The Benefits of Continuous Improvement in the Workplace

Imagine a workplace where productivity was constantly optimized, innovation was always pursued, and new opportunities were frequently discovered! A continuous improvement approach can assist manufacturers to operate on a higher level.

The continuous improvement process is one of ongoing incremental improvements, where a business continues normal business activities, while constantly seeking out new opportunities to add value to their products, services and processes. Continuous quality improvement can accomplish major change over time; however, it is completely driven by the input of employees, as its effectiveness relies on the team’s dedication to the process.

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A continuous improvement plan is a set of activities designed to bring gradual, ongoing improvement to products, services, or processes through constant review,?measurement,?and action. The Shewhart Cycle (also known as the Delming Cycle or PDCA, which stands for Plan-Do-Check-Act), or an approach called Kaizen, are the two most well-known frameworks used to support continuous improvement.

Continuous improvement is a critical dimension of all major quality frameworks and methodologies, including Six Sigma, ISO, and Baldrige.

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Why Continuous Improvement?

Organizations dedicated to continuous improvement recognize the importance of these actions for strengthening the quality of a product, improving customer satisfaction, and for?improving efficiency, productivity and profits.?Implementing the program is a tacit acknowledgment that, even though the company's operations will never reach perfection, they can always be better than they were yesterday.

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The Shewhart Cycle

The Shewhart Cycle follows a circle with no beginning or end, meaning that continuous improvement is a process that never stops.

A simple description of the PDCA cycle is:?

Plan:?Identify an opportunity and create a plan for improvement.

Do:?Test the change on a small scale where results can easily be observed and measured.

Check: Evaluate the results of the test and summarize the lessons learned.

Act:?If the test worked, implement the change on a slightly larger scale and monitor results.

Remember, the process is a cycle. If the test fails, repeat the entire process. If it works, monitor results and start over again with a new plan to promote additional improvements. The work of continuous improvement is never-ending.?

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Kaizen

Kaizen is a Japanese term that stands for "change for the better." Kaizen supports the perspective that everything can be improved, even if it's incremental. Continuous incremental improvements over time are viewed as desirable and can translate into improved quality, reduced costs, simplified work processes, less waste, and improved customer satisfaction and profits. Kaizen is a critical part of the broader Toyota Production System.?

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Continuous Improvement Is a Way of Life

The late quality guru W. Edwards Deming said that managers and organizations must have a consistency of purpose and a deep and abiding dedication to constant, ongoing improvement in order to?satisfy customers, beat the competition, and retain jobs. Deming's focus was on ensuring that continuous improvement was bred into the culture, not something that was momentary or occasional. He often criticized managers for being short-sighted and focusing on the wrong measures. In contrast, Deming encouraged managers to invest in the long-term by focusing on meaningful measures of continuous improvement.

Organizations that excel at continuous improvement incorporate it into their values and reflect it in their hiring and training. They also incorporate it into their employee?evaluation?and compensation system. Employees take greater ownership in these companies because they are invested in the process of ongoing improvement. If you visit a firm that excels at this work, the signs of continual refinements will be visible in every aspect of the culture. Continuous improvement is a way of life, not a passing fad or short-term fix.?

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The Positive Impact of Continuous Improvement

With practice and time, companies learn internally how to work in an organized efficient manner, identify opportunities, and make changes accordingly. They also learn how to pinpoint areas where value is added, where value is absent, and how to dispose of invaluable waste.

A manufacturer that adopts the continuous improvement approach will see immeasurable benefits, including:

• Increased productivity
• Improved quality
• Lowered costs
• Decreased delivery times
• Improved employee satisfaction/morale
• Reduced employee turnover rate

? Collected and Edited by Sk. Mamun Ferdoush