Modern manufacturing companies face a triple challenge: unclear responsibilities lead to costly production stoppages, inefficient communication between shifts prevents continuous improvements, and lack of performance transparency demotivates even the best employees. Successful manufacturing organisation is based on three pillars: clear accountability structures, efficient communication paths and continuous performance evaluation. This systematic guide shows you how to successfully implement these systems in your company while taking into account the particularities of complex manufacturing environments.
Traditional hierarchies quickly reach their limits in modern manufacturing environments. The increasing complexity of production processes—combined with just‑in‑time manufacturing and high quality demands—requires flexible forms of organisation. Interdependencies between various production steps emerge in milliseconds, while classic decision processes often need hours or days. The consequence: production stoppages, quality problems and demotivated employees who cannot bring in their expertise.
The most frequent organisational problems in manufacturing:
• Lack of escalation paths: when problems occur there are no clear protocols as to whom employees should turn, which leads to costly production stoppages and significantly longer response times to critical disruptions.
A structured inventory is the foundation for successful accountability systems. Manufacturing teams have the possibility to regulate tasks internally within a defined scope and receive a higher level of responsibility and autonomy. However, this autonomy must be embedded in clear structures to avoid chaos.
Perform structural analysis:
Capture decision‑points: list all situations in which employees must make decisions or escalations are required, categorized by urgency and required level of competence.
RACI vs. RASCI for manufacturing environments:
RACI is an acronym for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed, to clearly define who does what for a task. In complex manufacturing environments with short cycle times and high quality pressure this classical method must however be adjusted. The extension to RASCI adds a Support role (S) which in practice has proven particularly effective — this role encompasses technical support and expertise that is consulted in critical decisions.
| Criterion | Standard RACI | RASCI for Manufacturing |
|---|---|---|
| Complexity | Simple 4‑role structure | Extended support role for technical expertise |
| Response time | Suitable for longer processes | Optimised for short cycle times |
| Quality assurance | Basic control | Integrated support mechanisms with immediate escalation |
| Shift operation | Limited suitability | Full 24/7 coverage with handover protocols |
The practical implementation requires special attention to the inclusion of shift workers and production supervisors. “The supervisor carries the main responsibility for the work and process design as well as adherence to quality standards” — this central role makes it clear why the supervisor level functions as a bridge between strategic decisions and operational implementation.
Training should be practice‑oriented: start with concrete production examples from your company, use simulations of typical disruption scenarios and establish mentoring programmes between experienced and new employees.
In the modern industry efficient and reliable communication plays a decisive role for the smooth running of processes as well as the optimisation of production flows. Industrial communication includes the transfer of data and information in the industrial environment between manufacturing levels and electronic devices.
OPC UA is gaining increasing prevalence due to its long‑term introduction and is recommended by research organisations such as Fraunhofer IOSB and the Plattform Industrie 4.0 as an important key technology. These technical standards form the foundation for modern communication systems, but must be complemented by structured operational processes.
While technical protocols enable digital communication, human interactions in manufacturing teams require structured processes. Especially critical are shift handovers, disruption handling and continuous improvement processes. The most successful manufacturing teams discover that continuous improvement emerges from trust and open dialogue.
Introduce communication protocol:
Integrate feedback loops: create systematic mechanisms so that important insights and improvement suggestions are structuredly fed back to the original decision‑makers and integrated into future processes.
The balance between modern technology and proven communication methods is crucial for success. Digital shift books do not replace personal conversation, but rather complement it through structured documentation. Mobile apps for disruption reporting speed up communication but must be supported by clear escalation paths. Dashboards visualise KPIs in real time but require trained employees for correct interpretation.
Performance evaluation is an important tool of leadership so that employees know whether their performance is recognised and supervisors can contribute to company success. In manufacturing environments, however, these systems must take into account the special features of teamwork, continuous production processes and the strong interdependence between workstations.
Classical individual evaluations fall short when production performance is significantly dependent on team coordination. Annual evaluation cycles do not suit dynamic manufacturing processes in which daily adjustments and improvements take place.
Successful manufacturing teams need evaluation systems that recognise both individual expertise and team contribution. The evaluation must combine objective production data with qualitative team skills, and take into account the different roles in complex manufacturing processes.
Evaluation criteria for manufacturing teams:
Traditional annual evaluation cycles are replaced by continuous performance management systems that allow regular feedback and support quick corrections. These systems use both objective production data and structured conversation formats.
Introduce continuous performance management:
Create peer‑feedback mechanisms: develop structured, anonymous processes where team members regularly give constructive feedback to each other concerning work quality, communication and helpfulness.
Start with a pilot implementation in a smaller production area. Choose a department with open‑minded employees and measurable challenges. Communicate the concrete benefits transparently and involve experienced employees as multipliers. Success in the pilot area automatically creates interest and acceptance for company‑wide rollout.
Implement digital shift books with structured input fields for critical information (machine status, quality metrics, special occurrences). Establish standardised 15‑minute handover talks between shifts with fixed checklists. Create mobile communication solutions for urgent queries outside handover times, including on‑call service for critical issues.
Develop team KPIs such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) that reflect the interactions of all parties. Combine these with soft factors such as the number and quality of improvement suggestions per team. Use 360‑degree feedback systems that include supervisors, colleagues and internal customers. Important: reward team performance in addition to individual successes.
Note: The following information does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal questions consult a labour law specialist.
Employees fundamentally have rights concerning their performance evaluation, including discussion opportunities and access to relevant documents. Ensure that your evaluation system uses transparent criteria and provides comprehensible documentation. Train managers in legally compliant interview techniques and involve works council or legal expertise when needed.
Introduce new tools step‑by‑step, start with the familiar working environment and systematically extend functionalities. Provide intensive training in small groups with practical exercises. Appoint power users as internal support and provide low‑threshold help offerings. Important: Show the practical benefit immediately, not just the technical possibilities.
Practical work aids significantly accelerate the rollout. Develop standardised checklists for shift handovers with specific items such as machine status, quality metrics and upcoming maintenance. Create templates for RACI‑matrices with manufacturing‑specific roles and responsibilities. Use escalation matrices that clearly define when which management level should be involved.
Proven digital tools for medium‑sized manufacturing companies include MES systems (Manufacturing Execution Systems) such as Sage MES or PROXIA MES, which are characterised by ease of use and moderate cost. For communication, Microsoft Teams or Slack with manufacturing‑specific apps have proven effective. Dashboards can be realised cost‑effectively with Power BI or Tableau. Important: Choose solutions with German user interfaces and local support.
Successful manufacturing organisation is based on the systematic implementation of three central elements: start with the analysis of your existing structures and develop a manufacturing‑specific RACI matrix. Implement structured communication protocols that combine digital tools with proven personal conversations. Establish continuous performance evaluation systems that equally honour team performance and individual contributions. Start with a pilot area, measure success objectively and roll out proven approaches step by step.
Sustainable success requires continuous evolution of your organisational systems. Establish monthly reviews of the introduced systems, use employee feedback for adjustments and benchmark yourself regularly against industry standards. The most successful companies understand organisational development as a continuous process, not a one‑time measure. Therefore invest in the long‑term development of your leadership competencies and build a culture of open communication and systematic improvement.
[S] Wikipedia – Manufacturing Team (2024): de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertigungsteam
[S] Wikipedia – RACI (2024): de.wikipedia.org/wiki/RACI
[S] Wikipedia –Industrial Communication (2024): de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrielle_Kommunikation
[S] Wikipedia – Supervisor/Master (2024): de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meister
[S] Sage HR Suite – Digital HR Solutions Case Studies (2024): www.sage.com
[S] Fraunhofer IOSB – OPC UA Research (2024): www.iosb.fraunhofer.de
Copyright © 2025 Peter Littau
Copyright © 2025 Peter Littau
