Gemba Walk Template

In this article

• What is the purpose of Gemba walks?
• 3 Elements of an Effective Gemba Walk
• SafetyCulture Marketplace: Your One-Stop Work Gear & Equipment Shop
• Equip Gemba walk participants with a Gemba Walk App
• Featured Gemba Walk Checklists

What is the purpose of Gemba walks?

The main goal of Gemba walks, which derived from the Japanese word “Gembutsu” (meaning “the actual place”), is to observe, listen, learn, and help. It is an efficient method that enables leaders to know what is and is not working by being with the workers right on the floor, delving into how they approach problem-solving and continuous improvement in everyday work. Gemba walks are structured and performed according to a particular intention (e.g. customer service, standard work, safety, cost efficiency, productivity, creativity, and workspace efficiency).
Further, Gemba walks are also done with the aim to:

• identify issues and gain valuable insights on how to improve them;
• reduce existing waste ( redundancies, bottlenecks, non-value added steps, safety hazards, etc.) and discover where continuous improvement opportunities exist;
• discuss goals and objectives with employees; and
• build stable relationships with those who actually do the work and create value.

3 Elements of an Effective Gemba Walk

As Gemba walks take leaders directly where actual work happens, they become an integral part of continuous improvement initiatives, such as Kaizen events and layered process audits (LPA). It helps them to see and understand processes through the employees that are directly involved in the work.
To achieve an insightful Gemba walk, walkers can follow these three fundamental elements:

1. Go See

Walk around the workplace and observe if processes are done according to standards and if they produce intended results. Participants of the walkthrough can use a Gemba walk checklist to take note of their observations and use it as a reference document during discussions of the Gemba Kaizen circle.

2. Ask Why

Gemba walkers need to probe the value stream thoroughly and identify opportunities for improvement through active communication and listening. Leaders should be sincere and curious on how employees think about their work and solicit recommendations on how to improve it. Techniques such as 5 Why’s can be used to identify problematic areas of a process and ensure that they address root causes of systemic issues.

3. Show Respect

Collaborate with the workers in understanding the challenges and determining how they could be addressed. A gemba walk should focus on the challenges and not on workers’ performance.

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