5S: Getting management to practice what it preaches

Have you ever walked through a manufacturing, transportation or service organization that seems well organized and wondered why the offices seem cluttered and disorganized? It could be several reasons:

• Management does not understand that “lean and safe” applies to office and business systems
• Most lean and safe tools, systems and processes are designed for workers – not management
• It is a lot easier to preach than it is to practice something

The latter item is the focus of this blog. I will assume that senior leaders understand that culture must be led by management. Therefore, any program to improve operational efficiency while reducing risk must begin in the office.

When that happens, everyone in a salaried job will understand how to waste. They will also understand that safety is a value and that injury and illness is waste with significant adverse impact on the employee, the employee’s family and the organization.

To begin the process of improving organizational culture, leadership would be well served to implement a one-day 5S workshop. For those who are not familiar with 5S, it is a system to improve efficiency and safety. The five S’s are: sort, straighten, shine, standardize and sustain.

Planning for a 5S workshop

• Identify a project that can be completed in one day
• Select a team with team leader, subject matter expert and two to four others who function as “critical eyes”
• Make sure necessary materials (e.g. boxes to move material) and space (temporary storage of items not needed but that have value) are ready
• Provide training for participants
• Conduct the workshop following the five steps
• Note follow-up items
• Conclude with a brief celebration of work accomplished

The before and after pictures below were from a one-day 5S workshop in a small service organization. The Executive Director worked in blue jeans side-by-side with other employees. Not only did the team clean and organize a supply room with limited space, but they also identified hours of wasted time on work that did not add value to their overall mission.

What great way to start culture change. Teamwork and learning that enables management to “practice what they preach.”

For more about the relationship between 5S and safety, read my previous post on this blog.