Improving Operational Performance & Productivity Training

Course Overview

This intensive five-day programme equips participants with practical tools and strategies to improve operational efficiency, workplace productivity, resource utilisation and team performance. Participants will learn how to identify operational inefficiencies, eliminate waste, optimise processes, establish meaningful performance indicators and create a culture of continuous improvement.

Who Should Attend?

• Managers
• Supervisors
• Team Leaders
• Operations Professionals, Department Heads and professionals responsible for improving organisational performance and productivity.

Course Syllabus

Day 1 – Fundamentals of Operational Performance & Productivity

Module 1: Understanding Operational Performance

• Defining operational performance and productivity
• Key drivers of organisational performance Productivity vs. efficiency vs. effectiveness
• Linking operational performance to business objectives
• Identifying common operational performance challenges
• The role of managers and supervisors in improving productivity

Module 2: Assessing Current Operational Performance

• Conducting an operational performance assessment
• Identifying performance gaps
• Mapping current workflows and processes
• Identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies
• Understanding root causes of poor performance
• Establishing operational performance baselines

Module 3: Setting Performance Objectives

• Translating organisational strategy into operational objectives
• SMART performance objectives
• Establishing departmental and individual targets
• Aligning employee objectives with organisational goals
• Creating accountability for results

Day 2 – Process Improvement & Operational Efficiency

Module 4: Process Mapping & Workflow Optimisation

• Understanding business processes
• Process mapping techniques
• Identifying redundant and non-value-adding activities
• Workflow analysis
• Reducing process delays and duplication
• Improving handoffs between teams and departments

Module 5: Identifying & Eliminating Operational Waste

• Understanding the concept of operational waste
• Common sources of waste in organisations
• Reducing unnecessary movement, waiting and rework
• Managing over-processing and duplication
• Improving resource utilisation
• Building efficient operating procedures

Module 6: Continuous Improvement Methodologies

• Introduction to continuous improvement
• PDCA – Plan, Do, Check, Act
• Lean principles for operational improvement
• Kaizen and incremental improvement
• Standardisation and process control
• Creating a continuous improvement culture

Day 3 – Productivity, Time & Resource Management

Module 7: Personal & Team Productivity

• Understanding productivity barriers
• Managing competing priorities
• Time management for operational professionals
• Prioritisation techniques
• Managing interruptions and distractions
• Delegation and workload distribution
• Improving team productivity

Module 8: Effective Resource Management

• Optimising people, time, equipment and financial resources
• Workforce planning and utilisation
• Capacity planning
• Matching resources to operational requirements
• Identifying resource constraints
• Improving utilisation and reducing downtime

Module 9: Managing Workload & Operational Capacity

• Demand and capacity management
• Managing peak workloads
• Scheduling and task allocation
• Balancing workloads across teams
• Preventing operational bottlenecks
• Improving turnaround times

Day 4 – Performance Measurement, KPIs & Problem Solving

Module 10: Developing Effective KPIs

• Understanding Key Performance Indicators
• Leading vs. lagging indicators
• Selecting meaningful operational KPIs
• KPI alignment with business objectives
• Setting realistic performance targets
• KPI dashboards and performance reporting

Module 11: Data-Driven Performance Management

• Using operational data to improve decisions
• Analysing productivity and performance trends
• Identifying performance deviations
• Performance reporting techniques
• Using dashboards and visual management
• Turning data into actionable insights

Module 12: Root Cause Analysis & Problem Solving

• Identifying recurring operational problems
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
• The 5 Whys technique
• Fishbone/Ishikawa analysis
• Pareto analysis
• Corrective and preventive actions
• Structured decision-making

Practical Exercise: KPI Dashboard & Root Cause Analysis Case Study

Day 5 – Leadership, Change & Sustainable Performance Improvement

Module 13: Leading High-Performance Teams

• Characteristics of high-performing teams
• Setting clear expectations
• Performance accountability
• Employee engagement and motivation
• Coaching and feedback
• Managing underperformance
• Building ownership and responsibility

Module 14: Managing Operational Change

• Understanding resistance to change
• Communicating operational improvements
• Stakeholder engagement
• Implementing new processes and procedures
• Managing change risks
• Building employee buy-in

Module 15: Creating a Sustainable Productivity Improvement Plan

• Developing an operational improvement roadmap
• Prioritising improvement initiatives
• Setting short-, medium- and long-term objectives
• Assigning responsibilities and timelines
• Monitoring implementation
• Measuring improvement results
• Establishing a culture of continuous improvement

Module 16: Action Planning & Course Integration

• Review of key concepts and tools
• Identifying individual/departmental improvement opportunities
• Developing a 30-60-90 day action plan
• Defining KPIs and success measures
• Presenting improvement initiatives
• Peer feedback and final discussion