Blog #183: Why we need lean to build sustainable businesses - 3 lean tools

This is the third year in a row that I have been teaching Employer Branding to second-year HR for Business Bachelor students. Just before the November break, my Head of Department asked me if I could also teach Lean HR to the third-year students.

My first reaction... What is Lean HR all about?

Funny to find out later that ABInBev, my employer for 16 years, was one of the first non-automotive companies to adopt Lean. The only thing is that we did not call it like that back then. When I looked at the slides of the colleague who taught it last year, it all came back to me... continuous improvement, efficiency, 5S, white belt, Six Sigma, 20-80,...

So for the last few weeks, I have been immersed in it, so that I can teach it to my students in an interactive way, with practical examples.

I am now convinced that if we want to build sustainable businesses, we need lean because it helps us to focus on continuous improvement.

I am happy to share some of the tools I have rediscovered that I believe can help us all.

The first is the PARETO principle or the 80-20 rule, I can still hear it ringing in my ears as a mantra. It was a buzzword when I worked at ABInBev more than 10 years ago.

It helps us focus on the right efforts because 20% of our efforts produce 80% of the results. So focusing on the right efforts is critical. For example, if most of your talent comes from a nearby college, the most efficient thing to do is to focus your efforts on that school and continue to build that relationship.

The second one I remember vividly is the 5XWHY. When you encounter a problem, you ask why it is the way it is. You get the first answer, but you keep asking why, five times in a row, because with each why answered you dig deeper and eventually you find a root cause.

Superficial causes will not give you lasting results, but treating a root cause will.

The last one is about all the efforts that reduce waste in any process because a lean process has only the bare minimum in it.

I hope you have not met Tim Woods... (but I am sure you have...)

This name is an acronym for all the types of waste you should avoid if you want to have a smooth process:

• T for transport: moving goods or information unnecessarily from A to B
• I for inventory: anything you keep in stock
• M for movement: any unnecessary movement a person has to make to get from A to B
• W for waiting: any waiting should be avoided
• O for overprocessing: having more process steps than necessary
• O for overproducing: producing more than is needed, lean is about 'pull' = producing on customer demand
• D for defects: every defect delays the process
• S for skills: unused talent or potential, for example, people who are overqualified.

Although Lean was invented in manufacturing environments, these principles can be extremely effective in environments that mainly produce data as well.

Agree?

This is my 183rd blog to inspire you, the decision maker, to create an inclusive and sustainable work environment that is welcoming to all and aware of its impact on our world.

What waste would you most like to tackle?

If you want to work on leading sustainably. Let's talk. You can book an intake meeting directly on our agenda using this link.

Thank you for reading to the end and I look forward to reading your reactions ??.

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Cheers to your sustainable waste-free business, cheers to you,

Katherina

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Katherina Swings

I am on a mission to transform HR into People & Culture, where inclusion and sustainability are no-brainers.

Through strategic learning experiences and coaching, I empower my clients to embed the growing practices that put heart and soul into their corporate culture: impact entrepreneurship, belonging, inclusion, sustainability, purpose,... just to name a few.

Creation is one of my driving forces, along with connection and contribution. For me, co-creation is the culmination of all stakeholders' energy, wisdom and magic.?

My name is Swings, with an extra pair of wings, using everyone's wings to fly ??????'.

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