April
4

I have utilized the 5s lean tool for nearly 15 years now.

For a quick refresher, 5s is a disciplined approach on making sure that you have a ‘visual order’ to everything.  It should be blatantly obvious to everyone if something wrong or out of place or missing.  There are five steps in the process.  They are listed below:

  • Sort - figure out what is really needed and what isn’t
  • Set In Order - organize, identify and arrange everything
  • Shine - setup regular cleaning and preventative maintenance schedules
  • Standardize - make it easy to maintain
  • Sustain - maintain and follow the established rules

Originally, I really did consider it as a precursor to the Visual Workplace or factory.  It would reduce time trying to find something; or it would reduce inventory because it was obvious if something was needed or not.   But it wasn’t until recently that I took a slightly different look at the usage of the tool.

I took the 5s implementation as a Leadership Development oppportunity.  Specifically, natural work groups were assigned to each area (which is normal).  These teams established the rules for the area.  An audit list was developed for each area.  I had the management team be the auditors for the areas utilizing the rules established by the teams.

Now, it was a learning experience for both the management team and the hourly workforce.  The managers wanted to change the rules (ummm not their job - they should have been part of the team!)  And the hourly team at times did not think through the rules that were written on 5s board for the area.

For example, in one area a rule stated that the board would be updated every day with initials and a date stamp.  So, I walked to area with one of the natural work group’s team members and saw that the board had not been updated nearly for 3 days.  I said ‘what gives?’  The manager wanted to answer the question for the hourly person, but I did not let him.

The hourly person said ‘Well the train has not delivered anything for three days, so no one has been down here to check it.’

My reply “But your rules say that you are going to check it everyday.  The management team let you come up with your own rules and you can not even follow them?  What gives?’

I did not ride him or the manager any further.  This point quickly made its way around through the facility.

Eventually the rules were updated and reflected the true practice.  It was a joint effort by the manager and the natural work group.

Utilize the 5s approach to start the accountability and leadership development process.

We were eventually able to work this plant site up to having hourly personnel creating and writing human resource policies for minimum staffing requirements and vacation scheduling.

They understood the importance of thinking through all of the rules and holding people accountable to those rules.

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