Overview of Kaizen Methodology

Author: Sarah Francoise

Productivity is very significant in today’s competitive business environment. Organizations pursue ways of improving their procedures, decreasing costs and increasing their benefits. Kaizen management training helps to understand the purposes of constant improvement within all the procedures of an organization. It has similarities with other methodologies such as 5s and the lean methodology. It can be applied to any procedures of industries from logistics to manufacturing. Several industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, IT, construction, defense, service, automotive, etc. take benefit of implementing Kaizen methodology.

The word "Kaizen" is a Japanese word which means "improvement". Kai means change and Zen means good. While the translation of the word is good change or good improvement, the Kaizen methodology denotes to activities that constantly improve all functions of an organization. It pursues to contain all the employees from low level to top level within the organization. Kaizen is a constant improvement strategy which can be executed to business, manufacturing, workplace, organizations and also to personal life. Kaizen purposes is to find the ways of applying standardized procedures. Therefore, Kaizen obtains the most effectual practices for a procedure. Starting a standardized structure is a live procedure which should be analyzed and improved constant.

Why need to Implement the Kaizen Methodology?

Over time, small incremental developments can bring important results—it’s essentially a grassroots movement for BPI. Kaizen also raises conditions in which employees are extremely involved. When executed successfully and clearly, Kaizen fulfils three important needs of employees:

  • Connection: Connected to a greater organizational goal, to their work, and to their co-workers.
  • Creation: Opportunities to think and solve present issues with creative, yet practical solutions.
  • Control: A sense of ownership and awareness throughout the procedure.

Using the Kaizen methodology is an easy way to involve employees and grow a culture of constant improvement. It seems clear, but employee engagement has a straight impact on business procedures and success. When company organize and empower all employees to contribute in the big picture through small effects to their local environments, they'll stick around longer and work smarter. Easily loop in employees with Lucid chart, simply by sharing procedure diagrams and collaborating in real time with the chat feature or even by straight commenting on precise parts of document.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Kaizen Methodology:

Advantages of Kaizen Methodology:

Here are the benefits of kaizen methodology:

  • Inspires teamwork.
  • Enhance decision making.
  • Enhance employee and consumer satisfaction.
  • Enhance employee contribution.
  • Inspires employees to share their suggestions.
  • Enhance the quality of a product or a procedure.
  • Enhance safety in the workplace.
  • Improves productivity.
  • Decreases wastes (removes wastes).
  • Builds a company culture.
  • Trains employees to think for refining their works.
  • Delivers constant improvement within an organization.
  • Enhance collaboration and communication.

Disadvantages of Kaizen Methodology:

Below are some disadvantages of Kaizen Methodology.

  • Absence of collaboration and communication delay the effective execution of Kaizen.
  • Sometimes former employees may be against the execution of new techniques and solutions.
  • Absence of participation obstructs the efficient use of Kaizen.

Lack of management support reduces employee’s motivation.