City’s Lean Process Drives Cost Savings and Improves Performance

Since 2013, the Lean methodology has helped City of Mississauga employees simplify processes, reduce costs, increase efficiency and improve staff productivity. Lean was introduced as a way to streamline business processes, improve service delivery and enhance customer service levels.

“A core commitment of our City’s business strategy focuses on delivering value for taxpayer dollars,” said Mississauga City Manager and Chief Administrative Officer, Janice Baker. “The Lean process has allowed us to keep up with the increased demand for programs and services by making minor improvements and adjustments while eliminating redundancies and using fewer resources.”

The City has identified 14 projects across the organization that will use the Lean methodology this year. These projects will help staff examine internal and external processes and where necessary make adjustments to ensure optimal performance.

Baker adds, “The Lean process has produced great results for the City, especially by improving our organizational performance. It has positively enhanced and shaped our internal culture. City staff on the front lines are helping us to continuously improve processes, listen to residents, add value where needed and eliminate unnecessary tasks. Lean is just one way we are supporting our goal of continuous improvement.”

A recent Lean pilot project completed by the City for Parks staff helped reduce calls from the public regarding park waste pickup by 25 per cent.

The Corporate Lean business improvement program was launched in 2013. The City’s Business Improvement team began to implement a two-year training program, teaching concepts to more than 565 City employees. In total, 401 employees have received formal white-belt Lean training and 8 employees received their green-belt certification and 15 are in the process of receiving their certifications.

Employees will practise and promote Lean within their divisions, apply knowledge and skills back to project work and will collaborate with and mentor other participants through their network of facilitators.

For more information about Lean, please visit: Lean.org.

BACKGROUND:

• Lean is used mainly in industries such as manufacturing, government, healthcare and telecommunications.
• Lean is a methodology for streamlining business processes by collaborating with front-line staff to identify and eliminate non-value added activities.
• The Corporate Lean business improvement program will continue to be deployed across the Corporation throughout 2015 and 2016.
• Lean training is provided through a belt-based training system. Belts are designated as white belts, yellow belts, green belts, black belts and master black belts.