If you think 'Lean' is for the factory floor, and certainly not for HR service delivery, think again. This interesting article by Jim Scully argues that lean is about eliminating waste, and the typical service delivery function expends more than half of its resources on waste – that is, performing activities that do not directly deliver value to its customers. 

The concepts of Lean and Six Sigma are very applicable to HR shared services. After all, a shared services center is really more like a factory than any other office environment. In the shared services 'plant', raw information is transformed into valued outcomes – a payment, enrollment, change in status, etc. When you think about it that way, the only real difference is that the floor of your shared services center is most likely carpeted.  What are your toughts?  Is this reflected in your business?

Four Lean Strategies for HR Delivery Service