Consulting Services: Matthew Alexander, Pertl & Alexander LLC, Manlius, N.Y.
Help team members develop a sense of accountability for key performance indicators (KPIs), by defining what they are, why they matter, and by establishing, communicating and enforcing standards.
In a laundry, commonly tracked KPIs include high-level statistics such as pounds processed per labor hour, square foot, utility units and quality control expectations. Department-level KPIs include pounds sorted per hour, washer and dryer loads per hour, fill rates for washers and dryers (percentage of capacity machine is loaded), pieces fed/folded/stacked per hour, and number of carts packed out per hour.
Facility and operating KPIs include maintaining the frequency of preventative maintenance; compliance with established safety programs and procedures; plant cleanliness; trip hazards; steam, water and compressed air leaks; ergonomics; lighting; ventilation; and signage.
KPIs matter because they represent baseline measurements of specific tasks and the overall performance of the plant and therefore represent critical standards of performance required to achieve business objectives and to identify specific areas of weakness or failure so they may be corrected.
KPIs reflecting labor productivity, efficiency of utility consumption, quality control, safety and maintenance are the life and blood of effective laundry management. While production, engineering or housekeeping associates may have limited sense of accountability for the KPIs measuring total plant productivity, they can more easily develop a sense of accountability for issues directly under their control.
For example, if an associate feeding a small-piece folding machine understands the production standard is 800 bath towels per hour and they are being held accountable to produce that much, they can more easily develop a sense of accountability to meet that standard than they are likely to for the pounds processed (plant-wide) per operator hour.
They also must understand that the washing, drying, finishing and cart makeup departments can only meet their KPIs if the sorting department accomplishes its objectives, and so on down the line. If the wash line doesn’t keep up, it can’t be finished, folded and packed out.
In any event, it’s essential that the data used to track KPIs is assimilated in a transparent, fair and accurate manner. By helping associates understand the objectives, how KPIs reflect progress toward those objectives, and how everyone is contributing, you will help team members develop a sense of accountability regarding KPIs.
Equipment/Supply Distribution: Justin Oriel, Garment Machinery Company Inc., Needham, Mass.
At Garment Machinery Company, fostering accountability among our team members is essential to achieving our key performance indicators and driving long-term success.
We believe accountability begins with clarity—clearly defined goals, transparent expectations and an understanding of how everyone’s role contributes to the company’s overall mission.
By creating open lines of communication, offering consistent feedback, and providing the tools and resources necessary for success, we empower our team to take ownership of their responsibilities.
We also encourage collaboration and celebrate progress, reinforcing a culture where everyone feels both supported and motivated to deliver their best work. This approach not only strengthens performance but also builds trust, pride and commitment across the organization.
Textiles: Mike Justice, Beck's Classic Manufacturing, Brentwood, N.Y.
All successful organizations have many things in common. Successful organizations find ways to motivate and retain while also holding their employees accountable to drive positive individual results that contribute to company goals.
Accountability for results is imperative, and we have all heard the adage of using “a carrot or a stick” to develop a culture of accountability to achieve positive company results.
I personally believe you must have both. Finding the right balance between rewarding employees for positive accomplishments and disciplining for negative or bad performance is important.
Employees who are continually nervous about harsh disciplinary actions do not perform well over time. Having a constant feeling of “someone always looking over your shoulder” creates a negative environment and could contribute to more turnover.
However, if the employee has all the tools to be successful and expectations have been clearly communicated, employers have the right to communicate and implement a corrective action plan program. The plan needs to have a timeline for improvement with specific achievable goals to be met over the defined time.
The employees need to feel they are being given enough time and that the interim goals can be achieved along the path to performance improvement. If the employee does not improve or meet any of the agreed upon outlined goals, they should be terminated at that point.
On the other side, I believe in developing an award program where individual performance is recognized and communicated throughout the entire company. The employees need to feel that they are appreciated and that their specific accomplishments and goals achieved contribute in some way to the whole of the company’s success.
People like to be recognized by their peers! That’s why I am a firm believer in a well-designed and creative awards program. Rewards can be as small as gift cards to as large as travel awards so the employee can take their family or significant other on a nice vacation. These rewards can be given out at a lunch break throughout the year at different intervals to having a formal awards ceremony to include a program and dinner.
Throughout my career, I have found that having a reasonable corrective action program for employees who are not achieving clearly stated and agreed upon goals while simultaneously recognizing individual results and employees in a creative rewards program will help develop a culture of accountability in your organization.
Click HERE to read part 1 with suggestions from linen supply, uniforms/workwear manufacturing, healthcare and commercial laundry experts.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].
