Many people are familiar with the phrase, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” The same is true with the makeup of your workplace. If all your employees have the same general experiences, your shop will keep running in about the same way. If you want to…
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The Human Resources department in a job shop can often be overlooked. However, with all of the changes that 2020 has brought, it’s become more important than ever to handle employee changes smoothly and understand what employees are thinking about their jobs. If you want to keep your employees, get great new employees, and improve…
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In the US, most high school students are told they need to go to college to get a good career, but that isn’t always true. Trade school is an excellent way for students to begin a great career in manufacturing. A manufacturing career can take a person up the corporate ladder, let them grow their…
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Safety is crucial in a machine shop. No one wants any injuries in the shop. Injured workers can also cost the shop money and time. Injured workers will have medical costs and admin costs for the shop to process the necessary paperwork. If an employee needs to take time off because of an injury, then…
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When your shop is trying to hire qualified candidates that are also good employees, apprenticeships can be invaluable. In a recent survey done by Thomas, they found that shops with apprenticeship programs were less impacted by the lack of skilled labor. In addition, in companies they surveyed, more than half of their apprenticeship programs were…
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Every shop wants to keep its top employees for as long as possible. However, since these employees are so good at what they do, they’re the ones who will have the easiest time getting a job somewhere else. With this in mind, it’s helpful to make sure your shop checks in with your employees periodically….
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ERP software can help your shop in many ways, but only if your employees know how to use it. Training your employees is important, and there is a lot to consider. Training is a huge part of implementing new ERP software, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Learn more about what training materials to…
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Manufacturing is in the middle of a change. The Silver Tsunami has already begun as more and more Baby Boomers are retiring. Manufacturers are also dealing with the skills gap, where it’s difficult to get new employees with experience. Manufacturers are getting squeezed from both sides, so training has become even more important for new…
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Many people end up managing a machine shop because they started it. When they started, their shop was small. However, as their shop grew, they hired more people until they were doing more managing than they were working the machines. For others, they came into a management position more directly. No matter how you got…
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Implementation is one part of the lifecycle of using a new ERP system. However, it’s the foundation that everything is built on. If the implementation doesn’t go well, then it will be much harder to use the system later. One way to make sure this foundation is solid for everyone in your shop is to…
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Training employees has become more important than ever before. As more Baby Boomers either retire or cut back on their hours, employers hire more workers to take their place. However, it’s difficult to find new hires experienced in manufacturing. That means they need training, and training a new employee correctly and quickly is key in…
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We all know it’s coming. The skills gap is an unfortunate side effect of the “silver tsunami.” More baby boomers are retiring from manufacturing than new hires are coming in to replace them, and those new hires don’t have the same skills and years of knowledge the baby boomers do. One of the biggest problems…
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Virtual Manufacturing Software Training Knowledge is power, especially in manufacturing. The more knowledge your team has about processes, software, production methods and more, the more value you can offer to your customers. Employee knowledge can also drive efficiency, as a better-trained and more informed team can identify areas for improvement in your processes. Of course,…
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With the calendar recently flipping over to November, many shops are preparing for their least favorite time of the year – downtime. But this slow time may also be the perfect time to implement new shop software. Nearly every shop in every industry has some period of downtime. Some industries experience downtime in the summer…
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A machine or other piece of equipment is only as valuable as the person operating it. You know that better than anyone. You can invest all the money in the world in a new piece of machinery. However, if the operator doesn’t know how to use it properly, you won’t get the maximum potential return…
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Another graduation season has passed. In many shops, that means a fresh influx of new graduates from high school, trade school, and community college. If you have openings due to retirement or growth, there’s a good chance you’re filling those jobs with younger workers. Whether they’re aware of it or not, today’s graduates are part…
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Do you feel like your machine shop is in a rut? There’s plenty of work and you and your team are always busy, but still, you never seem to get ahead. It feels like there’s always a cash crunch looming or there’s always a crisis that you have to deal with. Sometimes you may even…
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There are lots of ways to increase your company’s value. You can grow sales. You can pay down debt. You can implement job shop software to make your shop more efficient. You can even upgrade your machinery and facility. However, one of the best ways to grow your bottom line and increase the value of…
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There’s one surefire way to make your job shop more profitable this year – by becoming more efficient. Eliminating waste and getting more production out of your team is a guaranteed formula for increased profitability. Greater efficiency is easier said than done, though. That’s especially true when you’re juggling a wide range of customer demands…
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There’s no doubt that job shop software can improve your shop’s efficiency, productivity, and overall profitability. However, just having the right software isn’t enough. You also need to make sure your team members are using it properly. Even the best software won’t produce results if your workers aren’t implementing it to its fullest capabilities. Most…
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Do you dread the idea of implementing new job shop software? Have you purchased software that’s subsequently gone unused because you don’t know how to manage the transition? You’re not alone. For many job shops, the challenge isn’t in finding the right software; it’s in implementing the new software. Most job shop owners see the…
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What does your job shop have in common with Pike Place Fish Market, the Seattle landmark where they throw fish to customers? Hold the fishy smell jokes, please. According to Shoptech’s business development manager, Gerri Schuh, we all can take a cue from that famous fish market and learn some big lessons on how to…
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A new device or piece of equipment may be dynamic and powerful. But without the user being aware of all its capability and understanding how it operates, its full potential cannot be realized. Thorough training, therefore, is critical when it comes to implementing a manufacturing software package, and more specifically, enterprise resource planning (ERP) or…
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As technology becomes more prominent in our personal and professional lives, our reliance on technical support also continues to increase. In the business world, with all the similarities existing between the many enterprise resource planning (ERP) software packages available, it is often the support aspect that makes the difference in which program a company chooses…
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