Kaizen Method: what does it bring to your company?

Optimizing a company’s processes is the best way to increase its efficiency and speed, achieving higher levels of productivity and competitiveness. To achieve process improvement and eliminate everything that does not add value to the business, many companies use  the Kaizen method , which seeks to ensure that a company operates more and more perfectly.

Índice

  1. What is the Kaizen method
  2. Steps to apply the Kaizen method
  3. What benefits can it bring to your company?

What is the Kaizen method

The Kaizen method is a principle of continuous improvement that seeks to optimize all business processes, avoiding unproductive ones thanks to a high level of discipline . By implementing this philosophy, any worker in the company can present suggestions for improving processes or tasks. 

The Japanese Kaizen method is based on what is known as “the five Ss”, and more and more companies are choosing to implement it to guarantee the continuous improvement of their business processes.

What are the five S’s of the Kaizen method?

  • Seiri . You have to differentiate what is useful from what is not.

  • Seiton . They are links that are made between pages of the same site to transfer authority between them.

  • Seiso . Order and cleanliness are a priority in all processes.

  • Seiketsu . Hygiene and personal grooming always taken care of.

  • Sheitzuke . Promote discipline and self-control as a way to achieve optimal productivity.

Steps to apply the Kaizen method

To adopt the philosophy of the Kaizen method in a company, it is necessary to follow a series of steps following the five S’s:

Select a team

Create a team to implement the Kaizen method, made up of different profiles, and where creativity and innovation are a constant.

Analysis of data

To look for possible problems, unproductive processes or critical points for improvement, it is necessary to collect and analyze data (using automation tools to obtain better results in less time).

Verify on the spot

Everything that is identified in the previous stage of data analysis must be verified in situ (Genbutsu Gemba). After detecting any problem, you must go see it in person and directly to verify its status and impact.

Apply fixes

It consists of applying the necessary corrections or measures to solve the verified problem directly. A schedule for the implementation of changes must be established so that they are applied efficiently without interrupting the company’s usual activity.

Evaluate the results

The Kaizen method pursues continuous improvement, so a monitoring system must be implemented to evaluate the results and be able to start the process again until the optimal solution is reached.

What benefits can it bring to your company?

With the Kaizen method, companies obtain multiple benefits by improving their processes and eliminating unproductive ones:

  • Create good habits and practices in the company that provide greater agility and a higher level of productivity and competitiveness.

  • It encourages continuous improvements on a personal level that are reflected in the work.

  • Seiso . Order and cleanliness are a priority in all processes.

  • Work processes are improved, increasing the level of quality and considerably reducing the number of failures and errors.

  • Reduces costs associated with processes.

The Kaizen method is a Japanese philosophy that was born in the Toyota assembly plants and that over time has been adapted so that any type of company can embrace it, in search of continuous improvement of its business.