Many manufacturing leaders acknowledge the need for productivity and efficiency improvements, but often don’t know where to start. Lean concepts are simple but navigating through the activities and tasks can be overwhelming. It’s important not get hung up on terminology, but rather focus on getting people involved and having an immediate impact on efficiency.
In most situations, the simplest (and usually the first) step is to focus on improving your existing work space and processes. 5S workplace organization is a structured approach to improving the physical workspace where the staff determines the work process design and are highly involved in 5S improvements. This results in quick improvements by having tools and materials where they are required, when they are required…”a place for everything and everything in its place”.
The five pillars of a visual workplace are Sort, Simplify, Shine Standardize, and Sustain. Successful Lean implementation requires a visual workplace and 5S is the best systematic process for workplace organization. It’s low cost, easy to explain, and fairly easy to implement and maintain. The benefits of this simple strategy to your business will be immediately noticeable. The workplace will be cleaner, more organized, safer, and more efficient which improves overall morale and impresses customers.