One of the biggest shortsighted blunders that companies make is shortchanging the massive bottom-line impact that can come from getting employees engaged in routine processes for systematic continuous improvement (SCI).

Here’s a striking example from Right At Home, a client that provides private-duty in-home care services.

In one of their regular improvement huddles, a team member suggested reformatting daily caregiver logs to fit one week on a single page, reducing time spent on paperwork and improving clarity. The new format streamlined documentation, saving about 30 minutes per week per caregiver.

No big deal, right?

Here’s how that single idea paid off on the bottom line:

• Time saved per caregiver per week: 30 minutes (0.5 hours)

• Number of caregivers affected: 50

• Total time saved per week: 50 × 0.5 = 25 hours

• Hourly wage of caregivers: $18

• Total weekly savings: 25 × $18 = $450

• Total annual savings: $450 × 52 weeks = $23,400

NOW … take a look at the cumulative impact of nearly 300 improvements that came from team members in just the first year:

• Revenue was up 14%

• Profits up 39%

• Caregiver satisfaction rose from 79% to 93%

• Client satisfaction rose from 83% to 91%

What was the key to that kind of response from the team?

It wasn’t a flashy program with big incentives or motivational posters. It was a simple, systematic routine that told the team that their ideas weren’t just welcomed, but a valued part of their jobs.

If you’d like to get your team turning routine small gains into big bottom-line results … let’s talk!

Begin your improvement journey today!

Getting better at getting better.