A Canadian company is offering local businesses training in the Japanese enhanced productivity method known as 'Kaizen'.

'Kaizen', which means changing for better, was successfully used by the automotive giant Toyota, which is still improving on this approach, says Francis Herbert, senior consultant of MTE Melior.

Herbert, an MTE Melior consultant and trainer (MTE Melior) who specialises in 'Kaizen' explained the method to members of the business community at the Guyana Manufacturers' Association boardroom on Monday.

"There is a different attitude of the worker because they now begin to take ownership," says Herbert who is in Guyana to complete a monitoring exercise at Omai Gold Mines Ltd after completing several workshops with the company.

"It is an approach that works on improving business processes. It is an employee-based approach. Kaizen questions and changes how we do things."

Eight major wasteful activities are listed, namely over-production, waiting-time, transportation, inappropriate or deficient processes, inventories, useless movements defects (eg employees looking for tools), and under-utilization of human potential. These areas can be significantly reduced with the Kaizen approach.

The workshops run for two weeks and training is based on practice. For the first week of the workshop employees listen, see, and practise the ideas that they have to increase their productivity, as approved by management. They report everyday on what they have done and receive feedback on their efforts.

In the second week the objectives are implemented but the rhythm of improvement is defined by the company.

The managers also have their designated roles. Top management will say why things must change and allocate whatever resources are needed; middle managers say what needs to change and employees define and realise this change. The company's managers are also trained by MTE Melior as instructors in the workshops. Herbert says employees are advised in the workshop to seek the most cost-effective approach which in some cases may come down to bringing certain equipment closer to them or cutting back on a long-term costing process.

He says sometimes managers feel threatened by their employees telling them what should be done but as the process gets underway, these differences are smoothed out.

He notes that achieving a Kaizen in one place may mean doing a Kaizen somewhere else. For example, in a drink-bottling plant, the objective can be getting the bottles ready to be filled faster, so a Kaizen is done to rectify this but then another situation may arise where persons at the filling machine cannot bottle as fast as the bottles are coming.

But Herbert advises that it is better to achieve one objective at a time:

"If you go too broad, you are going to kill the initiative."

The daily rate being charged by MTE Melior is approximately Cdn$2000 to Cdn$2,500 depending on the scope of the workshop.

Norman McLean, one of the instructors in the workshop at Omai, says the system is not about the use of equipment, but is employee-driven and it is the employees who increase their productivity.

For an example, he says since Omai started having these workshops they have cut down on the steps taken to requisite an item, from 52 to 24 steps.

Omai took three workshops and in each workshop two groups with eight employees in each were trained in Kaizen methods.

One of Omai's objectives was to increase the availability of the mill from 92% to 94%. In the first month Omai's target was achieved and in the second month there was a further 2% increase. For every one per cent increase made, Peter Benny, superintendent of personnel and industrial relations says, the company was able to significantly increase their revenues.

One representative from Guysuco notes, "I am impressed. And I will like to see us have a go at it."