Vadim Nosenko: 15 years of experience and a culture of continuous improvement
In the third quarter of this year, one of the leaders in the number of implemented kaizen ideas was Vadim Nosenko, an employee with 15 years of experience in the company, a person who sees opportunities where others see a familiar process. His approach, attention to detail, and desire to improve are exactly what the culture of continuous improvement is based on.
Vadim assures that there was no special “chase for quantity”. Ideas appeared where he saw real opportunities for optimization.
“I did not set a goal to submit more ideas. I just saw during business trips what could be improved, and immediately suggested it,” he says.
He spends a lot of time in warehouses analyzing where unnecessary time is spent, where operations can be accelerated or unnecessary actions can be eliminated. The most interesting thing is that even the smallest changes often turn out to be the most significant. For example, the idea of automatically printing a container's transport label. It would seem like a trifle, but thanks to this, the warehouse has received significant time savings and an increase in packing speed.
As it turns out, coming up with an idea is just the beginning. The most difficult thing is sometimes putting it into practice. Vadim works with a programming language that is not widely used, so technical implementation often requires more effort than the formulation of the idea itself. Another example is optimizing the movement of empty containers in warehouses. A solution that has made it possible to significantly speed up the processes of preparing cargo. These examples show the main thing: kaizen is not about scale, but about effect. Even small improvements can bring big results. For Vadim, the source of ideas is attentiveness and presence “in the field”. Daily observation of the work of employees allows him to see hidden reserves.
“When you look at where people spend the most time, you immediately think about how to optimize it,” he explains. That is why trips to warehouses, participation in process reviews, excursions to other enterprises - all this is an important part of inspiration. Seeing how others work, comparing, and then thinking: why do we do it differently than they do?
When proposing improvements, it is important that the entire team picks them up. According to Vadim, the most difficult thing is to change the habits of people who are used to working in the old way. For example, the introduction of widgets instead of radio terminals initially caused resistance. How to convince colleagues?
“Probably, to tell, prove, show with examples so that they see the benefits,” says Vadim.
Often people do not dare to express ideas due to fear of rejection or criticism. Vadim has simple advice: “We are not at school. No one will put you in a corner. You have to try,” Vadim smiles.
He himself has encountered rejected proposals or situations when someone has already submitted a similar solution before. But this is not a reason to give up - it is just an incentive to move on.
One of Vadim's favorite tools in kaizen is the "5 Whys" method, which helps to get to the root of the problem. For him, each idea is not just a process improvement, but a direct contribution to the speed, quality and service of the company.
Despite the fact that Vadim has been working in the company for 15 years, he easily notices shortcomings even in familiar processes. The reason is simple: he is constantly learning, comparing, analyzing.
Logistics exhibitions, visits to other warehouses, getting acquainted with different systems - all this helps him see the work more broadly and find new solutions.
Vadim does not just offer ideas - he is sincerely interested in the approach itself. For him, kaizen is not a formality, but a way of thinking.