Supply Chain

Time Isn't On Your Side

Feb. 13, 2008

Every plant in the world operates under the same constraint – they’ve only got 1,440 minutes in a day. Even if they’re running at full capacity, three shifts, there’s still no way a plant can negotiate past that set-in-stone 1,440-minute barrier. Not that they haven’t tried.

According to a recent poll by LifeCare, a provider of employee benefit services, the biggest barrier to productivity for a worker, by far, is not having enough time to accomplish all of his/her tasks. More than two-thirds (39%) admit to feeling “overloaded” by their work situations. The good news, if there is any, is that that’s a slight improvement on a year ago, when 40% cited lack of time as their biggest productivity issue.

Here are the other answers:

* Basic job expectations were never made clear – 12%
* Pay/rewards not appropriate – 8%
* Child care issues – 7%
* Politics/personal conflicts – 7%
* Elder care issues – 6%
* Didn't have the proper tools or equipment – 6%
* “Other” reasons (each response represented less than 1%) – including personal health issues, personal relationship issues, general stress, a long commuting time and inadequate training

About the Author

Dave Blanchard Blog | Senior Editor

Focus: Supply Chain

Email: [email protected]

Follow on Twitter @supplychainDave

Call: 216-931-9794

Contributing Editor Dave Blanchard provides the IndustryWeek audience his expertise in lean supply chain, reporting on topics from logistics, procurement and inventory management to warehousing and distribution. He also specializes in business finance news and analysis, writing on such topics as corporate finance and tax, cost management, governance, risk and compliance, and budgeting and reporting.

Dave is also the chief editor of Penton Media’s Business Finance and editorial director of Material Handling & Logistics.

With over 25 years of experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2010), and is a frequent speaker at industry events. Dave is an award-winning journalist and has been twice named one of the nation’s top columnists by the American Society of Business Publications Editors.

Dave received his B.A. in English from Northern Illinois University, and was a high school teacher prior to his joining the publishing industry. He is married and has two daughters.