How to Trim the Fat from Your Production

Leading a team of any size to do anything can be a stressful undertaking. The need to help the team succeed is always present and, sometimes, the pressure is suffocating. Luckily, there are ways to ease the burden. Here, we will explore the 5S framework system and how to implement it. This system is of Japanese origin and has helped many businesses in their journeys to success. It gives a steady framework to follow in creating a sustainable workplace.

Sort

The first S stands for “sort.” This step requires you to look through your team and environment. What is needed? What isn’t? To make your workspace more efficient, you have to weed out everything that isn’t benefiting the operation. Look at your workers, policies, items, and environment. Don’t continue expending energy on what is unnecessary.

Set in Order

Next comes “set in order.” Now that you’ve sorted out everything, it’s time to take what’s left and organize it. It’s also time to look into and implement some new methods of organization. Consider the benefits of a visual management system to help get your resources organized. It is important to get everyone on the same page for this step. Having a strong foundation of policy and organized workplace will help everyone keep things running smoothly.

Shine

Third comes “shine.” A clean workplace is a happy workplace. As well as keeping things organized, it is important to keep things clean. Set up a system of waste management and a cleaning schedule so that the team can thrive. It won’t do to have your work environment be a huge mess.

Standardize

The fourth step is to “standardize.” Set up a standard process for everyone. This will help keep your workplace running smoothly and give everyone some pride in their work. Every station should have a clear-cut standard and process for their workers. Productivity will be much higher if everyone has a good process to follow and a standard to be held to.

Sustain

Finally, you must “sustain” everything that you’ve put in place. You’ve just cleaned up and organized everything, now you have to keep it that way. It is vital that you don’t fall into disrepair. Everyone knows what’s expected of them and they are to make sure it is kept up through each day of work. As the leader of the team, it’s your responsibility to keep everyone on track. Hopefully, this has helped you create and maintain an efficient and productive work environment for you and your team. Take these lessons to heart and keep your workplace in tip-top shape. If you need some help implementing this system into your business via software, check out our services for assistance! References: Decluttering Tricks – Lifehacker Creative Safety Supply Keep Work Place Organized – Asian Efficiency