Several times, companies may hit a roadblock. So, to install solutions, leaders opt for kaizen. Kaizen is a Japanese word that means improvement. Masaaki Imai is the pioneer of this philosophy. As a flexible philosophy, kaizen is applicable to every industry. Today, production, government, banking, retail, healthcare, etc., are using kaizen. And the reason being, kaizen improves the business process.
It involves every employee of the company. A kaizen event is undertaken to solve issues in a week’s time. This event focuses on improving mass production in a short period. Kaizen has many benefits, so with this article, we look forward to exploring them.
8 Benefits of Kaizen Philosophy
1. Kaizen Involves Every Employee
SUMMARY
It doesn’t matter if you are into top management or assembly line. Because, during kaizen activities, it includes employees of all positions.
As a method of improvement, kaizen is helpful for all businesses. Besides, it is favorable for customers, employees, management and the entire company. Kaizen improves the work environment. It applauds the hard work put in by the employees. With gestures like these, employees stay active towards the well-being of the company.
2. Eliminates Waste
SUMMARY
Kaizen helps in erasing waste. This, in turn, helps in boosting the time of the activity. Besides, it improves productivity and controls time spent on unneeded tasks.
Today’s world is a dynamic one. Work environment keeps changing. So, businesses have to maintain their position in this competitive world. And to do so, it is important to end old and outdated practices. Start by wiping out waste and improve factors that need attention. Remove all old habits that hold no importance in your process improvement.
Adapt to new technologies during your project management. With this, the company progresses at a breathtaking pace. As errors minimize, the need for inspection stays controlled. And kaizen philosophy considers all these pointers.
3. Improves Efficiency
SUMMARY
Kaizen helps you to regulate your resources and use them in a proper manner. Kaizen trains employees in a way that they work with complete dedication.
A major advantage of kaizen blitz is that it develops capability. With efficiency, it also helps in improving the quality of services and products. With this, time management and quality control witnesses progress. Kaizen separates the obstacles that arose in a department or a small group. It trains the employee to work in any given circumstance. It improves production from the customer’s point of view.
This inspires the employees to achieve their goals. And this helps a company to achieve a higher level of quality. Kaizen infuses the importance of innovation, thus making employees more competent.
4. Keeps the Working Environment Safe
SUMMARY
It doesn’t matter if you are in the manufacturing process or retail, accidents tend to happen. But they have an adverse effect on productivity. But with Kaizen, it becomes easy to control unwanted situations. .
Apart from various perks, one thing that employees expect is safety. And with the implementation of kaizen, safety management systems stay put. With this, it becomes an effortless task to control accidents. And employees do not have to waste time in addressing their medical emergency. Besides, kaizen conducts safety training that involves both management and employees.
During this training, employees are requested to share their ideas for creating a safe working environment. And Kaizen aims to consider their suggestions. These small improvements help in avoiding accident-prone activities, thus boosting overall competency.
5. Assures Satisfaction of the Employees
SUMMARY
Kaizen assures complete participation of employees. And so, it considers their suggestions making them feel honored. This attention makes the employee comfortable and he/she works with complete dedication.
Employee participation is very important. So, to improve the business process, kaizen aims at considering suggestions put forth by the workers. With this, the level of satisfaction stays high in employees. Also, they feel worthy of contributing to the welfare of the company. Besides, under kaizen, a company may plan meetings or design a suggestion channel.
These mediums act as the perfect platform for employees to pitch their ideas. This furthermore leads to the active participation of the employees in the decision-making process. And all this boosts their willingness to work better. Above all, these factors improve productivity. In the end, employees feel happy seeing their suggestions shaping up.
6. Improves Teamwork Skill
SUMMARY
Kaizen believes in undertaking team tasks than an individual. Incorporation of teamwork skills helps for gaining more productive output.
With the implementation of kaizen, a company witnesses long term outcomes. The most important effect is that it develops teamwork. With kaizen, employees start thinking beyond issues. In fact, kaizen philosophy states that working together can lead to continuous improvement. Teamwork creates immense productivity than individual contributions.
Also, working together helps the employee to tackle problems in an effective manner. Above all, teamwork helps in completing the tasks before time. And all this infuses enthusiasm amongst the employees.
7. Faster Problem-solving
SUMMARY
With Kaizen, problem-solving is undertaken at a faster pace. And this helps in reaping maximum benefits, resulting in assured growth.
Documentation of every step is important while implementing kaizen. With this, if the company encounters any problem, then finding solutions becomes easy. Besides, it helps in reducing lead time and increases production work.
Also, with team effort, the performance of the process rises as well as gets regulated. With the improvement in the process, the problem gets an immediate resolution.
8. Morale Boost of The Employees
SUMMARY
When a company gives attention to the employees, they feel special. With this, they work better and harder for the betterment of the company. This benefits the company and the employee alike.
When kaizen philosophy is in the picture, employees stay happy. With happy employees, a company can expect more dedication and hard work. Also, employees who stay for a longer period of time, exhibit signs of a happy workplace. So, while hiring, it creates a better impact on the newcomers.
Besides, employees who get a morale boost, pledge to improve the overall working environment of the workplace.
Now, we know that kaizen helps in improving efficiency. Then, let’s explore the principles of kaizen for complete satisfaction.
Exploring Basic Principles of Kaizen
Kaizen is a great medium to improve. It also helps in learning new things or improvise skills to get better in professional life. So, let’s explore principles that help for the betterment of the company.
- Stop assuming things. Rather undertake trial and error before implementing any new method.
- Stop thinking about the negative aspects to move forward. Stay focused and proactive to take up any challenge.
- If methods are not giving fruitful results, then challenge them. Implement techniques that will help you improve for better results.
- Design an economical budget plan. Avoid spending money on unnecessary things. Also, adapt to every situation.
- To avoid complications, eradicate old practices. The market is evolving and competitive. And for continuous improvement, let go of things that are an obstacle in your success.
- Create a healthy environment wherein all employees contribute on an equal basis. Make your employees feel special, after which they feel empowered to do better.
- Involve people who are like-minded in the decision-making process. Also, consider their opinions and implement a practical solution.
- Never stop improving so solve problems right there. Dig deeper and analyze the root cause of the problem.
- Whatever decision the company makes, stick to factual data. Do not make judgment relying on opinions.
- While solving a problem ask the question ‘why’. This will help you to get to the base of any issue.
How to Implement Kaizen in Your Company in 8 Steps?
1. Educate Employees
Before starting the activity, stage the set for a better outcome. Train your employees about the working of kaizen. Share the advantages of kaizen and how it can help them in their professional life! Design training materials that will prepare the employees to take part. These materials will act as an awareness stage.
Alongside, training will help team leaders to achieve the desired goal. With this, they will know the value of unbiased evaluation and learn new strategies.
2. Involve Employees
Give importance to your employees. Consider their suggestions. With this, they will take an active part in the process. Moreover, they will also help in finding and testing solutions. Management plays a vital role in the participation of employees.
Management should explain to them the reason behind the new changes in the company. Thereafter, encouraging them to participate.
3. Find the Problem
Once all the employees are on board then start finding problems in the company. Start taking opinions from your staff. Also, take their suggestions to improve the process. With this, you might witness fruitful results.
Alongside this, ask them to note down new opportunities. With this, the employees will open up that will help you to create a list of problems.
4. Solution-finding
Now that you have a list of problems, then start brainstorming solutions. Remember, more brains are going to help in finding quick solutions. So, empower your employees to create solutions.
Team leaders can create groups who are good at problem-solving skills. Start writing solutions that make sense and are practical for implementation.
5. Implementation
Once you have a set of solution, then choose the best amongst the lot. But before implementing the solution, make sure to test it in a pilot program. Remember to undertake implementation in a planner manner.
At any point, if you think the solution needs some time to develop. Then hold your thought and shape the idea before implementation.
TIP
If you are a huge organization then go for a small-scale implementation. This medium makes it easy to test new methods.
6. Test the Results
While implementing solutions, make sure to undertake it from the grass-root level. With this, the results are positive and so is the outcome. Also, appoint leaders at every point who will test the results and report to the management.
Remember to have continuous communication so that the audit is completely undertaken. This will help in tracking the progress and the activity will be a success.
7. Standardization
While testing the solution, if you think it is working then standardize it. Enlighten your team on using the new solution. But, if the solution fails, then start brainstorming for new ideas. With standardization, your employees will get a morale boost. It also helps in saving time while making your employees satisfied and productive.
Standardization helps in channeling the tasks which the employees have to follow. With this, the bureaucracy stays on a minimal basis.
8. Repeat the Cycle
Once kaizen is implemented, that doesn’t mean the habits are dead. Instead, train your employees to the fullest to make this a habit. Allow the employees to repeat this cycle to make this a culture in the company.
Once done, it will be easy to eliminate waste and enhance the business process. Kaizen will also help in creating a stronger bond between the employees. Furthermore, affecting the company in a positive way.
Closing Thoughts
These tasks may look small. But the incremental improvements have a continuous impact on the company. Today, kaizen has become an important part of businesses. Furthermore, it helps in changing the right elements at the right time. It also helps in developing the focus to reap maximum benefits.
Alongside, implementing the Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) cycle with kaizen is also a prospering decision. So, if you wish to witness the success of your team, then practice kaizen principles at the workplace! And do comment below, if you practiced kaizen in your company.
