Operatore allocation to products in a multiskill environment-The standerds Batteries Ltd.: Chennai.

Abstract

The order position in terms of product mix varies with time requiring varying skill levels of the employees. Often, the company finds itself in a situation wherein the skill requirements do not match the skill availability resulting in delayed order deliveries. Also, there is no proper system to indicate the skill availability in the company for the required product mix / volume. Hence, eventhough there is a forecast of future orders, the company is not in a position to identify the operations and the operators where training is required. Also, the shop-in-charge does not have any idea of the skill availability that could be shifted when there is an emergency demand due to absenteeism etc. Hence there is a need to develop a System for quantifying the available skills and plan for better exploitation. Towards this objective a database system was designed to maintain the complete details of Operators, Operations, Departments, Products and Skill level. A group of indices were developed with reference to the Factory, Department and Product for all the existing product lines. The study proposed Skill Training Index (STI), Skill Level Index (SLI) and Skill Inventory Index SII). Based on the Indices developed, a programme has been developed which is in the preliminary stage of implementation. The Planning department is confident of planning the man-power required for achieving the required monthly target by suitably allotting the workmen as per the required Skill level of the operators with reference to the Product and the Department. The Production department is able to use the labour effectively by using them in areas where there is requirement due to spurt in the demand, shortage of materials, excess inventory build up between the departments and high absenteeism due to localised reasons. The Personnel department is in a position to plan well ahead of the training needs in case of the anticipated Product mix and Volume has to be achieved by evaluating the overall skill level required and getting the output on the period of training Skills.