People Side of Lean

Interloop management has been committed to continuously improve its work processes from the day it started operations. Interloop Limited has always been ardent about keeping its management thinking, methodologies and technology abreast with the modern world-class practices. The first formal introduction to LEAN was the result of Interloop becoming a supplier to NIKE. For the last few years, Interloop has been applying LEAN for improving its manufacturing processes and becoming more robust in its operations.

In pursuit of enhancing its learning about continuous improvement, Interloop has invested heavily on training its people, locally and overseas, on Toyota Production System and LEAN concepts, tools, and practices. Interloop fully realizes that it’s important that our ‘people practices’ also support the deployment of LEAN so that this becomes a culture. As a result, Interloop decided to chalk out the Interloop-Way (I-Way) which will focus both on processes and people.

So, in order to cruise in the precise direction, Interloop engaged Pete Gritton to organize a gap analysis of HR Systems and Processes at Interloop Limited. Pete Gritton is a Senior Consultant at American Links International, Adjunct Professor at the University of Kentucky, USA and former Vice President, Human Resource at Toyota North America. Three workshops; one for each management level including top, middle and frontline, were planned at Serena Hotel, Faisalabad from August 2 – 11, 2016 and facilitated by Pete, in which 98 officers from various functions and ranks of the company participated enthusiastically.

At the beginning of the workshop, Navid Fazil, Chief Operating Officer, Interloop Limited, briefly narrated Interloop’s LEAN Journey and the successes achieved so far. He dilated upon the purpose of the workshop and the company’s vision about LEAN manufacturing. He appreciated Pete Gritton for coming all the way to Interloop Pakistan and sharing his knowledge and wisdom. The workshop opened with passionate eagerness by the participants.

The prime focus of the workshop was to assist the participants in understanding how People Side of LEAN has a direct impact on processes and why it is essential for a sustainable change in the company. Pete helped participants comprehend why and how ‘True LEAN is People Focused’, how People Side of LEAN is implemented in Toyota Production System, and what are the major milestones on the journey of implementing PSOL. Pete also highlighted the importance of Leadership Thinking Ways, Standardization of Work, Mutual Trust, Built-in Quality, Communication and LEAN, throughout the Team Member Lifecycle.

The other important part of the workshop was an evaluation of Interloop’s current systems by the participants in comparison with those of Toyota. Pete presented Toyota Way of implementing HR Systems and responded to various queries raised by the participants. He helped them understand the connection between operations and support functions and explained how LEAN ‘Fits’ in all support functions. In the series of three workshops, every group went through the same process. The information was gathered by creating focus groups in each workshop which also helped participants ponder on the way forward. At the end of the workshop, Pete came up with an interesting activity to emphasize the importance of communication in leading and accelerating teamwork.

The workshops were very engaging and informative and sustained interest and enthusiasm of the participants till the last moment. Baikuntha Sharma, CEO American Links International and LEAN Consultant for Interloop Limited, along with his team members, Naresh K. Pradhn and Chameera Laknath provided active support to the facilitators and participants to ensure achievement of workshop objectives.

On the last day of this learning exercise, Navid Fazil, COO Interloop chaired a concluding meeting with Pete Gritton, Baikuntha Sharma, representatives of the three workshops and members of the Interloop Executive Board. The COO reiterated the purpose of these workshops and appreciated the team in making these a truly enlightening experience. The representatives of workshop groups made presentations on the gained learning, identified gaps and suggested way forward to the board members. Pete and Baikuntha shared their understanding of the company’s systems and processes and showed a keen interest in working with Interloop in developing and implementing the I-Way philosophy. It was agreed that to implement People Side of LEAN at Interloop, dedicated teams will pursue the agreed way forward under Pete’s guidance and advice. This workshop was the first step in this direction and will lead to multiple pieces of training and skill development programs in succession on this excursion of excellence.