Pitfalls in 5Ss and how to avoid them
Mahinda Saranapala Chief Executive
Officer, Kelani Cables Plc.
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After many years of experience in the manufacturing industries and
successful implementation of lean practices in fifty five companies, and
five national Hospitals, decided to share my experiences regarding
common pitfalls in 5Ss and how to avoid them.
It is with gratitude I recall the opportunities afforded to me by
Japan Sri Lanka technical and Cultural Association and The Association
For Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS ) Japan. The training in Japan
and the expert guidance that helped me to enhance my own potential and
make a positive contribution to improve Productivity is appreciated very
much.
Collectively along with my clients we were able to raise the standard
of the 5S system in Sri Lanka. Many innovative and practical solutions
were found to improve the Key Performance Indicators of many companies
with excellent corporate results.
Since incorporating and Associates we have successfully implemented
5S, Kaizen, Lean and several Japanese management techniques with
excellent corporate results. We saw dramatic changes in production,
quality, cost, delivery, safety and morale in many of these companies.
They won many national and international awards.
Lesson No. 1 5S is not just housekeeping
My initial comprehension was that it is simply a method for improving
organization and housekeeping. I figured that it was typically the first
tool introduced in a Lean transformation because it was easy to wrap
one's mind around, and was relatively safe in that no person's job was
impacted too drastically.
On the plus side 5S resulted in an immediate visual impact and
eliminated the waste and frustration associated with employees searching
for needed items. Thus, I saw it simply as a momentum builder and
encourages team work.
While 5S is indeed a tool for improving workplace cleanliness, but
its potential to improve key performance indicators such as production,
quality, Cost, delivery, safety and morale etc. are enormous.
In many of my presentations on 5S we have explained the need to
understand the concept and the importance of relating it to ones daily
activities from the time you wake up in the morning. It is a way of life
and how you set the days work ahead of you at home and at work.
To fully appreciate the fundamental nature of 5S to any Lean
transformation, I find it useful to start with a little arithmetic; 3S +
2S = 5S
The first three components of 5Ss are indeed about housekeeping. The
fourth and the fifth Ss, however, are about establishing a culture of
discipline around standard work. It is this reason that 5S is a
foundational tool for all Lean transformations. Without establishing a
culture that demonstrates the ability to establish standard work and
sustain improvements, all future Lean progress will ultimately be a
failure.In fact the Japanese lean experts believe this so strongly,that
they refuse to let clients take the next step in the process until they
have successfully demonstrated 5S for two years.
My own experience with many local clients is that we have allowed
them to commence other Lean initiatives only on completion of 5S and
good audit results exceeding 80 per cent effectiveness.
Lesson No. 2 5S is simple.......but it's not easy The ideals of 5S
are not complex:
Keep only what is needed at the workplace; keep it clean; store it in
the most convenient location; establish clear, visual expectations for
everyone to keep it in that condition; and hold people accountable to
those expectations.
But lets not confuse simplicity ( the lack of complexity )with ease
requiring little attention or lease effort.One needs to practice with
commitment and consistency.The key word here is consistency. In the
incredibly competitive business environment the managers should work
with a high level of consistency in order to survive and face the
challenges couragesly.
Likewise, what makes 5S sustainment so difficult is the consistency
with which it must be applied. In short, each and every instance of
nonconformity that is identified must be addressed. Anything short of
that allows for doubt and mixed signals to the workforce.One company was
so good at this and their weekly audits proved to be a total success.
They addressed all nonconformance highlighted by the audit teams.
A factory or office successfully practicing 5Ss makes it look
effortless. The successful 5S organizations are committed to constant
and continuous sorting, shining and setting in order. More importantly
those organizations have the courage to risk episodes of interpersonal
discomfort when a team member fails to live up to agreed standards.
Fortunately, all of the skills required for a flourishing 5s
organization can be learned and successfully applied if the desire
exists. No innate traits are required.
" Like almost all things requiring discipline ( healthy diet,
exercise, saving )5S is easy to understand but difficult to practice.
Communication should not over simplify the challenge. Ensure the
organization understands the importance and magnitude of the effort.
Start small, recognize successes, and leverage to larger areas."
Lesson No. 3 5S is not an event, it's a process
Organizations often kick off their lean implementations with basic
training and perhaps a short 5S Kaizen focused on the initial cleanup of
a scoped area." Before" and " After" photos are taken to document the
significant change, and almost everyone leaves feeling like they've
accomplished something. Those good feelings, however, quickly erode to
skepticism if the fourth and the fifth Ss are not practiced ( SEIKETSU &
SHITSUKE ).The result is that the condition of the area steadily
degrades, pulling down employees pride and enthusiasm with it. The
entire Lean effort can be perceived as another program of the month.
While a 5S kaizen event is a possible trailhead for a continuous
improvement Journey, great care must be taken in planning the event to
ensure that all five components are adequately emphasized.Often,5S
kaizen agendas allot 80-90 percent, sometimes more, of the scheduled
time to sort,showcase,and set in order. Standardization and sustenance
are treated as afterthoughts. This reinforces the myth that 5S is only
about housekeeping and sets the continuous improvement journey off on
precarious first leg.
A better allotment is to spend an equal amount of time on the final
two components as is spent on the first three components. Dedicated time
should be assigned to document expectations. Photos of both acceptable
and unacceptable levels should be included. Also ensure that fixed point
photos taken before and after improvements. In addition, agreement
should be reached on how team members will satisfy expectations: Will 5s
time be designated each shift? Does adequate time exist within machine
cycles to perform the necessary tasks?
An adequate portion of the agenda should also be devoted to
developing the fifth S (Shitsuke).Team members must articulate their
expectations of each other and practice holding each other accountable.
Standard work for supervisors is recommended so that their role is clear
in addressing out- of-control situations. An audit process and visual
management to monitor sustainment by the team and their supervisor must
be developed, including leadership's duty to hold the supervisor
accountable.
Finally, an agreed - to system should be established for making
improvements to the initial standards as team members identify better
locations for sorting, more efficient methods for cleaning and disposal
etc. Items not needed are stored in the "Red Tag Corner". These items
are disposed of at regular intervals.
Review 5S kaizen pre- work to ensure the appropriate time and
emphasis is placed on the standardization and sustaining components.
Reinforce the importance of these components in kick-off comments,
during the event, and at the reporting the progress. Recognize the
improvements by refraining from "mission accomplished" type comments.
Take an active role in auditing the audits.
Lesson No.4 5S success depends almost entirely on leadership
Progressive leaders may often roll up their sleeves to help during
the initial clean up or big Seiri day. In reality however, leaderships
real work begins when the initial cleanup is completed.
That's because only leadership can ensure that a culture values the
standardization and sustainment within their organization.Untill those
values are imbedded within the workforce, pursuing other lean tools
which have an even greater impact on how work is accomplished
(change-over, one-piece Flow, TPM) is fruitless.
For this reason it's important that all leaders, from front-line
supervisors, to the senior leadership team members, understand their
role in a continuous Improvement transformation. While a basic
understanding of Lean principles is important, a clear image of
leadership's responsibilities in the Lean environment is absolutely
vital. One manager, upon hearing of the importance of auditing for
improvement Complained, "I' am not interested in becoming a babysitter".
One can wonder How someone in a leadership role capable of making such a
remark could succeed in any organization, Lean or not. The point is,a
key leadership responsibility in any setting - businees,sports,charity-
involves holding people accountable to the ideals and goals of the
organization.
If the organization has not previously established a healthy results-
oriented culture, leaders should be trained on coaching and holding
employees accountable prior to embarking on 5S initiatives. Properly
interacting with employees to provide feedback, both positive and
negative, is the responsibility of a good leader.
Hopefully an organization eventually matures to a point where team
members hold each other accountable to collectively established set of
standards. This level will never be reached without leadership first
modeling the behavior.
Lesson No.5 Each 5S component has a common pitfall ( learn to avoid
them )
My experience with 5S implementation has revealed that there are very
common mistakes. By being aware of these mistakes, the prudent leader
can proactively design an implementation to ensure that their
organization's execution is successful.
In the Seiri stage, companies often underestimate the critical nature
of an effective, ongoing Red Tag process. It's very hard for some people
to part with items they believe have value, even though that value may
not pertain to the area undergoing 5S initiatives. A working Red tag
process offers these people a means of getting the item out of their
area, while still recycling it to a place where it can add value.
A common flaw in the initial stage is not setting a high enough
standard for the team. As a result many initial stages of 5Ss end up as
pure cleaning and clearing only. The objective here is to restore the
area to a good as new condition and may involve painting, rearranging,
aligning, restoring the floor. Leaving more space than required to store
only necessary items is a frequent oversight with the set in order
stage.
There is some truth which can be applied to the work area from
Boston's irreversible law of clutter which states,' in any household,
junk accumulates to fit the space available for its storage.
In the standardization stage, I often see standards that are too
vague to be useful for anyone other than the author of the standards.
Clear and precise Standards should include visual examples of both
acceptable and unacceptable levels of adherence.
Finally leaders make unfounded assumptions in the sustenance stage
that all team members are not on board and excited to comply with the
new standards of the organization. The sad truth is that some people are
very comfortable living in total disarray and return to it each day
after work.
Learn from other's mistakes:
# Sort - develop a bullet proof Red Tag process
# Showcase -Provide a clear expectation on the level of improvement
desired....and the appropriate budget to allow it to happen
# set in order - use creativity to minimize space which can
accumulate clutter, eg. replace a table which holds a fixture with a
stand to hold the fixture
# Standardize - use someone from outside the work area to interpret
standards to ensure clarity.
# Sustain - Audit from day 1 and ensure violators are held
accountable including supervisors.
Lesson No. 6 5S isn't important......it's essential!
The most common rationale for 5S is that an organized workplace
improves Safety, quality, productivity and morale. These are good
arguments, and they Were enough to convince me that 5S was important,
and worth doing .But Now with more than 20 years experience, I know that
5S is more than Important, it's essential for continuous improvement.
here's why:
Standardize and sustain are discipline dependant ideals. It's easy to
sort, Showcase, and set in order, but to maintain the efficiencies that
are created, People have to behave differently than they did in the
past. It would be nice If behaviors would just change automatically, but
it usually doesn't work that Way. It takes influence to change behaviors
that have develop over time. It isn't always easy, but it can be done by
leaders who have the skills and courage to do so.
So here's my point. Leaders who know how to Standardize and sustain
by Instilling discipline are well equipped to effectively utilize tools
for continuous improvement. Why ? because all lean tools are also
discipline dependant. Here are a few examples:
When we create standard work we identify the best practices and
document them as the standard for everyone to follow. Will they follow
them just because we have created a standard?. Probably not. As with
5S,we have to ensure people are following the standards in order to
sustain the improvements we make. Many have successfully used the SDCA
cycle to ensure that the standards are adhered to. ( Standardize, do,
check ,action )
Kanban is a fantastic tool to improve supply chain performance, but
like 5S,and standard work, it requires discipline.Kanban cards must be
moved at the right time and get filled in the right order for the system
to work. Calculations must be regularly reviewed.These actions, while
simple, are Essential and require discipline.
With Total Productive Maintenance ( TPM ),we identify what needs to
be done proactively and routinely to ensure that equipment is reliable
and productive. People who are assigned TPM tasks are Essential to the
success of the TPM program. Their behaviors need to change after the TPM
event has been completed.
The writer commands 40 plus years experience in Management of several
industries .He has held senior positions in the private sector with
outstanding performances and effective resource utilization.
He is an alumnus of the Association for Overseas Technical
Scholarships (AOTS), Japan. He has attended four Management Training
Programs in Japan. The writer has helped app 55 companies and 5 National
Hospitals using the Key learning's from these programs to enhance
their productivity.
Eight of his clients won several national competitions including, 5S
Gold award, Kaizen award etc.
He was the first to implement the 5S system in Sri Lanka in a private
company way back in 1989.
At present he is the Chief Executive officer,Kelani Cables PLC and
the President Japan Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association(
JASTECA) |