The Application of Lean

Over the last 20 years Lean has spread from its beginnings in auto manufacturing to touch all kinds of manufacturing, transport, distribution, oil and gas exploration and many areas in the public sector including government, local authorities, the NHS, universities and housing associations.

Lean in the private sector today

Lean is well established and is still very much alive in the private sector.  Organisations are continuing to use the principles and the tools of Lean to become ever more competitive and take advantage of the current exchange rates.

However, the manufacturing industry in the UK has declined dramatically over the past decade. The wider understanding and use of Lean processes will help companies to compete with foreign manufacturing centres like those of China and India.

Lean in the public sector today

In a desire to reduce the deficit the coalition government has begun to announce a series of sweeping cuts which will lead to headcount reductions across almost all areas of the public sector. 

If the way these cuts are implemented is not clearly thought out they will inevitably result in poorer service and more staff stress, as organisations try to do the same work in the same way but with less resources. Lean Thinking from the outset can dramatically reduce the impact for all concerned.

The important task facing Lean practitioners and the managers of these organisations is to create an environment where employees are happy to get involved and develop ways to maintain (or enhance) services with these reduced resources.

The current economic environment will make it harder for management to create the kind of environment that will be conducive to the development of Lean thinking.  However the benefits of taking this step are substantial enough to warrant the effort that will be required.