“We’re working really hard”
-Sean Doherty
Across New Zealand’s Government and manufacturing alike, one phrase is repeated almost like a badge of honour: “We’re working really hard.” Yet, when you look at the numbers, it’s clear that hard work isn’t translating into higher productivity.
Rising input costs such as wages, electricity, and raw materials continue to eat into profits. Many local manufacturers now find themselves running at full capacity but achieving less output per hour than they did a few years ago.
The question leaders should be asking is simple: Are we working harder, or are we working smarter?
The Productivity Wake‑Up Call
New Zealand’s ongoing productivity slide isn’t a reflection of a lack of effort. It’s a signal that many manufacturers are stuck in a cycle of firefighting meeting daily demands while long-term efficiency initiatives fall down the priority list.
True productivity improvement isn’t about longer hours or more pressure; it’s about creating systems that make workflow more efficiently, engaging people to solve problems, and embedding smarter measurement.
Becoming more profitable and productive can feel like a daunting challenge when you’re struggling just to get product out the door. But here are my top five tips. Choose just one to focus on for the next 90 days and let me know how it goes.
- Engage Your People
The best productivity ideas often come from the people who do the work every day. Leaders who create time and space for operators, planners, and even office staff to identify improvement opportunities can unlock huge value.
Start by running short weekly sessions focused on “fix one thing” improvements. Empower staff to own small wins, such as setup time reduction or improved information flow. When people see that their ideas are acted on, engagement and performance rise together.
- Measure What Matters
Many manufacturers collect a sea of data but struggle to use it effectively. Narrow the focus to a few critical metrics that drive business outcomes — such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Delivered In Full On Time (DIFOT), or customer complaint resolution rates.
Even basic, manually recorded measures can reveal where efficiency is being lost. Review results weekly with your team and ask, “What’s driving this trend?” Regular visibility and discussion shift improvement from talk to action.
- Define What Makes You Different
Productivity is about more than internal efficiency; it’s about clarity of purpose. If your business cannot clearly articulate what sets it apart, you risk competing solely on price in a high‑cost economy.
Define your unique selling point, whether it’s product quality, speed of response, or specialist capability. Then align investment, marketing, and operations around protecting and strengthening that uniqueness as markets and policies evolve.
- Bring in the Experts
Every manufacturer faces problems that feel unique but often, they are not. Engaging external specialists can dramatically accelerate improvement. Consultants who work across multiple plants recognise patterns and proven solutions that may not be visible internally.
Strategic short‑term projects such as process re-engineering typically pay back quickly through saved time, reduced waste, and better use of people and machines. Treat external advice as an investment in capability, not a cost.
- Build a Productivity Culture
Ultimately, the biggest productivity gains come from culture, not technology. Make efficiency and problem-solving part of the daily conversation, not just the annual review.
Celebrate team-driven improvements, invest in lean tools and digital methods, and continuously ask, “Is there a smarter way to do this?” This habit of questioning, measuring, and improving is what separates thriving manufacturers from those constantly treading water.
Hard work will always be central to New Zealand’s manufacturing DNA. But as global competition intensifies, effort alone is no longer enough.
The manufacturers who thrive will be those who deliberately focus on productivity by empowering people, measuring the right things, seeking expert insight and embedding smarter ways of working across every process.
