A production organization should be staffed and organized so the entire operation is a support system for the production workers and production units. Sidewalk snow removal should be viewed as a production oriented task. The functioning production organization should be structured so that management will not interfere with production. Production workers perform best when they are managed as team members, or athletes, rather than laborers. They need specific goals set for each production period (or snow event). The company standard (either the contractor’s standard or the customer’s standard) for performance must be demonstrated by the crew leader. The procedures leading to the standards must be taught while a snow event is taking place, thus putting even more pressure on the crew leader and production workers. Unfortunately, snow events in some areas of the country are few and far between, thus making retention of the production principles even harder.
Most people want more than a paycheck for a day’s work. Part of management’s responsibility in a production organization is to help each player on the team to build self esteem.