This is the first of a 3 part series about the power of the 20 Keys principles to enhance productivity at home during lock-down.
Inspired by this picture shared by Leigh-Anne Toffar, using her skills from Key 1: Cleaning and Organising, to arrange the cupboard for her beautiful baby, we decided more sharing is needed.
Leigh-Anne recently completed her NQF5 Productivity Certificate through ODI’s blended e-learning approach, just before going on maternity leave (which soon became lock-down time).
The NQF5 Productivity Certificate incorporates the principles of the 20 Keys Programme, for which ODI has the exclusive rights in Southern Africa.
To see more details of each respective Key in the 20 Keys System for Operations improvement, go to our interactive 20 Keys wheel and click on a Key of your choice. Click here to access the interactive 20 Keys wheel.
In this blog, ODI members will share some handy tips on using the 20 Keys during lock-down restrictions.
Joan Bull: Programme Coordinator – Learning & Development
The importance of Key 10: Workplace Discipline has really helped me to be productive on a daily basis. This Key focuses on the creation of a positive atmosphere, maintaining a high level of commitment in the workplace, and respect amongst people. Between me and three of my running friends, we created a WhatsApp chat group to encourage one another to exercise. An exercise challenge is set by each person daily, to be achieved before the workday starts. We are held accountable, by giving feedback when we are done with the challenge, and to send a picture to the group of us performing the exercise, or the time in which it was done.
For me, achieving the exercise goal puts me in the right frame of mind to start my workday.
Johan Benadie: Director at ODI
The lock-down period provided a time for reflection on many things. Being involved with implementing the 20 Keys System for Operations improvement for many years, it stimulated some thinking about issues at home, resulting in a few applications.
Upon hearing the warning that we might again have electricity load shedding after the lock-down period, my “generator problem” came to mind. Due to the nature of my work, I am often not at home, causing inconvenience and problems for my wife when she needs to do something I usually attend to. One is using the generator in order for the household to function, and for her to do business from home. It might seem like a trivial issue, after all, you just switch it on, right? But it is not so easy, the typical procedure goes something like this – My wife calls (with me often not available at the time of the call), I then give instructions over the phone;
- go the garage,
- turn the lever on the board to generator position,
- get the key for the generator (specifying which one on the key rack),
- go outside to the generator,
- switch on the power at the plug,
- put the key in and turn halfway until the “glow” light comes on,
- then make a full turn, generator starts,
- check and adjust the revs …
Surprisingly complex! And, you can imagine the panic (and who is blamed) when it doesn’t want to start, as there is no diesel in the tank!
Part of Key 7: Zero Monitor Manufacturing focuses on eliminating the waste of monitoring/ checking that people do things right. One simple solution is to write a One-page Standard to clearly explain steps of a task or procedure, then people can do the task on their own, and do not require your checking or monitoring. An OPS was duly written, explained (also on how to check the level for diesel), a copy put in my wife’s in-tray in her study, and a copy displayed at the distribution board in the garage where the procedure starts. Waste, and frustration, eliminated!
Mike Foxon: Associate
Shopping has become a crucial activity for survival under lock-down, and needs to be done quickly and efficiently, to minimise potential exposure to Covid-19. Spending less time inside a shop also shows consideration for other shoppers, who may be queueing outside in the cold! My usual method is to take a photo of the shopping list of items we need, and proceed, with trolley, to find the items on the list, in the same order that they are written down. This involves a considerable amount of non-value adding activity, zig-zagging from one end of the supermarket to the other. Enter Key 6: Kaizen of Operations, to the rescue! To reduce this obvious waste of motions, my wife (who can think in 3D!) rewrites the list to conform to the layout of the supermarket shelves. So, all one has to do now is to follow the list as you walk systematically down the aisles, from the fruit and veg at the entrance, to the chocolates at the till! The result is improved productivity, less time wasted, and a more efficient and safer shopping experience. Simple, but effective!
To read more about ODI’s Continuous Operations Improvement System, click here.