Information Sheets > Ongoing Improvement

The Japanese word "Kaizen" can be roughly translated as "continuous improvement". It is this commitment to improvement which has underpinned the rise in success for Eastern companies over the past 40 years.

The Kaizen management style relies on a foundation of gradual change, building up a culture of quality awareness and constant learning for the whole company. It is almost the opposite of the Western culture of "innovation" which is based on sudden change and great leaps forward in processes.

Kaizen works by combining a network of interrelated principles which may seem trivial when taken alone, but build up into a structure of quality and assurance. It is a people based approach to business. And it depends on involving everyone, from the newest recruit to the top management. It is :

• Customer focused - the company works to improve relationships between the customer and the company. It also promotes good relationships between departments within the company. Co-operation is a keynote of Kaizen.
• Process driven - by getting the process under control, results are automatically improved. Getting things right is more important than getting them done quickly.
• Quality assured - defective work is never passed on to the next person. Workers deal with problems at their outset. Systems are designed so that any problems will be shown up immediately. Employees are trained to spot the situations where mistakes could arise and prevent them.
• Clearly communicated - open co-operation between management and staff is an important part of the system. Managers in Kaizen-driven companies try to reduce the barriers to harmonious working relationship by involving everyone in the company in the decision making process. Company goals are clearly laid out.
• Team orientated - working on the theory that two heads are better than one and a hundred brains are better than two. Sharing ideas promotes better communication and boosts morale. The more people who know the system, the better the backup provided if one person is off sick or experiencing difficulties.
• Internally motivated - control of the job is handed back from management to the employee so the employee is empowered, entrusted and made to feel their efforts are worthwhile. Therefore the job becomes enjoyable and a challenge rather than a necessary evil. It encourages staff to adopt a positive attitude to work.
• Based on training - training is the beginning and end of Kaizen. It is a priority from top to bottom of the company and should be an ongoing process. Employees are encouraged to learn new techniques and processes while trying to improve the existing ones. The aim is to remove the drudgery of routine and allow flexibility across the workforce.

How do you get started? The main factor you need is time. Time to explore all the possibilities of Kaizen and to explain the systems to your employees. It is an all or nothing technique - you need to change the whole company structure before you can reap the benefits.

But you can begin by changing things gradually:

• Get your people committed to the subject so they are willing to co-operate. From the top of the company down, you will need people to be enthusiastic and supportive.
• Be open about your plans - begin to communicate within the company. Let workers put forward their own ideas on the subject.
• Start using the quality assured rule on your processes. Set a standard which must be attained and insist that faulty work is not passed on to the next level.
• Promote staff training, both within the company and outside. Talk to employees about the training they require and help them to see it in a positive light.
• Publish the results of your labours. If the system is working for you, let everyone know. Congratulate them on their hard work.
• Start talking to your customers. Find out where you can achieve a better co-operation.
• Promote better understanding between departments inside your company. Let employees see how their efforts affect others and work out ways to make the flow of work more productive and supportive.