With the first four steps, Sort, Systematize, Shine and Standardize of 5S completed, you might think you are done. But, there is another critically important step, without which 5S will ultimately fail. The fifth, final and most important yet difficult "S" is to Sustain.
5S Sustain (Shitsuke, 躾) – A Commitment to Success
If we were not looking for a word that started with the letter "S" this final step might have been called Commitment. It is an on-going commitment to the other 4 standards created throughout your efforts. It is a commitment to actively do all parts of 5S and to maintain doing so forever. It is a commitment to not sit back, rest and think the job is done, but instead to develop new habits and create a new standard of workplace cleanliness and organization.
The most important element of 5S is developing and encouraging total employee involvement. 5S is not a program for a portion of the workforce. Everyone, from the most senior executive to the newest employee on the shop floor needs to embrace 5S. This requires continued training and communication until 5S becomes a way of life in the organization.
Training does not necessarily mean gathering everyone together in a classroom. An effective way to have on-going training and communication is to use custom 5S posters and signs. By using custom posters and signs the message can be tailored to the specific department or situation. This improves both communication and retention of the message.
It is important to change posters and signs on a regular basis. A message that remains in place for an extended period of time eventually is ignored and becomes invisible. By changing your posters and signs, and keeping the messages fresh, they will continue to draw attention and be remembered.
What is Sustain?
5S Sustain is defined as: on-going training and maintaining the established 5S standards.
Sustaining requires keeping everyone involved, continually reinforcing what and why the 5S's are important. Communication becomes the spotlight for a 5S initiative. Keep reinforcing the message and emphasizing roles and responsibilities. Sustaining the 5S's requires leadership, commitment, and allocation of the time and resources necessary to keep the effort vital. Recognition for jobs done well becomes the fuel that keeps the effort dynamic.
Along with communication and training, a successful 5S program will include routine audits. The old phrase “inspect what you expect” is critically important. For a 5S program to succeed there must be regular and ongoing inspections.
Inspections can take several forms. Each individual should examine his/her work area at the start and end of each shift to ensure it is properly set up. Supervisors should look for problems and items out of place during daily floor walks. Supervisors should also conduct periodic 5S inspections audits on a regular basis. Teams should be formed and members alternated on a regular basis. Teams should be made up of a cross-functional group that includes managers and executives who perform 5S audits on a regular basis as well. This repeated inspection and audit activity will ensure that the 5S program is maintained and sustained
Other things that can be done to ensure
that 5S is Sustained are:
Make 5S part of your performance evaluation system
Everyone, from upper
management to the janitor should have 5S as a part of their individual job
performance goals. Include an evaluation of 5S performance as a part of each
annual employee review. Without a level of commitment to 5S, it will lose its
importance and will slowly become ignored and ineffective.
Conduct Department Tours
Use department tours
so that workers in one department can see what is being done in other
departments. This type of "cross pollination" helps to spread good
ideas and inspires people to come up with new ways to do an even better job of
implementing 5S.
Publicize and Reward 5S Performance Results
All audit results
should be posted so that everyone can see them and see how well their work area
is doing compared with others in the company. Your company newsletter can be
another effective tool. Feature 5S success stories as well as tips for
improving compliance with 5S standards. Use the newsletter to promote 5S
related contests and competitions... and, of course, announce the winners. Having
a system that gives monthly or quarterly rewards to employees in areas that meet
or exceeded their 5S goals can serve as an incentive to meet 5S targets.
Management Support
Without management's visible commitment to 5S, it is difficult to get lower level employees to fully commit to making 5S a success. Managers should be involved in 5S through activities such as:
- Conducting 5S inspections
- Listening to, talking with, and offering advice to employees
- Providing 5S related seminars for employees
- Participating in 5S promotional events
Sustain is not the final step of 5S. 5S is an ongoing process that involves going back to the beginning and repeating the process to find additional areas of improvement. The changes resulting from 5S can remove barriers that were hiding other problems that could not be seen. Going through a second, and third iteration of the complete 5S process has the benefit of revealing the need for additional changes.
If you are interested in getting 5S Principles and Techniques in a FREE eBook please contact Scott Palochik, espi business development, at 610-867-4340 x112 or by email: SPalochik@ent-sys.com
Join us next week as we start a new series – Business Information Systems Dilemma:
Fueling Growth or Heading for Disaster?
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