How to Build a Strong Sense of Teamwork Within the Manufacturing Industry
10.07.19
A productive operating environment is based on effective communication and teamwork among employees. It’s what allows operations to run efficiently and effectively. Although Mexico’s workforce is highly skilled and trained in various areas of engineering and manufacturing, one area U.S. companies may struggle with is how to instill a sense of teamwork as they merge two cultures together.
U.S. companies need to consider the challenges that often come with asking two cultures to work together in one facility. The approach a company takes to create a positive workplace is an important step as any other when setting up a maquiladora in Mexico. With differences in language, work behaviors, and organizational structures to contend with, there are several opportunities to bring employees together to work as one team.
Communicate Company Vision
First, it’s important for employers to communicate the business goals to their entire workforce. This allows every employee to understand the part they play and how it makes a difference in achieving the common goal(s). It helps to align employees with the vision of the company, which should be universal across all departments and locations.
It’s also valuable to discuss the unique parts of both cultures and how each can help drive the business forward. This kind of communication helps to bridge the gap between employees and provide common ground for which to strive for and become a unit working together.
Establish Onsite Management
A second way to create a strong culture of teamwork is to have a protocol in place when workplace challenges arise. For example, leadership training is essential in order for managers to understand how to mediate or diffuse situations as needed. This is tricky if the manager is supervising form a different country or isn’t up-to-speed with the cultural differences.
By employing on-site personnel to work through these matters and give equal attention to all parties involved, it can alleviate issues among employees that may ultimately affect production. It’s also helpful to have an experienced member on-hand who fully understands Mexican labor laws and how they differ from the U.S.
Create Consistency
Finally, an overlooked factor in creating a teamwork environment is consistency. This includes training, educational activities, and communication with employees on a regular basis. For some businesses, it may be easy to start out strong and then dwindle as time goes on, which hurts the work culture and disengages employees.
With Mexico having a competitive workforce, merging different cultures in a manufacturing facility is essential. By paying careful attention to the ebb and flow of operations and how well employees work together, it will pave the way for more effective productivity. When factors such as a company’s shared vision, disciplinary and managerial protocol, and communication start to slip through the cracks so will the success of the manufacturing facility.
HR is a huge component of what’s needed to operate successfully in Mexico. U.S. companies must understand that teamwork initiatives that may work in America may not fully translate in Mexico due to cultural differences. A shelter provider serves as a partner to U.S. and other foreign manufacturers to handle the complex nature of hiring and HR, among other shelter services.