More than 200 University staff attended two Lean workshops at the Waterloo Staff Conference, demonstrating growing interest across campus in learning more about Lean methodologies. Lean is a systemic approach of eliminating work that creates no value. It focuses on culture change, effectiveness and efficiency. “In the Human Resources department we’re making strides to improve efficiency. This has cascading positive impacts on our processes, culture and the way we approach our daily activities. Lean is a way to continue evolving and stay current. There’s a lot that can be learned through idea-sharing within the University community.” says Kenton Needham, Executive Director of Human Resources. Several departments across campus have used Lean to improve processes. HR, for example, improved the staff hiring process and eliminated delays in filling vacant positions, Housing and Residence improved their accessible housing application process, and The Library simplified access to electronic resources through Lean.
The Staff Conference workshop was led by Kimberley Snage, Director HR Projects, Technology & Analytics at Waterloo and Scott Smith from High-Performance Solutions and Consortium. It provided an introduction and overview of Lean methodologies, including the benefits it can bring to higher education. Lean does more than eliminate inefficiencies; many of the benefits have positive cultural impacts. Empowering employees to hone their problem-solving, teamwork and collaboration skills and giving them an opportunity to contribute to positive changes within the workplace can boost employee engagement. Fostering a culture of continuous improvement sets the stage for creativity and innovation, something the University of Waterloo stands for.
Staff Conference workshop attendees worked in small groups to solve a problem using a rapid cycle problem-solving tool. This method looks at current state and desired state and tries to assess the gaps in between. They used the “Possum in the drawer” problem where they analyzed how to get rid of a possum that had taken up residence in a drawer in the garage. In small groups, workshop attendees used a Fishbone Diagram to brainstorm possible solutions. The diagram helps identify the root cause of a problem by looking at contributing factors.
In 2018, there will be more opportunities for staff to attend Lean workshops and events at Waterloo. Additional workshops, similar to the Staff Conference ones, are planned for June, July, October and December of this year. On May 9th & 10th, there will be a Lean seminar where employees can learn more about Lean and see a showcase of Lean projects that have taken place across campus.