Development of lean and sustainability practices assessment method among shop floor workers in manufacturing operation: a case study

Purpose This paper proposes an assessment method for lean and sustainability (LS) practices for shop-floor workers, designed to evaluate their current practice culture. Design/methodology/approach The method is developed in five phases: setting predefined indicators, constructing the assessment mechanism, implementing the assessment procedure, analyzing data and delivering results with recommendations. Validation is performed using two worker groups – line supervisors and operators – within the light-emitting diode (LED) manufacturing industry. Findings The results showed that workers’ familiarity and understanding of LS practices do not always correspond to their awareness levels. Key recommendations include prioritizing training for critical cases and adapting training approaches to fit the specific knowledge profiles identified. Research limitations/implications Firstly, the company should integrate the proposed assessment into an online platform that can automatically generate individual statistical results and priority levels. This reduces the burden of manual work and makes large-scale assessments more practical. Secondly, the study should expand to other shop-floor workers, such as technicians and engineers, to assess their knowledge profiles for future LS development initiatives. Practical implications The recommendations provide managers and training departments with guidelines to revise current training approaches. The methodology is validated, enabling the identification and mapping of each worker’s knowledge profile. Originality/value This study presents an original assessment method for evaluating the knowledge profiles of shop-floor workers regarding LS practices. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no prior literature has reported on an assessment method targeting this specific group. The proposed approach supports the decision-making process for better LS practices in the company.