Five Simple Steps to Improve Productivity
[by Diane Chinn]
What happens when you hear the phrase process improvement? Do you groan or sigh? Do you think "this is going to be a lot of work and take a lot of time?" Typically, this is the natural response to the concept of process improvement. But, it does not have to be that way. Here are five (5) simple steps that you can take to improve the productivity of you business
There are certain basic tasks that must be done to make a business successful. Sometimes it is useful to take a fresh look at these basics to see that the organization is still on track. If there are fundamental problems in the daily operations of your business, changes in other areas may not lead to improvements. Concepts like orderliness, cleanliness, discipline, and managing costs and prices are examples of fundamentals in any organization. Also, when employees' basic needs are not being met, we cannot expect to make meaningful improvements in other areas. Taking care of the basics can lead to improved productivity, safety, and employee satisfaction. Adopting the 5S philosophy of Kaizen (Japanese taken from the words kai, which means change, and zen, which means good) is one way to take care of the basics. This is a frequently used tool from the LEAN Six Sigma tool box.
The 5S model includes:
o Sort: Clear out unused or rarely used items from the work areas
o Straighten: Create a place for everything and everything in its place
o Shine: Keep things clean, no dirt or trash in the work place. Regularly look for and remove things that could interfere with quality, timely work.
o Standardize: Develop systems and procedures to maintain productivity and quality work.
o Sustain: Use regularly management audits to maintain a stabilized workplace
Example:
The number of claims by third part administrators because of errors was a serious problem for one hospital. Incorrect claims led to additional work for claims staff and delays in reimbursements for the hospital. A process improvement team was established to address the issue. They interviewed claims processors and others in the business office. They found that noise levels and constant interruptions made it difficult for claims processors to complete an entire claim transaction without disruption. Disruptions led to missed steps in the claims process Simple changes were made to correct the problem. Employees who liked to listen to music while they worked were asked to use headphone and each claims processor was given a block of "protected time" each week. During this protected time, they could forward their telephone calls to a co-worker and were not available for meetings. With these simple changes, the volume of returned claims decreased by 40%.
Kaizen is a good starting point for process improvement that is quick and easy and will result in measurable and sustainable productivity improvement.
