Tips to Manage Men and Material Movement in an Organization.

This post is contributed by Cogent Innovations, a Chennai based Information technology solution provider.

Every business and organization has integrity and organizational rules for effective and efficient functioning. There rules are made to meet certain objectives. Controlling the movement or material is one such vital function for many reasons. In this article we will examine the reasons for the requirement for controlling men and material movement and recommend some valid means and measures to achieve effective control over men and material movement in an organization.

Why do organizations need control over men and material movement?

The nature of business or job related to any organization dictates the organizational needs for controlling the movement of men and material. Moreover, the resources available will dictate what mechanism is to be adopted to manage it. An organization may want to control movement of men and material for following reasons:

• Certain organizations may like to control the movement of men for security reasons like banks, hospitals, educational institutions, public facilities, prisons/ police stations, banks and government buildings.
• Commercial organizations may implement movement control of men to ensure compliance to working timings and hours.
• Scientific and health research organization implement men and material movement control for the health hazard involved in work conditions.
• Commercial businesses and organizations exercise control over movement of material for inventory and material management, control over work processes, keeping a track of employees and discourage pilferage and loss of material.

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Important Planning Parameters for Planning a Movement Management System

Whatever be the purpose of controlling movement of men and material in any organization, certain basic principles form the foundation stone of any such management system:

• Establishing the threats or challenges posed to an organization.
• Estimating the organizational requirements for controlling men and material movement within an organization.
• Identifying the focal entry, intermediate and exit points of any organization.
• Ascertaining the level of access to be granted to each employee as per job requirements and role.
• Identifying the materials for which movement control will be required.
• Locking on the work processes for which control over material movement is required to be implemented.
• Resources already available and any further requirement to implement any new planned management system.
• Budgetary implications of any planned management mechanism.

The most important practical implication of a movement management arrangement is that it must suit organizational structure, practicable, economical, and implementable without creating obstructions or grievances. Above all it must achieve the desired objectives.

Any men and material movement management system has certain essential ingredients regardless of the nature and type of organization. They are:

• Entry point/points men and material management control.
• Exit point/points men and material management control.
• Inter organizational material movement mechanism for inventory. management, process control and production monitoring.
• Personnel access level entry point within an organization.
• A central monitoring and access control station or office.

Important tools in Men and Material movement management system

Some of the tools used in managing movement of men and materials are:

• Biometric identification Mechanisms. These systems are designed to control access, record entry, and log in movement timings and keep a central record of personnel movement in, out or within an organization. These may be based on finger print or eye pupil reader to allow entry or exit. These systems usually come expensive and employed by organization seeking hi-tech men and material movement management systems.
• Punch card or password controlled mechanisms. Like the name suggests, these mechanisms need a custom made / general card or password related entry and management system. These systems are medium cost solutions suitable for organizations focused on men movement management requirements.
• Gatepass entry and exit system. This is a time tested and effective low cost men and material movement management system. A great example of one such system is available at cogent. This type of system is most suitable for businesses of all sizes with moderate to high movement management requirements.
• Sensor based tagged movement management system. This system is based on tag identification by sensors installed at each desired stage. This system is usually installed at airports and major production facilities where requirements for material movement, inventory management and process control are immense.

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An outline of a men and material management system for a medium and small level business or organization

All organizations need such system corresponding to their requirement. The scope and magnitude may vary in individual cases however a basic model for any medium size organization (with minimum budget and resources) the men and material movement management can be devised on following lines (with modifications as per particular organizational requirements):

• A central control with minimum one entry and one exit control station.
• There may be a security officer/manager controlling the movement of men and materials in and out of the organization.
• Computerized or manual entry or exit recording mechanism to keep a record of whom or what is entering or leaving the organization premises.
• CCTV coverage of entry, exit and critical points to ensure monitoring movement or men and material.
• Mobile communication arrangements between movement control management staff for real time information sharing.
• To ensure that only the authorized material leaves the organizational premises, a system of gate pass is adopted. It is usually generated by the production or storage department, approved by the organization head or his authorized person and kept by the movement management managers at the exit point. The record of gate pass is kept secure and interlinked with visibility tools of the owner or top management to see what is leaving the organization premises. A sample gate pass format can be downloaded from this
• Similarly materials entering the organization premises are recorded at the entry point and the production or storage department records them in their documents once they receive them. Tallying the records, the organizational top management remains in real time picture.

The Last Word

An effective men and material management system is a must for effective organizational control and monitoring. A proper case study and analysis may help you in determining the best solution for your organization.