Lean методология

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The improvement of HR management by using Lean

Jan Byfuglien, Heidi Torstensen and Anne Trolie, Statistics Norway

A major challenge for all organizations is to improve efficiency and to ensure continuous
improvement. For the HR department this is a double challenge as the HR department itself should
meet the requirements of the organizations it serves in an efficient way, and the HR department should
be an active partner in promoting and training improvement actions in relation to the main tasks of
the organization. Thus the HR department of Statistics Norway for some time has tried to profit from
some principles and methods based on Lean in order to improve its own operations. Lean is a
methodology focussing i.a. on what is creating value for the clients or customers, on how operations
can run smoothly with the identification of bottlenecks and operations with little value and creating a
culture for continuous improvement. Lean implies a bottom-up approach; it requires empowerment
and involvement of all employees and a new type of leadership. As Statistics Norway now has decided
to launch the use of Lean on a broader scale, the HR department will also have an important role to
support this process, especially by providing relevant training and by coaching some improvement
projects. This paper will discuss some experiences gained so far and present some potentials of this
approach. One concrete result has for instance been the redesign of management of course planning
in order to ensure better response to new needs, more efficient use of training resources and more
robust management of courses.
1. Introduction
For all organizations it is always important to perform its tasks and services in the most efficient way
and to adapt continuously to new and increasing needs and requirements. Thus this is also an
obligation for all units and all staff of the organization. Public organizations, such as National
Statistical Institutes, will have the same requirement, especially in a situation where budgets might be
limited or even decreasing. The challenge is to be able to produce statistics with the best quality