8 Type of Wastes

Lean methodology is a process improvement approach that emphasises the elimination of waste and the maximisation of value in order to improve efficiency and productivity. One of the key concepts in Lean is the identification and elimination of 8 Type of wastes. Initially, these were 7 Type of wastes. The 8^th waste was recently added keeping in mind the adoption of Lean methodology in service industry and the current business scenario. These 8 type of wastes are non-value-adding activities that consume resources without providing any benefit to the customer. By identifying and eliminating these wastes, organizations can improve their processes and performance.

The 8 Type of Wastes in Lean are:

Overproduction
Waiting
Defects
Excess Inventory
Motion
Over processing
Transport
Non Utilisation of talent

Please read about the 7 wastes here (opens in a new tab). I will cover the 8^th waste in this post.

8^th Waste – Non Utilisation of Talent

The 8^th waste in Lean methodology is the non-utilisation of talent. This waste refers to the failure to fully utilise the skills and abilities of employees, and to provide them with the necessary training and resources to do their jobs effectively. This waste can manifest itself in several ways, including:

Underutilization of employee skills: When employees are not given tasks or projects that align with their skills and abilities, they are not able to fully contribute to the organization, leading to a lack of engagement and motivation.

Lack of training and development: Without adequate training and development opportunities, employees may not be able to perform their job functions to the best of their abilities.

Inadequate resources: Without access to the right tools and equipment, employees may not be able to perform their job functions as efficiently or effectively as they could.

Limited autonomy: Employees do not have enough autonomy or decision-making power. Such employees may not feel empowered to take ownership of their work and make improvements.

Inefficient communication: Employees are not included in decision-making processes and do not have access to accurate information. Such employees may not be able to fully contribute to problem-solving.

The non-utilization of talent can have a significant impact on the organization’s bottom line. By not fully utilizing the skills and abilities of employees, organizations miss out on potential productivity and efficiency gains. Additionally, a lack of training and development opportunities can lead to high turnover rates, which can be costly.

Ways to eliminate the 8^th waste

It’s essential for organizations to identify and eliminate the non-utilisation of talent by providing adequate training, resources and opportunities for the employees to grow and develop. Employees should be given tasks that align with their skills and abilities and provided with the necessary resources and tools to do their job effectively. The management should also allow employees to take ownership of their work and make decisions, and regularly communicate with them to keep them updated on important information. This approach can help organizations to fully utilise the talents and abilities of employees, improve performance and achieve better results.

By the way, do check out the Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Handbook – it is one of the most essential guide for anyone trying to get certified as LSS Black belt or in general wants to understand LSS and improve processes. – check it out here.

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Sachin Naik

Passionate about improving processes and systems | Lean Six Sigma practitioner, trainer and coach for 14+ years consulting giant corporations and fortune 500 companies on Operational Excellence | Start-up enthusiast | Change Management and Design Thinking student | Love to ride and drive