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Maintenance is easily one of the most important aspects of any manufacturing or production company. Every manufacturing company must have specified budgets, teams of workers, and schedules for conducting preventative or remedial maintenance on a monthly, weekly, and even daily, basis. However, roughly 87% of companies in the US outsource at least one part of their maintenance efforts—making their maintenance program more expensive, time-consuming, and inconsistent.

Like a car, manufacturing companies need to be well-oiled machines, to achieve the greatest success. In any case, where maintenance is ignored, put off, or forgotten, things will go wrong. To avoid any losses in efficiency, production, or revenue, having an in-house maintenance team is a huge advantage to any company, especially those who conduct large-scale production. By having onsite maintenance, managers and owners keep regular maintenance on schedule and maintenance costs down. To build an effective maintenance team, employers should start with current and experienced workers.

Why experienced employees make the best maintenance workers

It’s simple—experience means prior knowledge which is extremely important for any type of maintenance procedure or position. Employees who have seen the ins-and-outs of any production system will know the equipment, tools, and necessary maintenance to keep it all running smoothly. Additionally, they’ll be able to quickly identify malfunctions and implement the proper procedures.

Benefits of using current workers for maintenance

There are a plethora of benefits that will result from turning experienced employees into maintenance workers.

  1. Employee Growth & Retention
    Employees who are given new opportunities to grow and learn new skills are more likely to stay with a company for a longer period. This can be true even if moving from their previous position to a maintenance role is a lateral transition, rather than a promotion.
  2. Less Outsourcing & Onboarding
    Having an onsite team that carries out preventative and remedial maintenance means that employers spend less on outsourcing maintenance jobs. Managers also spend less funds on the hiring process by identifying potential maintenance workers who are already a part of their workforce.
  3. Greater Efficiency & Safety
    This last point may be a bit obvious, but it’s too important not to mention. Onsite maintenance also leads to less time lost on production and efficiency. Furthermore, when equipment and machines are running smoothly, there is a dramatic decrease in the likelihood of accidents or injuries.

How to identify current employees with the best potential for maintenance positions

Of course, not every current employee will make a good maintenance worker. The key is to identify the workers with the experience and skills to become impactful maintenance workers. Here are a few qualities to help identify workers with the best potential for maintenance work.

  • Strong problem-solving skills
  • Track record of following rules and procedures
  • Well-managed multitasker
  • A strong knowledge base of tools, equipment, and machinery
  • Highly teachable

 

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Maintenance Test

 

Assessing an employee’s knowledge level with maintenance assessments

Any manager or supervisor will know that just because someone is a good worker does not necessarily mean that he or she has a high knowledge-level of his or her company or what it takes to do a job outside of his or her current position. Assessment tests are outstanding tools for ensuring that managers offer maintenance roles to employees with the greatest potential. By using these tests, managers certify that the maintenance teams have the knowledge necessary to keep the production floor fully functional. Moreover, managers identify the knowledge that a worker needs to gain to be the most effective in a maintenance role. They can then use that assessment to train and provide the necessary knowledge.

Nocti Business Maintenance Assessment Tests

If you are considering moving a current employee to a maintenance role, ensure that they have the knowledge-level to perform to the best of their abilities. At NBS, we offer maintenance assessment tests and the ability to create custom tests, all designed to accurately identify employees with the greatest potential. If you have any questions about our assessment services, contact NBS today!