What are the 5S principles of workplace organization?

The 5 S's of workplace organization are sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain. The 5S methodology exists to improve the quality of the workplace, reduce operation costs and focus on safety, in addition to improving customer relationships and reducing the cost of repairs.

According to the 5S methodology, to "sort" means to remove all unnecessary items from workplace operations, only leaving bare essentials. This saves time, space, money and energy, and allows for smooth work flow by enhancing productivity and product quality through enhanced communication between employees.

To "set in order" refers to arranging and organizing essential items for ease of use through item labeling. This helps to eliminate many forms of waste, such as wasted energy, time, inventory or defective products.

To "shine" is representative of keeping the workplace clean daily. Keeping the environment tidy means allowing employees to feel comfortable in their workplace surroundings and having things organized for ease of use.

To "standardize" is to combine the first three S's as a unified whole. Standardizing ensures that workplace conditions do not regress into a poor working environment by implementing the guidelines of the first three pillars.

To "sustain" is to create habits of maintaining procedures and guidelines for the workplace and implementing disciplinary measures to prevent backsliding. This is to be executed in case disorganized patterns begin to take place, such as leaving the environment dirty, leaving out hazardous objects or failing to place items where they belong.