October 17, 2008
From 5S to 7S
P-Squared has reinvented the term once known as 5S and has taken it further and coined the term 7S. 7S is the best way I have learned to organize the workplace, whether it be in the office or out in the plant. Step 1 is Sort, to eliminate anything in the process that is not needed. Step 2 is Set in Order, organize what remains. Step 3 is Shine, and this refers to cleaning the work area and making it a better place to work. The next step is Standardize. You must make a schedule for cleaning and maintaining the machines, systems and processes throughout the company. The last of the 5S’s is Sustain. You must make these steps a way of life. What P-Squared adds are the last two S’s, which are results of the first 5 S’s. Once you have Sorted, Set in Order, Shined, Standardized and Sustained, you can obtain Spirit and Safety, and these are the results that will make a difference in your workplace and help your employees buy into the 7S’s.