Why You Need Craftsmanship and Quality for a Happy Workforce

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In this episode...

Why You Need Craftsmanship and Quality for a Happy Workforce

https://faithfulontheclock.com/why-you-need-craftsmanship-and-quality-for-a-happy-workforce

In recent decades, the trend toward consumerism has gained massive speed. This isn’t great for buyers, but what does it do to the mental health and well-being of employees? That’s covered this week on Episode 70 of Faithful on the Clock.

Timestamps:

[00:05] - Intro

[00:33] - Consumerism has led to an influx of low-quality products. 

[02:27] - It’s not your imagination — quality really isn’t what it was, and it likely has an influence on the worker.

[02:56] - Mass manufacturing has its place, but skill and craftsmanship go together. Kill the former and you kill the latter.

[03:26] - Reducing skillsets means workers end up with not a lot to feel great about. There’s little legacy, and people know they are more replaceable. 

[05:17] - The skills related to craftsmanship are gifts from God. If we don’t keep craftsmanship in our operations, people don’t get a chance to know what kind of craftsman they were made to be. People have to understand that to really know they’re not replaceable, have influence, and stay motivated to work.

[07:08] - Recommendation #1: Become a niche supplier.

[08:16] - Recommendation #2: Invest in apprenticeships and mentorships.

[09:02] - Recommendation #3: Ask yourself what multi-generational value every process ties to.

[09:34] - Recommendation #4: Make friends with the enemy (collaborate to know what’s critical and get perspective).

[10:12] - Craftsmanship has real value. It’s worthwhile to support operational processes that let people discover and use those gifts to glorify God and feel satisfied.

[10:47] - Prayer

[11:31] - Outro/What’s coming up next

Key takeaways:

• The trend toward consumerism has increased over recent years. Products really do not have the quality and craftsmanship they used to. This has a negative influence on the consumer, but also on the employee who makes the products. 
• Mass manufacturing by nature means that you can take craftsmanship out of the equation much of the time. People do not need to pull in people who have mastered different techniques or skills, but rather can quickly train people to use machines.
• When skillsets become reduced and craftsmanship gets pushed aside, there’s less for the worker to feel good about. Other issues, such as the pressure to produce more with less, compound the stress of knowing there’s no legacy behind what they are building.
• Scriptures such as Exodus 35-36 and Romans 3:12-8 emphasize that craftsmanship and skills are gifts of God. This includes spiritual gifts. It’s important for businesses to recognize these gifts because it gives people the chance to express themselves as God intended and to have more influence on His behalf. 
• Companies have multiple options for supporting craftsmanship, including becoming niche suppliers, looking at adjacent markets, investing in apprenticeships or mentorships, evaluating whether operational processes tie to multi-generational values, and making friends with competitors where it makes sense to better understand the big picture of what has to endure in the industry and what it takes to become craftsmen within it.

• From clothes to tech, why is everything so poorly made? - Vox
• Consumerism Could Be Hurting Your Employees. Here's How

CTAs:

• If you’re looking for a job, ask yourself if it’s a job where you can be a good craftsman. 
• If you’re looking for a product, as yourself what went into it. Put your dollars behind what really has quality and skill behind it.

What’s coming up next:

Most companies think about how the business can support its employees. But what can the typical worker do to support their coworkers? Episode 71 of Faithful on the Clock provides some practical suggestions for encouraging others and lending a hand to those on your team.

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