Lean manufacturing and psychosocial factors at work
Peter Hasle, Ph.d., Senior researcher National Research Centre for the Working Environment
ORP Valencia, May 6th 2010
Peter Hasle
Management concepts – a threat or a possibility for health and safety?
• More and more management concepts in organization of production processes
– Examples lean, TQM, balanced scorecards, business process reengineering, enterprise ressource planning (ERP), HRM
• How do management concepts influence work life and health and safety?
• The question is analysed in this presentation with lean as the example
Peter Hasle
Lean manufacturing – from cars to hospitals
• Lean manufacturing was invented for the car industry in the early 90ties
• Based on Japanese production principles mainly from Toyota
– Examples: just in time and kaizen• Moved from cars over general manufacturing to service
industry and public sector– Examples: administration and health care
• 20 years of experience with lean and effects on workers still disputed
Peter Hasle
Lean core activities
Creating value for the customer by reducing waste:
1. Identify processes creating value for the customer
2. Identify and eliminate waste processes
3. Introduce flow between all processes
4. Manage production based on pull from customers
5. Aim at perfection through continuous reduction of waste
Peter Hasle
Common lean tools
• Value stream mapping• Just in time (JIT)• Kaizen (continuous improvements)• Teamwork• 5S (layout and house keeping)• Total productive maintenance• U-cells (replace assembly lines)• Flow layout• Kanban (pull system)• Six sigma (quality control)
Peter Hasle
Lean and mean?
Lean as a way to increaseexploitation by continuouswork without breaks -resulting in tear and wear
Lean as empowerment of workers by participation in change and influencing the concrete work
Both possibilities find support in thelean thinking and in the health and safety litterature
Peter Hasle
A simple model for the effects of lean
Lean practice
Working environment
Health & well-being
Peter Hasle
Litterature review
Job function & working environment Health & well-being
Positive effects 3 1
Both positive & negative effects 2 3
Negative effects 4 4
No significant effects 1
No information 1 1
N 10 10
Jackson & Mullarkey 2000; Lewchuck et al. 2001; Parker 2003; Schouteten & Benders 2004; Seppälä & Klemola 2004; Sprigg & Jackson 2006; Conti et al. 2006; Womack et al. 2009, Ferrira 2009; Hasle 2010
Peter Hasle
Lean and stress in manufacturing industry
Increasing stress:• Higher work space, removal of resources, long working
hours, shorter cycle time, do work for absent colleagues, blame for quality faults
Problems highligted by lean which increase stress:• Poor workplace layout & lack of tools and equipment
Decreasing stress:• Participation in the change process, team organization &
support from management(Conti et al, 2006)
Peter Hasle
Lab technicians in Cancer department in hospital 1
Value stream mapping and a new work flowBefore:• The lab technicians were called after
arrival of out patient• Lab technicians walked from lab to
patients and searched for both patients and a vacant couch
After:• The patients walk to the lab technicians for
blood sampling and intubation of intravenous line
• A couch and a technician are ready for the patient
Advantage:• Less vaiting time for patients• More efficient use of lab technicians
Peter Hasle
Kaizen boards and reorganization• Weekly kaizen meetings• 84 small and large proposals, 68
implemented• Reorganization of lab• More efficient work, less mistakes and
more space
Outcome for lab technicians• Improvement of psychosocial factors
– Higher control, more variation, stronger social support
• Less stress and better mental health
Lab technicians in Cancer department in hospital 2
Peter Hasle
• n
Nurses in chemo out-patient clinic
Results• IT implementation problems• Experience of attack on
professionalism• Deterioration of psychosocial
factors
Standardization of patient booking
• New IT-program• From nurse to secretary
booking
Peter Hasle
A summary of risks and possibilities for psychosocial factors
Risks:• Intensification of work• Less control• Less variation due to
standardization• Less social support
Possibilities:• Removal of unnecessary tasks• Teamwork• Participation in changes• Variation due to continuous
improvements & U-cells
Often simultaneous advantages and disadvantages
– Intensification of workand
– Teamwork and participation
Peter Hasle
A first conclusion
• Lean as such has no direct effect on workers• But for manual assembly work it tends to increase
work intensity and impair health
• The effect depends on the lean practice formed by:
– The translation of lean thinking – The context for introduction of lean– The implementation of lean
Peter Hasle
Development of a lean practice
Lean context
Lean implemen-
tation
Lean thinking
Lean practice
Working environment
Health & well-being
Peter Hasle
Lean thinking – a strategic choice
Short term:• Strong potential for quick wins• Kaizen blitz may initative big
productivity jumps• The faster - the stronger
consultant and management control
• Often quick and dirty:– Line managers and
workers resist– Changes tend to
deteriorate and return to before situation
Long term:• Slow wins• More worker involvement• Less management control• Risk of been overtaken by
other pressing agendas• Potential:
– Committed line managers and workers
– Continuous improvements– Cultural embedment
Peter Hasle
Possibilities for improvement of psychosocial factors
Variation: Higher skills variety
Control: Worker participation in change proces and higher worker discretion over own work
Demands: Balance demands to control level and human capacity
Social support: Teamwork and management support
Rewards: Recognition of workers effort (attention, praise and benefits)
Meaning: Value to the customers creates meaning of work
Predictability: Participation in changes and transparant work processes
Peter Hasle
Lean context
External:• Market situation• Sector development• legislation
Internal:• Organizational social capital• Former changes• Change of management• Owner demands
Influence:• Management inter-
pretation of the need for lean
• Workers interpretation of management purpose with lean
Peter Hasle
A definition of social capital
• “Features of social organisation such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit”
Putnam, 1995
Peter Hasle Peter Hasle
Organizational social capital
Performance
Collaboration
TrustJustice
Core businessactivities
Health andWell-being
Peter Hasle
Lean is challenging the organizational social capital
• Is the motives for lean to be trusted?
• Will the implementation be carried out in a fair manner?
• Will workers get influence on lean?
Peter Hasle
Examples of worker involvement in best practice Danish firms
• Discussion of lean principles in works councils
• Value stream mapping and other analytical tools applied by workers
• Communication and transparency by e.g. sticking results of value stream mapping to the walls in the production facilities
• Trial and error such as lean notice boards or new lay-outs designed by the workers
• Kaizen weeks performed by a small group of workers
• Weekly Kaizen meetings controlled by employees
• Training of workers and first line managers in lean
Peter Hasle
Building social capital
Participation in production changes
Collaboration about lean and the working environment
Peter Hasle
An expanded model for development of productive and healthy lean
Lean context
Lean implemen-
tation
Lean thinking
Lean practice
Perfor- mance
Social capital
Change manage-
ment
Psycho- social factors
Working environ- ment & health
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