As individuals we all strive for perfection to some degree. Our organizations are no different. The goal of many organizations is to be the best at what they do. The problem is that we are so set in our ways that there obstacles presented to us that stop this effort in its tracks.
In the title to this post we discussed hidden wastes., These wastes which are in every process that your organization undertakes are there for one reason and one reason only. You have never looked for them.
Let me begin with a brief scenario to which I would ask you think very carefully on your answer. I am not concerned whether it is on a monthly , quarterly or annual basis, however your financial people have just handed you the financial reports on how your department is performing. Here is my challenge to you:
What do you do with the reports?
Many people to whom we have posed the question to respond by we check the numbers.What are you checking the numbers for? Do you look at the numbers to see if they are calculated correctly? or Do you look at the numbers to see where they came from? Your response tells us whether you are part of the problem or part of the solution.
We would suggest that instead of just checking the numbers to make sure the numbers are correct, approach the process with the utilization of a series of why questions. The purpose is to identify why we do things the way we do. Typically when you ask the question why the response is usually because that is the way we have always done it. So ask why again. This time the answer will change to because John Smith many years ago decided that this was the way we should do something. So why again.
The third why usually leads to a response like they heard it at a seminar or the owner of the company suggesting it. The course usually extends out to five whys which will at the end lead you to the real reason why you do something. It is the first step in uncovering wastes within your organization.
Our goal in doing this is to run our human resources processes faster (leaner), cheaper ( at less cost) and better (with less errors). We achieve this by introducing the six-sigma methodology to your transactional services. Our goal is to continuously improve the transactional services and process quality, getting the services to the customer faster, and reducing costs while improving the price to the customer.
The question is who are our customers? In order to achieve this process improvement our customers include both internal ( hiring managers, upper management, stakeholders) and external (recruiters, sourcing professionals,social media).
Part 2 of this post will look at the nine types of waste or muda and some examples of how they can affect your organization.
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