In the world of continuous improvement (CI), Kaizen may perhaps be the most misunderstood concept. We’ve heard executives refer to their organizations as “Kaizen Organization” when there is little evidence of ongoing improvement being designed and implemented by the workforce. We’ve seen organizations refer to their value stream mapping activities as Kaizen Events. We’ve also attended conferences where seasoned continuous-improvement professionals refer to kaizen as a specific tool for reducing lead time or creating process capacity rather than what it is: a continuous-improvement philosophy and business management approach for making small, incremental progress on a daily basis. Kaizen sets the stage for the workforce to effectively apply specific improvement tools. When practiced on a daily basis, this process can transform an organization’s culture.
But even those who truly understand the essence of Kaizen often struggle when it comes to execution. Applying the Kaizen philosophy at a tactical level on a daily basis isn’t as easy as it seems it should be—especially here in the West. At its core, Kaizen is about people and respect for human dignity. Today’s organizations are complicated ecosystems comprised of independent-minded people with varying needs, experience, goals, understanding, priorities, and responsibilities. When we add the challenges associated with daily firefighting, excessive multitasking, functional organizational structures, unclear roles and responsibilities, and changing organizational priorities to this system, it’s no wonder that many organizations struggle with how to use Kaizen to improve bottom-line performance, the work environment, and ultimately, their position in the marketplace.
Kaizen Workshops (also Known as Kaizen events, Gemba Kaizen Workshop, Jishuken) are an effective way to train organizations to break unproductive habits and adopt the Kaizen philosophy while, at the same time, achieve breakthrough performance and unprecedented results. Through Kaizen Workshops, cross-functional teams learn how to make improvements in a methodological way. They learn how to apply specific improvement tools, establish relevant metrics programs, and sustain their gains. Most importantly, they learn how to work with one another to solve problems rapidly and in a highly effective way. After a Kaizen Event ends, these team members become ambassadors for change, spreading their learned behaviors across the organisation.
RIB Consulting Consultants have expertise in Leading Kaizen workshops in your organisation to achieve the set objectives. RIB Consulting conducts Kaizen workshops in India, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Dubai and Russia.