The Daily Grind of Operations Management

The best-designed systems are no match for mismanagement. When people get involved with systems, suddenly all the parts shown on blueprints and described in standard operating procedures (SOPs) start moving, and someone needs to keep them all under control. That task falls to the operations management team.

Operations management is chasing down a missing shipment of something needed yesterday, dealing with facility issues, training a new hire, talking to a regulator who dropped in and scheduling an employee to sub during another’s vacation. The complexity of operations management increases as the number of operations managers/team members decreases. This suggests lone rangers might have an infinitely complex task, one that may only be manageable in smaller operations or with significant automation.

Aside from cultivation, elements such as regulatory compliance, for example, can easily consume a full-time employee’s time as the operation size grows. Expect operations management to be a department, not a person.

People

A reliable and steady workforce is a blessing all operations would love to have, but we must be realistic in recognizing that cultivation jobs in the industry are subject to high turnover typical of entry-level positions. Reliability comes from appropriate training, supportive management and further opportunity. SOPs provide the bulk of information that staff need to learn their jobs quickly and perform them reliably, and management makes sure the education is working. Operators can’t do anything about market forces, but they can recognize and incentivize the best of their staff to stay and contribute, helping provide a stable knowledge and skill base within the operation.

To read the full article in Cannabis Business Times' February issue, click here. 

Top photo © Steve Debenport | istockphoto.com