agribusinessreview.comAPRIL - 20239By shifting our focus and looking through the lens of the organization, we can start developing methods to improve the internal processes, and ultimately achieve high products quality, and servicesimprovement mindset is essential to integrate a built-in quality system to your operation flow. It will ultimately help you to achieve customer satisfaction and add value to your processes.A strong operational excellence program can empower all employees in continuous improvement by leading, teaming up and using worldwide renowned methods in the agricultural Industry.1. Critical Quality PointsIdentifying critical steps within your processes is key to avoid quality issues. Consequently, implementing preventive controls, checkpoints, and control measures will have a positive effect on the quality of your products and services, and ultimately your company financial performance.2. Master your EnvironmentImprovements start in your work environment. Renowned methods such as 5S, visual management tools, such as floor markings, red tag, or labeling rules and Gemba Walk, can help you to remove safety hazards, improve cleanliness, organization, reduce wastes, and highlight areas of improvements within your manufacturing facilities. It is the foundation of an operational excellence program.3. Master your PerformanceYou must be able to measure your performance to improve your efficiency. Key Performance Indicators in key categories can be monitored using short interval management or S.I.M board. It is a dashboard that will allow you to review data from previous day, month, or year and implement short term actions to achieve your objectives. Visual management tools such red/green indicators can also be combined with this method to enable the employees to immediately see if their current activities are within or outside the target.4. Master your Continuous ImprovementEmbracing problem solving is essential to improve the flow of values. Using problem solving methods such as Ishikawa diagram or 5Whys methods will allow you to identify the roots of problems experienced on the floor. By verifying the potential root causes and implementing long term actions, we stop spending more time and energy going around the problem, and we fix the problem at the roots.SMED, D.O.W.N.T.I.M.E, OEE can also help boost efficiency. However, being more complex, they should be at the top level of your lean pyramid.Continuous Improvements is the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent direction. It will provide a framework to your business to focus on growth and execute strategies while leading continuous improvement mindset. Achieving a safe work environment, increasing productivity, decreasing cost due to waste, improving the quality of your products & services are the ultimate goals. Therefore, once those methods and tools are implemented, it is important to maintain them by performing regular internal audits of your system. Simply involving all employees is indispensable for the success of your program. A common mistake is to prohibit their involvement. Employee's engagement will benefit the business by increasing employee satisfaction, safety, lower absenteeism, and give all a sense of meaning and accomplishment in the company's success. Self-motivation, persistence, and patience are necessary to create a culture of continuous improvement. It is important to remember that success is a journey, not a destination.
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