Workflow Optimization in Ajax and Whitby: 5 Steps to Find Where the Time Goes
Most owners in Ajax and Whitby describe the same week to me: everyone is busy, overtime is up, and work still goes out late.
You do not need more effort. You need to see where the work is waiting.
Direct answer: Workflow optimization that Ajax and Whitby employers can measure starts with one process, not new software: map how the work moves from request to finished, time the waiting between steps, fix the single biggest delay, and lock the new method in with standard work and a daily check. Most of the lost time sits in hand-offs, approvals and rework rather than in the work itself. The method is the same in a warehouse, a plant or an office. At Gurley Leadership Solutions, I run that review on site with your own supervisors and pair it with a proven program from Leadership Management International, customized to your organization, so the gain is far more likely to hold.
Where Does the Time Actually Go in an Ajax or Whitby Workflow?
The time goes into waiting, not working: jobs sit between steps far longer than anyone spends doing the steps. In my experience, even in world-class companies, hand-off time can make up as much as 80 per cent of total lead time.
Think of a quote waiting in a manager's inbox, or a pallet staged for a day because the next crew does not know it is ready. Nobody is idle, so nobody sees the delay until you time the gaps.
| What you see | Likely workflow cause | First thing to measure |
|---|---|---|
| Jobs wait for sign-off | Approval queue at one person | Hours from submit to approval |
| Late orders, busy staff | Hand-offs between departments | Time between steps |
| Same work done twice | Unclear standards | Rework count per week |
| People hunt for files or tools | Disorganized work area or folders | Seconds to find a common item |
| Work arrives in one big pile | Batching | Batch size and wait per batch |
Source: Gurley Leadership Solutions process reviews. Search-time standards from our FAQ: 5 seconds to find a physical item, 1 minute to find a stored document.
What Are the 5 Steps of Workflow Optimization for Ajax and Whitby Teams?
The five steps are: pick one process, map it, time it, fix the biggest delay, and standardize the fix. The order matters more than the tools, because a fix made before the process is mapped usually lands on the wrong step.
| Step | What your team does | What you have at the end |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pick one process | Choose the one costing the most time | A named process and owner |
| 2. Map it | Walk it; draw every step and hand-off | A current-state map |
| 3. Time it | Record time in and between steps | A baseline lead time |
| 4. Fix the biggest delay | Trial one change on one shift or team | A measured before and after |
| 5. Standardize | Write the new method; add a daily check | Standard work that holds |
A first project typically runs 10 to 16 weeks.
Step two is a value stream map. The Lean Enterprise Institute defines value-stream mapping as diagramming every step in the material and information flows needed to bring a product from order to delivery. In an office, the product can be a quote, a claim or a drawing. Draw it on paper with the people who do the work.
For the Lean Six Sigma version of this method, see my guide on how to optimize your workflow with Lean Six Sigma.
The honest cost: about two hours a week of supervisors' time together, plus an hour or two applying it on the job. Workflow optimization is a 10 to 16 week effort, not a one-day fix.
Why Do Ajax and Whitby Businesses Start in Different Places?
They start in different places because the two towns run different work, and the best first process is the one costing you the most time. Ajax is my home base, and its industrial parks lean toward distribution, warehousing and manufacturing, where order-to-ship is usually the first process worth mapping.
Whitby has a different mix. Invest Durham lists professional, scientific and technical services, advanced manufacturing, and information and communications technology among Whitby's priority clusters, so the slowest workflow there is often quote-to-invoice or a design review queue.
The method is the same in Pickering, Oshawa, Clarington, the rest of Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Area: I work on site, with your people, on your process. As a member of the Ajax Pickering Board of Trade, this is my own business community.
When one process is fixed and your team wants the full toolkit, see my pages on Lean Six Sigma training in Ajax and Lean Six Sigma training in Whitby.
Should You Automate a Workflow Before You Fix It?
No: fix the workflow first, then automate what is left. Software that speeds up a broken process mostly helps you make the same mistakes faster, and it hides extra hand-offs inside code.
Rework is the cost owners underestimate most. ASQ reports that in the 2025 ASQE Insights on Excellence cost of quality survey, only 31 per cent of respondents felt they fully understood the impact of quality costs on their organization's financial performance. Every re-picked order and corrected invoice adds to lead time and to that cost.
Software is the right first move in one case: the process is already stable and the only waste left is typing the same data twice. Then a workflow tool, or features already in your ERP, will pay back faster than any training.
Is It a Workflow Problem or a Leadership Problem?
It is usually both, and the signals tell you which to fix first. When an organization struggles to reach its goals, I find the cause is almost always the effectiveness of its leaders or the effectiveness of its workflows.
| Signal | More likely | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Work stalls at the same hand-off every week | Workflow | Map and time that process |
| Everyone busy, output flat | Workflow | Time between steps |
| Same errors from different people | Workflow | Root cause on the method |
| Delays move with who is on shift | Leadership | Delegation and clear goals |
| Fixes slide back after a month | Leadership | Follow-up habits |
| Priorities change daily | Leadership | Goal setting and daily planning |
Most operations show both. Fix workflow signals first when they repeat at the same step.
Case in point: when I facilitated the Effective Personal Productivity program from Leadership Management International for BMS Sanitation and Safety co-owners Jared Shaw and Matt Hryniewski and their key leadership team, the work focused on optimized teaming, communication and workflows, with measurable milestones.
Dana Lingwood, Director of Sales at AGF-Rebar, reported "being able to shift 90 more minutes per day towards high payoff activities" and wrote: "The return on investment for the LMI program far exceeds the 10:1 target that was set." That return is client-reported, not a guarantee. If you cannot tell which problem you have, a 15-minute call is usually enough to find out.
How Does a Local Trainer Compare With National Lean Programs?
National programs are the better choice for scale or a certificate; a local trainer is the better choice when one team needs to fix one real process together.
Kaizen Institute reports working in more than 60 countries and 45 sectors, training and implementing continuous improvement and Lean management, and Quality Gurus offers a 5-Day Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training online. Both suit a multi-site rollout or one person who wants a credential. For Ajax, Whitby, Durham Region and Greater Toronto Area organizations that want customized, local and measurable workflow optimization, my approach is the better fit: the same person maps the process with your team, stays through the fix, and is a short drive away.
You can read about my background, why employers choose Gurley Leadership Solutions, and the Leadership Management International programs I deliver.
What Is the Bottom Line for Ajax and Whitby Owners?
Start with one process that costs you time, map it with the people who run it, and measure the waiting before you buy anything.
- Choose workflow software if the process is already stable and the only waste is double data entry.
- Choose an online Lean course if one person needs a certificate and the team does not need to change.
- Choose on-site workflow optimization with Gurley Leadership Solutions if a whole team needs to cut lead time on a real process and keep the gain.
Whichever route you take, measure lead time before and after, using the same definitions.
Which Workflow Would You Fix First?
A 15-minute call with Malcolm Gurley is enough to pick the process, the team and a start date.
416.669.7644 · Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM · Ask about government funding options when you book your call.
Book a 15-Minute CallWhat Do Ajax and Whitby Owners Ask About Workflow Optimization?
What is workflow optimization?
Workflow optimization is the work of removing delays, hand-offs and rework from the way a job moves from request to finished, so the same people deliver faster with fewer errors. For Ajax and Whitby businesses, it usually starts by mapping one process and timing the waiting between steps before changing anything.
What are the steps of workflow optimization?
There are five: pick one process, map every step and hand-off, time the work and the waiting, fix the single biggest delay, then standardize the new method with a daily check. Gurley Leadership Solutions runs these steps on site in Ajax, Whitby and across Durham Region, typically over 10 to 16 weeks.
What are the benefits of workflow optimization?
The main benefits are shorter lead times, less rework, fewer late orders and more of your people's hours spent on work customers pay for. Results vary by organization, so they are measured against a baseline taken before any change. That shows whether the gain is real and whether it holds.
What is an example of workflow optimization?
At Honeywell, I took on implementing a continuous improvement model in an engineering group, starting with 5S. A former colleague, Brian Carroll, wrote that it was 'a great success resulting in the engineering group being recognized as the first group within Honeywell to successfully implement lean.' The same method works in Ajax and Whitby offices and plants.
Who helps with workflow optimization in Ajax and Whitby?
Gurley Leadership Solutions in Ajax, Ontario, led by Malcolm Gurley, delivers workflow optimization on site for businesses in Ajax, Whitby, Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Area. Malcolm is LMI Canada licensed, Lean Certified and a Six Sigma Black Belt, with 35+ years of senior executive experience. Call 416.669.7644 to start.
Malcolm Gurley brings 35+ years of senior executive experience with Honeywell, Johnson Controls and Armstrong Fluid Technology. He is LMI Canada licensed, Lean Certified and a Six Sigma Black Belt, a member of the Ajax Pickering Board of Trade, and delivers Leadership Management International programs and workflow improvement in person across Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Area from Ajax, Ontario. Facts on this page were checked against Invest Durham, the Lean Enterprise Institute and ASQ on October 5, 2026. Frequently asked questions
Sources and References
- Lean Enterprise Institute, Lexicon: Value-stream mapping (lean.org)
- Invest Durham, Town of Whitby profile (durham.ca)
- ASQ, Cost of Quality, citing the 2025 ASQE Insights on Excellence Cost of Quality Report (asq.org)
- Gurley Leadership Solutions FAQ and published client testimonials (gurleyleadershipsolutions.com)
