Example Six Sigma projects in HR

In HR, the following types of projects are commonly carried out. The list only shows examples and is by no means exhaustive.

• Reduce the time required to hire an employee
• Improve employee on-boarding and orientation processes
• Reduce expenditures for Recruitment
• Improve timeliness and the value of employee performance reviews
• Reduce absenteeism
• Improve training efficiency
• Improve employee satisfaction
• Identify and correct retention issues
• Reduce Incentive Compensation errors
• Eliminate Overpayments to Terminated Salaried Employees
• Improving grievance handling process.
• Consolidation of employee information databases
• Integration of multiple payroll systems for remote locations
• Increase job posting hit rate
• Design of job posting templates for recruiters
• Increase retention using exit interview information

Benchmark Six Sigma has had participation in training programs from HR functions of leading organizations.

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hi Viswadeep,

As per the Six sigma projects in HR most of the project are closely related to hiring or recrutiment. can six sigma be used in all aspect of HR. As i am keen to do green belt but then i dont want to get into quality, want to be in the HR stream.

from

maninder

Hi Maninder, 

Good that you asked this question. Can you let me know which aspects of HR do you handle?

If you wanted to bring improvement in one HR area, what would it be? Based on your interest area, I can give you some more examples. 

Hi Vishwadeep,

 

I am handeling Induction with new joinee with proper on boarding presentation about HR policies, maintaining the MIS reports, exits, maintaining the exit reports, attrition analysis.

 

As i am in a dual role (location hr and Unit HR) have to handle local queries of the associate and then work on the Unit assigned to me. Handling the employee engagement as well wrt retention.

 

But if you ask me my interest area it would be strategic HR, where you would be entirely responsible to retain best people / associate as the market is not so well we need 100% job fit associate with us, would like to align the associate with organization goals and there personal goals working closely with the employee.

is it possible for you to share you email id. just looking for few senior people to intract and put my ideas to reality.

 

maninder singh

Hi Vishwadeep,

 

I have done M.Sc -TQM, done SIX Sigma training also. previously i was working as IT system maintenance, than i joined as HR now i am working as HR -officer. i am Happy in it but i want a suggestion how can i implement TQM or Six Sigma in my process as i look after mainly of Attendance and payroll.

 

Thanking you

Lokesh

Dear Lokesh,

Attendance and Payroll processes may have opportunities of improvement in terms of accuracy (correctness), productivity (turn around time improvement). You need to identify a pain area (or an improvement area) and convert that into a project charter.

Regards,

VK

Although HR is not a big department in most organizations, HR processes have a major impact on the employee's efforts for delivering services or product.

HR people handle the responsibility of retaining the employees while balancing the financial needs of the company.

 

Compensation and benefit areas taken care of by the HR department include payroll administration, time and attendance management, leave policy, stock options and so on. Six Sigma Projects such as reducing time for the paycheck deposition process, faster performance review systems and eligibility study for ESOPs can be considered for the betterment of these activities of the HR.

 

There could be a need for Six Sigma projects like improving multiple payroll systems for remote locations and reducing errors in employee information database.

HR personnel have to take care of areas like employee absenteeism, dispute resolution, health and safety issues, union negotiations, interpersonal communication and discrimination and harassment issues. Six Sigma projects can be undertaken to address the discrimination and harassment by way of monitoring and compliance audit, systems for improved communication among employees and executives

 

Six Sigma projects can aim at overall organizational development with regards to improvements in the career and succession planning, leadership, change management, workplace planning and organization, performance improvement and communication programs.

 

Staffing, Training and Retention - One basic responsibility of the HR department is staffing, background checks, selection and training and retention of employees. They have to design and schedule training and development programs for new employees, as well as existing ones.

 

They also have to handle employee contracts for permanent and temporary employees and manage the process of relocation and outsourcing of employees. They have to manage the retrenchment issues and exit interviews. There can be projects like creating self-learning and evaluation modules for the employees.

Projects to improve the hit rate for job postings followed by quick responses to the applicants, reduction in unnecessary security checks and so on can be undertaken by the HR department as Six Sigma projects.

Dear All,

Recruitment specific discussion can be seen at http://forum.benchmarksixsigma.com/index.php?/topic/623-six-sigma-challenges-in-hr-fields-recruitment/

I want to know Employee retaintion process  

Hi every one

can any one share his six sigma project findings & actions actions/ counter measures to reduce the attrition rate.

regards

sanjay bishnoi

Hi.. I will appeciate seeing hr six sigma project or a project sample.

Thanks.. Raed

The findings will be specific to the location / company. I have seen this as a project by one of the HR green belts in my company. The person started with root cause analysis for turnover (other job, more money, relocating out of the areas, going back to school, supervisor and so on). Based on those findings the person looked at compa-ratios to assess competitivness of compensation as well as a ratio of supervisors to employees. To determine savings, the person looked at factors such as cost to recruit and onboard new employees as well as productivity levels of employees before the project and post improvement implementation.

Hi Vishwadeep,

Please let me know how effectively we can use Six Sigma in the creation of SOP's. I have to document the processes that we handle in HR. Need your help in this regards.

Thanks,

Saikumar

Hi Mr Viswadeep,

I have experience of 20 years in quality assurance and seven in HRD- Training and development. Now I am on guiding and training Six Sigma concepts gradually in our medium size organisation. I am not any belt holder. But I knew basic concepts on lean tools. Now Six sigma in HR means first we should know what is our status in HR activities by way of an exhaustive HR Audit. This is being done by me with another senior manager bi-annually.Now I read these posts and fully agree with what are the areas to make lean of HRD functions as you mentioned in your earlier post:

• Reduce the time required to hire an employee ( we can include cost also)
  
• Improve employee on-boarding and orientation processes (we can include afternoon plant visits during induction)
  
• Reduce expenditures for Recruitment ( by netverdising, campus selection etc.)
  
• Improve timeliness and the value of employee performance reviews ( more object oriented)
  
• Reduce absenteeism (a permanent one)
  
• Improve training efficiency ( exports and constant upgradation of material)
  
• Improve employee satisfaction ( rewards and awards now and then with recognition)
  
• Identify and correct retention issues ( honestly try to eliminate)
  
• Reduce Incentive Compensation errors
  
• Eliminate Overpayment to Terminated Salaried Employees
  
• Improving grievance handling process.
  
• Consolidation of employee information databases (constant updation)
  
• Integration of multiple payroll systems for remote locations
  
• Increase job posting hit rate
  
• Design of job posting templates for recruiters (line managers to give training on this)
  
• Increase retention using exit interview information.
  

Really a detailed study. Wish more to come. Thanks

K Venugopal

Erode

I was wondering where I could find some examples of six sigma projects in the area of benefits and compensation,

Thank you

Alejandro Pinto

hai visvadeep,

plz let me know the different ways in which six sigma can help the organisation improve its hiring process.

Hi Rashmi

Please click on the following link for a Recruitment Specific discussion - http://forum.benchma...ds-recruitment/

Regards

Shradha

I would also add to Mr K Venugopal's post that we require to identify the disgruntled elements and address the related issues of either elimination(AVOIDANCE AS IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT) or amalgamation into the stream by sops. Just a thought process. Your views pl.

Dear Mr Sanjay,

I like to add one interesting finding ( the real thing) to this discussion about the disgruntled employees. This is to be enlisted by the respective line managers. In our organisation, during such exercise, we, after getting the list saw 2% of total employees contribute this catagory. Their social background is studied. We have a notion that if they are financially independent, they pay less interest in this job.  But to our shock,  all are financially depending this job. Those who earning by outside activities additionally are not only disgruntled but also serious at work. They knew how tough is getting money in a job! Then we warned , counseled and make them better by job rotation.

Regards,

k venugopal

Hi,

I was wondering, can't we apply Six SIgma Concepts to Performance Appraisal?

Dear Ms. Anusha,

 

We can do six sigma projects in Performance Appraisal. Now the concept is getting changed into Competency Mapping and Assessment. PA is given by the line managers for their subordinates and the format is usually one with punctuality, discipline, trustworthy etc. But comp. mapping is a matrix with an assessment of various soft skills like communication, interpersonal skill, negotiation skill, reasoning, logic and analytical thinking, innovation, and creativity, decision making, trouble shooting and trustworthiness, of course. These will be tested by monitoring day-to-day activities of sub-ordinates and it will be exposed when they face a crisis.

Here, six sigma has a wide role. Each department has, say, 25 employees. We have a comp. assessment of 6 out of 10 score average.

 

(DEFINE) Then the objective of SS project should be to raise the comp. level at least one point within one year.

(MEASURE) Now the counter-measures are

(ANALYSE) Do a gap analysis for each employee where he is not up to the level required for the job. This consolidated gap analysis of all employees will give you the training plan for the next year.

(IMPROVE) Arranging training programs for the needy persons.

(CONTROL) Now we have to maintain and sustain the knowledge level of other persons by refreshing them with other programs.

 

I think you may have some idea of your requirement. If not enough, come back again.

 

Regards,

k Venugopal

Hi,

I have recently joined a software consultancy company, where I have to set up HR from scratch. Can you please guide me as to how I can use six sigma here?

You can also mail me at [email protected]

Thanks and Regards

Sayali Eklahare

Hi Sayali,

As you are looking forward to setup the end to end process, you will need to address it through DFSS approch of six sigma. This approch is focused on design.

High Level process of a DFSS project is as under:

• Identification of Problem
  
• Collection of VOC and put it on KANO model
  
• Use AHP and QFD to drill down to the CTQ elements
  
• Identify the platform through Pugh Matrix
  
• Perform Process FMEA
  
• Develop the control plan
  
• Develop the impementation and training plan.
  

Hope this helps to start the project well.

Hi All,

can we do something to map JDs with six sigma or analyses KPIs for present sigma level and increase it.

 

Hi Vaishali

 

Please elaborate on the intent. Currently it is unclear on what's the objective.