When it comes to safety in the recycling industry, we have rightly put high emphasis on lock-out/tag-out (LOTO) procedures to prevent catastrophic injuries to our employees. In addition, we have seen a marked improvement in the attention MRFs are paying to fall protection hazards and compliance. These are all positive developments and we must continue…
By Len Christopher, Chief Operating Officer, Leadpoint Business Services Ana Martinez is Leadpoint’s onsite manager at our customer’s MRF in Clackamas, Oregon. She is among our most tenured employees with over 15 years of service. Ana’s tenacity is commendable, but what’s even more impressive is the tenure of her team. Of the more than 50…
By Len Christopher, Chief Operating Officer Leadpoint works with dozens of recyclers and facilities across the country to manage the productivity of their workforce. We hear over and over that our customers want to save money wherever they can. The cost of labor – wages – is the single biggest expense for most companies so…
As seen in Waste Advantage Magazine, October 2018 Executive Summary Tri-County Recycling & Solid Waste of Appleton, Wisconsin, had a problem at their materials recycling facility (MRF). The county was losing money due to poor quality and missed items on the sort line. The site’s leaders were struggling with turnover and the inconsistent number of…
We Get 24 Hours There is only so much time in a day, 24 hours, and no amount of negotiating or money can get you more of it. With so many tasks to complete every day, running out of time or failing to complete priorities is common – and stressful! The best onsite managers have…
Safety is the most personal practice at any MRF. That’s because every employee – from the top down and the bottom up – is subject to the hazards of the job site, can experience pain and injury, and can make individual choices about behaving safely. A MRF’s safety culture is built on standard behaviors that…
The daily safety huddle is a standard occurrence for MRF managers and their employees, but the routine of it can cause some employees to tune-out. Motivating employees to participate and keeping them engaged in your safety meetings, day after day, is critical. Engagement can help pinpoint areas of confusion, test employees’ knowledge of safety programs…
Monitoring the workforce at your MRF can help you identify and fix potential problems before they happen. In a sense, it’s like building a preventative maintenance program for performance. This performance monitoring and tracking is a hallmark of what Leadpoint’s onsite managers provide at the MRFs where we’re embedded. For those sites, and the ones…
Every new employee wants to do a good job, and every MRF manager wants their new employees to stay. Setting up each new hire for success starts at the interview and continues with open, clear communication every day. Leadpoint Workforce Manager Christy Clark offers these suggestions based on her experience at a MRF in Indianapolis.…
We’ve all seen it happen. Promising employees start strong then leave within their first 30 days on the job. High performers lose interest in the job and move on, leaving you perplexed and creating a big hole in the team. We studied this problem using data collected through our Leadpoint data tool, and we gathered…
Paul Russo and Saul Diaz Named Directors of Operations PHOENIX (May 11, 2018) – Leadpoint Business Services, a provider of high-performance work teams to recycling and manufacturing organizations, has created two new roles within its operations structure. Long-time Leadpoint team member Paul Russo has been named Director of Operations-East and Saul Diaz, another tenured member…
Think back to your childhood and all time that went into completing a bike ride without help from an adult or a set of training wheels. Along the way, there were probably more than a few scratches and frustrating moments, but once you got the hang of it, the basics always remained. Starting a job…