VW continues production during corporate holidays, sparking dissatisfaction from WIE.
Volkswagen Maintains High Quality Standards During Holidays and Increased Temporary Workforce
During the works holidays from July 14 to August 1, the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg is running smoothly, despite an increased number of temporary workers. According to a VW spokesperson, the temporary workers at the plant are qualified for their respective tasks or production steps.
The company has not disclosed any changes in production processes or quality standards due to the holiday season and the increased temporary workforce. Volkswagen has a strategy in place to maintain high quality standards during the holiday period. The strategy includes the presence of permanent employees in the teams to support the temporary workers during the holiday period.
During the holidays, the teams in the VW plant consist of at least 50% permanent employees. Approximately 2,500 employees are working at the VW plant during the holidays, including a third who are temporary workers. These temporary workers are employed in various areas of the plant, such as body construction and assembly.
Unskilled workers, such as students and pupils, are also working in production at the VW plant during the holidays. While specific details on how Volkswagen manages these periods are not provided, we can infer some general strategies that might be employed:
Managing Production
- Advanced Planning: Volkswagen likely uses advanced planning tools to optimize production schedules. This involves predicting demand, managing inventory, and scheduling production to meet these needs while minimizing downtime.
- Flexible Workforce: The company might employ flexible workforce strategies, such as part-time or temporary workers, to fill gaps during holidays or when the workforce is reduced.
- Automation and Technology: Volkswagen could leverage automation and technology to maintain production levels with fewer employees. This includes using robots and other automation tools to perform tasks that were previously manual.
- Supply Chain Management: Effective management of the supply chain is crucial to ensure that parts and materials are available as needed, even when production is reduced.
Ensuring Quality
- Quality Control Processes: Volkswagen would likely maintain rigorous quality control processes to ensure that vehicles meet the company's standards, even with a reduced workforce. This includes monitoring production lines and conducting thorough inspections.
- Training and Specialization: Employees might be trained to perform multiple tasks, allowing them to cover different roles during periods of reduced staffing.
- Continuous Improvement: Emphasizing continuous improvement strategies can help identify and address any issues that arise during periods of reduced workforce, ensuring that quality standards are upheld.
Some companies, like Nissan, are offering voluntary redundancies to reduce their workforce while maintaining operational efficiency. Volkswagen's Audi brand has recently made agreements to reduce the workforce by around 7,500 employees, which could be part of a broader strategy to optimize production and quality.
The VW board member did not specify which positions or processes are considered "irreplaceable." However, the spokesperson emphasized that all workers, both permanent and temporary, are essential to the smooth operation of the plant.
- The strategy of Volkswagen to maintain high quality standards during the holiday period includes employing a combination of permanent employees and qualified temporary workers in various areas of the manufacturing industry, such as body construction and assembly.
- The finance department within the business sector plays a crucial role in the advanced planning tools that Volkswagen uses to optimize production schedules and manage inventory, ensuring production runs smoothly during holidays.
- To ensure health and wellness, including workplace-wellness, Volkswagen might offer training and specialization to all employees, allowing them to perform multiple tasks and cover different roles during periods of reduced staffing, such as unskilled workers like students and pupils.
- In an effort to maintain continuous improvement strategies, Volkswagen may utilize technology, including automation tools, to perform tasks with fewer employees during holidays or periods of reduced workforce, thereby upholding health and wellness standards in the manufacturing industry, as well as ensuring high-quality products.
