LEAN MANAGEMENT: IMPLEMENTATION OF FLEXIBLE METHODOLOGIES IN ADMINISTRATIVE OR OFFICE ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

This paper focuses on the implementation of lean methodology in administrative and service processes, which are commonly found in office environments.
Specifically, the processes analyzed were those of an insurance broker office and an occupational health and safety consulting firm. In the aforementioned, there are problems such as unnecessary movements, excessive inventory levels, delays, and rework were identified.
The key objectives of this paper are to demonstrate the feasibility of applying lean methodology in said environments, to highlight the resulting benefits and to provide clear and concise action plans to tackle these issues.
As a methodology, one process from each working environment was chosen, a value stream map was made, critical improvement points were identified based on a close analysis of the process flow, and an action plan was developed in order to reduce inefficiencies to a minimum. The impact of the latter was later theoretically assessed, with process efficiencies improving up to 80% in some cases.
In summary, the primary goal of this work is to optimize the performance of administrative processes in terms of overall efficiency and error-free results, as well as to promote the adoption of lean methodology in more administrative working environments. It is also noteworthy that the automation of a process does not necessarily imply a substantial improvement in its efficiency, and that the communication of the action plans to the client of the process is not as easy as it was initially thought.