Gemba walks are simple in concept: a leader or manager regularly visits the "real place" where work happens (the Japanese word Gemba roughly means "the actual place"). In manufacturing, that’s the production floor. In logistics, it’s the warehouse or loading dock. In retail, it’s the store. You walk. You observe. You ask questions. You talk to workers. You see problems firsthand.
Many companies use Gemba walks to promote lean thinking, identify waste, and spot opportunities for improvement. But too often, the process stops at observation. Notes get buried. Conversations are forgotten. Tasks aren’t tracked. Problems repeat. Workers see leaders visit but never see real change as a result.
This is a lost opportunity- one that costs money.
The Real Cost (and Value) of Gemba Walks
A typical supervisor or manager making a Gemba walk might spend one hour per day doing it. For a plant running five days a week, that’s about 250 hours per year. At an average salary of $80,000 per year, this is roughly $4,000 worth of labor time per person, per year and that's before factoring in prep and follow-up.
Now multiply that across 10 leaders and you’re spending about $40,000 of labor time annually on Gemba walks in a mid-size facility.
Done well, the returns far exceed the investment. For example:
If you identify one process improvement that reduces scrap by 2%, in a plant with $10M in material costs, you’re saving $200,000 annually.
If a fix reduces unplanned downtime by 5%, and downtime costs $1,500 per hour, that could save another $75,000 to $100,000 a year.
If a change prevents even one lost-time injury (average OSHA-reportable injury costs $40,000+), the walk pays for itself several times over.
But only if action is taken.
How Gemba Walks Often Fail to Deliver
Too many companies run Gemba walks on paper checklists or ad hoc spreadsheets. Leaders take notes in notebooks or on their phones. Findings get lost in email threads. Tasks aren’t assigned or tracked. Workers don’t know what came from the walk.
The result: $40,000 of labor time, and very little actual impact.
Turning Gemba Walks Into Real Change
Here’s what separates useful Gemba walks from wasted ones:
Trigger follow-up tasks
When an issue is spotted, whether a safety hazard, quality risk, or inefficiency, it should generate a task, assigned to an owner, with a due date. No action without accountability.
Drive training
If the walk reveals gaps in knowledge or skill, trigger relevant training. This can be a micro-lesson, SOP review, or safety refresh that's pushed to the right team members immediately.
Document process changes
If a better way of working is found, document and distribute the new process. Don’t rely on word of mouth. Make it part of the official record and ensure the team sees it.
Feed into structured meetings
Gemba findings should flow into daily, weekly, or monthly ops meetings. This builds continuity and prevents repetitive findings from being overlooked.
Communicate outcomes
Workers should know when their feedback led to change. This builds trust and engagement. It also encourages more openness in future walks.
How UnDesked Helps
Platforms like UnDesked.com help companies turn Gemba walks into real, trackable actions. Instead of pen and paper:
Leaders log observations digitally in real time.
Tasks trigger instantly, assigned and visible.
Training can be auto-assigned based on walk outcomes.
Process updates are documented and shared.
Meeting notes capture trends and progress.
Team communication keeps everyone in the loop.
What It Can Save
If proper follow-up on Gemba findings prevents just one injury, or recovers 1% of lost productivity, the return is easily in the six figures for most operations.
Without proper follow-up, that $40,000+ in Gemba labor time is largely wasted.
Summary
Gemba walks are valuable. They let leaders see reality, build relationships with workers, and find ways to improve operations. But walking alone isn’t enough. Real value comes when every finding is turned into action- automatically tracked, followed up, and communicated.
Digitizing and automating this process turns an old practice into a true driver of safety, quality, and productivity.