Have you ever walked into a place of business and been
affected negatively by the lack of cleanliness and disorganization? It doesn’t
matter if that company or organization has the most competitive prices and
selection of goods, if the environment is in disarray then the customer may
decide not to do business with that company. Likewise, have you ever been in a
high end grocery store, Five Star hotel, or a corporate headquarters where the
environment was so clean and orderly that it instantly made a positive
impression on you about the culture of that organization. Those environments
were not established by chance. These organizations more than likely adopted a
5S Visual Management program or similar effort to reinforce their culture or
brand.
It’s often said that companies who implement a 5S program
will see benefits relating to higher product quality, better productivity,
increased customer satisfaction and continued company growth. The benefits to
individuals within that company are a more pleasant workplace, greater job
satisfaction and the potential for improved quality of work. So what is 5S?
5S is a Japanese concept originated by Hiroyuki Hirano in
his book “5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace”. The philosophy focuses on
effective work place organization and standardized work procedures. 5S
simplifies your work environment, reduces waste and non-value activity while
improving quality, efficiency, and safety.
5S includes:
Sort – (Seiri):
This first step focuses on eliminating unnecessary items
from the workplace. The old saying “When in doubt, throw it out” definitely
applies here. Once this step is completed, the workplace is left with only what
is needed and only in the amounts that’s needed. Some examples of clutter can be seen as
unlabeled boxes, tooling with dust, materials hidden under desks, outdated
signage, or materials labeled “defective”.
Proper sorting frees up valuable floor space once all of the obsolete
items have been removed. Occasionally
used items are moved to a more organized storage location outside of the work
area while unneeded items are discarded.
Set In Order - (Seiton):
This step focuses on establishing efficient and effective
storage methods for correct number of items that are needed to do the job and
storing them in the correct location for easy retrieval. "A
place for everything and everything in its place" definitely applies
here. The goal is to find appropriate
storage locations and minimize motion waste. Outlining is simple &
effective way of showing where an item is stored. It also allows you to
visualize if anything is missing. Another technique is to eliminate the use of
different tools and go for multipurpose if available. Finally, if an item is
used frequently, store it close to the work area to eliminate wasted motion to
retrieve the item. If the item is used infrequently, store it in a cabinet or
area that is away from the primary work area.
Shine - (Seiso):
Once the clutter has been eliminated, the next step is to
thoroughly clean the work area. Daily follow-up cleaning is necessary in order
to sustain this improvement. Company members take pride in a clean and
clutter-free work area and this step will help create ownership in the facility.
Haven’t we all heard that a clean car seems to drive better than a dirty one? A
successful implementation of the shine step will include a schedule, checklist,
assignments of responsibilities and tasks, and adequate tools and supplies to
complete the tasks. Cleaning should be done daily and not require a lot of
effort or time. If cleaning is done as small scheduled activities, it is easy
to achieve and does not become a burden on production.
Standardize - (Seiketsu):
The 4th step in the process is different from the
first three as it acts as a controlling method and is not a “doing”
activity. Detailed standards and best
practices should be put in place to ensure the first three activities are continued
and the workplace does not slip back into its old state. Allowing employees to participate in the
development of such standards will ensure adequate buy-in and commitment. Everyone knows what they are responsible for
at this stage. Integrate the first three activities into daily roles. If
problems keep happening, remember the 5-why’s and put in a permanent corrective
action.
Sustain - (Shitsuke):
This is by far the most difficult step to implement and
achieve. Human nature is to resist change and more than a few organizations
have found themselves with a dirty cluttered shop a few months following their
attempt to implement 5S. There has to be a commitment to sustain all of the
previous efforts. If not, all previous actions will soon fall into disarray.
Don’t allow a return to status quo and the comfort zone of the "old
way" of doing things. What good are standards and procedures if you do not
follow them?
In the end, 5S ensures that there is a better
place to work in, improved job morale, and more efficient communications. Don’t let it disappear !
