Published: May 06, 2022  Updated: May 15, 2025

Boosting Productivity Through CMMS: Measuring Work Attainment

The pursuit of productivity, rather than mere busyness, marks the path to true efficiency, as the insightful words of Tim Ferriss remind us. Let's look at boosting productivity through a computerized maintenance management system.

Defining and Measuring Work Attainment

The methods employed to gauge this increase in productivity vary across different organizations, each tailoring its approach to specific needs and contexts, as explored in a discussion on basic work productivity available at Insperity. For the present discussion, the emphasis rests on evaluating work production through the lens of attainment. Similar to the diverse methods of measuring general productivity, the specific ways a company measures attainment differ based on the objectives established by management, supervisors, and even the workforce itself.

Understanding the Concept of Attainment

Initially, a search for the definition of "attainment" yields an act of attaining," a circular definition that offers limited practical value. Another definition, however, provides a more relevant understanding: an achievement. In the context of business, workers, and a CMMS, enhanced productivity represents the overarching achievement sought. One practical method for defining attainment involves comparing the total hours allocated for the completion of work orders within a specific timeframe against the total shift hours available during that same period. This comparison, along with pertinent questions, will be explored in greater detail shortly.

Analyzing Work Attainment Through Scenarios

Consider three distinct scenarios to illustrate various perspectives on work attainment.

Scenario 1: Under Attainment

Bob's work week consists of 40 hours. During this time, the total hours spent executing maintenance work orders amount to 8. This results in an attainment rate of 20%. Several questions arise from this scenario. What activities occupied Bob during the remaining 32 hours? Was this time productive? Was Bob present at the workplace but facing delays for specific reasons? Were these delays unforeseen, such as issues with transportation? Did the administrative staff accurately record all of Bob's work order time? If not, what were the reasons for any discrepancies?

Another crucial question regarding productivity: Is Bob an exceptionally efficient worker capable of completing tasks in less time than his colleagues? If this proves to be the case, a logical follow-up question would be: Can Bob's skills and time be utilized more effectively in other areas? It is important to acknowledge that legitimate reasons could account for the 20% attainment, and this figure should not automatically be interpreted negatively. For instance, during that week, Bob might have dedicated several hours to preparatory tasks for the work orders, such as procuring necessary materials from stock and traveling to the job locations.

Unforeseen circumstances could also contribute to the lower attainment. Perhaps essential parts were out of stock, causing delays. Or, as in the humorous example, Bob might have encountered an unexpected vehicle malfunction ("While driving, I noticed my rear tire detach and roll into the ditch"). In such an event, an investigation into the cause of the tire detachment might be warranted. Could it be attributed to neglected preventive maintenance, hopefully not by Bob himself?

Furthermore, some of those "non-wrench" hours could very well be dedicated to the task of entering information about the completed work orders into the CMMS. This administrative time, while not directly involving hands-on maintenance, helps maintain accurate records and facilitates future planning.

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Scenario 2: Over Attainment

In this scenario, Bob's work week remains at 40 hours. However, the total hours he spent working on maintenance work orders totaled 50, resulting in an attainment of 125%. This situation prompts several inquiries. Did the assigned jobs require more time than initially anticipated? Was there simply a higher volume of tasks needing completion that week? Did Bob's supervisor intentionally overschedule him to ensure he remained occupied? If the intention was to keep him busy, a scenario where he completes 30 out of the 40 hours allocated to work orders might be considered acceptable. Again, a higher volume of necessary tasks could explain the increased hours.

Scenario 3: Estimating Task Completion Time

Consider a scenario where a specific job typically requires approximately 1.5 hours to finish. The question then becomes: Should the estimated completion time be included in the work order, and what are the reasons for either including or omitting this information?

The answer to this question may depend on the specific work environment in which Bob operates. If Bob sees the estimated completion time, the hope is that he does not complete the 90-minute task in just 60 minutes and then spend the remaining 30 minutes idly in the breakroom while still recording 1.5 hours. Effective productivity involves Bob accurately recording one hour, which then allows for the revision of the estimated completion time for future instances of that work order.

Context and Goals in Measuring Attainment

To accurately interpret the data and address the questions raised in the scenarios, it is crucial to consider the workload for a particular week as well as any unforeseen events that may have occurred. The implementation of a CMMS should aid in minimizing the occurrence of such unforeseen circumstances. Moreover, as previously mentioned, the interpretation of attainment figures is significantly influenced by the specific goals of the individual company or supervisor.

The Power of CMMS in Tracking Attainment

To illustrate the concept of attainment with a relatable example, consider a personal martial arts workout. Suppose there are 21 minutes allocated for a specific exercise, and a particular form (a sequence of techniques) takes three minutes to complete. The objective for this exercise is to execute the form seven times with maximum power and at normal speed, transitioning immediately between repetitions without any breaks. Successful completion of this routine results in 100% attainment. While achieving 100% attainment consistently might lead to rapid exhaustion in a professional setting, considering scenarios with lower attainment rates can still yield valuable insights.

For instance, if Bob consistently completes 20 hours of work orders in a 40-hour week, resulting in 50% attainment, exploring whether a slight increase in this percentage is achievable could be beneficial. If the average attainment hovers around 50%, with a continuous effort to improve, this level of productivity might be considered satisfactory, especially if it represents a significant improvement from pre-CMMS implementation levels.

Expanding this calculation to encompass the hours of all workers, crews, and crafts within an organization provides a comprehensive view of overall work attainment. Notably, for organizations utilizing a CMMS such as that offered by Mapcon Technologies Inc., these calculations become significantly simpler. Even for those who may not excel in mathematics, systems like MAPCON facilitate the generation of various reports, providing clear insights into performance metrics without the need for manual calculations.

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Leveraging CMMS for Efficient Work Dispatch and Reporting

Before delving into the specifics of these reports, it is important to revisit the concept of crews and crafts. Many organizations utilize teams of workers for certain tasks, either due to the inherent requirements of the job or because it has been observed that a collaborative approach enhances efficiency compared to individual efforts. Recognizing this, one of the ways a CMMS contributes to improved attainment is through its ability to dispatch work orders not only to individual workers but also to entire crews, specific crafts, and relevant departments. Work orders can even be dispatched to each member of a crew, ensuring that everyone is clearly aware of the task at hand and their individual responsibilities.

For CMMS platforms equipped with specialized modules, such as an Advanced Human Resources module, users gain access to dedicated tools for analyzing attainment. Within the HR section, an "Attainment Reports" menu typically exists, offering a suite of reports designed to provide granular insights into productivity. While the availability of numerous reports might initially seem overwhelming, it is likely that not all of them will be necessary for every organization. The available attainment reports are generally categorized by Craft, Crew, Shift, and Employee, with each category offering both Weekly and Monthly views. Furthermore, these reports often include options for detailed or summary presentations, along with various filters that allow users to precisely define the data they wish to examine.

The specific reports that an organization chooses to generate will ultimately be determined by its unique objectives and the level of detail required for monitoring workload and 'non-wrench' time. Attainment serves as a valuable metric for gauging productivity, and the responsibility lies with the system administrator to ensure that all relevant information is accurately inputted to generate meaningful results.

Ultimately, the effective utilization of a CMMS to track and analyze work attainment provides organizations with invaluable data-driven insights, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and enabling them to reach new heights of operational excellence.

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