In every organization there comes a point, where we want the employees of the organization, not just to improve but also to be consistent with their improvements. Lean Improvement is a continuous improvement philosophy which helps organizations to sustain long-term and achieve operational excellence. An organization that is stagnant towards changes and who believes that they don’t need any outside help to improve leads nowhere, rather an organization that believes they have to work to become better and looks for a source to who can help them, not just become better but sustains longer.

This Tuesday let us look at ways to become lean and walk on the path of improvement and growth:

1. Create a vision

In today’s competitive world there is always pressure on cost reduction, manpower productivity improvement, increasing market share, increasing profits, becoming more efficient and effective, etc. What is the demand of the hour is – Change? Every organization needs to change to cope with the changing global scenario. When an organization decides to change for improvements, it doesn’t happen just one fine morning.

It is a gradual process and well-planned process. The employers need to explain their employees as to why the change is happening. This can be done if the employers share a vision with their employees, and explain them the importance of change. The employer should share facts and figures with their teams, as to how these changes, will help the organization to stand in the global competition. It will be even better if the seniors show a different picture to each department in a way that would convince them to accept the change.

2. A training Program is Must

In every department for every employee when a change is being introduced, everyone might not accept them. Thus a training program needs to be created, to understand what the employees think about the change, and how to exactly prepare them so that they work and behave accordingly and thus the new strategies are implemented successfully.

This time period is even the best time, to set up bold objectives for the employees and the organization. As the employees are being trained on how to accept the new strategies and how to follow it, during this time, the employers should set bold objectives, that will give a right route to the training programs, thus helping the organizations to grow.

3. Use Lean tools for creating Short-term Wins

It is very important for the employers to create some short-term wins for the employees. This can be better done by using various training tools for the employees. Lean management provides various training tools, such as Pareto Analysis, 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagramming, 5S, Value Stream Mapping and various Kaizen events. This will help to keep the employees learn better.

4. Set bold objectives for improvements

The employees need to buy into the idea of change. If it has not been well accepted by them then there will be no improvement. They will not work towards the change, and also They need to accept that the new way of working is the better and superior to the older way, and also they need to be challenged and expected to work in a new way. They will fail otherwise.

What is expected of the leadership team is persistence and commitment to the new way of thinking. It is a journey. Short terms improvements can happen quickly, but to transform the business you need to go a long way.

So start the continuous improvement journey, keep improving and thus keep growing.

Have a Transformation Tuesday!!