In any business, there is room for improvement. Whether that means removing waste (and there are many, many different types of waste), changing procedures, encouraging employees to make suggestions or simply striving for better standards, Lean Manufacturing will encompass much of this. Lean Manufacturing done by one person sets the example. You wouldn’t believe how many more people are willing to get outside of their comfort zones to apply Lean Manufacturing if it is done as a team. I know how hard it is to implement changes in a manufacturing environment if you are the only one interested in doing it. I have been there, and done that.
What I learnt is that by getting more people involved changes were suggested and implemented much faster and less work was required by every individual person. As the saying goes ‘Many hands make light work’, Lean Manufacturing needs to be done by a group who are all interested in achieving the same outcome. I would suggest that is one of the benefits to Lean Manufacturing; people are encouraged and motivated to introduce change.
Lean Manufacturing is a philosophy, or a mind set, not a strategy. In order for it to work correctly, there must be a desire to accept change. I know so many businesses are stubborn and have their ways set in concrete. You can guarantee that a business which is not adaptable will not survive for very long. I love the fact that one change, or one suggestion can get a ball rolling. With a few strokes to guide where the ball rolls, an entire company can change very quickly.
Lean Manufacturing brings with it a much higher level of moral in a workplace. Everyone is encouraged to learn about ‘Kaizen’, which is the process of continual improvement. If everyone assumes that what is being done is the best way to do it, then you have low moral and as a result low performing Medium Scale Industry employees. However, if people are always looking for a way to improve the way things are done then there is a real sense of ownership and pride. I have seen many times how important that moral can be in every environment, ranging from a manufacturing one through to workshops and even offices.
Of course, the real benefit to the business when Lean Manufacturing is applied is the monetary gains. I have done a number of cost benefit analysis based on just a few of the suggestions of employees in different industries, and there Introducing Lean To A Company are literally millions of dollars being thrown away every single day. A big business has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of dollars every year through a few small changes, but they need to be willing to make them.
I believe there should be a benefit to those who suggest the changes too. If you really want to see fast, entrepreneurial action then you need to reward those who come up with a good suggestion and plan for the implementation. It truly is a win win situation – both the employee and employer benefits.
Lean Manufacturing is beneficial in your personal life too, even if it is as basic as understanding what you can change, and what you can remove to get better results. I would highly recommend people looking into Competitive and Lean Manufacturing – it will improve the way you think and perform to a level that you wouldn’t have believed possible.
