Implementing 5s is one of the forms of having lean management in a company. There are many organizations that underestimate the benefits that may result from implementing the process and investing in 5s products.
As opposed to what many people believe, 5s is far more than just housekeeping and can potentially increase operational efficiency by between 10% to 30%. 5s is one of the founding blocks of lean management and provides a solid base upon which future improvements can be built.
However, organizations stand to gain only if the take time to implement the full philosophy of lean and a number of other lean tools. 5s is a very inexpensive tool to have in place and therefore poses no threat to a company's budget. Companies that need to achieve improved work efficiency should consider the following benefits of a 5s system.
Waste reduction By 5s Method – Proper organization of the workplace and standard labeling of products helps to reduce wastes as employees will know exactly where to get or place each item. Time wastage and accidents that may result into damages to items are reduced. There are a number of 5s products including labels and tags that can be used to achieve this.
Improved employee morale – employees are involved to improve their workplace by designing and maintaining it. The more clean and organized the workplace, the more comfortable the workers get thus increasing their commitment to the process. This commitment enhances the sustainability of the 5s program in the long run.
Safety – the proportion of germs will be greatly reduced when the workplace is kept clean and maintained on a regular basis. This also greatly reduces the number of accidents that may be caused by falls or slips as everything is put in its rightful place. When things are organized reduced time is spent looking for them and therefore things getting in the way and causing accidents are also reduced.
Productivity and maximum utilization – as appropriate 5s products are adopted at the workplace proper space utilization is achieved. This leads to improved work efficiency and productivity, achievements every organization longs for.
Marketing tool – clients are most likely to get attracted to tidy and properly organized workstations. Un-standardized goods and messy customer care desks are automatic put-offs and can result to loss of clients to competition. With the above benefits, 5s implementation becomes a worthy venture every firm should consider incorporating into their lean management efforts. But, it is not a one off activity and continual improvement is encouraged.
