What is 5S

The roots of 5S

If you look for a holy grail in the business world, you’ll find ‘sustainable competitive advantage’ somewhere on the podium. The term was first coined by Michael Porter in his 1985 classic, Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Porter argued that the only way to sustain superior performance is to have a unique and defensible competitive advantage. 

In the years since Porter wrote this book, many companies have tried to find it, but few have succeeded. The Japanese company Toyota is one of the few companies that has not only found sustainable competitive advantage, but has also created a system called the Toyota Production System, which is the envy of the business world. 

So how is this tied to 5S? The Toyota Production System is actually based on the principles of 5S- they are the foundation of Toyota’s success and the reason why so many other companies have adopted the system today.

The roots of 5S, part 2

Although it can be used in any work environment to improve organization and efficiency, the 5S system is most popular in manufacturing and industrial settings, which makes sense as originally the 5S system was created by Taiichi Ohno, an industrial engineer who transferred to the Toyota Motor Corporation in the early 1940’s. 

Ohno was an engineer who began working for Toyota in the 1930s. He was initially assigned to the company’s textile division, where he oversaw the production of looms. In the early 1940s, Ohno was transferred to the Toyota Motor Company, Ohno was put in charge of the production of trucks, and it was here that he began to develop his ideas about how to improve the efficiency of production. Ohno’s ideas were based on the principle of flow, which is the idea that work should flow smoothly and without interruption. He observed that in many factories, production was often stopped due to problems with individual parts or machines. Think changing the parts, needing to search for the right tools, being obstructed by clutter.

Ohno realized that if he could find a way to keep production flowing smoothly, it would greatly improve the efficiency of the factory. After some puzzling, he implemented a series of changes to the process and sought to create a system that would help improve efficiency and eliminate waste on the shopfloor. After some experimentation, he eventually developed the 5S system. Later on, he and his team further popularized it by implementing it at other Toyota factories as well and the results spoke for themselves 

Sometimes, Hiroyuki Hirano is credited with inventing the 5S system. While Hirano was involved with the development of the 5S system, his role was more focused on the implementation of the system at Toyota factories (side note: to achieve this, he developed the Toyota Production System). Over the years, 5S has been adapted for use in a variety of industries. In healthcare, for example, it has been used to improve patient safety and quality of care. In office settings, 5S has been used to improve workplace efficiency and productivity. In service industries, the system has been used to improve customer satisfaction and quality of service.

5S as a system

The inspiration for 5S as a system comes from the Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement, or kaizen. This philosophy emphasizes the importance of efficiency and quality in all aspects of business, from the manufacturing floor to the office. 

5S is a tool that help businesses live by this philosophy. The 5S abbreviation is derived from the Japanese words seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, and shitsuke, which translate to English as “sort,” “set in order,” “shine,” “standardize,” and “sustain.” 

Sort: Remove all items from the work area that are not needed for the current task.

Set in order: Arrange all remaining items in a logical and easy-to-use manner.

Shine: Clean the work area and all of the items in it.

Standardize: Develop procedures for maintaining the work area in the “sort, set in order, shine” state.

Sustain: Make the 5S system a part of the organization’s culture.

The pros and cons of 5S.

The benefits of 5S are many and varied, but can broadly be divided into three key areas: improved organization and efficiency, improved safety, and improved quality. In terms of organization and efficiency, 5S helps businesses to streamline their operations, reducing waste and improving productivity. In terms of safety, 5S helps to identify and eliminate potential hazards in the workplace, making it a safer environment for employees. Finally, in terms of quality, 5S helps businesses to improve their products and services by ensuring that all processes are carried out effectively and efficiently.

Of course, no system is perfect. Pitfalls when using 5S can include not allocating enough time for the implementation, not involving all employees in the process, and not having a clear plan for sustaining the 5S initiative over the long term. Because if there’s anything people dislike, it’s momentary obsessions from the management team that end up increasing stress and workload but have nothing to show for it. Without a long-term plan and a shared understanding of 5S, it can instead lead to increased clutter and chaos, rather than improved organization and efficiency.

Another major challenge when implementing 5S in the workplace is getting employees on board with the new system. It can be difficult to change established work habits, so it is important to have AND communicate a clear and concise plan for 5S implementation. There is also a potential for employee resistance to any changes in the workplace, so it is important to be prepared for this possibility and employ the right change management techniques. Lastly, it is also important to ensure that the 5S system is sustainable. This means having a plan in place for ongoing monitoring and improvement.

Basically, the most important thing not to forget is to ensure that everyone understands the purpose of 5S. If employees understand the purpose of 5S and all the benefits it can bring to the workplace, they are more likely to be supportive of the initiative and comply with the system. Additionally, involving employees in the implementation process and setting aside time each week to maintain the 5S system can help to create buy-in. Additionally, setting aside time each week to maintain the 5S system can help to avoid backsliding.  

Is 5S still relevant?

Yes, 5S is still relevant. It is a simple and effective way to organize and streamline work processes. It helps to ensure that work is performed more efficiently and effectively, and helps to prevent errors and waste. This is a concept that will not lose its relevancy anytime soon, unless we’re all replaced by robots.

Alternatives to 5S

There are many other work organization methods available, but the 5S system is one of the most popular. Other methods include the 6S system, which adds the name “Safety” to the list of names, and the 7S system, which adds the name “Spirit” to the list. 

The most important takeaways:

 5S consist of 5 principles:

1. Sort: Organize and remove items that are not needed in the workspace.
2. Set in Order: Arrange items so they are easy to find and use.
3. Shine: Clean the workspace and equipment.
4. Standardize: Develop procedures for maintaining the 5S methods.
5. Sustain: Maintain the 5S methods over time.

When using 5S, do:
1. Implement a fitting and logical policy of 5S in the workplace.
2. Train employees on 5S principles and practices.
3. Encourage employees to adopt 5S principles in their work.
4. Evaluate the workplace regularly to ensure 5S principles are being followed.
5. Make improvements to the workplace based on 5S principles.

When using 5S, don’t:
1. Try to implement 5S without first understanding what it is and what it entails.
2. Implement 5S in your workplace without the support of management.
3. Attempt to implement 5S without the involvement of employees.
4. Forget adequate 5S training. 

5. Try to implement 5S without a clear plan and timeline.