We are living in an unprecedented time. Never before has the
global workforce been affected in this manner and to this magnitude. Working
professionals across the globe had to make serious adjustments when they had to
start working from home. While work from home was not unheard of before the pandemic,
it was surely not so popular.
However, the paradigm might have shifted, and experts are
suggesting that a significant portion of the workforce will continue to work
from home even when the pandemic ends. If you have been similarly affected by
the pandemic, this article is for you.
While people all around are discussing the benefits of work
from home, there are a lot of disadvantages that may seep in as well.
Challenges
1. Communication:
Communicating with a distributed team has never been easy,
and with people working from home, this problem will grow. Managers and leaders
will not only have to find new and efficient ways to communicate with everyone
in the team but might have to develop new protocols and routines. Luckily, several
tools can help in prompt and robust communication for the team.
2. Technical issues
and training:
People may run into technical problems related to their old
tasks and with the new system that the organization has put into place. While
there had always been a need for training, working from home increases an
iteration of training needed and limits training delivery methods.
3. Discipline and time
seep:
This might be the biggest problem with the work from home
setup. Even with all the training, deadlines, and plans, it will take employee
discipline to get the job done. Office workplaces remove several distractions
that may exist in a home-based workplace. This may include disturbance from
family members, children, and even the desire to have a quick word with others.
The last problem is the primary concern of organizations and
also the issue where lean six sigma tools and techniques can help.
5S Method
The 5S method includes Sort, Set, Order, Shine, Standardize,
and Sustain. The method involves going through items in the workplace, removing
what is unnecessary, and organizing things.
Sort: This
involves sorting through the materials and keeping only the essential items
needed to complete the work that you have. This will directly eliminate any
object that may cause distraction.
Set in order:
Setting things in order means organizing everything so they can easily be
acquired while you are working.
Shine: Keep the
work area clean and tidy. An untidy workspace has a direct adverse effect on
productivity and the will to work.
Standardize: This
is where you take the first 3 s and make a rule about them. You can also create
a work plan with targets that will help you get your work done.
Sustain: The sustenance
part is related to your commitment to the task that you have and the standards
that you have set. There can be no long-lasting benefit of the 4s unless one commits
to them.
DMAIC
Another major issue that may come with WFH or flexible hours
is time management. You can easily get lost in discussion with your favorite cousin
that may take some time of your away from work or get occupied with helping a
family member. DMAIC is one of the most popular tools of Lean Six Sigma and can
help you with the problem of time management.
Define: In the
define phase, you identify the problem, which in this case is “leak” of time or
time you spend on non-essential or non-work-related tasks. You can also determine
the time you require actually to get the work done and the best method to do
so.
Measure: This is
a phase where you map and measure the time leak. You will have to review your
schedule and identify areas where you waste time or identify habits that do not
directly add value.
Analyze: Now that
you know about the leaks, you need to identify the reason behind those time
leaks. Analyzing the root-cause will not only help in stopping the time leak
but will also help you in optimizing your task. The 5-why root cause analysis
technique of LSS can help you here.
Improve: This is
the time to eliminate the cause of deviations. Do not just consider non-work-related
tasks but the work-related tasks as well. You might have to find workarounds
for several task-related delays that might be a result of working from a remote
location.
Control: In this
phase, you commit to doing things in a different way to avoid wasting time.
Several day-to-day tasks include habits, and you might have to work on certain
habits as well.
So these were a couple of examples of how lean six sigma
tools can help you in not only setting up the home office but will help in
optimizing the process of working from home. LSS finds similar small and large
applications in your life and work and can play a significant role in optimizing
your business processes and the overall all quality. If you have been planning
to take up structured learning in Lean Six Sigma, you can explore our Lean Six
Sigma Course catalog here
or connect to our learning experts at support@certificationplanner.com.
Happy learning!
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