Is going from good to great causing you problems?
A key reason why many continuous improvement schemes or systems fail to sustain is that the people involved in them run out of steam. Continuous improvement should not be just about ‘correcting problems’, but about finding better ways of working.
Do you want a simple approach?
Smartspeed can help your business develop a simple approach to continuous improvement that takes very little time to operate and fits in well with the many pressures and strains of a hectic working life. By creating a continuous improvement system that anyone can understand and anyone can contribute to, you will increase ‘buy-in’ and improve the rate of change in your business. Furthermore, by using methods of participation that are both light touch and engaging, you will have a formula for creating changes whenever you want to.
Everyone can do it
Our clients have been stunned at how this approach quickly gets their staff involved in generating and implementing improvement ideas.
Continuous Improvement Tips
If your business is struggling to embrace kaizen / continuous improvement then please consider the following tips:
- Take it easy! Don’t push people too hard to come up with ideas. Make it a safe place to experiment with ideas.
- Use the PDCA (Plan Do Check Act) tool to manage ideas and let them develop.
- Tackle problem areas first, as often the improvement ideas are obvious and this can help to gain momentum.
- Don’t try to do everything at once. Schedule when you will complete specific tasks.
- Keep everyone informed as to where you are up to; if your team think that their ideas are being ignored then they will be less forthcoming in the future.
- Always be improving, every day!
When you embrace a continuous improvement approach that is simple, effective and sustainable you will see change happening every day in your business. Many businesses who put too much pressure on their staff to improve find that progress is sporadic and often slips backwards once the pressure is taken off.
If you would like to learn how you and your business can benefit from our approach to continuous improvement, please get in touch using our contact form.
Also, if your business is based in the North East of England, you can take advantage of our free business improvement review, which is delivered without obligation.