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Project Data
Clients: Premier North American Outdoor Sporting Goods Distributor
Location: Nevada, United States
Timeframe: 3 weeks
Key Project Factors: Management, routine, and staffing challenges were driving increased labor costs and negatively impacting productivity within the facility. Direct Augmentation of the client’s on-site leadership team and the implementation of performance management improvements was critically needed to support immediate and sustainable operational effectiveness. Continuum was tasked with ensuring business needs were achieved, operational initiatives were executed successfully and leadership teams were properly supported across the distribution facility.
The Challenge
Lack of structure around operational expectations and internal communications, specifically around start-of-shift employee meetings, internal leadership planning sessions and intraday labor management efforts, negatively impacted daily staff management and associate engagement driving a combination of poor performance, substandard labor utilization, low attendance performance and retention issues; all of which impacted operational effectiveness. Communications between leaders and with direct hourly employees were not tailored to create calls-to-action, effectively communicate plans and create operational alignment around facility and company goals. The existing misalignment on daily goals and announcements caused lack of accountability throughout the building.
The Approach
Continuum worked closely with the client to define effective messaging tactics, plan daily communication requirements and identify measures of success for both the managerial team and the Associates on the floor. Customized daily template were developed and implemented based on the operational metrics required to transition the Associates and its management team into a performance-based culture. Using custom tools and tactics, Continuum trained leadership on successful communications techniques and developed an effective communications schedule to create purposeful and realistic expectations and impactful operational coordination across all facility employees.
The Results
While there were many tangible results achieved through this initiative, including a 24% increase in overall direct facility efficiency; improvements in employee job satisfaction, operational effectiveness and staff planning was realized through direct impacts to Associate attendance and the ability for operational leaders to achieve 100% staffing goals on a daily basis. Increases in operational performance due to clear expectations set at shift starts and reviews of previous day metrics elevated associate willingness to achieve individual and facility goals. Effective communication and alignment throughout the facility translated into facility-wide understanding the daily metrics, goals, and company updates.
