Day in the life of
Plant Manager – Amanda McKenzie
I am Plant Manager of Elkay’s Lumberton, North Carolina, sink manufacturing and distribution facilities. While I have been Plant Manager since March 2020, I have worked at Elkay for more than 27 years in many different positions throughout my career. I was hired in 1994 as an hourly teammate to conduct inventory cycle counts. Over the years, I encountered numerous opportunities for growth and development and had great leaders who encouraged and supported my progress. Manufacturing industries invest heavily in talent development and in growing the skills of their workforce.
Key responsibility
My primary responsibility as a Plant Manager is to deliver work that meets the budgeted plan and meets the needs and expectations of customers. To do that, I must ensure that plant employees receive the training required to accomplish this. Effective training is essential to keeping employees engaged in their work and able to help the company progress. This training includes safety protocols that keep employees from being at risk when working with plant machinery.
Engaging employees doesn’t end with training, though. I feel another one of my main responsibilities is making connections with and amongst plant employees. I often spend time on the plant floor to interact with employees, and I use this time to answer their questions or check in on their well-being. One of Elkay’s values is “Our Strength is in Our People,” and at the plants, that couldn’t be more true! Building relationships is key to keeping our employees engaged and eager to add to our company culture.
Leading a plant meeting
My typical day
A typical day for me starts by reviewing the safety performance of previous shifts. This is so important that I often do it before I even get to work. If any safety events occurred in earlier shifts, it’s my job to bring them to the attention of the next shift and review protocols to ensure that no one else is affected. I also reach out to those impacted by the previous shift’s safety event to make sure they are okay and address their workplace needs.
Once safety events are managed, the remainder of my day is focused on reviewing shipments and current orders. Finally, I review new plans and our financial performance to see how we are doing and adjust new plans accordingly. Doing this can help the company maintain consistency in business practices or adjust so new business needs can be met.
Pros
To me, being a Plant Manager means being a part of something with longevity. At Elkay’s plants, our employees create high-quality, award-winning water delivery products that end up in people’s homes and last a lifetime. Knowing that I get to be a part of the process that brings our products into family’s homes where so much of their life happens is special, and I enjoy being connected to our customers in this way.
On a local level, another pro of being a Plant Manager is building relationships with community members. By being a Plant Manager, you help to provide community members with a stable income and engaging work, which then allows them further build the life they desire for themselves and their families. Jobs provided by the plants serve communities in many ways and being a part of that as a Plant Manager fulfills me in a way other roles did not.
Cons
The cons that come with being a Plant Manager mainly revolve around competition. Our competitors are constantly changing their processes and policies, which creates pressure on Plant Managers and the business to keep up and continue to evolve.
Along the same lines, unpredictable economic and mindset shifts among employees that result in turnover is a con for Plant Managers, as we are the ones that are relied on to solve this problem. Delivering bad news to employees or customers is sometimes part of a Plant Manager’s duties and not one I look forward to doing. Still, this situation always helps me improve my communication practices to maintain strong relationships with customers and employees. For a company as big as ours, all of these challenges can be difficult to overcome, but these situations always help me improve my problem solving and critical thinking skills, which can allow me to assist the business in succeeding in other ways. For example, at Elkay, our culture grounds our business decisions, so when we are looking to overcome a challenge like maintaining a competitive wage for our employees, our culture helps us navigate what our employees need to do their best work and attract talent that aligns with our values. Our People are our greatest resource, so it’s important to acknowledge that in all that we do.
Advice to aspiring plant managers
Education is always a good idea. It’s the one thing no one can ever take from you, and there’s always something new you can learn. Majoring in manufacturing or business is an excellent way to get a head start in this career. Still, as long as you gain the critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary for this role, you don’t necessarily need to have these majors to be successful. I believe it’s also important to focus on lateral growth throughout your time in school. When you’re open to new opportunities throughout different disciplines, it’ll help make you a more well-rounded leader and eventually begin the vertical growth you’re aiming for.
I would also recommend students seek out formal and informal mentors who can help them navigate the right kinds of classes to take or help them build connections in the industry once they graduate. When you let people know what you’re interested in and show them your dedication, they will want to help you succeed. Finally, and most importantly, be patient with yourself. It takes time to learn and grow, but as long as you’re dedicated to your goal, there’s no limit to what you can achieve!
