Hi everyone, my name is James.

I’m a third rotation HRLP in our gas power business based in

Atlanta, Georgia. Lean is important to me because it really embodies the future of how we work
at GE. In the previous video, Simon Bayliss talked about lean and why it’s important to GE. Now
I want to tell you why lean is important to HR.

One of the things that makes lean operating tools and methodologies so useful is that they can
be applied to basically any multi-step process, as you’ll see in the task for this module.

Just as manufacturing environments have used lean to increase efficiency and reduce waste, HR
departments at GE have deployed lean techniques to streamline HR processes. For example, HR
teams can apply lean techniques to multi-step processes, like the onboarding of new
employees, to identify where bottlenecks occur and how to resolve them.

Above all, lean is a mindset. And in HR, we’ve noticed that after looking at some of our
processes through the lens of lean operating, a mindset shift really has begun to occur.

Now, when we are looking ahead to the challenges we face as an HR function, whether it’s a
cyclical task like performance management or salary planning, or something more big and
impactful, like how to continue to manage human resources in the midst of the Covid
pandemic, we approach the solution development with a lean mindset from the start.

So now that I’ve given you some insight into HR’s lean journey, let’s talk about the task you’re
going to complete in this module.

In this exercise, you will map a routine or process that you perform regularly. Then you will
identify areas of waste and opportunities for process improvement.

First, before you do any diagraming, develop your understanding of lean by reading through the
resources below. Next, Think about a routine or multi-step process you perform on a daily
basis. This doesn’t have to be work related. It can be something simple like the process you use
for making your morning coffee.

Finally, create a map of your process using the template of your choice below. Once you’ve
completed the map, use it to identify wastes in your process and opportunities to improve or
streamline the process.

So that’s our task! For more information make sure to look at the resources and instructions
below.

Best of luck – and we can’t wait to see what you come up with!