There is no doubt for an organization to learn and grow you need to develop your people. But the challenge especially for small companies is they neither have the time or money to deliver it. I think it is probably because we consider training as a luxury only for big companies with vast resources. This thinking needs to change. Training should be integral part of the routine and should be treated as an activity we pursue only if time permits.

I am not talking about training about specific tools, but the most basic training required for the people in the industry.  In my opinion it is learning the skill of problem solving. There may be specific tools to solve the problems based on type and industry but those are secondary compared to the basic scientific way of problem solving.

Why training is a challenge and why small companies need to address it?

Small companies cannot always hire experienced people due to high cost. So for many the best options are to hire a less experienced individual or someone freshly out of the college.  These people may not necessarily be equipped with all the skills to be effective at their job from the first day.  This is where it gets tricky. The companies know that these individuals need to be trained and developed, but instead it is thought of as an unnecessary cost and they are let on their own to find the answers. Over time if they are not properly guided, they become more experienced in just fighting fires than solving problems. Problems are not solved permanently, they recur and cause waste. The cost of this waste may be far greater than what would have been for the training. But since they are to relate to each other, it is never considered.

What could be the solution in this scenario where people can be equipped with right skills and also there is not strain on the budget or time?

“Kai” change “Zen” for good .Even if you have never heard of it; there is a possibility of you already practicing it. Let’s take an example of cooking. If you are cooking for the first time, it is very likely you run into many obstacles. You may not easily find where all the ingredients are stored, and then locate the utensils. Once you are settled and starts cooking you realize, it would have been better to prepare the food before you start. You will try to solve each one the challenges as you start cooking regularly. This will involve small gradual changes. Even the recipes will be modified, tried, tested till they are perfected.

The gradual change to improve our process is called Kaizen .We take little steps everyday towards the better condition. This in a company where everyone is empowered to change their own process for good one small step at a time will be able to maintain the momentum for the change knowing how to create a culture is a challenge. Some cultures are more adapted to this philosophy then the other. Masaaki Imai in his book “Kaizen” says that it Kaizen that has helped Japan to masters of “Flexible Manufacturing”. Is it possible to create culture that accepts this philosophy of continuous improvement?

After a few email queries and comment received on the on previous blog post “Stand-Up Work Station: After 2 weeks” I have finally decided to reveal what is on that wall. It is still evolving I am just trying to see what works the best for me and sticks to the wall for long time.
I have tried to markup the picture to explain each thing displayed on the desk and the wall. hope this helps to answer all those questions.
For more details about the how this Workstation evolved you may check the following post
1. Stand-Up Workstation
2. Stand-Up Workstation: After Two Weeks