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 In
times past, manufacturers could ignore the psychological needs of
their employees. Labor was
cheap and employees were concerned with survival in a world of
scarcity. The paycheck meant everything. Now,
"The Greatest Generation" has given way to
"Generation X" and much has changed.
The volume and complexity of
information flow in any manufacturing plant is enormous. Functional
arrangements increase this volume and complexity by orders of
magnitude when compared to cellular arrangements. This is partly
because cellular arrangements are simpler, and less information is
required. In addition, since workcells are
more self-contained, much information flow is within the cell. Transfer
of information is quick, simple and informal. Information is often
obvious from visual observation and available to all.
For a
various reasons, functional layouts inhibit teamwork while cellular
arrangements enhance, even demand it. Functional layouts
scatter the people who work on a given product. Cellular layouts
bring people together. Workcells require teamwork to function
effectively; functional layouts do not. Functional layouts are often
dysfunctional regardless of the level of teamwork.
In a functional layout,
products are difficult to see and identify. Since the skill range is
narrow, workers may become “button-pushers.”
People have little sense of accomplishment because they cannot see
the results of their efforts.
People
in functional environments often derive motivation only from their
paychecks. Such motivation is “extrinsic” and brings
minimal compliance with job requirements. Cellular
layouts depend on “higher” motivations such as pride in the team
and feelings of accomplishment. Such motivation is
necessary for superior performance.
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A workcell requires a broader
range of skills. These include not only job skills, but
interpersonal skills. As a result, cellular workers are more
involved and take greater responsibility for their work. Cellular
manufacturing takes advantage of human flexibility and knowledge
while meeting many psychological needs. Satisfying
psychological needs is the key to motivating today’s workforce.
Supervisors in a functional
layout spend most of their time on coordination. With lean,
coordination is simple. Most coordination
is informal, fast and without disconnects.
Other
Lean Manufacturing Benefits
Material Handling
Inventory & Scheduling
Quality Benefits
Benefits for People
Customer Benefits
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