Get Rid of the Silent Killer- 5s Implementation in the Office

All over the world business is seeking ways to become more profitable, and the lean manufacturing process is an important part of the process. Understandably, they look to the production floor or hospital floor for applying methods such as 5S, but maybe a big part of the underlying problem is that you need 5S implementation in the office!

For many businesses, the front office consumes as much as 50% of the total budget, yet it is very often overlooked and is a sort of blind spot for management. So much of the focus is on the shop floor, yet many of the underlying causes for production waste is in the office.

The silent killers

A 5S implementation in the office program will quickly reveal many areas of waste. Some of these silent killers are:
People waste
Process waste
Information waste
Asset waste
Surface waste

What do you have to show for all the programs?

A common experience in companies that are trying their best to implement lean manufacturing is that they have experts all over the building, people flying in and out, charts and posters in all the right places, program after program running, but where's the beef? What is there to show for all this effort? You don' t want your people to be wondering, after six months, what is lean manufacturing?

Just as the decision to implement lean manufacturing begins and ends with top management, so does the process. If the front office is disorganized and an endless pursuit of playing catch up with all the ongoing details of daily activities, it is only natural that the operation of the business will be lacking.

Suppose that you have 5s, Six Sigma, and Value Stream Mapping, all running at the same time. You have specialists, Black belts, and responsible employees engaged in monitoring and overseeing these programs. What if nobody actually has a thorough oversight of all of these wonderful processes?

Once the office becomes part of the lean manufacturing process, the overall integration of the entire scheme takes shape and your entire operation can flow as a unit. It is as if the office is the head and the rest of the company is the body. Once the head has undergone the transforming power of lean manufacturing, it will be much easier for the body to experience the same thing.

Leadership also has waste

Leadership of the company very often has many hidden areas of waste. Some of these wastes are:

Waste of focus
Waste of structure
Discipline waste

Office employees might be busy, but are their activities focused, structured and disciplined? This might sound militaristic, but actually it is quite liberating. Once an employee understands what is expected of him/her, it is much easier to optimally perform. Many employees spend vast amounts of time doing busy work, or redundant work. Reports that nobody reads are a good example.

If everyone knows what is expected, the atmosphere can become much more relaxed and pleasant. Mental and emotional energy can be directed at meaningful work that is focused, structured, and disciplined.

As with any lean manufacturing process, it takes a vision to succeed. Top management needs to be totally committed and willing to allow time and expense to reach the goals. It is also highly advisable to make use of a good outside consultant.