A Systematic Approach to Workplace Organization

1. 5 Steps to Success in the Workplace http://www.5stoday.com/ April 2013

2. A Systematic Approach to Workplace Organization The five steps for success is more than just a systematic approach to workplace organization. It’s about efficiency, competitiveness, survival, stress-relief, and ultimately about creating harmony in your workplace. So, now let’s look into how we can help bring harmony and productivity to your workplace!

3. Sort (Seiri) Eliminate all the things in the workspace that are not being used, and store them away or discard. • Clutter will only cause disorganization and frustration. • By removing items that aren’t being used very often you will clear up space and not be distracted by the mess. • You will have more real estate to work with in your work area. • This lessens the chance of you losing important items and documents in your clutter.

4. Set in Order (Seiton) Arrange the items used on a daily basis so that they can be easily accessed and quickly stored. • This will help to create organization and flow within your work area. • Beyond organizing the surface of your desk, it is also a great idea to organize your drawers, bookshelf, closets, file and file cabinets. • Consider organizing your desktop, important folders and files on your computer, and even your emails. • Arrange and organize other items that you use on a daily basis, your smartphone, break room, etc.

5. Shine (Seiso) Everything is cleaned and functioning properly. • They say “cleanliness is next to godliness.” meaning that being cleaned and tidy promotes positive energy. • Making sure that everything is well-maintained will increase the lifespan of your possessions. • Keeping tidy will keep you organized so that you can move from task to task seamlessly and effortlessly. • Guests of your work area will feel comfortable. After all your environment can often times be a reflection of yourself.

6. Standardize (Seiketsu) Develop a routine for sorting, setting, and shining. • Routine will allow you to know what you are doing and so you will be well prepared everyday to take on the job. • With repetition you will get better, efficient, and fluid overtime thus making your job easier over time. • You will get to a point where it becomes second nature. Even when you’re taken off task or distracted you will be able to pick up where you left off with out much strain.

7. Sustain (Shitsuke) Create a culture that follows the steps on a daily basis. • Reward yourself for your consistency in maintaining the 5 steps to success. A little positive reinforcement never hurts! • Share your improvements with your co-workers and friends. If this becomes a regular practice you may find yourself more motivated to keep it up. • Keep it up, the more you get used to maintaining your workspace in this way the better results you’ll see. Both internally and externally. Within your workplace as well as the performance of your business.

8. Safety We all know what safety is and we all know that there are standards that imposed by OSHA and ANSI. But there is more that can be done beyond just meeting the “standards”. • Create visual markers for hazardous areas or items, stay organized, and put tools and equipment back in the right place after use. Visual cues will help with this. • Marking floors, isles, racks, heavy traffic areas, and anywhere else that is potentially harmful with visual markers will keep everyone aware. • Labeling important or dangerous items can keep the work place organized and safe.

9. At The End of The Day So, these are the 5 Steps to success within your work place. Taking these simple, systematic steps can really help you optimize the time you spend at work and can even help you feel more refreshed and enthusiastic at the same time!

10. Contact Us 5SToday.com is the best place to find your 5S supplies, lean tools, floor marking tapes, floor signs, red tags, 5S videos, and more. Visit us today at http://www.5stoday.com/