HR: The missing link in continuous improvement

LOOK inside your organization to examine the role of human resource (HR) department on Kaizen (for the Japanese) and Lean Thinking (for non-Japanese). Chances are, you'll be at a loss. Even those in the manufacturing sector would not be able to justify their supposed factory-wide program on quality and productivity improvement, in the absence of HR's active participation.

And when I say "active," it means HR's tangible and real-life contributions against wastes and other non-value adding steps in its own work procedures. For example, why does HR takes time by as much as 60 days to process job applicants? Or why should it take three days to issue a one-page employment certificate? The list could be endless.