Implementation, training, data entry. We all know these things are essential to getting your CMMS up and running, but just doing the technical work doesn’t always ensure success. Moving to a new CMMS or implementing the first CMMS in your organization provides an opportunity to facilitate a culture shift in the workplace. One thing to consider is how to make that culture shift a positive one.
Maintenance workers may be fearful of a new CMMS. They may be insecure about their technical skills, afraid that ‘management’ simply wants to spy on them or micromanage day-to-day activities. A shift in working environment – even a welcome one – can be unsettling. It is imperative that maintenance managers and supervisors invest in the CMMS culture and not just the software. Here are some things management can do to facilitate success:
1. Provide ample and level-appropriate training.
This may be as basic as a computer skills class or as advanced as one-on-one training for customizing the specific CMMS you have purchased. Don’t assume your workers have the same skills as you or each other; they may need some computer literacy help, basic CMMS functionality training, or they may be candidates for ‘Train the Trainer’ curriculum. Get their feedback on what they feel they need and provide appropriate training at that level.
2. Give them an idea of how you will use the information gained from the CMMS reporting.
Let them see high-level reports on a regular basis and give solid examples of how management can pinpoint problems and find solutions. Workers need to be reassured that this tool will be used to help them do their job better. They need to know management is trusting them with an important job, not searching the archives for their every mistake or attempting to replace them with a computer. The workers make the CMMS happen and they need to embrace it and utilize it for the improvement of the facility’s maintenance and their effectiveness.
3. Put your money where your mouth is.
Managers and supervisors should focus on using the tools to improve the maintenance of your facility and to optimize the tools provided for the technicians. Specifically, management needs to focus on high-level data rather than singular details. If a particular worker has a problem with productivity or errors, use the labor and work data to help them improve. Perhaps they are being assigned jobs outside their skill set. Maybe they need more training or certifications in a specific area or don’t have access to the tools they need to get the job done. If workers begin to see how the CMMS is a benefit to them, they will be more likely to use it to its fullest extent.
With proper use, the CMMS benefits can come full-circle, and getting buy-in from all levels of staff is an essential cultural key in the success of any CMMS project.