Struggling to Implement 5S at Work: How Can I Encourage My Team to Take It Seriously?

I had started 5S in our company, but nobody seems to be serious enough. As I have joined the company recently, I can't be strict with them. I have done 5S training, put up posters all over the office, and scheduled a day for 5S, but nothing seems to be working. Please suggest what needs to be done?

Top-Down Implementation of Programs

Implementing programs like this needs to be from the top down. The directives need to come from senior management to show that everyone is serious about the program. If staff see that senior management is not involved, then you will not get any buy-in at all. Also, staff need to know how it benefits them and what they will gain by implementing the program.

Please give some more details about the size of the organization and how you went about implementing the 5-S program. Do you have any previous experience conducting such an exercise?

As John has pointed out, without the support and commitment from top management, such exercises do not work. Please see the [5S Implementation Article on Implementing a 5-S Program in Lean Manufacturing](http://www.emsstrategies.com/dm103103article.html) and [5S Implementation](http://world-class-manufacturing.com) (link updated to site home) ([Search On Cite](https://www.citehr.com//results.php?q=5S Implementation) | [Search On Google](https://www.google.com/search?q=5S Implementation)).

Found at [Google](http://www.google.co.uk/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&amp ;amp;q=5-S+implementation+reasons+for+failure&p bx=1&oq=5-S+implementation+reasons+for+failure&a q=f&aqi=&aql=& gs_sm=e&gs_upl=4109l14398l1l14877l34l3 3l0l1l1l0l248l3994l11.20.2l34l0&bav=on .2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=d0b7ff87d10 ffef2&biw=1264&bih=657).

Do you have any videos on 5-S?

Have a nice day.

Regards,
Simhan

Learning and Teaching Fellow (Retd)
The University of Bolton, UK

Thank you for the information. Our company size is 150+ employees. The steps I followed to start 5S are mentioned below:

Steps to Start 5S

1. Training on 5S (what is 5S, why it's required, advantages, how to start with...)
2. Scheduled a day for 5S
3. Posters all over the company to motivate employees.

I don't have any previous experience in conducting any such exercise. Do videos help?

Regards,
Almas

Videos do help. Please read the contents of the links that I have sent. As John has said, the initiative has to come from the top; select a section in which people are likely to implement and then train them. Let them implement it and then give presentations on how it was useful to them.

Enhancing 5S Implementation with Motivational Strategies

As-salamu alaykum,

We started these types of activities in our organization last year, and we have achieved desirable results. If you want to achieve similar success, you need to incorporate motivational factors such as:

• Adding some rewards.
• Giving appreciation letters.
• Displaying pictures of winning teams on notice boards.
• Including a special increase during increments.
• Organizing a small get-together party every month with 5S teams.
• Providing free family coupons for KFC or McDonald's to team members who perform well.

Additionally, it is essential to establish a 5S committee with every Head of Department (HOD) as a part of this committee. The committee will meet monthly to review the 5S activities. These strategies will certainly enhance the implementation of 5S in your organization.

Regards,
M. Rizwan Razi
Lahore.

Hello all, it was nice reading the suggestions above, a very informative post although an old one. I just want to share a thought. At present, I am also conducting lectures on 5S in a small company in Pune. More or less, I have been following similar steps as mentioned above. What I have experienced is that after the initial persuasion and training, getting ideas on implementation from the 'DOERS,' i.e., Supervisors, especially the Operators, will take it to the next level. Don't spoon-feed; ask for ideas and how they want to proceed. Reward their efforts once each step is executed. Giving them a ready-made plan might make them complacent. Their own acceptance of the 5S term, active involvement, creativity, and finding solutions are also significant in making the 5S campaign successful.

Thank you.