Introduction to

Kaizen
A proven method to increase productivity in every facet of
your business
CHAPTERS

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2. Kaizen = Continuous
Improvement . . . . . . . . . . 5
Hundreds of Innovative
3. Gemba Kaizen . . . . . . . . . 6 Products and Solutions

4. Kaizen Concepts . . . . . . . . 7 Knowledgeable Staff

5. 5S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Free, Fast Shipping on

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6. The 5 M’s . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Free Guides, Podcasts,

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much more
7. The Kaizen Group. . . . . . . . 13

8. Kaizen in Action. . . . . . . . . 14
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9. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . 15
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11. Additional Resources . . . . . 16
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LEGAL DISCLAIMER

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Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com

Introduction
Kaizen literally means improvement -
improvement in your personal life and your
working life. When a company adopts
the Kaizen model, it strives to improve its
processes in small but meaningful ways.
And not just a one-time improvement, but
a commitment to excellence by constantly
testing and improving the workflow, day in
and day out.

Kaizen was first introduced in the Toyota

manufacturing plant in Japan in the early 1950s
and it has since become one of the main
reasons for the country’s success. In Japan,
Kaizen is a way of life in the workplace, from
the office of the CEO all the way down to shop
apprentice. The Japanese take it very seriously,
and for good reason. Kaizen has led them from
being a defeated wartime nation to one of the
strongest industrialized countries in the world.

Kaizen is a philosophy and a workplace

methodology that allows everyone to take
control of their work processes and improve
them. By learning to keep an eye out for
possible changes, people are able to contribute
in small ways that benefit of the organization.

Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 4

Kaizen =
Continuous
Improvement
The best thing about Kaizen - and the biggest is involved and contributing. It requires a small
reason that every company should adopt investment of money, but a large investment
it - is that it does not rely on expensive, in effort, cooperation, and training. If done
innovative solutions. Just the opposite is true. correctly, the results are often amazing.
The core principle of Kaizen is to make small,
immediate improvements in the processes and
standards of the workplace. But not just one
improvement. Looking for ways to make small
Kaizen is a process.
improvements should be part of everyone’s
job, every day of the week. And after a period
It is not a one-time adjustment made
of time, all of these small improvements
to make this quarter’s numbers look
will add up to better working conditions, a
better. It must become a daily part
higher degree of safety, more efficiency, and
of every worker’s routine. It must
ultimately, greater profits.
become part of the company’s
culture so managers and employees
To understand what Kaizen is, it may be
are constantly looking for small
helpful to look at the differences between the
ways to improve the workflow.
traditional Western methods of improvement
When that happens, you will have
and Kaizen. In the West, innovation is king.
an organization that has become
When management wants to get better
lean, mean, and efficient. This is the
results from their workers, they introduce the
essence of Kaizen.
latest technology or incorporate the newest
management technique that they saw at the
This is its greatest strength.
last trade show.

“Kaizen is the tortoise compared

to the western hare. It relies
on long-term, long-lasting, and
nondramatic changes.”

Big changes equal big results - that’s the

mantra that is traditionally chanted in the West.
The result is often a big expenditure of money
and time and in the end, the results are not that
great. Kaizen is different. Kaizen is the tortoise
compared to the western hare. It relies on long-
term, long-lasting, and nondramatic changes.
“Small steps done many times” is the method
that it relies on. It is a group effort - everyone

Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 5

Gemba Kaizen
Gemba and Kaizen go together like peanut “To make changes in a process,
butter and jelly.
you must actually see the
In Japanese, gemba means “real place”. In process in action.”
Kaizen, the phrase “Go to Gemba First” is
often used. It means that you must go to Managers must be constantly watching
where the action is or where the process is and learning how their employees are doing
completed. It is the workbench, the sales things.
meeting, or the cubicle. To make changes in
a process, you must actually see the process In many Japanese companies, gemba is the
in action. responsibility of all employees, even financial
and administrative. They are required to go
Many managers never leave their offices. to gemba to observe the processes to get a
They rely on reports or meetings to get the better understanding of their own positions.
information they need. This is completely It is truly a model that is the responsibility of
wrong in the Kaizen model. The manager every worker.
must intimately know the processes in order
to be able to make the small improvements
that are the backbone of Kaizen.

Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 6

Kaizen
Concepts

Management
In Kaizen, management has two functions:
maintenance and improvement. Setting
standards and keeping them is an important
part of Kaizen. One of management’s primary
roles is to maintain the technological and
operating standards that have been put
into place. They make sure that everyone
performs their assigned tasks according to
explicitly outlined standards and performs
them on a daily basis.

Management’s other role is improvement.

They must be constantly looking for ways to
raise the current operating standards. This is
an ongoing effort and must be a daily part of
the manager’s job.

Process versus Results

Process is the holy grail of Kaizen. Managers
often concentrate on results too much
and pay too little attention to the process.
Kaizen will change that behavior. The Kaizen
manager realizes that improving the process
will improve the result. This is why Kaizen’s
main focus is on the process.

Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 7

 PDCA Cycle
The PDCA cycle is a system used to ensure
the continuation of the Kaizen principles. It is
a vital part of the process.

Plan refers to establishing a target and a

strategy for improvement. This is a must.
Without a target, how do you know if you
have achieved success?

Do refers to the implementation of your plan.

Check is when you determine if your plan

actually improved the process.

Act is the process of standardizing the

improved procedure so that it can be
continued and so that the problem will not
return.

By fwollowing the PDCA cycle, you will

ensure that your process improves and does
not degrade.

Quality First
Quality is always the highest priority in a
Kaizen system. But quality does not only
refer to the finished product, it also refers to
the processes and standards that create the
product. It runs through all phases of company
activity: design, production, management,
sales, and service. It is both the goal and the
method of the production cycle.

Speak with Data

Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 8

One of Kaizen’s biggest strengths is that it
solves problems. But in order for the model
to work, you must gather relevant data that
can be analyzed. Without this data you will be
flying blind. You will never be able to tell what
is working and what needs to be improved.
Data is the lifeblood of the Kaizen system.

The Next Process

Is the Customer
Each product is made by a series of
processes, one coming before the next. The
Kaizen model stresses the importance of
quality in each stage of manufacturing. The
worker responsible for each stage should
never pass a defective part (or inaccurate
information) to the next stage. This is what is
meant by “the next process is the customer.”
If every worker embraces this philosophy, the
end result will be a dramatic drop in defective
products.

Visual Management
Another major concept of Kaizen is visual
management. The opportunities for
improvement may present themselves
on a daily basis, but if you are not able to
see them, they will be missed. One of the
primary methods used in Kaizen is creating
an environment where tools, supplies, and
processes that are out of place or out of sync
can be seen right away.

Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 9

 Improving Visual
Communication in the
Workplace
Visual communication goes hand in hand
with visual management in the Kaizen
world. Just like having tools out of order
and suffering from lost time and efficiency
because of it, a facility without floor marking,
signs, and labels is far from showcasing their
skills with Kaizen. Visual cues are an integral
part of any business as they help remind
employees of safety standards that must be
upheld to prevent serious injury or death, and
protect against property damage.

Visual communication can include floor

signs warning workers of forklifts and
labeling hazardous chemicals in an effort to
prevent spills. Even PPE signs and marking
pedestrian pathways is helpful in fostering
a safe workspace for employees. For those
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In the end, adding these types of safety tools

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communication is a staple for Kaizen and other
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Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 10

5S
The heart and soul of visual management is
5S. It is systematic approach to workplace
For additional information on 5S,
organization and cleaning that will transform
a disorganized workplace into an efficiently
download our FREE 5S Guide:
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foundation that allows businesses to employ
additional lean manufacturing tools such
as Kaizen. When the work environment is
orderly, people can more easily identify
opportunities for improvement.

1. Sort (Seiri) - The first step in 5S 2. Set in Order (Seiton) -The second
is to eliminate all the things in the step is to arrange the items used on a
workspace that are not being used and daily basis so that they can be easily
store them away. If a tool or material is accessed and quickly stored. Your
not used on a daily basis, eliminate it goal is to eliminate any unnecessary
from the workstation. movements and actions by the worker
to make the process as efficient as
possible.

3. Shine (Seiso) - Next is to get

everything cleaned and functioning
properly. The goal is to remove all the 4. Standardize (Seiketsu) -The
dirt and grime and to keep it that way on fourth step is to develop a routine
daily basis. You want to get it clean and for sorting, setting, and shining.
keep it clean. Standardize creates a system of tasks
and procedures that will ensure that the
principles of 5S are performed on a daily
basis.

5. Sustain (Shitsuke) - In the last

step, you want to create a culture that
will follow the steps on a daily basis. The
chief objective of sustain is to give your
staff the commitment and motivation to
follow each step, day in and day out.

Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 11

The 5 M’s
A great tool for management to maintain and
improve the workflow is called the 5 M’s.
By always keeping an eye on the 5 M’s, the
managers will be able to see when something
is not working in a process.

1. Manpower - Managers must know 2. Machines - Each manager

their employees’ jobs intimately. They must also have an excellent working
must know if they are completing their knowledge of each machine and tool in
tasks in the right way and what the skill his department. He must check to see if
level of each employee is. Is the morale they are being regularly maintained and
high, or is there a lot of absenteeism or if they are in good working order. Are
indifference? they producing high quality products? If
not, is it the fault of the machine?

3. Materials -The flow of materials is

very important in Kaizen. The just-in-time
model dictates how materials should
flow in a process. Only those materials
that are needed should be in the work
zone. If there are more materials than 4. Methods - By having standardized
are needed, they should be stored away methods, the manager will be able to
in a separate location. Each workstation see if the worker is doing his or her
should have a minimum and maximum job correctly. Posted worksheets and
inventory level for each process. diagrams that show the sequence and
quality control for each process will
help achieve proper adherence to the
standard methods.

5. Measurements - How do you

know if a process is running smoothly?
Productions, schedules, and targets
should be displayed so everyone can
see if improvement is being made.
Gauges should be clearly marked to Integrating these tools into your
show the proper operating ranges of the company’s culture will ensure that
equipment. Kaizen creates long-lasting results in
your productivity, team morale, safety,
and ultimately, your profits.

Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 12

The Kaizen
Group
At its core, Kaizen is a group effort. Only
when the entire organization embraces the
ideals of Kaizen will you see its benefits. The
dedication to Kaizen must start at the highest
level of management and must infect middle
management and the general workforce
like a virus. Kaizen will forever change the
manager-worker relationship. Traditionally, the
manager’s role was to plan, implement, and
supervise the workers. But by using the small
group model in Kaizen, the responsibility
to plan, do, and control falls to the worker.
The manager’s job is now to motivate and
supervise the workers.

Small groups are formed to carry out various

specific tasks in the workplace such as
quality control, suggestions groups, ways
to minimize movement, safety, or any other
necessary task. Together they utilize the
PDCA cycle to make small but continuous
improvements to their areas.

The advantages to this method are

enormous. They include:

• Better morale

• Increased sense of teamwork

• Better communication between

employees and management

• New skill development

• Workers feel valued and enjoy coming to

work

• Removes the drudgery of the job

This small group model is a win-win for both

management and workers. Workers begin to
enjoy coming to work and management sees
the level of quality in their products rise.

Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 14

Kaizen in Action
Siemens Oostkamp produces electronic 5S, visual management, and just-in-time were the
components such as relays, connectors, and main Kaizen tools utilized by the teams to achieve
coils. The combination of fewer orders from their their goals. In areas where 5S was implemented,
parent company and increasingly intense global the machines and floors were spotless and
competition forced them to look for new markets. the machine layouts were changed for a more
efficient process flow.
On his first tour of the plant, the Kaizen consultant
asked the supervisors if specific information was Visual management was evident everywhere.
available, such as failure rate or setup times, and Large charts were displayed that showed plant
the answer was always, “It’s in the computer.” goals with numerical data and trend charts for
But when asked to retrieve it, no one ever could. each item. Tools had specific, clearly marked
The first task was to get the management to homes, and floors were marked showing
understand the need to collect data and make designated areas for supply carts and finished
this information visible and accessible. Without products.
this data, there is no way to know where to start.
The just-in-time model revealed that changeover
The management at Siemens Oostkamp times at the molding department were taking
overcame initial resistance to change with their too long. They instituted a new procedure that
hands-on approach. They knew that their place minimized the batch size and the number of
was in gemba and continuously motivated their boxes of work-in-process, thus decreasing the
workers to collect data and review their work. changeover times.

Within a few months, they had enough data to

know where to start. To put the Kaizen activities
in motion, self-managed work teams were formed So did Kaizen help Siemens
in which the goals of Kaizen were carried out with
methods that the teams developed themselves.
Oostkamp?

With each employee a part of a team, they They were able to reduce the cost of inventory by
became more conscious of problems on the line 30%. Lead time for their brake coils went from 12
and were able to solve the problems themselves. days to half a day.
With this new clarity, they suggested and
Before Kaizen, they kept a three month inventory
implemented small, incremental changes. And
of cable connectors; this is no longer necessary
using the newly collected data, they assigned
because the lead time has been reduced to three
themselves specific goals to shoot for.
hours.

The number of product types has been reduced

by 33%. Storage area was reduced by 10%.

The employees are now problem solvers. When a

defective product was found, it used to take days
to find the problem. Now they can see it right
away and make adjustments.

Those are the tangible results. What the numbers

don’t show is a happier, more fulfilled staff that
enjoys coming to work. That translates to fewer
sick days, less employee turnover, and better
safety. That’s a success by anyone’s standards.

Kaizen Guide | creativesafetysupply.com 15

Conclusion
If you integrate the Kaizen principles into
your workplace, you will see noticeable
improvements right away and great
improvements in the long term. You will
see improvements at the workstations, in
the office, and in your employees. And you
will get these results without spending a
ton of money on new equipment. Because
the results come not from fancy innovation,
but from the creation of a workforce
that is actively involved in making small
improvements to the workflow. It doesn’t
get any better than that.

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