Operational excellence goes beyond system efficiency

Ms. Benoit, you have worked both internationally and strategically in your career. Why did you make a conscious decision to go into production – most recently in your role as a plant manager?

I am interested in the shop floor, that‘s where the action is. Because without production, there is no product and without a product, there is no business! Ten percent of people in Germany work in the manufacturing industry and generate almost 25 percent of our gross domestic product. Unfortunately, this is not always appreciated. But the GDP figures illustrate the importance of Germany as a location and why we need to improve the image of production.

How is this claim expressed in your daily work?

As a plant manager, I have to support my employees and always give them the feeling that I‘m not here to make their lives difficult, but to solve challenges together with them. To this end, I have repeatedly held intensive discussions on the shop floor and have also regularly been involved in cleaning or maintenance work. The aim is to really understand the problems of the employees and to create a space to find solutions and give honest feedback. These discussions are very important. Most people want to improve. But this requires targeted feedback.

You have actively changed your perspective many times in your career. Why is it so important for a manager to adopt new perspectives

Empathy and emotional intelligence vary from individual to individual. By demanding a change of perspective, managers can develop into more empathetic leaders. They broaden their horizons, accept other points of view and are able to communicate better – in order to ultimately find optimal solutions without being affected by personal sensitivities. Companies have also recognized this and know that empathy is a very important part of leadership.

What significance do modern forms of work have for the industrial world of work? Have “New Work” and “Diversity” already arrived in production?

Diversity means representativeness, all voices should be heard. But the voices from production in particular are often ignored. Companies must include all employees in their communication and give them a voice. In the context of New Work, however, many topics do not fit into production, for example: working from home. In my view, there are three tasks to be done to bring the realities of the working world into line with the expectations of the younger generation and at the same time prepare for the future: firstly, ensure the transfer of know-how from the baby boomers to the younger generation in the company, secondly, show clear development structures and opportunities for the next generation, and thirdly, promote internal skill management including skill development. Companies must specifically build up the required skills that may not be taught in training or degree programs and at the same time show talent development paths – in production and, in the long term, across various hierarchical levels in production.

The Henkel plant that you managed as a plant manager has received several Excellence Awards. What does Operational Excellence mean to you?

Operational excellence goes beyond plant efficiency. Avoiding waste must be considered holistically, taking into account energy and material efficiency as well as communication efficiency. This means that the flow of information from plant management to the shop floor must be guaranteed without interruptions, and all processes must be clearly communicated. Operational excellence and the zero-loss approach should be embedded in an end-to-end view of the entire factory and ensure consistency.

How does the corporate culture support this approach?

The path to success is through continuity and consistency. HR and corporate communications, for example, are very important for formulating a meaningful vision, mission, and culture. But implementation should not be neglected. The product is created on the shop floor, where operational management responsibility must be assumed in order to bring the company vision to life. Therefore: Walk the Talk! As a manager, you have to live the culture, seek dialogue and translate in an understandable way what was previously only written on slides. When we as managers give our employees responsibility for a location or a machine, we trust them and recognize that they are the experts for this system. This freedom can make processes more efficient and save costs. At the same time, clear feedback loops and good communication are important. Because changes also have to be economically viable.