A Reader Asks
I work in maintenance, and some of the jobs we do occur only once in a 2-3 year period. This is when we find out that some of our people cannot do the work well. When those repairs take too long or are not done right, it results in long downtime and a black eye for the department. Suggestions?
- Identify those infrequent tasks.
- Develop a list of specific activities and the skills needed to complete each task.
- Create a list of employees who have successfully performed this work in the past. They become the core group of individuals who you keep certified and up to date on the proper techniques.
- Establish the step-by-step procedures for each task.
- Determine how soon you will refresh your core certified individuals before the job is actually needed to be completed.
Our Expert Answers
A task certification process can be used as a tool to ensure you get good quality performance on infrequently performed tasks.
The first step is to identify those infrequent tasks. Next, develop a list of specific activities and the skills needed to complete each task. It is a good idea to create a list of employees who have successfully performed this work in the past. They become the core group of individuals who you keep certified and up to date on the proper techniques.
Once you have established the step-by-step procedures for each task, you will need to determine how soon you will refresh your core certified individuals before the job is actually needed to be completed. Using either a CMMS or a manual system, you can schedule re-certification as a work order to precede the actual job. When it’s time to tackle the job again, you will have recently re-certified individuals ready to do it.
Some individuals will not need to go through this process and will just sign off that they have the capability. For those that are not that familiar with the work, it is a way for them to better hone their skills.
