Remember the 5S component of Lean process improvement? Well, it applies in all kinds of settings, not just clinical areas. Here are some examples from our Human Resources staff. Laurie reported: "A small group of us in Staffing took this Columbus Day to discover not a new land, but to reclaim our offices through 5S!"
5S can certainly be applied to other areas, but for office and knowledge workers in general I highly recommend the Getting Things Done (GTD) laid out by David Allen.
ReplyDeleteThe opening of the book reads "It's possible for a person to have an overwhelming number of things to do and still function productively with a clear head and a positive sense of relaxed control."
It's all about organizing your work so that you can have trusted systems and be able to deal with all the little things that come at you during your day.
How would Michele, Laurie, Colleen, and Dorothy describe the benefits of their 5S activities? I think this is an important thing to explain to people -- how has this helped them? Was it worth the time spent straightening up their workspaces? Did they free up space they thought they didn't have?
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