Do Business Well

13. Eliminate unnecessary partitions

Factories and offices, particularly old ones, often have too many nooks and crannies, cubby holes and partitions. The more of these there are, the less visibility there is of personnel, stocks, machinery and production in general. Partitions and walls take up too much space.

14. Re-allocate space per department/function to save money

Work carried out by separate departments could be merged following physical re-allocation of work areas. For example, a combined despatch/goods inwards department could be less costly.

15. Dispose of obsolete items

Storing obsolete items in the stores and on the shop floor takes up costly factory and warehouse area. Continue Reading »

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1. Control the size of the establishment

Large-scale production brings certain economies with it especially in times of stability or growth, but in periods of retraction large-scale facilities can be too costly. Ensure that establishment costs are affordable for both high and low levels of activity.

2. Assess the minimum/optimum establishment size for your present activity level

Firms often work with facilities which have grown over the years as demand has developed. But are they what you really need now and for the future? Assess your ideal facilities objectively and compare them with what you have at present; you will at least have a picture of the changes you might make. Continue Reading »

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At work, do you …

• Experience frequent heart palpitations (fast and heavy beats)?
• Feel queasy and jittery for no explicable reason?
• Have difficulty concentrating because of intrusive thoughts?
• Worry frequently about trivial issues?
• Have diarrhoea frequently?
• Get butterflies in your stomach over insignificant things? Miss opportunities or lose time because you can’t make up your mind?
• Pace or fidget excessively?
• Frequently sweat while just sitting and thinking?
• Have your friends asking if anything is wrong because of your withdrawn behaviour?

You will probably have personally experienced some of the above items in your work life. Just getting to and from work can accelerate your heart and breathing rates. If you face regular stress at work such as demanding deadlines, friction with your boss or co-workers, irritating customers or irksome tasks, then you can benefit from daily relaxation practice. Continue Reading »

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How often do you …

• Dawdle before work, causing frequent lateness?
• Forget things?
• Fidget around losing productive work time?
• Misunderstand instructions?
• Take extended coffee breaks?
• Get major assignments and projects in late?
• Feel at odds with your boss?
• Feel alienated from your workmates?
• Take sick leave when you are feeling ‘just a bit off’?
• Daydream about being elsewhere than at work?

The items above suggest a common picture—the non-productive worker. Of course, we all have bad days and even the occasional disastrous period, but if non-productive events crop up regularly in your day-to-day work, then you should do something about them. If you don’t, your boss might. Continue Reading »

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