In This Issue

Universal Robotic Labeler

In case you haven’t heard, SilMan is the recipient of a rare honor, being handpicked to train our team to install a new technology to be rolled out by our favorite fulfillment company.

The Universal Robotic Labeler, or URL, rapidly scans and applies labels to packages. The company plans to implement the equipment in all its facilities, with the first one being recently awarded at BFI1 in the Seattle area starting in December. The team traveled to Boston for an immersive, two-week training session to efficiently install and electrify the equipment. Nick Goulart is the PM for the endeavor, which forms a mechanical-electrical “team-within-a-team” to serve this unique client.

Community Spotlight

Meet Eric Bickford

Eric Bickford originally hails from Carrollton, Georgia, moving to Starkville, Mississippi, during high school.

When Eric was three years old, his parents fashioned a car seat for their sailboat, which set the stage for a lifelong passion for sailing. Highlights from his upbringing included extended trips along the Gulf Coast’s intercoastal waterways and along the Eastern Seaboard as far North as Myrtle Beach. In fact, his “temporary” home for the last eight years has been an inherited 23-foot sailboat!

Mr. Bickford pursued Engineering studies at his hometown favorite, Mississippi State University, earning a BS in Engineering and an MBA with a concentration in Project Management. He also dropped off a resume with SilMan at a career fair.

In his formative years, Eric was active as a Boy Scout, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. He continued to give back to the program throughout his college years as a mentor. In the summer of 2016, while serving as the merit badge program director at a summer camp, Eric received a telephone call from Ian Fulton, using a resume that caught SilMan’s attention a year earlier.

The rest is history. Bickford is now a cornerstone of SilMan Engineering and the face of our team on countless projects.

What do you love best about SilMan?

“I love the travel! And I can’t say enough about the office atmosphere in Tupelo. The team easily moves between joking and pranks and circling around a team member to find solutions for unique challenges. I never feel alone or stranded in the field. I know the full attention of my team is a phone call away.” – Eric

Have you ever been consumed by a task that you couldn’t stop for any reason, even to use the restroom? In that state, any interruption feels like it would derail the project. Our natural inclination as committed professionals is to keep pressing until we complete the task to our satisfaction.

You are not alone. Most of us have experienced this. Perhaps more than we’d prefer. Even so, we understand that in our line of business, there are times when external demands are beyond our control.

During these times, we must evaluate the safety and health of our team, not only client or schedule demands. In those moments, consider a few questions for guidance.

• Can we do anything to prevent the potential effects of burnout and fatigue?
• Is there something we can do differently?
• Do we need outside support to keep up with current demands?
• How vital is this task?
  • Is it more important than our team’s safety?
  • Is it more important than our health?
• Is this more important than balancing time with my family?

Of course not.

The point is that before we take action, our priorities must reflect a holistic view of success.

With our needs and priorities established, the team can take action. Prevention methods may include taking longer breaks when milestones are met, adding more team members for support, delegating tasks to others, or using more efficient tooling and equipment. Or we may need to take the time off to reflect and start again later.

And finally, each team member must practice self-care to stay healthy and productive.

Tips to Prevent Fatigue and Burnout