The phrase Kaizen is actually a combination of Japanese words ‘Kai’ meaning ‘improvement’ and ‘Zen’ meaning ‘good’. This strategy that can be applied to improve any business is part action plan and part philosophy. The concept is all about empowerment of employees, so that they are motivated to think creatively and offer growth-oriented suggestions. Kaizen states guidelines for ways in which to engage employees, including the top management, so as to cultivate a culture of continuous improvement within the organization.
As a philosophy, Kaizen states that the workplace environment should be such that all employees, especially the blue-collared workers, are encouraged to help with the progress of the company. This way each and every employee is thinking about improving the processes in order to efficiently manage resources and increase productivity. When Kaizen is implemented correctly, over the years, it become s a habit within the organization and new hires automatically become part of the whole dynamic.
Kaizen system focuses on action plan where the company is advised to incorporate team-building activities at regular intervals. Organizing events that aim to upskill employees in a specific area is also an effective Kaizen technique. Through Kaizen way, a company can easily train employees on hard or soft-skills that are deemed necessary. This concept comes in handy when a business adopts a new technology or have to transform its processes according to the changing trends in the market. Kaizen also offers details regarding increments, rewards and compensation to motivate employees.
The foundation of the Kaizen method consists of 5 founding elements:
- teamwork,
- personal discipline,
- improved morale,
- quality circles, and.
- suggestions for improvement.
The three pillars of kaizen are
- Housekeeping
- Waste Elimination
- 3. Standardization
Application & Benefits
Kaizen is applicable to any company regardless of size or industry. It is usually implemented in phases where a certain section of the company adopts the strategy and later other groups follow suit. This concept works in line with the existing quality management systems or standards of the company. It is seen that Kaizen is most effective when it is applied with a small group or a certain team with a set goal in mind. Thus, Kaizen is a methodology that works best for projects that have allotted timeframe.
Implementation of Kaizen brings with it numerous benefits for the organization. Since the whole concept is largely focused on employees, the first noticeable change will be better teamwork in the departments. Other key advantages are:
- Faster problem solving
- Efficient working culture
- Reduction in waste
- Better productivity
- Innovative solutions
- Improved employee morale
- More involvement from employees
- Employee satisfaction
Kaizen is built on certain principles that aim to drive teamwork and help company achieve continuous growth. Kaizen also can be tailed according to the goals and ambitions of the organizations. To do this the company must have a thorough understanding of the concept and know exactly the efforts needed. This is why it is best if a company gets consultation and trainings from known experts. Technocrat Consultants, with its experience and proven track-record, helps implement Kaizen structure that will ensure overall growth of the organization.