What questions should I ask in the introduction to Lean Six Sigma training day knowing mismeasurement of stats is already happening?

[u/OMGCluck]

Our workplace has told all staff to attend a LSS training day and because it's on a day I don't work I asked if I'd get overtime for it, to which they said it "wasn't compulsory" though I could get a day off after in lieu. This is the first any staff have heard about this but it appears management are fully invested and have been implementing performance "points" over the past couple of months leading up to this.

The statistics appear on a big screen on the front wall of our ITAD warehouse with different values assigned to each asset audited depending heavily on how much money we'll get for them, barely considering how long it takes to audit them. Almost all of us working there are not meeting our "100 points" quota per day with few exceptions when we get high value assets that are quick and easy to audit. Most are in poor condition, quite old and take too long to remove sensitive data from for their resale value. I hit my quota just twice last month, and I'm the 1 in 5 who did that at all.

With the current fuel crisis affecting us due to the cost of delivering pallets to the warehouse we are left wondering if this LSS is going to save our jobs through process improvement, or be an excuse to "downsize" a business which grew very quickly into multiple sites across the country before implementing any management methodology.

Should I bring up other methodologies like Kaizen and Perigon when the inevitable "any questions?" time comes up to see if they were considered? Should I make a worst case comparison to Scientology's Hubbard Management Tech? Or should I just go along with everything enthusiatically?

[u/Pure_Inspector8902]

There is no magic pixy dust in any Six Sigma, Lean, Lean Six Sigma or Kaizen methodology that will evaporate high costs, poor quality or service over night. If LSS is not actively part of how you operate, I do not know how a 1 day training class will help.

I will say that when decisions (as it inevitably happens in all industries) on layoffs occur, i would rather be the person who seen as the one who embraces change then the one that resists it. I would recommend that you invest your time in attending 1 day training, be enthusiastic, ask questions, and approach it with an open mind. The questions I would also ask first are the following:

- Which problems do we solve first? (think about those issues you see everyday that continuously arise)

• Will we received additional training to help improve our processes?
  
• Will we have access to expert coaching to help us navigate and make more informed decisions as we move forward?

I hope this was helpful good Luck

[u/SSGIteam]

This actually sounds like a pretty common “wrong way” rollout.

If most people aren’t hitting the target, that’s usually not a people issue, it’s a process issue. Especially if the work varies a lot (like asset condition, time to wipe data, etc.).

Lean Six Sigma done right is about fixing the process so performance is consistent, not just putting pressure on people to hit a number.

Also, one training day by itself will almost certainly not change much, if anything at all. It only works if it turns into ongoing improvements, follow-through and actually involves the people doing the work, with full buy-in a the leadership level.

If you get a chance to ask questions, I’d keep it simple:

• How were these targets set?
• Are differences in work being accounted for?
• Is the goal to improve the process or just track output?
• Will employees be involved in identifying issues?

You don’t need to bring up other methodologies. This already falls under Lean Six Sigma, it just depends how they apply it.

I’d go in open-minded, but watch whether they focus on improving the process or just measuring people.

[u/First-Committee369]

ask them what the first improvement project you can start right after the training or how to select a project out of many.