Frontline workers are resistant to Kaizen changes. How can you win their support for Lean Manufacturing?
When frontline workers push back on Kaizen initiatives, it's crucial to address their concerns and demonstrate value. To win their support:
- Engage in active listening. Understand their hesitations by encouraging open dialogue.
- Provide comprehensive training. Ensure employees are well-equipped with the knowledge and skills to adapt.
- Highlight personal benefits. Show how Kaizen improves not just processes, but their work life too.
How have you successfully navigated resistance to change within your team?
Frontline workers are resistant to Kaizen changes. How can you win their support for Lean Manufacturing?
When frontline workers push back on Kaizen initiatives, it's crucial to address their concerns and demonstrate value. To win their support:
- Engage in active listening. Understand their hesitations by encouraging open dialogue.
- Provide comprehensive training. Ensure employees are well-equipped with the knowledge and skills to adapt.
- Highlight personal benefits. Show how Kaizen improves not just processes, but their work life too.
How have you successfully navigated resistance to change within your team?
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We must focus on Kaizen Principles- Mutual Respect Employee involvement Process mind set not people mind set No Blame This will help to reduce resistance for change and move forward in kaizen journey with better involvement and acceptance
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Understand the reasons behind frontline workers resistance. Often, this resistance stems from fears such as job loss, increased workload or a lack of clarity about the change. Open discussions are essential to address these concerns directly. Change is difficult, but it becomes easier when it improves the operator's day-to-day tasks. When the benefits are clear, people are more likely to embrace change, especially as they experience positive outcomes. Start by showing how the change will simplify the operators work & enhance their daily work experience and you will have already gained their support. Connect Lean improvements to what matters most to workers such as increased job satisfaction, reduced frustrations & fewer repetitive tasks.
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Why front line workers are resistant to any Kaizen initiatives, there can be number of reasons, which may be lack of confidence, skill deficiency, illiteracy and many other factors. The daily kaizen board meetings withtthe front line workers by the supervisor or the line manager works wondrs in getting them involved and interested. As the discussions are particularly relating to these workers, e.g.. daily attendance . skill matrix . daily productio, quality, safety and delivery targets and there acheivement or lackings. 5S audit score etc etc.
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Quando isso acontece, operadores sendo resistentes ao Kaizen pode ser consequência de uma má difusão do conceito do Kaizen no chão de fábrica. E isso pode estar relacionado à diversos fatores, como falta de envolvimento da alta liderança, falta de coalizão e/ou falta de treinamento para entender os benefícios e trazer a esperada abertura e aceitação da mudanca. Incorporar uma mudança exige metodologia (8 passos segundo Kotter), exige pequenas comemorações de curto prazo para gerar engajamento. Faça com que seu operador viva e aconteça junto às entregas e alteracoes kaizen. Assim ele nao só vai ver mas vai se alimentar e usufruir de todos os benefícios.
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We should facilitate and work together along with them. Started from introducing, idea generation, problem statement, data collection through SIPOC and etc, implement and monitor/ evaluate. Explain for what these things, not only benefit for company but also benefit for ourselves. Entire CI needs to be support/ sponsored by leader team
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Workers are generally worried on new ways of working and lack of clarity and appreciation. We can try to look at their concerns to see feasible resolutions, having inclusive strategy to implement change to new way of working and communicate transparently. Also, if someone shows intent to be part of change leader an appreciation mechanism is always helpful.
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Clearly explain how the changes will benefit both the team and their day-to-day work, addressing concerns like job security or workload. Provide hands-on training and celebrate small wins to demonstrate the effectiveness of Kaizen. Building trust and emphasizing collaboration helps shift resistance into support for continuous improvement.
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Past implementations of change that were too drastic and had to be walked back cause doubt when future change comes. Slower, consistent change that is bought in by workers on the front end will be more successful in the long term.
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There is always resistance to a change. As per change curve, every Kaizen (change for improvement) start with denial only, its our skill to get it through resistance phase to acceptance phase. Which can be done through training, open communication, explaining benefits.
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