How to apply the 5S method in the office?

On the 5S method scale, how organized and disciplined are you? And your company? Sometimes the good functioning of an organization is not just about implementing technologies and selling more. It is very important, but it is not the only thing, it is also necessary to maintain the physical infrastructure that brings together work activities with your employees in good condition.

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In a previous article, we explained what the 5S method is about and its importance in ordering the processes of any company that seeks to optimize the workplace; having an orderly, structured, and clean environment helps you carry out any task (both physical and intellectual) more effectively and efficiently.

Previously, we had said that the 5S method is a management technique originating in Japan, whose basic principles are aimed at improving work areas by increasing productivity, and the best thing about it is that it does not require a large investment.

Now, if we have understood each of the phases of this management method, you will realize that you can apply the 5S method in your company's office and make it more efficient in the simplest details.

1. Seiri - Classify the elements of the office by categories

In the first place and to apply the 5S method in the office, you must classify the elements you have and divide the most important ones from those that are not. For example, try to ensure that only the material to work on, such as computers, tablets, printers, control panels, etc., remains on the work tables.

The rest of the elements, such as coffee cups, glasses, bottles of water, mate, and food in general, can be stored in a cupboard provided for that purpose until their specific use. Bags and backpacks can be hung on a coat rack or stored in personal lockers with their respective keys.

2. Seiton - Organize the items on desks and work tables

Once you have what you need to work on the office tables, it's time to put things in order, which can be confused with the previous step, but here we are looking to cut a fine line by ordering the elements that were already selected in the office. In this sense, make sure that the computers are in their corresponding place, according to the location in the physical space of each collaborator.

It would be pertinent for each computer to have support to facilitate viewing the screen and writing since there are office chairs that are usually lower than others and it can be uncomfortable for the spine to work bent over the computer. Also, pay attention to the cables and outlets so that you don't get saturated with voltage in the same box.

3. Seiso - Clean up the shared workspace

Now that your offices are taking on the form of a business office, it's time to clean up. Remember that this work must be done as a team, delegating tasks and responsibilities, so that there are no unfair burdens of work on a few people.

It is important to foster a collaborative environment from most daily activities so that those that correspond to key functions for the progress of the company are carried out naturally and with a genuine exchange of ideas.

On the other hand, it is also important for cleanliness to be a strict norm in the office now more than ever with the presence of COVID-19. That is why cleaning products that are in every home should not be missing: broom, mop, detergent, bleach, alcohol, furniture cleaner, etc.

Under this concept, all employees should be made aware of keeping the workspace clean every day and sanitizing surfaces with alcohol mixed with water (70%-30%). And also, they should wash their hands frequently, especially before eating and apply some hand sanitizer from time to time.

While it is true that companies have their cleaning staff, it does not hurt for employees to do it themselves on a day-to-day basis. In this way, everyone will enjoy a harmonious workspace free of health risks.

4. Seiketsu - Check that everything is tidy, clean, and clear of unnecessary items.

As in any work carried out, it is time for the review to detect and identify possible deviations in the previous processes, such as, for example, that a cup has been left dirty outside or inside the office. In these cases, the person in charge of monitoring this must expose the error to the other employees, resolve it and establish very precise rules so that another similar irregularity does not happen again.

5. Shitsuke - Maintain order and discipline

If you have already been able to get your work team to leave the office in optimal conditions and have established internal regulations that include both elementary health standards and healthy coexistence, the last step is precisely to maintain this order and discipline so that your office is also like a second home.

In a few words, to apply the 5S method in the office, you must not only know the theoretical principles that support it, but also the best way to apply them efficiently in your company.