April 01, 2022

CMMS and Business Ethics, Part II

In a previous article, I discussed seven aspects of business ethics and related them to a CMMS.

I felt, however, the topic needed more exploration. With more research I found an article at Indeed which listed several more ethics points. I chose 14, skipping those that were similar to the last post.

As mentioned last time, I'm not here to define business ethics. The Indeed article and others do a fine job. My goal is to dig deeper into features of a CMMS and how they may be used. I'm also not suggesting a business should incorporate such a system into an ethics program, rather I want to show how it could benefit ethics practices.

Improved Employee Retention

"We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It's our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little better." – Jeff Bezos

I won't repeat the text in the Indeed article but will ask this: Why are employees leaving? Is the workplace discouraging, disorganized, convoluted, or lacking good communications? A computerized maintenance management system should assist with putting clutter into order. It makes management of equipment, inventory, and maintenance easier. Better communications with workers, showing them the system, will increase productivity and may keep them around. If they know everyone is focused, it's easier to stay where they are.

Stronger Collaboration

"Great things in business are never done by one person." – Steve Jobs

This ties into the previous point. Specifically, I was thinking of how a CMMS should help the admin set up teams or crews. This is done in the Set up your team for certain work orders. Teamwork. What a benefit for all involved.

Increased Professional Value

"Price is what you pay. Value is what you get." – Warren Buffet

A CMMS company should have current customers who discuss the benefits of using the product. Four such case studies can be here. https://www.mapcon.com/us-en/case-study-index

Report Conflicts Of Interest

"Dialogue is the most effective way of resolving conflict." – Tenzin Gyatso

What business doesn't have conflicts every now and then? I'm not talking about fistfights in the parking lot, but there could be issues between coworkers. Questions regarding duties and expectations. I don't mean to suggest that a CMMS can resolve these types of situations. Instead, I was thinking more along the line of conflicts with:

Vendor Prices: Did you get charged one priced for a certain order, then a different price for the same order later one? That's a conflict worth investigating. Your system needs to show you the discrepancy.

On Time Compliance: This is for both supplier and worker. Is your vendor delivering items on time? Are work orders completed on schedule? These are reports that affect the bottom line.

After the CMMS delivers the reports, then as the quote implies, dialogue takes place.

More Effective Leadership

"Leadership is an action, not a position." – Donald McGannon

With better organization, workers know what the job is. They're working together, guided by a supervisor who shows them the CMMS, gives then access to reports and requests for work and purchases. The leader, or admin gives authorization that will keep the workers moving along without having to 'get permission' time after time.

Take Care Of Company Property

"You don't listen to the equipment; you listen through the equipment." – Bruce Swedien

The quote is deep, isn't it? I'm reminded of meters and gauge readings. You should be able to record those readings into the CMMS. You set up preventive maintenance, so equipment doesn't balk at you or give up and quit working.

How about depreciation, creating purchase requests when inventory runs low, and generating reports on equipment costs and failure codes. A diverse CMMS does all this.

Lawfulness

"Rarely promise, but, if lawful, constantly perform." – William Penn

In this instance, I'm thinking of reports to run for auditors, ascertaining operations are running properly. There could be certain safety regulations to follow. A quality CMMS lets you attach these regulations to work orders.

Use Discretion With Sensitive Information

"Not everything needs to be talked about." – The Classy Woman.net

Back to the admin. Not every user needs access to all information. When setting up parameters, the admin could restrict allowances and authorizations, keep certain site/zone information hidden.

Maybe purchase requests/orders, work orders or inventory issuances need authorization. Once again, the admin sets these up beforehand.

Discretion need not be looked upon as punishment, rather see this as keeping everyone focused without unnecessary distractions.

Practice Integrity

"Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching." – C.S. Lewis

This could harken back to conflicts in compliance, but I'm thinking of checklists. They should be included in a CMMS package to be attached to work orders, routes, and locations. You might have a couple of options on checklists. The simple way gives step by step procedures to complete. An advanced checklist may include required responses to asked questions or multiple-choice answers.

As with the previous point, keep it optimistic rather than a penalty. You're not expecting workers to cut corners. Look at this as keeping production running as efficiently as possible, making sure the job is fully completed.

Keep A High Attendance

"80% percent of success is showing up." – Woody Allen

Related somewhat to retention. Relates to employee morale. A CMMS, by letting you have better control over inventory, maintenance, purchasing, etc., as mentioned before, creates an atmosphere of quality communications that affect employee morale. When workers enjoy the job, they're more willing to show up. Can a maintenance management system keep worker attendance high? If an admin has put them in a group profile, and they're feeling part of a team, it's a distinct possibility.

Respect Coworkers And Other Office Personnel

"Respect is how to treat everyone." – Richard Branson

Much of this has been mentioned before, authorization being a big point.

Are non-users of the CMMS able to submit work requests that would go into the system rather than having to come to the supervisor's office again and again?

Offer your users sessions with the company's trainers.

How about praise for work orders completed on time?

Follow Dress Code

"Yes, we have a dress code. You have to dress." – Scott McNealy

I found the quote amusing, but immediately thought of safety procedures. It's a part of ethics to post safety regulations, precautions, and procedures. In some areas certain clothing must be work—or not worn—because of the activity in that area. Hard hats, hair nets, hard or rubber soled shoes, gloves, goggles. Meat cutters wear steel mesh gloves when handling knives. Ear protection. Safety masks. Face shields for welders.

How about adding these clothing requirements in with your work order safety lists, even attach an image of proper usage and appearance.

Discuss Issues With Management

"A true leader has to have a genuine open-door policy so that his people are not afraid to approach him for any reason." – Harold Geneenv

Open communications. Of course, your CMMS needs that. Data fields for comments and notes. Reports emailed to the admin's supervisors. Integration with third-party systems that relate to costs and the bottom line.

Workplace Diversity

"We need diversity of thought in the world to face the new challenges." – Tim Berners-Lee

In relation to a CMMS:

Scalability – use what diverse features you need.

Reports – Certain reports are found in multiple places for easy access. Also, diverse filters to narrow down what information you want the report to show.

A positive redundancy – Certain reports look similar with the same filters. This means only that you can process reports in one area or several.

Multiple ways to accomplish the same task – As an example, issuing inventory to a work order through Issues and Returns and from work orders yet to be completed.

Business ethics play important roles in any company, whether sole-owned or multinational. As seen above, many practices and benefits are internal, relating to employee/employer. What happens inside often reflects on what is seen from the outside, by the all-important customer. Some programs and policies are easy to implement while others take time to have an effect. A CMMS may lessen the anxiety about the principles a company wants to possess.

MAPCON relates to business ethics in direct and indirect ways. To see how its CMMS can work for you call 800-922-4336.