Poster of the Month, April 2016: Teamwork means working together

We are all in the same boat

But if you are
sticking your oar in
when you should be
pulling your weight
we will never get
the job done

We need to work together to get to where we need to be


April's Poster of the Month is a reminder of the importance of working together and sharing the load.

When you are working to get the job done, there is nothing worse than people interfering and telling you what you're doing, or the way you're doing it, is wrong. This is especially true if these people are supposed to be helping!

Good ideas can often lead to improvements, but there is a time and a place to put those ideas forward and it's not in the middle of a busy shift with deadlines approaching.

The poster is really a gentle reminder that we're all on the same side and that working hard together is the only way to get the job done on time.

Kodiak has many more workplace posters on the subjects of productivity and teamwork.
To find out more, please give us a call on 01530 456 000.

Poster of the Month, January 2015: The importance of punctuality and running on time

ALWAYS LATE?

Try these tips to improve your punctuality

• Fill up your car the night before
• Get everything ready before you go to bed
• Set your wake-up alarm
• Get up as soon as your alarm goes off
• Shower first — it will help you to wake up
• Have a breakfast that is quick and easy to prepare
• Check traffic and weather for possible delays
• Watch the clock and leave earlier if necessary

Be on time, every time

January's Poster of the Month has been designed to help employees with their timekeeping. 

Punctuality is important. If someone persistently arrives late, it is unprofessional and disrespectful to those who make the effort to turn up on time. It can also let the team down if you are relying on that person to be in a certain place, at a certain time.

Employees should arrive on time and be ready to start work — having showered, eaten and picked up all their belongings, including PPE and other workplace essentials.

Kodiak posters regularly cover punctuality, organisation and time management skills. 

If you need posters on any of these subjects, we have a wide range available, via our sales team.

For more information, please call us on 01530 456 000 or visit our website: www.kodiak.co.uk

Seven wasteful habits and ways to stop them

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There is a strong focus on 'Zero Waste' in the media at the moment. Households are trying to achieve it, businesses are trying to achieve it and, in America, whole towns are trying to achieve it.

Zero Waste is a philosophy that encourages reuse and recycling in a way that emulates the process of nature, so that nothing goes to waste. The aim is to cut out all waste that goes to landfills or incinerators.

It's an overwhelming task, which is changing how we think about everything — from original materials and processes to reusing, recycling and repurposing.

In reality, the waste that ends up in landfills and incinerators is only part of the problem for businesses. Not all waste is physical waste that we can see when we look in the dustbin. There is also wasted time, wasted effort and wasted energy. 

If you are looking into new waste reduction initiatives, here are ten habits you might need to stop.

1. Mistakes

Avoidable errors waste time, materials and energy. From manufacturing errors to driving collisions, every company has the capacity to make mistakes and make less of them.

It's much easier to build quality into your process than to find and deal with mistakes that have already been made. 

Cultivate an environment where employees feel more responsible for the work they do and the waste they create. Invite their suggestions for reducing mistakes and waste. Reiterate the need to concentrate fully on the task in hand and to check their work at each stage of the process.

2. Excess

Any activity that involves using or producing too much. From idling engines and machines, to manufacturing overproduction.

Remind employees to turn equipment off when it is not needed and to follow spec sheets and instructions carefully.

3. Idle time 

Waiting for people or things that are missing or not ready wastes time. If you have too much idle time, look at your processes and identify any bottlenecks. 

For example, make sure that:

• The workspace is organised efficiently, with a designated place for everything;
• Tasks are being completed in the correct order;
• There is sufficient planning and preparation;
• There are enough people working on each stage of the process; and
• There is sufficient equipment available for people to work with.

4. Movement

If your employees are having to make too many unnecessary journeys around your workplace this can waste time, effort and energy.

To remedy the problem:

• Talk to your employees to identify where the problems are;
• Store items your employees need most frequently in a more accessible place;
• If certain items are often used together, store them near to each other if you can; and
• Encourage employees to consolidate their journeys to save time.

5. Mishandling

Mishandling is damage caused by carelessness. It could be anything from knocking a wing mirror off a vehicle, to a forklift colliding with boxes, or a manufacturing machine breaking after being used incorrectly. 

If mishandling is a common problem in your workplace there may be specific things you need to address. For example, repeated forklift collisions might be a result of a badly laid out space. A machine that keeps breaking during use, may have a recurrent fault or your operators may need refresher training.

If and when incidents occur, talk to your employees to find out how they happened and try to solve persistent problems.

6. Wrongful disposal

Are your employees throwing things away that are not technically rubbish? For example, used boxes that could be refilled, 'empty' containers that are not actually empty, or recyclables that should go in the recycling bin?

If so, why are they doing this? Do they know what they should be recycling? Is your recycling system difficult to understand? Are your recycling bins in a less convenient place than the normal rubbish bin?

Most such problems can be remedied simply, with a little reorganisation or re-education. Make sure employees are clear about what is expected of them and what their responsibilities are.

7. Using substandards

You can waste time and energy by using or processing substandard materials. For example, using a broken pallet to transport goods could result in the goods falling and being damaged. Likewise, you can waste time and effort by processing substandard materials that will only lead to a substandard product.

Running defective machinery can, primarily, be unsafe. It can also waste materials and energy.

The solution to all of these problems is better checking methods:

• Check the quality of goods-in before you store them away and then again before you process them;
• Check the condition of pallets etc. before use; and 
• Check machines, vehicles and equipment are safe to use and running efficiently.

As you can see, many of these issues can be remedied by improved communications.

This is where Kodiak's workplace poster programme can help, by continually reminding your employees of the protocol around waste and recycling.

If you would like to find out more about Kodiak and how we could help your business to reduce waste, please visit us at www.kodiak.co.uk or call us on 01530 456 000.

How to beat the autumn blues

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The darker and colder mornings make it harder to get out of bed and harder to motivate yourself at work.

This morning, when my alarm went off at 6.20, it felt like it was the middle of the night. The bed was warm, but the house was cold. Outside it was still dark and heavy rain was beating against the windows. I pressed the snooze button and went back to sleep.

This isn't like me. I'm a morning person; a motivated person who likes to get up and get on. But on mornings like this, even I find it a struggle.

So what causes these problems?

Reduced exposure to sunlight can affect some of the brain's chemicals and hormones.

It is thought that sunlight stimulates the brain's hypothalamus. This is the part of the brain that controls your mood, appetite and sleep. 

To put this simply, in extended periods of daylight we feel happier and more energised. But when our time in the sun is reduced, we start to feel more downbeat and sluggish.

For around two million of us in the UK this causes a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

SAD is a more extreme reaction to the reduction in daylight hours and is a kind of seasonal depression. It usually begins around this time of year and carries on through the winter months. 

You can find out more about SAD here, on the NHS website.

If you think you, or someone you know, may be affected by SAD you should visit your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

There are some simple things we can all do to help beat the autumn blues.

Try to make the most of the daylight we do have:

• Sit near a window, if possible
• Take work breaks outside
• Go for a lunchtime walk
• Increase outdoor activities

In the workplace, you can help to maintain productivity by:

• Developing initiatives to boost morale and motivation
• Encouraging kindness, enthusiasm and teamwork
• Reminding employees to look after their general health by eating well, staying hydrated and exercising regularly
• Highlighting the symptoms of SAD and encouraging anyone who thinks they may have the condition to take action and visit their doctor

Kodiak posters can help you get the message across.

Kodiak Industrial produces posters that can help you and your staff adjust to the new season.

Our range includes posters on:

• Morale and motivation
• Teamwork
• General health
• Efficiency and productivity

For more information, please visit our website or call our team on 01530 456 000 to discuss your needs.

Tackling absenteeism

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According to the Office for National Statistics, 131 million days were lost due to sickness absences in the UK in 2013. This figure is down from 178 million days in 1993, but still represents a significant problem to UK employers.

While minor illnesses were the most common reason given for sickness absence, back, neck and muscle pain accounted for more lost days than any other cause.

How absenteeism is affecting your organisation

• Increased costs due to administration, wages paid to absent employees and high costs of paying overtime or hiring temporary staff.

• Possible safety issues caused by temporary and less experienced staff coming in at short notice and having to work quickly to catch up.

• Reduced quality / productivity due to provisional staffing measures i.e. less experienced temporary staff or overworked regular staff.

• Managers diverted from their regular duties to attend to staffing problems.

• Low morale where other employees are called upon to pick up the slack.

Sickness absence is just one reason for absenteeism

There are other reasons your employees may be unexpectedly absent from work. 

Some examples include employees who:

• take holidays without booking the time off first
• are being bullied or harassed at work
• are experiencing work-related stress
• have to take care of sick children or relatives
• have low motivation and take "sickies"
• call in sick to attend job interviews

How do you manage your employee sick days?

Tackling absenteeism can be a challenge and the ways of managing sick days can also be problematic. 

Some employers offer paid sick leave, but this system is open to abuse. Without a doctor's note it can be difficult to determine if an employee is genuinely ill.

Some employers offer a set number of paid sick days to be used as needed throughout the year. However, under this system, employees may see their sick days as days owed and take them whether or not they genuinely need to.

Some employers take a harder line and offer Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) only. The problem with this system is that employees who are genuinely ill are put in a position where they are likely to lose money and may feel pressure to work through their illness or return to work sooner than they really should.

In the case of employees with contagious conditions, such as flu or gastro viruses, this risks spreading germs to colleagues. It is also particularly hazardous in food manufacturing or catering environments where germs can be transferred to food and potentially infect a larger number of people.

Getting to the root of the problem

Another way of tackling the problem is to look at the root causes, as described above.

This approach might involve:

• regularly reminding employees to book time off for their holidays
• tackling issues like bullying and harassment by encouraging open communications, offering support to victims and reiterating to perpetrators that this behaviour will not be tolerated and could have serious consequences
• offering advice on managing heavy workloads, time pressures and stress; and encouraging employees to speak out if they are struggling
• looking at ways to improve employee motivation by encouraging a strong teamwork ethic and making your employees feel their contributions are valued 
• trying to retain valued staff by offering more training and/or opportunities
• reminding employees that their company and colleagues rely on them

Kodiak's poster subscription service regularly addresses all of these issues

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If you would like to try a more pro-active approach to managing absenteeism, our posters could help. 

For more information visit: www.kodiak.co.uk 

Or call us on: 01530 456 000

Poster of the month, September 2014: The power of ideas in the workplace

EVERY IDEA is a foundation just waiting to be built on

This is the first of a new series of monthly blog articles we will be posting.

Every month our design studio personnel will choose their favourite poster of the month and we will share it with you here.

September's poster of the month (shown above) is about developing ideas.

Good ideas lead to great improvements

When planning a project or improvement initiative, talk to your staff.

Your staff are the people who:

• deal with your customers first-hand
• experience problems and difficulties in your workplace
• are aware of the dangers and hazards in your workplace
• get frustrated when things are too awkward or complicated
• understand how your current methods waste energy, materials and time

Their input and ideas could help you develop:

• improvements to customer service and the customer experience
• solutions to persistent problems
• a safer environment and safer working practice
• more streamlined systems that are easier to operate
• initiatives to save energy and reduce waste

For more poster examples, please visit www.kodiak.co.uk

The importance of planning

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Whatever the job, planning is a vital ingredient. Whether you are a bus driver planning a manoeuvre or an industry worker planning to manufacture a batch of products.

While some might think it is quicker and more productive to dive straight in and get on with the job, those with more experience understand the value of thinking things through and being suitably prepared.

Here are three things your employees should be asking themselves before starting work.

1. Have I checked the details?
Your employees need to know exactly what is required and what is expected of them. The manufacturing spec sheet should specify all the materials, equipment, processes/settings, quantities and deadlines.

Drivers should know their route and what to do in the event of a diversion or other unexpected event.

Referring to the details regularly ensures that the task is completed successfully and with as few errors/mishaps and as little waste as possible.

2. Do I have enough materials?Whether it's raw materials for use in production or fuel for a vehicle — it's always important to check there is enough to do the job and a contingency just in case something unexpected happens.

3. What can I prepare in advance?When a deadline is involved, anything that can be done to save time is a bonus. It might be organising equipment, gathering materials together, part-assembling products or clearing away clutter/waste that might get in the way.

Planning the job properly means there is less scope for making errors. Fewer errors ultimately means the job takes less time, creates less waste and incurs less cost.

For employees in industry, planning the job makes things easier by keeping tools and materials to hand and spreading the work more evenly over the time period. This, in turn, reduces last-minute pressure and stress, which can often lead to mistakes.

For drivers, planning a manoeuvre allows a full assessment of the space, surroundings and potential hazards. A well-planned manoeuvre is less likely to result in a collision or damage to the vehicle.

So, in short, planning is important for safety, quality control, waste reduction, timing, cost maintenance, error reduction and to ease stress and pressure.

Kodiak's motivational poster programme regularly covers the importance of planning. 

If you would like to find out more about how our posters can help your employees to plan their work more effectively, please contact us.

For daily tips on dealing with common workplace issues, why not follow us on Twitter.

If you would like to find out how Kodiak posters 
can help your business work smoother, smarter 
and safer, please call us on: 01530 456 000 
or email us.

Paperwork and how to deal with it

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Paperwork is a vital, yet often disliked, part of working life and keeping on top of it can be an everyday challenge.

Here are three simple tips to streamline your office and help your employees keep up to date with their administration duties.

1. Avoid letting paperwork mount up
If paperwork is missing or incomplete it can cause problems further down the line. Colleagues may need it to complete their own work or may need to refer to it in the event of a problem. If it's stacked up and not finished it can have a knock-on effect.

Mountains of paperwork can be daunting, but the longer you put off doing it the harder it will become.

Break the task down and do a little each day, to help reduce the backlog, then get into a daily routine to keep on top.

2. Sort and prioritise the paperwork
To help you decide what needs to be dealt with first, divide the paperwork into the following four categories:

A. Urgent and important
B. Urgent but not important
C. Important but not urgent
D. Neither urgent or important

Deal with the urgent items first, then the important items. The items in group D should not be forgotten but, if necessary, they can wait.

3. Deal with the paperwork
There are four basic ways to deal with the paperwork:

ACT on it
Complete it or process it.

PASS it on
Give it to the appopriate person or department.

FILE it away
If it needs to be kept make sure it is filed away carefully and in exactly the right place. Even one misfiled item can cause chaos at a later time.

BIN it
Recycle it if at all possible, but remove any staples or paperclips first. If the information is sensitive or confidential make sure you shred it and dispose of it correctly according to company policy.

Kodiak's motivational poster programme deals with the importance of paperwork on a regular basis and we have many posters on the subject in our poster database.

If you would like to find out more about how our posters can help you and your employees to tackle paperwork and other issues in your workplace, please get in touch with us.

For daily tips on dealing with common workplace issues, why not follow us on Twitter.

If you would like to find out how Kodiak posters 
can help your business work smoother, smarter 
and safer, please call us on: 01530 456 000 
or email us.

Saving energy: Five ways to cut carbon, consumption and costs

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In the current economic climate it is more important than ever for businesses to reduce their overheads. Saving energy is a good place to start.

Here are five simple tips to help you cut carbon, consumption and costs.

1. Switch off at nights and weekends
It might sound obvious, but companies still waste thousands of pounds by leaving equipment switched on overnight.

The Carbon Trust has reported that office equipment is the fastest growing area of business energy consumption – it accounts for around 20% of total energy use.

Computers and their monitors are some of the worst offenders. Turning off your company's PCs at evenings and weekends could cut your running costs by more than two thirds.

Switching off vending machines, printers and water coolers during these times can also reduce their energy use by as much as 70%.

Endeavour to switch off all equipment at night and turn off any machines without on/off switches at the plug.

2. Don't leave equipment idling
You can make even more savings during the day by making sure equipment is not left running for nothing.

An idling hosepipe, for example, can waste up to 18 litres of water every minute. If it isn't in use, the tap should be turned off.

A computer screen can use as much energy when displaying a screensaver as it does during normal use. If you switch it to sleep mode instead, you could cut its energy consumption by up to 70%.

Chargers and adaptors should be turned off unplugged as soon as equipment has charged and whenever they are not in use.

3. Report defective equipment
Equipment and vehicles can waste both energy and resources if it not running properly or efficiently. A faulty piece of equipment may also present a risk to safety.

Defects may worsen during prolonged use and this may make the equipment more difficult and costly to repair.

Employees should be alert for any strange noises, changes in handling or process problems.

First-use checks should be carried out before using any vehicle or piece of equipment and any problems tshould be reported.

If a fault develops during operation, it should be reported immediately and further use should be suspended until the problem is addressed by a qualified service person.

Any defective equipment should stay out of service until the problem is rectified or until it is authorised for use.

4. Report leaks
Most leaks are a sign of energy wastage. They may come from a range of sources including dripping taps, perished hoses, cracked tanks, broken pipes and defective machinery.

Leaks may include steam/vapours, oil, fuel or water. Extra care should be taken if any leaked material also poses a fire hazard or slip risk.

Employees should be alert for visible steam, dripping liquids, puddles on the ground, sounds of air or liquid escaping and any drop in pressure from equipment they are using. Again, the advice is to report the problem as soon as possible.

5. Ask for suggestions
Employees working directly with your equipment, vehicles and machinery are generally more aware of the waste that is being created and often have clever suggestions that could help reduce it.

Asking your employees for help and ideas is proven to make them feel more valued and can improve their performance at work, so it could be a win-win situation.

Kodiak's motivational poster programme regularly deals with energy saving and waste reduction.

If you would like to find out more about how our posters can help your company save energy, please contact us.

For daily tips on dealing with common workplace issues, why not follow us on Twitter.

If you would like to find out how Kodiak posters 
can help your business work smoother, smarter 
and safer, please call us on: 01530 456 000 
or email us.