The country pioneering in the development and application of 5S rules is the "land of the rising sun" - Japan. The success of the 5S rule has created a major turning point for global businesses. So what exactly is the 5S rule? How should businesses apply 5S rules effectively?
What is 5S?
5S is a collection of solutions to manage and improve the environment and workspace. The concept of 5S (5S methodology) originated in Japan, officially appeared in the early 1980s of the twentieth century. After the "land of cherry blossoms" was successfully applied, the 5S rule began to spread to other countries. Typically, in 1986, this rule was widely used in many countries such as China, Singapore, Poland, etc. The 5S rule symbolizes the Japanese working culture with many advantages worth learning.
5S stands for 5 letters S in Japanese, namely:
Seiri: screening.
Seiton: arrange.
Seiso: clean.
Seiketsu: take care.
Shitsuke: ready.
Each letter S represents different standards for businesses. Only when meeting all 5 S's, will your business really meet the standards. It can be said that the 5S rule has become a common development goal that every business is aiming for.
What does 5S rule mean?
In essence, in the 5S rule, each letter S represents a step of the process that the business needs to follow.
Seiri (screening)
The first S represents filtering, simplifying unnecessary, irrelevant elements. That means you need to review, classify, filter and remove the elements that are poor or unimportant. In the work area, you only need to keep the things you really need to optimize the space. Seiri is the first step in the 5S rule that is also a regular, recurring step.
Seiton (arranged)
After "cleaning" the unnecessary elements, the next step you need to do is organize and rearrange everything. This step makes it more convenient for you to find items. At the same time, tidy arrangement is also a way to help the work area look more organized and professional. In the workplace, “seiton” has become a mandatory step that every individual must follow
Seiso (clean)
Seiso or cleanliness is an important factor that every business should not ignore. To create a clean and comfortable environment, everyone needs to have a sense of hygiene, regularly clean carefully.
In fact, the workplace is also our second living space. Therefore, keeping the work area clean is the way you make your life more quality. Not only that, keeping clean also helps you to better preserve machinery and equipment.
Seiketsu (to take care of)
The 4th S means care signifying that the maintenance of the above 3S standards is done continuously. To ensure this, the manager can develop a clear plan on the responsibility, frequency and method of implementing 3S of each employee.
Shitsuke (ready)
In order for the "picture" of corporate standards to become complete, each individual must be prepared and always self-disciplined. This is the final standard in the 5S rule. Building good habits, professional manners and complying with workplace regulations are the top factors to help businesses improve business efficiency and increase work productivity.
The importance of the 5s rule
After answering the question "What is 5S?", you need to better understand 5S standards through the practical benefits they bring.
Effective time management
One of the biggest benefits when businesses apply 5S rules is effective time management. When removing unnecessary items and items and rearranging important items, you will save a lot of time searching. Instead, workers can focus on being more productive. Especially, for businesses that manage many warehouses and goods, the application of 5S rules is even more useful and time-saving.
Better space optimization
By sifting through all the unnecessary items, you will have more space to store more useful items. In addition, you can also make the most of it to expand the workspace. Not only helps to improve the space, the 5S rule also contributes to the maximum profit for the business.
Limit injury
If you regularly arrange and clean utensils and items, businesses will contribute to reducing the risk of accidents when workers move to find things.
Improve the life of appliances and equipment
When utensils and equipment are kept clean, checked regularly and used correctly, their lifespan will be longer. At the same time, maintenance also becomes simpler, limiting major failures, affecting the working process.
Increase consistency and sync
Standardizing work processes helps businesses significantly reduce errors and improve work productivity. When applying 5S rules, the operating apparatus of the enterprise also becomes synchronous and consistent. Thanks to that, the operation process is also smooth and convenient.
What is 5s?
Boost employee morale
The 5S Code creates its own standards and motivates employees to follow. Especially, when applying this rule effectively, employees will feel that their contribution is valued. Since then, they feel more proud of the work they are doing and actively contribute to the business.
In fact, not every manager or business owner knows the importance of 5S rules. So, instead of just learning through theory, you should apply this rule to your work and daily life.
A good example of a successful 5S rule is the University of Georgia. The school administration implemented a lean program according to 5S rules in 2009. Through the 5S model, the school has reduced the travel distance to handle materials by 83%, saving from 7,000 to 10,000 USD in labor. move every year. (According to research by Busfin UGA).
Similarly, one hospital adopted the 5S rule to save 37% of preparation time for the operating room. At the same time, this hospital also saves 70% of the number of tools needed for some specific procedures. As revealed, the hospital has saved about 2.8 million USD/year (According to information from Journal for Healthcare Quality, version 5, volume 37).
Conclude
It can be said that the 5S rule is an effective solution to help businesses optimize costs as well as operating apparatus. Besides, this rule also contributes to saving time and effort in training human resources. When applying 5S rules, in the long run, business performance will become smooth, reduce risks and improve costs most effectively.
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