Date : 29th August 2009, 7 pm


Time : 1854 Hrs.

Venue : Lobby Launge, Taj Samudra, Colombo, Sri Lanka





~ think this is a good way to begin blogs :-)



Well, it’s a nice environment here. Had some time free in evenong hence converting thoughts, feelings into words.



Colombo is a ‘party town’ as described by a lad who met me last eveing in bar. (I never realized even this is a 10th ? visit in last 2 years). I think it is your personal orientation what you want to pick up, how you are nurchured and ‘what makes you happy, you tend to do that approach’.



I was always trickled by the scenic buety of Colombo beach and the fresh air, the courteous dealings by all I delat with in my company and while out in market places; but never realized that it’s a palce where you have unlimited avenues to unwind oneself ( an why not ?? ).



People here are very docile, self contained and ‘happy kind’ in general. They eat out, go out and enjoy with their loved ones…..Thats my personal views based on what I observed over here in last 2 years.



Now here’s another management lesion.



My throat was in such a bad shape to utter a word when I traveled this time, it was important as my both the superiors were here. (I feel one must be sincere with its job and show the commitment if one is not disengaged – which I am not luckily as by both superiors are gives lot of autonomy, supportive and put me on my toes.)



Yesterday my local colleague was kind to organize an aoopintment with doctor.



I am benchmarking the local patient management system and trying to highlights which I feel are good in this system.



One need to take appointment from Doctor using e-registration to pay online via card/bank. One gets a date, time, venue, doctor name etc once registration is done, (so one is sure which doctor are one is going to meet)



The pharmacy/medicine management system is also very good, advanced, efficient and patient friendly. There are 3 windows Welcome – Payment – Issue. There is one one man armed back office as well. Let me say what I liked.



You present a doctor prescription at welcome window. One person will read the slip and give you tocken no. He will collect medicine and bring to receipt generator who will ask you how would you like to pay ( by cash or card ) on presentation of tocken. Based on your choice a pay voucher is created online. You will be advised to pay bill amount at 2nd window which is payment window. You will be given a receipt once you pay. One collects receipt and go to Issue wildow ( this is a place where one get customer delight ). They will give all the different medicines in different paper envelops and on each enveleop it is written when you have to take that particular medicine even they write how namy times – before or after meal etc. The beauty is that the person who is handing you over the medicines will explain it to your satisfaction ………superb !! excellent !!



One may say it’s a lengthy process, believe me not at all….they are so well trained and efficient that lead time for this entire process is not more than 3-5 minutes. It is orchestrated very well among 3 front and 1 back office staff (I am impressed). I feel the advantage is :



1. Structured approach, clearly defined duties.

2. Fast and efficient

Personal attention and Customer delight ( which is most critical and desired by patient at the time when it is its on lowest ebb )



Do we have some management learning…….May be yes from Lean Management and customer management perspective than HR management ??

Value Stream Map

VSM is a very high level tool to map the process and find out opportunities to eliminate process waste thereby improving delivery time. That’s how VSM fits into Lean HR concept :
Business Unit’s AOP ---> Unit’s Objectives----->HR function’s AOP & Objectives-----(Identification of gaps by comparing current & desired state )----->Apply VSM and use tools like Kaizen, MDI etc.

An eye opening !!!

I got a lesson. A lesson of LEAN. In simple terms :

Kaizen = Small improvement
Lean = Identify and eliminate (not reduce ) waste
Six Sigma = Attain accuracy

I am happy to log this today that my HR team has got trained in Lean concepts thru a special training kit ('Transactional Lean' Module ). This was designed to enable them to understand it in simple & practical way .

While learning, we have identified following projects :
Eliminate processing waste :
1. e-test (pre-test) for candidates who come to attend interview
2. e-leave management system
Eliminate waiting waste :
1. Prepare a welcome kit for new joinees. This will have basic & standard info. about company and the functions.
Eliminate motion waste :
1. One HR member to delicately sit for 3 days in a week to 2nd unit and be responsible for all HR actions. As of now 4 HR people go there to undertake specific HR actions.
Eliminate inventory waste :
1. Overhead cabinets which carry CV's of rejected candidates for last 3 years will be trashed to free up the space.
Eliminate over-production waste :
1. Visiting cards are getting printed (inhouse) and minimum quantity is 200. We will get blank (generic ) cards printed and on need basis get screen printing done for specific employee.
Eliminate defect-inspection waste :
1. To install card reader/printer in canteen and stop manual copon counting system

We learnt :

• 7 types of wastes
• JIT
• 5s
• Value stream mapping
• House of toyata
• DMAIC ( Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control)

Its been great learning /introspection........we are geared up to leverage Lean NOW.

The most complex thing in life is - TO BE SIMPLE.

A picture of a rainbow which was clicked from roof-top of my home by my baby daughter illustrates one of the simplest creation .……

I wonder if this is teaching us HR Management or Lean Management lesson ? I think, it is both. This is a very powerful message by mother nature. It educates how to embrace people around us by utilizing best of our abilities while being simple and LEAN. It also reminds us that nature is dynamic; so the human relations are. So for most of the people management challenges, the solutions so found should be simple, easy to understand and implement considering the fact that human relations & group dynamics in an organizational context are dynamic and momentary in nature, hence and calls for quick resolution . Procrastinating people decisions may lead to emergence of business challenges of higher degree.

"Lean @ Lean HR blog" is a humble attempt - an attempt to become a RAINBOW to spread across the colors of know-how, the practical experiences, inviting expert opinions, converting implicit into explicit while being simple.