Philosophy kaizen (from Japanese improvement — “improvement”) has been helping Japanese companies achieve outstanding results for decades. At the heart of this concept is continuous improvement in small steps with the participation of all employees. According to the Kaizen Institute, 80% of Japanese companies implement kaizen practices on a daily basis, which allows them to increase productivity by an average of 15— 25% each year.

Let's take a look 5 practical tools of kaizenthat managers can apply in their business today.

1 ️ 5S: organizing the workspace

The 5S system (Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke) is a structured approach to workplace organization. It helps:

• reduce the time of searching for the right things
• reduce the risks of marriage
• increase safety

ExampleToyota introduced the 5S back in the 1950s and, according to an internal audit, reduced the reload time of equipment from 1.5 hours to 15 minutes.

2 ️ Standardized Work

Kaizen teaches: Before improving the process, it must be standardized. Standard work:

• fixes the best known way to perform a task
• reduces variability
• allows you to train new employees faster

Fact: According to a McKinsey study, the implementation of standard operating procedures can reduce manufacturing errors by 30— 50%.

3 ️ Visual Management

This is a system where information is presented as clearly as possible through the scoreboard, graphics, colors. Thanks to this:

• employees see deviations in real time
• management can react quickly

Example: Canon uses visual indicators to control defects, which has reduced the number of customer complaints by 20% within one year.

4 ️ Kaizen Events (Kaizen Blitz/ Kaizen Events)

These are short intensive sessions (usually 3—5 days) where the team focuses on solving a specific problem.

• quick result
• Recruitment of staff
• increase motivation

Example: the Japanese company Omron during one such event was able to reduce the packaging cycle time of products by 35% per week.

5 ️ System of offers from employees

Kaizen is impossible without the involvement of people. In many Japanese companies, employees constantly offer ideas for improvements.

• the average Japanese worker submits 30—50 offers per year
• more than 90% of these ideas are implemented
• even small changes produce big results on a company scale

Digit: Honda plants in Japan sell about 7 million (!) every year ideas from employees, which helps reduce costs by 3— 5% each year.

Conclusion

Kaizen philosophy is not complex theories, but a daily discipline of small improvements. The tools described above have proven effective in thousands of companies, regardless of industry or business size. By implementing them gradually, you can make your business more flexible, sustainable and more development-oriented.

And if you want see kaizen with your own eyesto feel the atmosphere of Japanese production and understand how this philosophy works in real companies — we invite you to join our business tour to Japan! There you can not only learn more, but also be inspired by the examples of leading corporations.

‍