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Organise and improve work activities in food and drink operations

URN: IMPQI201
Business Sectors (Suites): Achieving Food Manufacturing Excellence
Developed by: Improve
Approved on: 31 Dec 2021

Overview

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This standard covers the skills and knowledge needed to plan and organise work activities to support improvement and increased productivity in food and drink operations.

It covers the application of good workplace organisation and the efficient use of resources and visual controls, which together with effective communication enables the identification and implementation of improvement practice.

You need to organise your own work activities, support work improvements, and communicate with others to ensure improvement is complementary with other activity. You need to recognise and understand the requirement for excellence through workplace improvement including, supporting and communicating improvement to others and understanding the importance of excellence in operational effectiveness.

This standard is for you if you work in food and drink operations including manufacturing, processing, packing or supply chain activities.

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

Organise your own work activities 

1. confirm your work objectives with the relevant personnel 
2. plan the actions you need to take in order to meet your work objectives 
3. prioritise and confirm your work activities with the relevant personnel 
4. check that the resources you require are available, suitable for your use and take action if there are problems in accordance with procedures 
5. organise your workplace to ensure efficient work activity in accordance with procedures 

Work effectively 

6. work in accordance with standard operating procedures and visual controls 
7. use shared resources and ensure that they are left in a fit state for others to use in accordance with procedures 
8. identify where information, resources or equipment is missing or is in surplus, and where improvements to work activities can be made 
9. support the implementation of improvements in accordance with the improvement plan 
10. maintain the effectiveness workplace organisation in accordance with procedures 
11. maintain accurate and up to date records in accordance with procedures 

Communicate with others 

12. keep your colleagues up to date and informed on progress of work in accordance with procedures 
13. make suggestions about ways to improve work activities in accordance with procedures 
14. support the maintenance of accurate visual controls in accordance with the improvement plan 
15. inform the relevant personnel as soon as possible about any difficulties which may prevent or delay you from completing your work objectives 
16. raise awareness about the importance of improvement, productivity and excellence in the workplace in accordance with the improvement plan

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

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  1. your own work objectives and how they fit with team objectives
  2. why it is important to have a clear plan of what to do before starting work
  3. how to read and interpret work instructions and standard operating procedures
  4. how to plan, organise and prioritise your work activities
  5. how to organise the workplace according to recognised techniques and requirements
  6. the levels of authority linked to workplace organisation
  7. where information is stored and how it is accessed in the workplace
  8. why it is important to work efficiently and safely according to standard operating procedures
  9. how to contribute to updating visual controls
  10. how to communicate improvement information using visual controls
  11. previous and current workplace performance
  12. how to identify opportunities for improvement
  13. why the control of waste is important to improvement activities
  14. how improvements can impact on performance
  15. how to communicate with others
  16. the communication channels used to inform, both formal and informal, and which to use dependent on the situation
  17. why it is important to keep accurate and up to date records
  18. the importance of improvement to both food and drink operations and the supply chain
  19. the importance of organisational improvement and how this contributes to driving overall improvement
  20. the process used to measure performance and identify opportunities for improvement
  21. the role of the Deming Cycle (plan, do, check, act) in improvement activities

Scope/range

Scope Performance

Scope Knowledge

Values

Behaviours

Skills

Glossary

Links To Other NOS

External Links

Version Number

3

Indicative Review Date

31 Jan 2025

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

NSAFD

Original URN

IMPQI201

Relevant Occupations

Food Production Operatives, Manufacturing Technologies, Plant and Machine Operatives, Process Operatives, Process, Plant and Machine Operatives

SOC Code

8111

Keywords

Improvements; Techniques; Visual Controls; Organise; Improve; Food; Manufacturing; Excellence;