5s – Workplace Organisation

The purpose of 5S is to make a workplace function better by making it an easier place to work. This occurs by making spaces make sense; tools and materials are placed in logical locations based on who needs them, how frequently they are needed, etc. Work spaces are cleaned frequently and when used correctly, 5S ultimately makes processes safer and more efficient.

Note: At this point people can easily question these methodologies and think they are only beneficial to the manufacturing sector, however, as previously stated, 5S can be used in ALL sectors. For example, think about the icons or files on the desktop of your computer, if it was a shared computer, could another employee easily find a specific file?

What does 5S stand for? 5S stands for the 5 steps of this methodology: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise, Sustain. These steps involve going through everything in a space, deciding what is necessary and what isn’t, putting things in order, cleaning, and setting up procedures for performing these tasks on a regular basis. When there’s a plan for making 5S an ongoing effort and not just a one-time event, it can be sustained over time.

Remember: A workplace could be any workstation, a store room, an office, a desk, icons on your laptop. All workstations can benefit from 5s methodologies.