{"id":1983,"date":"2015-09-22T18:06:02","date_gmt":"2015-09-22T23:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/flevy.com\/blog\/?p=1983"},"modified":"2015-09-27T23:41:21","modified_gmt":"2015-09-28T04:41:21","slug":"improving-office-productivity-with-5s-principles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flevy.com\/blog\/improving-office-productivity-with-5s-principles\/","title":{"rendered":"Improving Office Productivity with 5S Principles"},"content":{"rendered":"

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with the first step. – Lao Tzu, a famous Chinese philosopher<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"9442490591_e431e202f0_b\"Around the world, more and more organizations have started to adopt Lean principles and practices to improve competitiveness. \u00a0As a holistic approach, office activities must fully support shop-floor manufacturing operations to eliminate waste as a means to improve productivity.<\/p>\n

The office, by any name, is a paperwork factory. \u00a0The adoption of 5S principles throughout all office and administrative functions is the first step to increase efficiency.<\/p>\n

In developing a culture of continuous improvement, the 5S is like a mirror reflecting our attitudes and behavioral patterns during the transformation process.<\/p>\n

5S is a basic management philosophy for eliminating waste and improving workplace organization and standardization.\u00a05S serves as the foundation for continuous improvement activities and on which other Lean methodologies can be applied. \u00a0It is also one of the cornerstones of employee engagement.<\/p>\n

Although 5S concepts are simple and easy to understand, many organizations have failed in the implementation process.\u00a0This is because 5S is often misunderstood as a thorough spring cleaning program.\u00a05S, however, is more than just a housekeeping program – it is a method for workplace organization and productivity improvement.<\/p>\n

The benefits of 5S implementation are reduced mistakes or errors from employees, reduced search time in locating files, information and supplies, improved employee safety and morale, and improved customer service.<\/p>\n

5S comes from the first letters of five Japanese words, namely,\u00a0Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu\u00a0<\/i>and\u00a0Shitsuke<\/i>. \u00a0Translated to its English equivalent, 5S means: Sort, Set In Order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain.<\/p>\n

\"5S<\/p>\n

The first three S’s: Sort, Set In Order and Shine are the basic pillars of 5S. \u00a0They form the core of the 5S program and have to become a part of every employee’s day-to-day activities.\u00a0The fourth and fifth S’s are to support the implementation of the first three S’s.<\/p>\n

Let us take a closer look at each of the 5S principles:<\/p>\n

Sort<\/b><\/h2>\n

Sort means to distinguish between the necessary and unnecessary, and get rid of what you do not need.<\/p>\n

Go through all the desks, shelves, cabinets, files, equipment, storage areas, etc. in the office and discard unnecessary items.<\/p>\n

Keep only the essential items.\u00a0Things that are frequently used should be stored near the workstation, and things that are seldom used should be stored further away.<\/p>\n

Set In Order<\/h2>\n

Set In Order means to arrange essential items in order for easy access. \u00a0The focus is on functional storage and eliminating the need to look for things.<\/p>\n

All items should be arranged for easy access. \u00a0A good system is one which an item can be found in less than 30 seconds.\u00a0There must be a place for everything, and everything should be in its place after use.<\/p>\n

The following are some practice tips for Set In Order:<\/p>\n