There's a lot of brain power in the typical maintenance department. Much of it goes untapped by management, because of a poor feedback process.
This dynamic exists because of an outdated way of thinking. Management figures out what to do, and the workers do it. So how does a manager who never uses an inaccurate procedure figure out how to make it right? The only way is for people who use it to provide the necessary feedback. But what normally happens instead is a process called “compensation.” People simply compensate for the problem, instead of providing management with an opportunity to use it to improve.
If you're a manager, you could get a fancy solution from a fancy consulting firm. Or you could talk to a few of those brainy workers and ask them their feedback on the issues they face. Then ask them how you can get their feedback in a way that is easy for them to provide it regularly
