Every engineering field probably has a unique list of issues that will affect the student and is affecting employees in that particular field. One of the most prominent issues affecting the field of Industrial Systems Engineering is the communication barrier; Communication barrier between the upper management, the engineers, and the employees or the workforce on the factory floor. This barrier could prove to be a problem in the achieving the goal of efficiency at workplace.
Discussion:
When faced with the challenge of improvement, each working level sees the system from their unique prospective. Upper management is more inclined toward to proposal that will be suitable from cost-benefit prospective. Their interest lies in the improvement that will give them value for their investments such as better work environment leading to increased productivity. Whereas, the floor workers with their rightful claim that their experience makes them the best judge of the process and more than often they are resistant to change. This resistance comes from the fact that new improvement and change in process will require them to adapt to the new system and to acquire additional training beyond their experience. An Engineer essentially becomes an important “middle man”. Engineer has to propose a solution that would be satisfactory to both parties.
Engineers have to communicate the necessity of the improvement to management and employees. Employees will be the best resource to understand the process. It might be possible to get the diagrams that explain the flow. In order to get a deeper understanding and to understand the needs of improvement, it is necessary to observe the process being performed in action. To explain the employee the necessity of change it might be very helpful to explain them the change and to get their opinion. Communicating the improvements such as a well designed ergonomically sound equipment or an automation of a parts of the process