| Using Six Sigma to improve office processes may be | | | | Streamlining Existing Office Processes |
| a relatively new phenomenon, but since the success | | | | Since office processes are quite different from |
| rate of such quality improvement initiatives is high | | | | manufacturing processes and since the human aspect |
| enough, it will not be wrong to proclaim that the future | | | | needs to be given special consideration while initiating |
| is certainly bright for such implementations. | | | | improvement measures in office processes, Six Sigma |
| Here, we look at how Six Sigma helping businesses to | | | | focuses on gathering input and feedback from |
| improve their office processes. | | | | employees before starting the tweaking process. Such |
| Defining Quality and Efficiency Standards | | | | input and feedback is gathered both at the time when |
| Six Sigma has made it a lot easier for business to | | | | the implementation team is in the process of selecting |
| define quality and efficiency standards as applicable to | | | | the right improvement methodology and when a |
| office processes, something that is a prerequisite for | | | | methodology is finally short-listed for final |
| achieving the desired results. What Six Sigma does is | | | | implementation. |
| that it converts vague quality and efficiency orders | | | | Getting such input and feedback is vital because it is |
| such as 'reduce errors', 'work fast' etc. into more | | | | the only way a business can possibly devise an |
| definitive terms such as 'reduce errors by 15 percent in | | | | improvement initiative that finds favor with the |
| three months', 'process 20 files per hour' etc. | | | | employees as well as gauge their initial reaction to a |
| Now, all this new definitions may seem to be increasing | | | | proposed improvement initiative. Since the success of |
| the workload of employees, but that is certainly not | | | | such projects depends a lot on employee cooperation |
| true, because Six Sigma relies on time-tested tools and | | | | and support, it makes sense to take them into |
| techniques that generate the most appropriate and | | | | confidence right from the start. It is only then will the |
| realistic estimates of employee performance. In fact, | | | | business be able to streamline its existing office |
| employees stand to gain from such definitions | | | | processes without causing unnecessary employee |
| because then they will know exactly what the | | | | disgruntlement or distrust, factors that are not |
| company expects from them. | | | | conducive for the future growth prospects of any |
| Additionally, since Six Sigma stresses replacing old | | | | given business enterprise. |
| inefficient systems with new newer, more efficient | | | | As we can see, Six Sigma does help a lot in improving |
| technologies, it is highly unlikely that the employees will | | | | the quality and efficiency of existing office processes, |
| have to do anything more that what they already | | | | but what businesses should never forget is that |
| might be doing. Businesses also stand to gain because | | | | employees are not machines that can be set to |
| then they can make accurate and timely predictions | | | | perform at specified levels of efficiency, all the time. |
| about human resource requirements. | | | | As such, businesses need to adopt a more tolerant |
| This allows them to make the best possible use of | | | | approach while using Six Sigma for improving their |
| existing resources, something that consequently results | | | | office processes. |
| in huge cost savings. | | | | |