Observations on a Factory Floor

Things to be noticed while accompanying a manager around a factory:

• What was said


• What was not said


• The body language between management and the employees


• The friendliness or lack thereof


• The amount of chaos and/or nervousness


• The cleanliness of the work area


• The quality of the work equipment


• The self-confidence of those operating the equipment


• Any jokes


• The number of smiles


• Nicknames


• What's on the bulletin board


• The general comfort level


• The condition of the break room and the rest rooms


• The manager's knowledge of what's going on


• The age and diversity of the workforce


• The appearance of the workforce


• The noise level


• Whether there are any obvious safety problems


• The level of morale


• Any differences between what was said and meant


• Interesting lulls in the conversation


• Any notable evasions


• Interactions among the employees