Applying the 5S of Lean Six Sigma at your desk

The 5S is the combination of both lean and Six Sigma management techniques. Lean is specifically designed to do away with wastes that are associated with management.

The impact of 5s on business is immense

These wastes include; defects, waiting, over-production, non-utilized talent, inventory, transportation, motion, and extra-processing. If anyone is found within a management, then it will present a problem to the company. Six Sigma on the hand has the sole purpose of improving workplace processes and doing away with any cause of error.

When combined together, lean aims to ensure that there is a continuous flow of activities by blocking all leakages that can be found in and between processes. Six Sigma, on the other hand, aims to reduce the differences between the different processes. Lean brings out the leakages while Six Sigma block them all so that a non-stop flow of activities can be achieved.
Japan was the first country that utilized this when they created the 5S which they use for workplace organization. 5S is been used to reduce waste to the utmost minimum level required and this helps keep the workplace more organized and clean.

Here are the 5S and how each one contributes to the organizational achievement of a company.

Sort: the first S stands for sort and this implies that you should check everything in your company so as to identify equipment that is absolutely necessary before you can do your job. Non-essential items or equipment should be disposed of. This will make your workplace cleaner.

Straighten: the moment the non-essential materials are disposed of, the remaining essential materials should be organized with each one put in its proper place. Organising your essential materials will bring about productivity and efficiency. It will also make it easy for you to return an item after use since you already know where it is kept.

Scrub: even though you have organized your workplace, there is every need for you to clean it regularly. Keeping your equipment and workplace clean can help improve safety and identify problems. A clean environment also boosts your morale and increases your productivity.

Standardize: research has shown that sharing workplace details helps to boost morale and improve efficiency. You should share your organizational plans with others and seek to improve yours by learning from others too. Ensure that you properly document your plans and make it easily available to others.

Sustain: organizing and cleaning your workplace doesn’t mean that the end. The real work begins at this last stage. You will have to ensure that you keep the cleaning habit and stick to the plan you have mapped out for yourself. At the end of each day, take a moment to tidy up your desk and ensure that everything is in its rightful place. With that, your workplace won’t be a mess again.

Conclusion
The benefits of a clean working area are usually overlooked and it should. The impact it has on business is immense as it can boost your productivity level and make you more efficient at what you do.

Learn how to use Continuous improvement and build a culture of stopping to fix problems, to get quality right from the first. Enroll in the Certified Lean Project Manager®