Successful businesses in pressure sensitive labels / packaging and strong production / plant managers go hand in hand. As such, the fundamentals of training a new production manager in flexo printing must be properly vetted, trained, and placed in environments where they can thrive.
But getting there requires following a carefully crafted plan to ensure each manager’s success. By adhering to the fundamentals of training a new production manager, companies can avoid mistakes and the consequences of the same.
Internal and External Benchmarking of Potential Manager Candidates
Not every Press Operator makes a good Supervisor. The biggest pitfall is hiring a Flexo manager that has no industry experience. The pitfalls can hurt production when plant personnel cannot receive proper instruction or direction from their Production Manager. If you choose to hire from outside the flexo industry the individual needs to spend time on the production floor running a flexo press or get a solid understanding of the presses. Manufacturing personnel will respect a Manager who has been there and gotten his hands dirty so to speak.
Before Hiring Perform Behavioral Analysis for Role Fit and Team Fit
Too many companies resist or simply lack knowledge in how valuable a recruiter can be who performs screening of candidates using behavioral analysis. Performed correctly, scientifically determining whether a candidate is a good match for the role and a strong team fit is very important. Remember that no two managers are alike, with unique personalities and work styles evident.
Make allowance for differences, while also helping trainees identify their strengths and weaknesses. Use this information to form management teams where different levels of managers complement each other. The Marathon Group often uses team fit analysis to help companies increase productivity and retention.
Facilitate Training a new Production Manager in Flexo Printing
- Prior to Hire, appoint a mentor. Assign each new plant or production manager a mentor, preferably a seasoned executive who has held the position who can offer moral support, answer questions, and discuss solutions to problems. For overstretched management teams, consider hiring a consultant with a strong management background. At a minimum, mentors should commit to working with managers at least through their training period.
- Monitor and provide feedback. Another essential part of training a new production manager in flexo printing is one enters a learning curve and works toward a goal of becoming an independent manager. Your company must outline concrete steps to help each individual reach expected goals or thresholds along the way. Monitor the manager’s progress and provide feedback as needed. Take corrective action when necessary.
- Articulate management systems. Besides understanding HR policies, part of training a new production manager in flexo printing is to equip new managers with the tools necessary to hire and train new employees, conduct performance reviews, and manage discipline issues. Here, managers should have knowledge of state and federal labor laws in addition to the company’s policies.
- Establish quantifiable goals. Every manager should understand all requirements. Goals must be clear, reachable, and quantified. For instance, if Production Managers need to keep waste to a minimum and schedule press runs efficiently they need to understand flexo printing and press capabilities and their limitations. If not these costs spread to the bottom line and effect company profits per job and lessen the chance to maintain profit levels mandated by the industry and or ownership.
- Conflict resolution. Any successful executive will tell you that one of the fundamentals to training a new production manager is teaching them how to solve problems before they spiral out of control. Conflict is a human element, although most people do not acknowledge it, choosing to avoid the same. Have conflict resolution strategies in place and enable all managers to take their problems to the top.
Ensure Training a new Production Manager in Flexo Printing is Successful
A carefully implemented and executed management training program is your business’ assurance that the people you appoint are the best ones suited for the position. Anything less and employee morale, customer satisfaction, and business profitability will suffer, leading to high turnover costs and potential harm to your enterprise.
The MARATHON Group has successfully placed hundreds of pant managers and production managers in the prime labels and flexible packaging industry since 1987. If you’d like consultation about your next key hire, contact Michael Moore today [email protected]