Build a culture of constant Optimization with your Kaizen Policy

In the world of business, one of the most widely used Japanese words is  ‘kaizen,’ which denotes continuous improvement. It refers to all the activities that improve the functions which take in employees of all levels in an organisation, i.e., from CEO to lower line workforce.

Definition of kaizen

The word ‘kaizen’ is originally a Japanese concept first time used by the Toyota production system after the Second World War. The term is formed from two Japanese characters- “kai” and “zen,” which literally mean “change” and “better/good .”We may also say it is a change for the better or an improvement.

The word is mostly used in the context of continuous improvement everywhere and every day. This philosophy is about building a culture where all employees of the company are actively involved and give their full effort to improve the same.

Kaizen is something that everybody can adopt because it creates more engaged and happier employees and a better workplace that automatically generates better results.

Though the kaizen policy is first introduced in Japan, it quickly spread to a different corner of the world. Many famous western companies have adopted this policy and become successful. Here are examples of a few such companies:

Ford Motor Company- In 2006, when Alan Mullaly became CEO of Ford, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. He used this kaizen policy and made history’s admirable turnarounds.

Lockheed Martin- It is a famous aerospace, security, defense, and advanced technologies company in America that deeply support kaizen. It has adopted this method to minimize manufacturing costs, defect rate, and order to delivery time. In 2000, it was awarded the Shingo Prize for excellence in applying lean manufacturing.

Nestle- It is one of the famous food industries that have implemented kaizen and got success. This policy reduces the wastage of time and materials in their processes. It helps to make the wise and best use of resources.

Pixar Animation Studios- Pixar applies the kaizen policy to minimize the risk of big-budget movie failure by using quality control checks.

Now we can understand well how the companies of various sectors make them better than yesterday by adopting this kaizen policy. Let’s know how they created a culture of continuous optimisation with the kaizen policy and became successful today.

How kaizen creates a culture of continuous optimisation

Kaizen is not just a philosophy; it’s a strategy where all the employees work jointly to solve a problem or achieve continuous improvements in a business. So continuously adopting and applying kaizen will create a massive long-term value for the employees and company. Know how!

• Improves teamwork

Teamwork can be considered proof of kaizen’s benefit. Kaizen’s philosophy revolves around working together in a group to make continuous improvements. It simply states that work can be done more efficiently if done jointly rather than individual work separately. Solving the problem and finding a better way can be possible with teamwork.

• Increase in efficiency

By following the kaizen, you can be able to build a lean business that uses resources carefully. Kaizen theory instructs its employees to work together in any situation precisely.

• Reduces waste

Kaizen policy helps to reduce waste. It also helps to minimize waiting time, excess production, excess inventory use, excess manufacturing defect, and so on. Besides, it helps to find and weed out unnecessary activities, thus cutting costs.

• Optimum utilisation of resources

The kaizen policy trains you to use all the available resources in an optimum way. So that you can reduce the wastage of resources as well as money spent on purchases. Moreover, this policy can be measured appropriately based on the continuous optimization required to develop a company.

• Employee satisfaction

Employee satisfaction is one of the aspects of the kaizen policy. It helps to improve employee satisfaction by involving them to contribute their ideas directly in the process and systems so that it can make them better and also make them realize that they are being respected.

When you involve your employees more in an important decision-making process, an employee-employer relationship will get strengthened, and they will feel happy. This attitude makes them feel involved more, thus benefiting the company.

• Safe workplace

Implementing this kaizen policy in your business means ensuring safety measures in the workplace. It involves better control of equipment and keeping the areas clean. Regular safety training according to the work requirement must be provided to reduce or save from any work-related injuries that might occur and should also make them learn how to tackle them.

Moreover, you must ask your employees to suggest any ways through which safer conditions can be made for the work. This increases the progress in work.

• Faster troubleshooting

If you follow the kaizen strategy, then on finding the problem, you can quickly solve or rectify it to grow your business. It reduces time and increases production work. The temporary result can take you to the top.

Kaizen is extraordinary because it concentrates on teamwork which helps to improve performance.

• Simplifies work processes

Kaizen simplifies the work processes by eliminating extremely difficult work. It also suggests including training within industry programs which reduces mistakes and increases efficiency. Training increases productivity and helps them to do the work easily as it erases the lack of knowledge.

 No matter what kind of business you have, applying kaizen to your business will grow your business. It ensures your team’s full output and the company’s success.