Gemba and Its Meaning – The Heart of Lean Management

Business success can be defined in many ways, but these two attributes are the ones that every business aims to achieve: continuous improvement and overall efficiency. Call them the parameters that determine your success in the competitive landscape, as they steer you ahead to stay competitive and satisfy your customers according to expectations.

Lean management has been making enormous waves by adding more substance to overall efficiency and continuous improvement with its excellent tools and strategies. According to a McKinsey report, companies that adopt lean practices experience a 15-20% improvement in operational efficiency, and Gemba is one such concept.

If operational efficiency and increased staff engagement are your goals, implementing Gemba walks will work THE BEST for you. This comprehensive guide on Gemba covers the concept in detail. Explore its significance and why it’s called “The Heart of Lean Management.”

What is Gemba? Meaning & Origin

The roots of Gemba can be relocated to Japan. Meaning a” place where things happen” or a “real place,” Gemba represents one of the core lean concepts to foster a continuous improvement culture in any organization. It refers to a place where value is created, such as a manufacturing unit. Here, the manufacturing floor serves as Gemba, producing valuable products and services.

Besides manufacturing units, Gemba can be any place that produces value or caters to customers directly or indirectly, such as a retail shop floor.

A Little Sneak Peek into Gemba’s History

Toyota Production System is seen as a pioneer of excellent strategies and tools in lean management and streamlined operations. Gemba is one such part of TPS.

It gained popularity after the founder, Taiichi Ohno, stressed the importance of being on Gemba. According to him, the proper understanding of work processes becomes more convenient and makes sense when management stays on Gemba and

• Observe and talk with workers and staff at the operating site of the business like the shop floor.
• Identify waste and inefficiencies
• Seek improving opportunities

Teams and management must be present at Gemba to maximize the effects and outcomes. This is important for ensuring quality as they monitor work and interactions.

Gemba — More Than Just a Workplace

The concept of Gemba mustn’t be restricted to a mere location. It serves as a foundation for a more streamlined management. Gemba strengthens the bond between management and workers, and nobody can deny the importance of filling communication gaps.

Your workspace needs Gemba:

• For effective leadership 
• To see firsthand how work is being done
• To identify the room for improvement and issues on the production floor

Impact of Gemba on Lean Management

Continuous Improvement

Gemba serves as a platform that drives continuous improvement by continuously identifying shortcomings and problems, followed by immediate solutions and follow-ups. This leads to improved overall efficiency and reduced waste, cost, and lead times.

Motivation and Engagement

Leaders who perform the Gemba walk are the epitome of commitment and dedication. They foster a positive environment where workers and teams feel motivated by seeing the top management on the floor. Identifying problems, offering solutions, and communicating with workers thus increase productivity and job satisfaction.

Data-Driven Decisions

Decisions made on Gemba are accurate and data-driven. The presence of management on Gemba ensures that the decisions are based on accurate, real-time data. Practical and informed decisions take the game to the next level.

Quick Response

Observing problems and their solutions in real time makes a significant difference. It helps reduce downtime and significantly increases the business’s responsiveness to market shifts and internal issues on the floor.

5 Golden Rules of Gemba Management

By walking through the Gemba rules, you can learn how to address problems and implement solutions in the workplace as a leader. 

1. Go to Gemba	Going to Gemba facilitates a better and more natural understanding of the processes. It makes assessing the problems and suggesting solutions convenient.
2. Check Gembutsu	Gembetsu means “the relevant objects.” In lean Management, Gembatsu refers to checking the tools, equipment, parts, or materials causing the problem. Gembtsu provides you with the data that drives insightful decisions.
3. Implement Temporary On-site Counter Measures	This is the post-problem phase.  Taking temporary, on-site measures to subside the problem is suggested here. Remember, these are not definite solutions. Rather, these steps help us control the situation. The benefit of these temporary solutions is that they prevent the problem from worsening. Also, the company gets enough time to analyze the problem deeply and suggest effective, long-term solutions.
4. Find the Root Cause	Identification of the root cause of the problem plays a pivotal role in long-term success. Investigate, identify, and plan strategies and solutions for the root cause.  This can be done by comprehensively analyzing the reasons why the problem occurred in the first place.
5. Standardize to Prevent the Recurrence	Standardizing new and more advanced practices can dramatically decrease the chances of the same problem recurring.  How to do it?  Update standards Train employees for new practices Monitor compliance according to the latest standards

What is Gemba Walk?

Gemba walks involve leaders going to the Gemba or workplace to observe work, identify problems, and implement potential solutions. Such walks allow management to become familiar with operations and sync with them.

How does it all happen?

• They ensure that they follow predefined routes that focus on consistency.
• They observe all areas and maintain verification standards.
• The leader reinforces key behaviors and practices for long-term success.

Gemba Tools

Tools such as Kamishibai cards and checklists facilitate the Gemba walks. These tools ensure that every detail and observation stays on the page and no critical aspect is overlooked.

Moreover, Gemba tools also ensure the employees’ and workers’ understanding of the objectives. Additionally, they can be used to check if the standards are met.

Gemba Is More than Just a Supervision

While you might conceive Gemba as a supervisory tool, that’s untrue. 

Gemba walks are a key practice of lean management. Leaders and managers visit the actual place where work is done to observe, learn, and improve. This can help you identify waste, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement in your processes, engage your team members, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Conducting a Successful Gemba Walk — Step-by-Step Approach

Since the beginning, we’ve discussed Gemba Walk as the best lean management concept. But have you given it some thought about how to implement it effectively?

To do so, you need a step-by-step approach that guarantees absolute implementation and excellent outcomes. Let’s have a look at it.

• Define the Scope

The first step in Gemba’s walk is to define areas and under-observation processes. This step identifies areas and methods and also determines the management level of the participants.

• Set Dedicated Time

Decide the duration and frequency of Gemba walks for each management level. 

• Decide Verification Tools

Businesses usually already have Gemba tools. If you don’t have them, choose and develop particular Kamishibai cards or checklists. This ensures standards are met at each point.

• Plan Gemba Walk Routes

Plan particular routes to be followed for Gemba and mention critical points.

• Create a Gemba Walk Standard 

Perform the following tasks:

• Standardize the process with routes, including locations to visit
• Prepare a list of processes to confirm each end using checklists or Kamishibai cards
• Estimate the duration for each location and the whole route.
• Define best practices and mention the question to be asked. 
• Train Leaders and Prepare Teams

Develop and implement tailored training programs for employees across all management levels. These should focus on standards and goals and ensure the workers are fully prepared and participate effectively.

The best way to start is to communicate the goals clearly with the team members.

• Continuously Improve

There’s always room for improvement, and to endure it, start collecting feedback and analyzing data. This approach simplifies the identification of weak areas. To improve, adjust routes, implement verification tools, and conduct training.

Challenges in Gemba

1. Cultural Resistance within the Organization

Workers and other team members often need more time to adopt new practices. Such resistance from within the workforce creates problems, and the outcomes of effective Gemba seem unachievable.

This, however, can be resolved through effective communication and proper training. 

1. Lack of Dedication and Commitment

Gemba walks might be regular initially, but with time, companies lose the motivation to conduct them. Standardizing the walks and making them a routine part of the manager’s work criteria usually helps.

1. Inappropriate Behaviors

Gemba walks might be regular initially, but with time, companies need more motivation to conduct them. Standardizing the walks and making them a routine part of the manager’s work criteria usually helps. 

Conclusion

Imagine what a company would have faced after a 25% decline in production efficiency. The reason was apparent: disengaged employees.

The situation prompted the implementation of Gemba walks, which improved operational visibility and employee engagement. The company saw a 22% increase in production efficiency and an 18% decrease in defect rates.

This case study concludes that Gemba is a highly impactful lean concept.

Practising Gemba is more like being on a battlefield, where the leader leads and identifies the places where work should be improved. Gemba is your key to identifying waste, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement in your processes. 

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