What is Lean Office? Over half a year ago, I uttered a magical incantation: “It would be nice to try myself in services, broaden my knowledge and experience.” This wish came true faster than I could have expected. And so, I landed in one of the service-oriented companies in Szczecin.
Exploring the New Territory
At the beginning, I cautiously explored this new territory, searching for differences from my previous manufacturing life, and you know what? There aren’t too many of them. After all, a process is a process, right? Whether we are assembling televisions or handling invoicing, we have certain steps to follow. In both cases, we have internal and external clients, we have added value, and people who perform these steps in the same manner.
Understanding Lean Office
So, what is this creature called Lean Office?
It wasn’t so difficult for me to find my place in this new environment. It turned out that by basing myself on a lean approach, I could push this cart along without much hassle. It appears that to implement lean principles anywhere, we should have a uniform foundation. Would I have been as clever if I hadn’t gathered experience in production? I don’t know. However, I do know that not everyone has such an opportunity. That’s why it’s valuable to tap into the experiences of those who have already worked on this topic in the office environment.
Insights from “Lean Office and Services”
Perhaps the book “Lean Office and Services” by Drew Locher can help in this regard. You’ll find the principles of lean management applied to services clearly described there. For those who are already well-versed in streamlining, there might not be anything revolutionary, but for those who are at the beginning of their lean journey, especially in services, it will undoubtedly be a helpful read.
The author covers both flow management and visual management, the pull system, and leadership in a lean organization. Everything is presented in an office context and supported by examples. You’ll also find demonstrations of possibilities for different service areas. It was interesting for me to see the presentation of SMED in an office context; it might offer a different perspective on processes occurring in services. Is it necessary or unnecessary?
Conclusion: A Valuable Addition
What is Lean Office? Is the book essential? Probably not. There are numerous resources on the market that fantastically describe lean aspects and help cultivate that specific approach to processes, regardless of the field. I consider this book as an interesting addition, a ‘nice to have’ for people working in services. Topics described with examples from our own backyard are certainly more easily absorbed. Fortunately, nobody in it suggests sticking a spot for the keyboard on the desk.
And Baba (the author) continues to expand her knowledge and experience because even though a process is a process, people are always different. Amen.
