In the summer of 2022, as industry leaders looked at the state of continuous improvement, a stark reality was becoming clear: Lean methodologies were losing momentum at precisely the moment they were needed most. Despite decades of proven success in manufacturing, healthcare, and services, there was growing concern that without significant evolution, these approaches could become irrelevant within five years. Companies were increasingly turning to quick-fix solutions and new management trends, while the deep wisdom and proven effectiveness of Lean thinking was being overlooked or misunderstood.

 

This recognition sparked what would become the Future of People at Work initiative. The timing was significant - as the Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC) and the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) were planning their respective 30th and 25th anniversary celebrations, they saw an opportunity to do more than commemorate the past. They could help chart the course for the future.

 

In October 2022, an initial group of nine leaders gathered to confront this challenge head-on. The group included Josh Howell and Jim Womack from LEI, Jamie Bonini and Toshi Kitamura from TSSC, Jeff Liker of Liker Lean Advisors, and others who had witnessed both the transformative power of Lean thinking and its current struggle for relevance. Their initial discussion revealed several concerning trends:

• Tools being applied without clear purpose or connection to business problems

• Over-commodification of Lean knowledge, with a proliferation of certifications but declining depth of understanding

• Declining influence with business leaders, who increasingly saw Lean as "been there, done that"

• Technology, particularly AI and automation, being seen as a replacement for human capability rather than an enhancement

• Growing disconnect between traditional improvement approaches and emerging workplace needs

• Short-term thinking in public companies undermining sustained improvement efforts

• Loyalty between organizations and individuals declining, making it harder to build improvement cultures

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The group recognized that these challenges weren't just about Lean's relevance - they reflected fundamental changes in how work was being done. Design and production were increasingly integrated, knowledge work was becoming universal, and the perceived rate of disruption often outpaced traditional transformation approaches.

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The initiative's development followed a clear progression:

1. October 2022: Initial meeting of nine leaders to assess the state of Lean thinking

2. March 2023: At the LEI Lean Summit in Tucson, AZ, the initiative expanded to about 25 people for two sessions using a modified "Preferred Futures" process to articulate both enduring principles and needed evolution

3. July 2023: A pivotal meeting at MIT in Boston established five foundational working groups:

   • Academia - Addressing the education-industry gap

   • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Expanding community representation

   • Adjacent Communities - Building bridges with other methodologies

   • Business Leaders - Reconnecting with C-suite executives

   • Lean Statements - Articulating modern principles

4. July 18-19, 2024: The inaugural Future of People at Work Symposium in Detroit brought together 150 participants and seven leading organizations:

   • Lean Enterprise Institute

   • Shingo Institute

   • Catalysis

   • Toyota Production System Support Center

   • GBMP Consulting Group

   • Central Coast Lean

   • The Ohio State University's Center for Operational Excellence

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The Detroit symposium tackled pressing challenges:

• Integration of AI and automation while maintaining human-centric improvement

• Evolution of problem-solving for complex, systemic challenges

• Development of improvement capabilities in distributed workforces

• Application of Lean principles to broader societal challenges

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Through Open Space sessions at the symposium, additional working groups emerged:

• Industrial Tourism Bureau

• Marketing and Branding of Lean

• Ways of Working (WoW)

• Higher Ed Administration

• AI Augmented Body of Knowledge

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The success of the Detroit event launched ongoing initiatives:

• Monthly community meetings on the second Friday of each month

• Active working groups developing new approaches

• Collaborative experiments with emerging technologies

• Development of modern case studies and examples

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The initiative continues to gain momentum, leading to the second Future of People at Work Symposium, themed "Better Together," to be held June 26-27, 2025, at O.C. Tanner in Salt Lake City, Utah. This event will feature:

• Interactive learning sessions combining multiple improvement methodologies

• Real-world demonstrations through O.C. Tanner facility tours

• Cross-industry problem-solving workshops

• Practical application of new technologies in improvement work

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What began as a recognition of Lean's declining influence has evolved into a movement to reinvigorate and reimagine improvement for the modern world. The Future of People at Work initiative represents a fundamental rethinking of how improvement methodologies can remain relevant and impactful in an rapidly evolving workplace.