Welp MagazineIs your lab having trouble meeting deadlines and quotas? It sounds like you’re struggling with a lack of efficiency. You should always focus on your work and research quality, but efficiency is just as crucial. The good news is that you can take some easy steps to organize and improve the overall productivity in your lab. Keep reading for these steps on how to increase efficiency in the lab.
Provide Solid Management
Efficiency begins and ends with the quality of your management. It takes quality managers to hire trained and experienced staff that will excel in their positions. Keeping everyone on task is also the responsibility of the management team. Make sure your researchers and lab technicians have clear understandings of their jobs. Nailing the management in your lab is the first step toward becoming more efficient.
Focus on Getting Organized
If your lab is inefficient, then you’re probably not organized. Do you notice your lab technicians scrambling to find specific pieces of equipment or documents? This is a sign that a lack of organization is killing your efficiency. Make a point to label and organize everything in your lab. You’re not done yet, though—call everyone in for a special training where you go over equipment and document locations as well as labeling. That way, you ensure that everyone in your lab is on the same page and that they know where everything is located all times.
Purchase High-Quality Equipment
Another cause of inefficiency is outdated lab equipment. If you’re still using equipment from the Stone Age, you can’t expect to have an efficient lab. The latest and greatest lab tech has a ton of time- and cost-saving features. One reason to invest in high-quality equipment is that newer equipment will run faster and suffer fewer breakdowns. You can’t expect your staff to work efficiently if their equipment is constantly failing and working slowly.
Keep Up with Scheduled Maintenance
Beyond updating your equipment, you need to keep it in good shape. That means engaging in regular maintenance. The simple act of cleaning your equipment can go a long way in lengthening its life span. Checking your machine’s components during inspections is also recommended. If you catch a failing part ahead of time, you can prevent a breakdown.
Automate Processes Where Possible
Take a detailed look at all the processes in your lab. Is there anything you can automate? If so, automation will help you enjoy an increase in your efficiency for sure. Not only that, but automating specific tasks will free up your staff to focus on more important things.
These are some of our best tips for how to increase efficiency in the lab. We hope this guide helps you discover the areas in your lab that need work and how you can improve them.
