5S - The Art of Workplace

Productivity
Tools to make Workplace Clean, Tidy, Efficient & to Improve your Personal
& Organization Productivity

Sadashiv Borgaonkar
ACTSol & Associates
 5S - The Art of Workplace Productivity
Page
Section S. No Chapter
No
Introduction 3
1
1.1 Introduction 4
The 5S Philosophy 6
2.1 Understanding 5S 7
2.2 The First Step - Sort 9
2 2.3 The Second Step - set in Order 12
2.4 The Third Step - Shine 15
2.5 The Fourth Step - Standardize 19
2.6 The Fifth Step - Sustain 23
The 5S Implementation 26
3.1 Implementation Methodology 27

3 Practical Tips / Pointers for Successful

3.2 28
Implementation
Managing Resistance to Change in
3.3 32
Implementation
PDCA Cycle & 5S Integration 36
4 4.1 The PDCA Philosophy 37
4.2 Integrating PDCA & 5S 40
The Pathway to Embrace Lean Manufacturing through
42
5S
5.1 Lean - The Lean Philosophy 43
5
5.2 Lean - Identify & Eliminate Waste 45
Using 5S as first step towards Lean
5.3 48
Manufacturing / Lean Six Sigma

2
Section 1 – Introduction

3
 1.1. Introduction
The entire world of work—factories, hospitals, banks, airports, stores, and
government agencies—is striving for operational excellence.
They want to make work safer, simpler, more logical, uniform, fluid, linked, and far
less costly. Companies now commit to this conversion to excellence, both as a
destination and a journey.
The journey is one of building stability and growth in the organization and creating
prosperity for shareholders, executives, and the workforce itself—as well as for the
communities where the organization resides, and the environment which supports
it.
The global economic challenges have changed the perspectives of working culture
towards excellent working performance with the adoption of best practices.
One of the tools to achieve organizational excellence is the 5S management
techniques. 5S management techniques have contributed significantly to improve
internal efficiencies, operational effectiveness and foster on time delivery system
to the delight of customers.
To achieve this, organizations should integrate 5S activities into their business
functions as their organizational culture.
This eBook on 5S would serve as a quick reference for 5S implementation and will
be of benefit to all industries that strive to enhance continuous improvement for
competitiveness.
So welcome to the eBook on 5S – The Art of Workplace Productivity.

4
Brought to you by ACTSol’s eLearning Institute, this eBook is intended to
explain the 5S concept in a simplified format to serve as a quick
implementation reference for everyone.

It is all about knowledge transfer to facilitate the on-going learning process

that provides you with practical guidelines and actual examples from leading
organizations on how the 5S management techniques work.

This eBook will also offer you sufficient details on how organizations should
integrate each ‘S’ into their business function as their organizational culture to
enhance continuous improvement.

Come let’s dive into the eBook – with a SMILE

5
Section 2 – The 5S
Philosophy

6
 2.1. Understanding the 5S
Today, it is increasingly recognized that 5S management techniques enhance
productivity and competitiveness.
In order to become a World Class Workplace, an organization has to go
through a continuous and systematic process to:
▪ Identify, reduce and eliminate waste
▪ Enhance teamwork
▪ Enhance operation effectiveness in a better working environment
▪ Form the basic advanced model for Productivity and Quality
Improvement.
As each 5S management techniques begins with an S, this approach has been
named 5S.

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5S is a management tool from Japan, that focuses on establishing a quality
environment in the organization, ensuring adherence to standards and in the
process, fosters the spirit of continual improvement.
It focuses on five management techniques that are the foundation for any
organization’s competitive initiative.
The 5S are defined with examples. Have a look at them.
Sort – Set in Order – Shine – Standardize – Sustain.
In Japanese, they are called as – respectively – Seiri – Seiton – Seiso – Seiketsu –
Shitsuke
In simple terms, the five S methodology helps a workplace remove items that
are no longer needed, tat is – Sort.
Organize the items to optimize efficiency and flow, that is – Set in Order.
Clean the area in order to more easily identify problems, that is – Shine
Implement color coding and labels to stay consistent with other areas, that is –
Standardize, and …
Develop behaviors that keep the workplace organized over the long term, that
is – Sustain
It is also referred to as 6S or 5S+S (adding Safety or Security) or even 7s (adding
Spirit and Safety)

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 2.2. The First Step – Sort
The First S – Seiri – that is Sort.
So, what is Sorting here?
Sorting Means – To sort and systematically discard items that are not needed
in the workplace.
Sort is the act of removing and discarding all unnecessary items from a work
area. Often, it is best to start your 5S implementation in a specific area to
help maintain focus and refine your abilities. It can be daunting to think of
how you are going to implement 5S across the plant. Focus on one area at a
time, break up your plant into “sections,” and work section by section like a
puzzle.
You would be surprised how difficult the sorting function really can be for
people.
As humans, we love our stuff and struggle to part ways with even the most
unnecessary and infrequently used possessions.
Just look at the self-storage industry and how it has grown over the years.
In a manufacturing environment, items can accumulate quickly and create a
mess, hence making things less visible.
You have to first evaluate what is needed to perform the tasks in a work area
and remove anything unnecessary.

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It is good practice to use an identification system while conducting the Sorting
step. This system is called red tagging.
It can involve the items like parts, tools, workbenches, fixtures, jigs,
documentation, supplies, Equipments, … or anything that can be removed.
You have to Make sure to create an inventory list of all items to be removed to
help in the final disposition and removal from the company.
You have to take quick decisions must be made at the sorting phase because the
bulk of the work is done during the second phase
So, to implement the first S the Red-Tag process is commonly employed. The Red-
Tag strategy helps to identify unwanted items and determine their usefulness.
Three questions need to be asked to determine if an item is necessary.
Is it useful?
How often is it needed?
How much is needed?
You have to then decide what to throw, and the actions required.
When Red-Tagging is completed and action are taken on them, the workflow is
reduced, communication between workers is improved and productivity is
enhanced.

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The key word in this description is the elimination of unnecessary items in the
workplace.
Sorting is an excellent technique to transform a cluttered workplace layout into an
effective area to improve efficiency and safety.
So, the impact of the Sorting is multifold: They can be:
▪ Necessary items are identified and positioned in the right workplace and
location.
▪ Unwanted items are eliminated.
▪ Searching time is reduced.
▪ Working environment is improved.
▪ Space utilization is maximized.
Once you have completed the Sorting phase, review the items removed and sitting
in your red-tag area.
The goal of any sorting project is to have all the items removed from the company
within a fixed targeted days.
You should not develop a behavior of holding on to items and moving the pile
from one part of the plant to another.
You have to develop a removal procedure that can be completed within a fixed
targeted days.
So, Sorting is an effective way to clear the confusion that clutter creates in a
process. You will find that, even after completing only the Sorting part of 5S, it will
be easier to work in the work area.
However, your 5S implementation has just started, and you have set the tone for
the creation of the visual workplace – And that is – Set in Order.

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 2.3. The Second Step – Set in Order
The Second S – Seiton – that is Set in Order.
So, what is Setting in Order here?
Setting in Order Means – To arrange necessary items in a neat and systematic
manner so that they can be easily retrieved for use and to return after use..
Set in Order is the act of creating locations for all essential items needed in
the work area. It is the act of organizing what is needed so it is easily
identifiable in a designated place.
During this phase, it is recommended that the implementation teamwork
from the floor up, focusing on the layout of the area first.
It is at this point in the implementation when work areas, aisleways, and
floor locations are established. Once this is complete, then smaller items
such as tools, supplies, fixtures, and parts are given home locations.
The second S reflects a very popular saying: “A place for everything and
everything in it’s place”. It emphasizes safety, efficiency and effective storage
and consequently improves the appearance of the workplace.
Once the first S has been successfully implemented, what is left should be
arranged so that there is ease of use and storage.
This eliminates waste in production or in clerical activities and ensures all
materials, tools and Equipments have designated locations which are easy to
find.

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During this phase, it is recommended that the implementation teamwork from the
floor up, focusing on the layout of the area first.
It is at this point in the implementation when work areas, aisleways, and floor
locations are established. Once this is complete, then smaller items such as tools,
supplies, fixtures, and parts are given home locations.
Everything has a home.
Always place “Keep Clear” designations in places where safety is a concern.
The goal of Set in Order is to create a standardized and consistent way to store and
retrieve tools and materials.
The key here is standardization.
Each item being returned to the workspace will be placed in a “home”, a specific
and logical spot within the area.
An important component to the Set in Order step is to consider the worker; a goal
of this phase is to minimize the need for workers to repeatedly bend or reach over
between items.
Instead, tools used on a day-to-day basis should be kept close to the operator and
less utilized items and be put in other areas.
Things you can Set in Order could be

▪ Offices ▪ Papers ▪ Invoices ▪ Storage areas

▪ Books ▪ Blueprints/Plans ▪ Desk Drawers ▪ Tools

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Let's see some cases of items that are set in order.

Once you have completed the set-in

order step, there is bound to be a good
positive impact on the operations.
The potential impacts could be:
▪ Items easily returned to its
designated location after use.
▪ Required items easily located,
stored and retrieved.
▪ Retrieval time is reduced.

Also, the right items are in right place,

in the right quantity and arranged by
the right method.

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 2.4. The Third Step – Shine
The Third S – Seiso – that is Shine.
So, what is Shine here?
Shine Means – To clean and inspect the workplace thoroughly so that there is no
dirt on the floor, machines and equipments.
This third stage of a 5S implementation can be done after the Sorting or during the
Set-in-Order phases. Shining is the cleaning portion of the implementation. During
Shine, workers are encouraged to do a deep cleaning of their space, ensuring
there is no grime, dust, or oil spills remaining.
However, it is important to remember that cleaning is not the only facet of this
phase and that Shining also includes inspection and routine maintenance.
The goal for Shine is to keep everything in great working order so it lasts as long as
possible and doesn’t break down.
In this step, All trash should be removed. Floors should be swept, and all
workspaces, tools and equipment should be wiped down.
This step is everyone’s job! Keeping a regular cleaning schedule helps equipment
and other tools to last longer.
Making the three steps of sort, set in order and shine, as a part of the daily work
routine will keep the workplace organized and clean each day.
It will also reduce the time needed for longer 5S campaigns where each of these
steps are thoroughly carried out.
These three steps make up the foundation of the 5S System. A deep clean is also a
tool in of itself because it can be used as an inspection opportunity for equipment
that may have broken or for spotting hazards in the workplace.

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Having a clean workplace will make it much easier for workers to notice anything that
requires attention.
It also helps to know when any machine or equipment needs to be serviced.
When inspections and maintenance is done on a regular and frequent basis, it will help
to conduct any attention – tasks quicker.
This will enhance the performance levels of machines and equipments increase
considerably.
So, you must create a clean worksite without garbage, dirt and dust, so problems can be
more easily identified, like leaks, spills, excess, damage.
So, you must ensure the following:
▪ Identify of the root causes of dirtiness, and correct process
▪ Carry out only one work activity on a workspace at any given time
▪ Keep tools and equipment clean and in top condition, ready for use at any time
▪ Clean the workplace daily – at least 5 minutes per day
▪ Use charts with signatures / initials to show that, the action or review has taken place
▪ Ensure proper lighting – it can be hard to see dirt and dust 16
Let's now see some examples of before the shine and after the shine activity
is done

Before and After

Before and After

Before and After

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The clean workplace seems to be happy.
This is not just words but a true saying. It is said when you work in an environment
that is clean and safe you automatically feel fresh and positive.
It is always said ‘Cleanliness is next to godliness’ which means cleanliness is the
sign of wellbeing.
Hygiene and cleanliness are important for maintaining a healthy mind and body.
Workplace especially needs to be kept clean and safe as there are thousands of
employees working there and their health and safety is one of the most important
things that need to be taken care of.
Also, the employees feel good to work in an environment that is clean and
positive.
A clean and positive environment boosts the productivity of employees.
When the work environment is clean the people who work feel proud about being
a part of such a workplace. They start spreading this message of their clean
workplace with their friends and acquaintances.
This indirectly improves the image of the company.
For a 5S System to be successful the first three steps of the 5S System should be
part of the daily work routine. They should be performed just prior to the end of
the day or shift.
1. The Sort Step – Remove all items that are not needed in the workspace.
2. The Set In Order Step – Put all tools back in place. All excess work in progress
and excess parts should be put in place. The workspace should be put back in an
organized manner.
3. The Shine Step – All trash should be removed. Floors should be swept, and all
workspaces, tools and equipment should be wiped down.
Making these three steps part of the daily work routine will keep the workplace
organized and clean each day. It will also reduce the time needed for longer 5S
campaigns where each of these steps are thoroughly carried out.
These three steps make up the foundation of the 5S System. The next step is to
Standardize your 5S System and your policies to support it.

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 2.5. The Fourth Step – Standardize
The Fourth S – Seiketsu – that is Standardize.
So, what is Standardize here?
Standardize Means – Setting up standards for a neat, clean, workplace.
That is - To maintain a high standard of workplace organization by always
keeping everything clean and orderly.
Once the 3S are in place, the next step is to concentrate on standardizing
best practices. The plan must include the creation of procedures and simple
daily checklists which are to be visibly displayed at every workplace.
This is critical as you don’t want to waste all the previous efforts from the
first three steps. In order to accomplish this step, you will need to assign and
integrate 5S responsibilities, schedule 5S tasks and audit the results.
In order to ensure the first three stages of “5S” are maintained,
responsibilities must be assigned and integrated into the regular work
routines.
Ensure daily sweeping of the area is part of the job duties if required.
Ensure all tools are put away at the end of the day.
Desks should be organized prior to going home for the day.
Regardless of their role in the company, each person must do their part to
ensure the 5S standardization is adhered to.
Failure in one area will have a ripple effect throughout the company.

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The plan must include the creation of procedures and simple daily checklists
which are to be visibly displayed at every workplace.
The checklists must serve as visual signpost to ensure that the daily 3S
requirements are carried out habitually as best practices in the work area.
The things that need to be highlighted could be:
▪ Who is responsible? That is – ownership
▪ The actions must be taken to maintain the desired condition
▪ When the actions are required to be taken
▪ The procedures that are needed to be followed to ensure compliance
▪ Work-in-progress / inventory rules
▪ The Maintenance schedules.
▪ Regular work activities integrated with 3S duties.
The key word is to consolidate the 3S by establishing standard procedures.
This activity is carried out to determine the best work practices and find
ways of ensuring that everyone carries out their individual activity in their
workplace.

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A daily walk through of areas should be
conducted to ensure the basic level “5S” is being
maintained. The potential impacts of this
activity are:
• Better workplace standards.
• Better Visual Control Systems.
• Establishment of Rules and Standard
Operation Procedures, that is - SOP
• Information sharing on required standards.
• Improvement in operation and workflow.
• To make the 5S standardization stage
effective, you will need to schedule weekly,
monthly, semi-annual and annual events in
addition to the daily “5S” tasks. Tasks that
would fall under the weekly category could
be wiping down computers or machines.
Dusting off desks or cleaning phones.
• A monthly schedule could include detailed
cleaning of an assembly area or washing of
desks. For production facilities, sorting
through test or sample parts in your area
and discarding those that are no longer
useful.
• Semi-annual events could involve sorting
through desk drawers and discarding
obsolete or outdated documents. Waxing
of floors or taping of aisles (if applicable).
• As an annual event, sort through that deep,
dark corner of the facility or mezzanine
where all the excess material or machinery
is stored. Maybe you have an outside
facility where you store excess equipment
for future use? Sort through that building
and discard any non-value material. 21
Let's now see some examples of Standardized Workplace System’s
arrangements. These systems must be standardized and maintained.

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 2.6. The Fifth Step – Sustain
The Fifth S – Shitsuke – that is Sustain.
So, what is Sustain here?
Sustain Means – Keeping your 5S system running smoothly by maintaining
the procedures you’ve developed and updating them if necessary.
Here, it is ensured that everyone in the organization is involved, from people
in the shop floor to office workers and management.
Lastly, new employees are trained on 5S best practices, and ensured that the
employees who switch departments are also trained on their new area’s
procedures.
By regular training and helping in implementation, the 5S philosophy should
become habitual and ingrained in the culture of the organization.
Every company is different, as is how each one establishes the guidelines and
practices needed to sustain the improvements.
Some companies can rely on the culture with no real management systems in
place. Others need formalized systems. Sustaining the 5S program is the
hardest.
Once your implementation of the first four of the five Ss is complete, you
need to create a sustaining program that makes sense for your company and
your culture. Your sustaining efforts will never end, including continually
improving on what was already implemented.

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After the implementation has started, the progress must be
audited, at regular intervals.
Checklists must be prepared and filled up during the audits.
As a guide designed according to the specific needs of an
organization, a 5S checklist can help reinforce conformance
with 5S principles and aid an organization in gaining the 5S
principles’ major long-term benefits:
▪ Safety & security
▪ Waste elimination
▪ Increased efficiency
▪ Low implementation cost for high-impact performance

The checklists must be customized for different audit areas

like manufacturing, warehouses, office, workplace etc.…
The audit checklist for manufacturing companies must aim
at business improve productivity through workplace
cleanliness and efficiency. This can help identify the
unnecessary items stored in the manufacturing site and
ensure machines, equipment, and tools are kept clean and
in working order.
The audit checklist for 5S Warehouse must aim to increase
the value of products for customers by eliminating waste
from warehouse operations. This can help as a guide to
check if floors, loading docks, and storage areas are free
from obstructions or blockages.
In addition, forklift, materials, equipment, and containers
can be checked if stored in their proper places.

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The Audit Checklist for Workplace is used to identify the items that
need to be removed from the workplace. This inspection form will
help you note obsolete, broken or unnecessary workbenches,
shelves, chairs, lockers, and other items that are not required for
projects. The checklist helps ensure the allocation of time and
resources for all employees to participate in 5S activities.
The Audit Checklist for Office is used to Inspect the cleanliness,
order, and structure of the facilities. This checklist will help ensure
that the cabinets, shelves, and files have labels to allow immediate
identification. You must identify if displays are tidy, free of clutter,
and up-to-date. You must add to add comments and
recommendations on the to maintain a clean and organized office.

Based on the audit reports, there should be a method evolved to

continuously improve the process of upkeeping the 5S practices
followed.
The auditors & expert team members need to regularly
communicate best practice processes and standards to the
implementing team members
Review or sprint meetings are good opportunities to assess the
team’s adherence to the set standards and processes, and to give
and get feedback.
Measuring data and metrics can help the assess the success of the
5S process. It also helps to identify areas that can be improved.
This will ensure that the project work remains efficient and
productive, and as a result, produce high quality deliverables.
Implementing the 5S method into projects is not that difficult, but it
can require additional time, effort, and capital in the beginning.
However, the return will be worth it, as it will help the project team
to work more efficiently, decrease the risks of delays, and reduce the
time to completion.

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Section 3 – The 5S
Implementation

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 3.1 Implementing 5S Successfully
It’s a highly competitive world out there and everyone wants to grab the top spot.
In this rat race, organizations around the world are trying their best to optimize their
efforts. Several methodologies are tried and tested to maximize output aided by
employee development schemes.
And amidst all the methods applied by organizations, one that proved to be very
effective is the 5S in the workplace.
Organizations can gain many benefits when they install a 5S Process.
Many organizations, however, fail to successfully accomplish this goal. A 5S
implementation can be a challenge, as every staff member’s job will change if the
process is truly effective.
In this section, we will learn what it takes to implement the philosophy successfully.
Implementing the 5S methodology is all about sustaining the positive changes that it
brings along. The objective is to optimize the business processes and remove things
that obstructs efficiency.
It is not a one-man task, and you bring in all your employees to ensure proper
implementation of this principle.
Though 5S principles are particularly meant for manufacturing companies other’s can
adopt and mould it as per their needs.
This is because the aim of every organization is the same i.e., to achieve maximum
growth. Hence, implementing the 5S system makes sure that everyone joins in to
improve efficiency and productivity.
There’s no bar on who can deploy the 5S methodology so even small businesses can
practice it.

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 CUSTOMIZE INSTALLATI
PROFESSIO INVOLVEME IMPLEMENT ON OF
AWARENESS NAL NT OF ATION VISUAL
APPROACH EVERYONE METHODOL MANAGEME
OGY NT SYSTEM

3.2 Practical Tips / Pointers for Successful Implementation

It is quite challenging to pinpoint which of the 5s is the most difficult because all of
them are interrelated. Each step of the 5S Process is important.
But Shitsuke/ Sustain is the toughest S. Shitsuke can only be achieved if the
hurdles to the other Ss have been overcome.
These ‘resistors to change’ will include changing the sloppy behavior or old habits
of people. Also, it is very difficult for people to accept new standards , which often
leads to major reluctance to maintain them meticulously and consistently.

Pointer 1: Awareness.
Many companies implement 5S just as a requirement insisted by their customer or
sometimes even as a “Status Symbol”.
In both cases, the objective of 5S implementation is defeated if every member of
the company is not aware of the 5S methodology & the objective as well.
In such cases, 5S implementation is done in a superficial manner which doesn’t
help companies to achieve the real desired results in operational excellence.
It is very important to communicate the objective & roadmap of 5S
implementation to each & every member of the company.
This communication must be done either through numerous repetitive pieces of
training and effective visual management on the floor.

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Pointer 2: Professional Approach.
It is important that 5S is considered as a way of professional life rather than
just a technique.
Adequate efforts must be taken to make every member of the organization
consider 5S implementation profession rather than just an additional project.
The change in the mindset of every member is necessary to ensure 5S
implementation with real spirit and with ultimate effectiveness.
The change in mindset is possible by means of:
▪ Displaying the simple, appealing and effective 5S posters
▪ Displays and instructions at the facility to promote the importance of 5S
strategy.
All the employees must understand that 5S is a lot more than just cleaning,
implementing 5s in an office environment.
They should be trained in such a way that, 5S has plenty of more benefits than
just a clean workplace.
They should feel that it improves the work culture and work environment, makes
the work processes lean and much more.

Pointer 3: Involvement of Everyone:

Not only the process, but also the order or alignment disciplines of these
processes play a vital role in the betterment of the work activities.
Everyone in the company must understand the real desired meaning of
individual ‘S’ in the 5S technique. They should be involved individually as well as
collectively in the implementation.
All the process owners and managers should ensure that their subordinates
understand the importance, objectives, and benefits of 5s implementation. With
great coordination, 5S principles become a part of the daily workplace routine
for everyone. Employees learn to take up responsibilities and take care of their
part of the job to keep their workplace free. Thereby, decreasing employee
absenteeism and increasing retention within the company.

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Pointer No. 4: Customize Implementation Methodology:
You must be careful while designing the implementation roadmap for the company.
The roadmap & details of the implementation activities can’t be the same as the
roadmap of any other company.
It must be exclusive, and tailor-made, based on the
▪ Nature of organizational operations
▪ Educational level of the team members and
▪ Existing culture at the company, etc.
All such parameters shall be taken into consideration while designing the roadmap for
5S implementation at a specific organization.
This may offer input to the implementation project duration, speed of activities and
extent of the documentation as well.
Every organization must have a different 5s implementation plan, based on the nature
of its operations.
The implementation strategies change according to the process of the company.
It is not necessary that 5s implementation is only applicable to the manufacturing
units.
It can be used at warehouses, commercial offices and in fact, 5s is also proved to be
useful in household applications. 30
Pointer No. 5: Installation of Visual Management System:
The 5S technique is considered as “a cultural change” rather than just a project
with a timeline.
It requires a “Change in mindset” at all levels of the organization. It is noted
that “Human mind understands & accepts things faster if those are
communicated by means of Visual displays”.
The effectiveness of 5S implementation can be improved by communicating
meaningful information through the:
▪ Display of posters
▪ Signs
▪ identification boards
▪ Performance monitoring boards at the facility.
Many companies have experienced extraordinary results after displaying the
correct & appropriate displays at the facility.

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 3.3 Tips to Overcome Resistance in 5S Implementation
If we are implementing 5S in organizations, or even trying to make some
improvements in the infrastructure or facility, then you must make changes.
You must create an organized workplace. It must be maintained over time. But
making it a habit is not easy. It requires you to overcome inertia.
Change is a major component of any type of improvement effort, and sadly, it is
also one of the biggest obstacles.
There is a strong resistance to change for many people, and it can make them fight
hard to keep the status quo. It seems that it is just a part of human nature to resist
any type of change at all. Even when the change is going to benefit those who are
most effected, they will often be hesitant to embrace it.

At first glance, most people immediately assume that all resistance to change is a
bad thing.
The reality is, however, that there is such thing as a healthy resistance to change.
This resistance can help force people to take a step back and really look at the pros
and cons of a given situation. This will help them to make the best decisions going
forward.
The reality is, you need to balance this resistance with the need for ongoing
improvement.

32
When done properly, your facility can be in a constant state of improvement
without suffering the difficulties associated with unmitigated change.
In this section we will take up some tips on how such resistance to change can be
overcome successfully.
To do this, you must find good ways to work with those who are resistant to
change.
Find a way to listen to the concerns of those who don’t like change. However, you
must still push the work ahead with smart improvements in the stepped
implementation plan.
This will help well in short as well as long run. The following tips can help you to
find that balance.
▪ Give Plenty of Notice
▪ Solicit Feedback
▪ Don’t Deny the Problems
▪ Don’t Overwhelm

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Give Plenty of Notice:
Whenever you are making any type of change, one of the most important things
you can do is give everyone as much notice of the change as possible.
Letting people have time to get used to the idea will give them the opportunity to
ease into the change and express any concerns they may have.
While this may not always be possible, it should be done when it is so that people
are more comfortable.
In addition to helping people to accept the change more easily, it will also give you
some extra time to spot any problems with the process so that adjustments can be
made, and problems avoided.

Solicit Feedback:
When considering any type of change, make sure you are asking people for
feedback.
In many cases, the people on the front lines of the facility will be able to spot
problems in a change more easily than you will be able to.
You should always solicit feedback from the employees before any plan for change
is finalized.
This will help you to ensure you are producing the best possible plan.
It will also make the employees feel like they are more a part of the process. In
many cases, this can help overcome any resistance to change that they may have.

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Don’t deny the Problems
Whenever there is change it will cause problems to some people.
Even if the change is necessary and will help make improvements in the
organization, some individuals may end up having additional responsibilities.
They may have to do a job that they don’t like.
Rather than trying to minimize or deny the –ve consequences, accept them &
acknowledge that there will be difficulties for some individuals.

Don’t Overwhelm
People already have an overwhelming amount of worry in their life. So, you don’t
need to overwhelm them with more.
Most people can only attend to a limited number of things at one time.
The use of emotional appeals is good up to a point, but you must avoid overusing
them for fear of loosing the employee’s ability to contain and use the information
effectively.

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Section 4 – PDCA Cycle
& 5S Integration

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4.1. The PDCA Philosophy
PDCA – Plan Do Check and Act.
This is a philosophy of continuous improvement.
It is continuous loop of planning, doing, checking (or studying), and acting. It
provides a simple and effective approach for solving problems and managing
change.
The model is useful for testing improvement measures on a small scale before
updating procedures and working practices.
Let us learn this and then see how the 5S Philosophy can be integrated into
this concept.

PDCA involves systematically testing possible solutions, assessing the results,

and implementing the ones that have shown to work.
It is based on the scientific method of problem-solving and was popularized
by Dr W. Edwards Deming, who is considered by many to be the father of
modern quality control.

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The PDCA Cycle provides a simple and effective approach for solving problems
and managing change.
It enables businesses to develop hypotheses about what needs to change, test
these hypotheses in a continuous feedback loop, and gain valuable learning and
knowledge.
It promotes testing improvements on a small scale before updating company-
wide procedures and work methods.

Plan – Here, you must do the following:

▪ Identify the problem
▪ collect relevant data
▪ understand the problem's root cause
▪ develop hypotheses about what the issues may be, and
▪ decide which one to test.

Do – Here, you must do the following:

▪ Develop and implement a solution
▪ Decide upon a measurement to gauge its effectiveness and
▪ Test the potential solution, and
▪ Measure the results.

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Check – Here, you must do the following:
▪ Confirm the results through before-and-after data comparison.
▪ Study the result, measure effectiveness, and
▪ Decide whether the hypothesis is supported or not.

Act – Here, you must do the following:

▪ Document the results
▪ Inform others about process changes, and
▪ Make recommendations for the future PDCA cycles.
If the solution was successful, implement it.
If not, tackle the next problem and repeat the PDCA cycle again.

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 4.2. PDCA & 5S – The Integration
Combined with the Plan Do Check and Act, that is, the PDCA cycle, the stakeholders
in the 5S project bring to completion a methodology which can promote continual
improvement.
Now let us see how this can be done.

Plan (P)
Here the Seiri – that is - Sort is applied.
Without a well-planned project, so much time, money and effort are wasted for
correcting mistakes.
Sorting out of inconsistencies in the goals and objectives, strategies and policies calls
for strategic quality planning.
Do (D)
This is Actualizing the plan. That is the Seiton-Set in Order is taken up – This takes
care of the effective techniques in accomplishing aspired outcome. 40
Check – C
Here, the practice of Seiso – that is – Shine – comes into play. Checking is equal to
cleaning. At this juncture, corrective actions are recommended for identified
discrepancies.
Act - A
Here, corrective actions from the previous stage are carried out here. By applying
Seiketsu – that is – Standardize, the best ways of doing work are undertaken to
prevent recurrence of errors and delay.
Continual Improvement
Finally, PDCA cycle is a continual loop. Meaning, to perform again the – Plan, Do,
Check and Act stages on an agreed period at specified processes, to keep them on
improving.
This is the key to quality assurance – to keep things done right the first time and
every time. And the best way to make it happen is through self-discipline: Shitsuke,
an unequivocal management commitment.
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Section 5 – The Pathway
to Embrace Lean
Manufacturing through 5S

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 5.1 Lean – A Philosophy of Work
Now we will in brief about the concept of Lean & its philosophy of work.

It is a way to eliminate waste and improve efficiency in the work environment.

Lean focuses on flow, the value stream and eliminating muda, the Japanese word for
waste

Lean approach is the production of goods and services using less of everything
compared to traditional mass production: less waste, human effort, production
space, investment in tools, inventory, and engineering time to develop a new
product or service.

Womack and Jones recommend that managers and executives embarked on lean
transformations think about three fundamental business issues that should guide
the transformation of the entire organization:
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 Purpose Processes People

They are Purpose. Processes. People

▪ Purpose: What customer problems will the enterprise solve to achieve its
own purpose of prospering?

▪ Process: How will the organization assess each major value stream to make
sure each step is valuable, capable, available, adequate, flexible, and that
all the steps are linked by flow, pull, and leveling?

▪ People: How can the organization ensure that every important process has
someone responsible for continually evaluating that value stream in terms
of business purpose and lean process?

How can everyone touching the value stream be actively engaged in operating it
correctly and continually improving it?

"Just as a carpenter needs a vision of what to build in order to get the full
benefit of a hammer, Lean Thinkers need a vision before picking up our lean
tools," said Womack. "Thinking deeply about purpose, process, people are the
key to doing this."

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 5.2 Lean - Identify & Eliminate Waste
Look at the simple example of workflow process depicted on the screen. You will
see that there is a lot of time wasted in getting a file & then going back to the
workplace.

This time wastage causes a lot of delay in the entire process. This delay in the
process thus adds to decrease in the productivity of the individual and as a
result the organization.

The concept of elimination of waste is the key principle adopted in lean

management or lean manufacturing.

The core idea is to maximize customer value while minimizing waste. Simply,
lean means creating more value for customers with fewer resources.
A lean organization understands customer value and focuses its key processes to
continuously increase it. The ultimate goal is to provide perfect value to the
customer through a perfect value creation process that has zero waste.
To accomplish this, lean thinking changes the focus of management from
optimizing separate technologies, The core idea is to maximize customer
value while minimizing waste. Simply, lean means creating more value for
customers with fewer resources.

45
A lean organization understands customer value and focuses its key processes to
continuously increase it. The ultimate goal is to provide perfect value to the
customer through a perfect value creation process that has zero waste.

To accomplish this, lean thinking changes the focus of management from

optimizing separate technologies, assets, and vertical departments to optimizing
the flow of products and services through entire value streams that flow
horizontally across technologies, assets, and departments to customers.

Eliminating waste along entire value streams, instead of at isolated points,

creates processes that need less human effort, less space, less capital, and less
time to make products and services at far less costs and with much fewer
defects, compared with traditional business systems.

assets, and vertical departments to optimizing the flow of products and services
through entire value streams that flow horizontally across technologies, assets,
and departments to customers.

Eliminating waste along entire value streams, instead of at isolated points,

creates processes that need less human effort, less space, less capital, and less
time to make products and services at far less costs and with much fewer
defects, compared with traditional business systems.

46
we will now learn the concept of Waste in Lean Manufacturing in some more
detail. There are about 8 wastes which contribute to monetary loss.
• No. 1: Unnecessary Transportation, meaning moving people, moving
products & information, which leads to delay in the work.
• No. 2: Excess Inventory, meaning more inventory stocks of parts, pieces,
documents which are ahead of the actual requirements, causing advance
investments leading to more requirement of working capital.
• No. 3: Excessive Motion, meaning the motion due to the bending, turning,
lifting and walking actions of the people doing the work, which leads to
delay in carrying out the work.
• No. 4: Excessive Waiting, meaning more time required to receive the parts,
the information, the data for analysis, the instructions or the equipments
to perform the work; which again adds to more time required to carry out
the operations.
• No. 5: Over Production, meaning producing more than what is required by
the market or the customer or the client, leading to more investment in the
raw materials for the production & the connected activities.
• No. 6: Over Processing, meaning manufacturing the products having more
than the desired quality, which again requires more investment in tools,
equipments & the connected processes.
• No. 7: Defects or Rework, meaning, losses due to errors in the production
processes, which may lead to rejection due to warranty failures, scrap and
the related losses.
• No. 8: Unutilized Skills & Talents, meaning, under-utilizing the skills &
talents of employees, leading to more investment in training &
development and employee turnover ratio.

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 5.3 Using 5S as first step towards Lean Manufacturing / Lean Six Sigma

In today’s competitive environment, smart companies are fueling growth through

leaner operations. Adopting lean practices, which focus on the elimination of waste
throughout the enterprise, create cost savings while establishing an environment of
continuous improvement.
Many manufacturing facilities have opted to follow the path towards a “5S”
workplace methodology as part of a continuous improvement program.
The 5S system is part of Toyota’s Lean Manufacturing methodology designed to
reduce waste within a facility.
5s principles were created for lean production, cost reduction and employee
empowerment. Lean 5s techniques work from the assembly line to the office.
Wherever inefficiencies lie, lean 5s is a wonderful tool and philosophy to create
order and motivation in the workplace.
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The result of a 5S implementation is a significant reduction in space needed for
existing operations.
Workers improve their workspaces by cleaning and organizing them.
Tools and materials are labeled and stored in organized storage locations.
Shelving and racks optimize the storage of items in a smaller footprint, helping to
improve the order picking process by eliminating the need to search for items.

So, the application of 5S directly has a positive effect on the organization’s efforts
towards a productive performance. Thus, it helps in paving a solid foundation
towards implementation of Lean Manufacturing Methodology.

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To sum up, the 5S philosophy has the following benefits:
▪ Reduces the cost of inventory. Fewer items mean less storage space
needed.
▪ Increases workspace
▪ Improves workplace conditions. Clean, spacious work centers rather
than dirty cluttered areas.
▪ Reduces work cycle time. Fewer delays = time saved. You`d be
surprised how much time is wasted due to clutter!
▪ Reduces defects and damage. Problems are prevented.
▪ Increases safety
▪ Increases team efficiency.
▪ Increases company morale. So, rather than wasting time on problems
and frustrations, everyone can do their jobs smoothly.
▪ Improves customer satisfaction. Customers obviously prefer higher
quality, lower cost, and faster order fulfilment.
Remember that - The first goal is to take all the unnecessary and costly parts
in a company. The waste needs to be taken out and workplace.
For Lean Manufacturing, waste is something that takes away resources,
costs, and time without adding anything of value.
And implementation of 5S precisely does that. It helps in paving way
towards Lean Implementation.

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Author:
Sadashiv Borgaonkar
ACTSol & Associates

ACTSol & Associates

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