In general terms it is always a challenge for a company to align the number of employees at any point in time against the projected business levels. If a company chooses to remain static and not be prepared to risk there is a good chance that their competitors will come in and take some of their market share. Businesses are generally driven by forecasts, usually over a 12 month profile.  After 6 months, the numbers tend to become a little hazy and usually raw materials and resources are not planned beyond this point. If there is a percentage uplift against the forecast, it can be compensated by outsourcing some or all of the manufacturing to external companies. On the other hand, if sales are performing before forecast natural attrition comes into play, whereby people are not replaced if they leave the company.

It is vital to constantly examine your business and measure your main performance indicators against benchmarked industry standards. Keep innovating, improving and cutting the wasteful activities in order to give yourself a chance to compete effectively. Don’t be afraid to take some measured risks now and again; ships are safe while they are in the harbour, but that is not what ships were built for. Above all, look after the wellbeing of your employees and they will give you copious amounts of loyalty and productivity in return. If you take a look at ‘Our Story’ in the top bar you will see that Shandon Hats have been on a wonderful journey over the past 120 years. This would not have been possible without the commitment and loyalty of our employees at the many stages of this odyssey.

Back in 1968 at NASA prior to the launch of Apollo 11 on the Lunar Voyage, it was decided that the top brass from the Pentagon would travel down to NASA to see how things were going in readiness for the launch the following year. Upon arrival, they had a meeting with the top Management Team and then after it concluded they decided they would go on a walk about to meet some of the people involved.

As this might of American military proceeded down the corridor, their first sighting was an elderly gentleman mopping up the floor. They decided to stop. ‘Who are you and what do you do here?’ Inquired the 5 Star General, expecting an answer like ‘I clean the floors’

The elderly cleaner looked him squarely in the eye, and with a proud voice said, ‘I’m helping to put a man on the moon’

Yes, in relation to the Engineer who was designing the electronic circuits, he was only a humble cleaner, but he also knew that his good efforts and working as part of a Team would help everybody achieve the goal. And it did on that very historic day in July 1969.

‘Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work’ – Vince Lombardi.