How can you involve employees in selecting equipment and technology?

«Estrategia e innovación son arenas que se mezclan» — Simplifica tu gestión con la tecnología. Identificar las necesidades y objetivos es el primer paso para seleccionar los equipos y la tecnología adecuados. Algunas preguntas que debemos hacernos son: ➤ ¿Cuáles son los objetivos de producción de la planta? ➤ ¿Qué tipo de equipos y tecnología se necesitan para alcanzar estos objetivos? ➤ ¿Cuál es el presupuesto para adquirirlos? ➤ ¿Qué tan fácil es usar y mantener el equipo? ➤ ¿El interfaz es amigable? ➤ ¿Qué tan seguro es el equipo?

Whenever I needed to make a decision on new equipment, I do a few things as part of my process. I gather the staff who deals with the systems together to ask their opinions. I want to get a list of goals that need to be meet. Once that is decided I invite vendors in and provide a list of specification providing a minimum and ideal. After collecting the proposals, I have the team evaluate the proposals, and make their individual selections. Once we take all the picks and go through and narrow down the choices, we invite the vendors in to answer questions. I also ask for references from their smaller accounts. Once the decisions is made the goal is to set up a schedule of things to ensure is done.

The best way to involve employees in decisions and needs is to show them that they should be Owners of the Business. Any investment must be based on a business plan. What benefit will the company and employees have from the investment?

Explain your goals to the team. From the goals they can develop a matrix to compare all the products. Follow up frequently to ensure the process is proceeding. Make sure the team owns the decision but challenge them to think outside the box and to think about implementation and integration along the way.

To involve employees in selecting equipment and technology, organizations can implement a collaborative decision-making process that incorporates input from various departments. Begin by establishing cross-functional teams that include representatives from different levels and functions within the organization. Encourage open communication channels to gather diverse perspectives and insights. Conduct workshops, training sessions, or demonstrations to familiarize employees with the available options and their potential impact on their daily tasks. Additionally, seek feedback through surveys or focus groups to understand user preferences and concerns.

Make a well-prepared business plan that clearly states what the company needs, then look for companies on the market that have equipment that meets your business. The choice must be made based on the quality of the equipment versus the company's reputation.

For me, this stage should already be in the business plan, which should be clear about the benefits of investing in new equipment versus productivity and technical competence to guarantee operation in pursuit of results. The best investment is the one that brings results, efficiency, productivity, increased business and satisfaction of the employees involved!!!

It is true 1st thing before selection of any equipment or tool is to identify its utility and its effectiveness or efficiency. The value addition and facilitation to the employee is also the most important step before making decision for its purchase. Also another important consideration is about its delivery and functional availability to the site. If it is not available for the purpose and time of need then may be alternative equipment to be most feasible. Other thing is its maintenance ease and availability of its parts for its useful life.