, the success of unit M confirms that prioritizing human development is crucial to the success of initiatives such as Shop floor Management.
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