Sustain
Sustain is the final stage of the 5S process. The goal of Sustain is to monitor and continuously improve upon the state of the workplace.
Plan
Sustaining is all about maintaining 5S improvements over the long term. While there may be marginal benefits from a short-term 5S implementation, most benefits are realized over the long-term.
Whereas the other 5S steps involved employees of all levels, this step is primarily for management within the organization. Some of the questions management must address are:
- How will we measure how well we are maintaining our 5S improvements?
- Where can we expand 5S within the company?
- How can we recognize individuals who made significant contributions through 5S?
Do
The primary technique used to sustain a 5S implementation is a Management Audit. A management audit uses a checklist to walk through the improvements in the four prior stages to ensure that they are being maintained.
Throughout this process, management should keep employees informed, reward employees who stay engaged in the 5S effort, and deepen the company's culture of Lean through training and workshops.
Check
More important than an individual week's audit, is the evaluation of audit performance over time. Management should periodically update historical information with the 5S audit findings. Typically, this is done within a simple excel spreadsheet.
It is at this point that management can make informed decisions about the success of 5S within the organization, and potentially identify any recurring issues among employees. While the goal of the audit isn't to punish employees, 5S maintenance does require compliance from all members in an organization.
Act
There are four primary scenarios management will face when analyzing performance history:
| Scenario | Response |
|---|---|
| Successful Maintenance | The most desireable scenario is that of successful maintenance of the 5S implementation. There may be the occasional missteps by employees, but all of the new SOPs are being followed. The best thing to do in this scenario is to stay the course, but remain vigilant. |
| Failed Maintenance | The least desirable scenario is that of complete non-compliance. If few or none of the new SOPs are being followed, it is necessary to reevaluate the entire 5S implementation. Sometimes, this is the result of going through the 5S process without justifying the decisions that are being made. There should be a reason behind every process and the placement of every item. |
| Failed Procedure | If a single SOP is continuously failing the management audit, then it may be necessary to re-evaluate that particular SOP. Some potential issues include: the procedure not being aligned with work demands, the procedure not being explicit enough, and lack of the proper tools to complete the procedure. |
| Failed Compliance | If a single employee is repeatedly responsible for failures on the management audit, then it is necessary to take action to prevent further non-compliance. Meeting with the employee is an important first step. |
Management's response to each of these scenarios will be key to the longevity of the 5S implementation.