16.03.2019: National Flour Mills Limited is committed to becoming more efficient and effective as it continues to serve its customers. The company has been working to resolve several challenges including decreasing profitability caused by increased competition, rising raw material prices and increasing staff costs.
NFM has already started to increase its efficiency with the implementation of continuous improvement initiatives. Significant work on a new strategic direction has also been completed, which will focus on growth through expansion supported by the development of a lean, cost-conscious, competency-based organizational structure. NFM’s existing functional architecture is very costly relative to the value created for its customers. As a result, the company has decided to reduce the number of layers and increase managerial spans of control. This will include upskilling at the lower levels and delayering at the top.
NFM recently completed a job evaluation exercise that revealed the company’s organisational structure has too many layers, eleven, from top to bottom. Best practice within manufacturing companies however suggests an optimum design of much fewer layers. The current structure at the executive and management levels is not aligned with these objectives. As a result, NFM’s Board of Management decided to flatten the organization by first eliminating the General Manager layer. Consequently, and effective immediately, the General Manager positions have been made redundant facilitating the widening of the span of control of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Operating Officer. Additionally, remaining managerial positions will be amended to better reflect their revised responsibilities and accountabilities within NFM’s value chain.
No further layoffs are expected and NFM will soon commence an exercise workin along with its employee representative unions to upskill the workforce through a competency development programme. This will benefit both employee and employer from the value that would be created through a more effective workforce
END
Corporate Communications National Flour Mills Limited
27-29 Wrightson Road, Port of Spain
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Tel: 868-625-2416/7 ext. 2416
Cell: 868-358-1713
lisa.croppercudjoe@nfm.co.tt