Fact or Fiction?

Continued...
 

Statement 2:

If we implement Lean Manufacturing we can cut our workforce, and thus our payroll, in half.

FACT                                        FICTION

Statement 2: If we implement Lean Manufacturing we can cut our workforce, and thus our payroll, in half.

You picked FACT

Incorrect.  While implementing Lean Manufacturing would allow an organization to maintain the current level of production with only half the current number of employees, layoffs or downsizing act as a de-motivator to following Lean principles.  The system would soon disintegrate due to a lack of employee interest and participation.
Once the problem is: "Now that we need fewer employees to produce the same amount, what do we do with all the idle hands?"
The answer is to utilize those employees' talents toward increasing marketing, developing new product lines, improving quality, creating kaizen teams to improve other production lines or activities.  In other words, working toward producing twice as much with the same number of employees is a much more viable strategy than staying at the same level of production and eliminating half of the jobs.

Go on to Statement 3

Take me back to the Learning Center.

Statement 2: If we implement Lean Manufacturing we can cut our workforce, and thus our payroll, in half.

You picked FICTION
Correct!

While implementing Lean Manufacturing would allow an organization to maintain the current level of production with only half the current number of employees, layoffs or downsizing act as a de-motivator to following Lean principles.  The system would soon disintegrate due to a lack of employee interest and participation.
Once the problem is, "Now that we need fewer employees to produce the same amount, what do we do with all the idle hands?" the answer is to utilize those employees' talents toward increasing marketing, developing new product lines or improving quality.  Promoting the best employees into kaizen teams to improve other production lines or activities motivates other employees to "do Lean."  In other words, working toward producing twice as much with the same number of employees is a much more viable and self-sustaining strategy than attempting to stay at the same level of production and eliminate half the jobs.

Go on to Statement 3

Take me back to the Learning Center.