Kaizen in public administration: when continuous improvement sustainably transforms the relationship with citizens

Faced with growing citizen expectations, tight budget constraints, and structural organizational complexity, public services and local authorities are at a turning point. How can they improve service quality while mobilizing internal teams in a sustainable way? How can they move from isolated initiatives to a deep and lasting transformation of the organization?

The project carried out by the Orly City Council in France, monitored by the Kaizen Institute, concisely illustrates the power of the Kaizen approach in public administration. It proves that well-structured continuous improvement can increase citizen satisfaction, streamline internal processes, and motivate employees to work toward a common vision of public service.

A strategic challenge: improving relations with citizens

In September 2023, the Mayor of Orly clearly set out the course of action: to make improving relations with citizens a political priority, with visible results before the end of the term.

This ambition could not be limited to superficial interventions. It required a structural transformation involving leadership, processes, management, and the daily practices of teams.

After an in-depth diagnostic phase (process mapping, on-site observations, data analysis, workshops with employees), the Kaizen approach was chosen, a progressive, pragmatic, and deeply human approach based on:

• Continuous improvement.
• Co-construction with employees.
• Management by indicators.
• Structured problem solving.

Daily Kaizen: the DNA of transformation

At the center of the approach implemented in Orly is Daily Kaizen – an adaptation of the Kaizen standard of cascade meetings, indicator reviews, and problem-solving routines.

Daily Kaizen materialized through:

• Short, regular team meetings.
• Visual management of key indicators (resident service, deadlines, calls, quality).
• Co-constructed action plans.
• A clear hierarchical chain for operational issues.

This dynamic profoundly transformed how services operate. Employees gradually became agents of improvement, capable of identifying critical points, measuring discrepancies, and proposing practical day-to-day solutions.

Operational levers specific to citizen services

The Kaizen approach made it possible to act simultaneously on several key levers, notably at the One-Stop Service Desk, the true pillar of the relationship with users:

• Reorganization of the citizens’ physical journey, with improved flow in the reception area, at the counters, and at the service terminal.
• Optimization of deadlines and waiting lines through better appointment management.
• Implementation of a systematic receipt for each procedure initiated by a citizen.
• Creation of a back-office and rotation of employees over three weeks, ensuring continuity and service quality.
• Standardization of critical tasks and drafting of onboarding manuals for new employees.
• Progressive development of competencies through specific training and shared work standards.

These actions, resulting from practical work and led by the teams themselves, made it possible to improve both the citizens’ experience and employees’ working conditions.

Tangible and measurable results

Beyond the cultural transformation, the Kaizen approach implemented in Orly generated tangible and measurable operational results.

Improved relationship with citizens

• Elimination of citizen complaints addressed directly to the Mayor regarding service at the administrative center, a strong signal of a service perceived as more reliable and more accessible.
• 100% of citizens who responded to the surveys said they were well-received and are satisfied with the service they were offered.

Operational performance and flow

• Significant reduction in the missed call rate, from 20 % in 2024 to 10 % in 2025 thanks to the structuring of telephone lines, clarification of roles, and improved daily management.
• Daily processing of 100% of requests, compared with 70 % previously handled, within a timeframe that could reach three months.
• Reduced waiting times and improved reliability of processed cases.

Team engagement

• 100 % of the voluntary pilot teams renewed their commitment in 2025, demonstrating strong support for the initiative.
•  Development of a shared culture around indicators, action plans, and the PDCA cycle, which had previously been largely absent from municipal services.

Why Kaizen is particularly well-suited to public administration

The example of the Orly City Council highlights several key success factors of the Kaizen approach in local governments:

• A progressive approach that respects the constraints and culture of public service.
• Strong employee involvement, with teams co-creating solutions as close as possible to the operational ground.
• Structured yet pragmatic management, focused on results and value for the citizen.
• A sustainable transformation that endures over time thanks to Daily Kaizen.

Continuous improvement is not an isolated project: it is a mindset, a way of managing and organizing that enables public services to do better with what already exists, directly benefiting citizens.

Kaizen Institute, partner in public sector transformations

In Orly, the Kaizen Institute supported the municipality from the diagnostic phase to the progressive internalization of the approach, through:

• A proven methodology.
• Support for managers and teams.
• A transfer of competencies that ensures the long-term autonomy of the services.

This experience demonstrates that operational excellence and continuous improvement are not reserved for the private sector. On the contrary, they constitute a fundamental lever for the modernization and performance of public services, serving the general interest.