Step 2: 5-S Training

Step 2: 5-S Training

The 5-S activities are all directed at eliminating waste and effecting continuous improvement in the workplace. Right from the beginning there will seem to be lots of 5-S activities to be done. As you go on, you will notice that there are always additional 5-S problems to solve. They are not insurmountable, though, if considered and solved one at a time.



It is essential in the 5-S activities that you train people to be able to devise and implement their own solutions. Progress that is not self-sustaining -- progress that always has to rely upon outside help -- is not real progress. It is important that your people know, for example, how to use the computer to do charts and graphs, even if it is not part of their job description. They need to study maintenance techniques. And oddly enough, the more problems they are capable of solving, the more problems they will spot.



Training should also include section-wide or company-wide meetings where people can announce their results. Not only does this provide incentive, but the exchange of ideas and information is often just what you need to keep everybody fresh.