Systematic dimensioning of personnel flexibility in manufacturing

In addition to customized products and eroding delivery times, todays volatile markets are a major challenge for manufacturing companies. Stronger and more short-term fluctuations in sales require lean production structures and, more and more frequently, the flexible use of manufacturing resources. In high-wage countries like Germany in particular, the flexible use of well-qualified manufacturing employees is a competitive advantage for manufacturing companies. This paper describes the challenges of manufacturing companies in the field of volatile markets and introduces a new method to dimension personnel-flexibility systematically.