Kaizen is Japanese for “continuous improvement”, or “change for the better”. It refers to a philosophy or practices that focus upon continuous improvement of processes in any kind of organisation, from a manufacturing plant to a local authority. When used in the business sense and applied to the workplace, kaizen refers to activities that continually improve all functions, and involves all employees from the CEO to the front line workers. It often applies to processes and is featured in related initiatives such as total quality management, six sigma and lean manufacturing. By improving standardised activities and processes, kaizen aims to eliminate waste and enhance efficiency. Kaizen was first implemented in several Japanese businesses after the Second World War, influenced in part by American business and quality management teachers who visited the country. It has since spread throughout the world and is now being implemented in many other ways besides just business and productivity.
Kaizen underpins all of our work at TLC – “every day’s a school day”! If you haven’t yet embedded Kaizen into every aspect of your organisation, such that it is the cultural norm – “the way we do things round here” – then TLC can help you.