Why Toyota’s 5S’s Will Change the Way You Work: Systematic Clearing Out
If like most busy professionals, decluttering your desk is not on the top of your never ending to do list, there are many tried and tested techniques to get it done and keep it that way, and we’ve researched them and put them together here, so you don’t have to.
Regular clear-outs are an essential aspect of the ‘Lean’ working method invented by Toyota. As a global leader in the automobile industry, Toyota’s organisational culture has contributed to its international success and problem-solving capabilities. The company uses a ‘5S’ method, a simple tool designed to eliminate waste within a manufacturing operation but can be applied to any industry. Implementing 5S is a sure way to increase productivity, higher quality standards and employee satisfaction.
- Sorting: Sorting among ‘frequently used,’ ‘may prove important’ and ‘not useful/to be discarded’
- Set in Order: Making sure all materials are organised neatly, according to their order of use
- Shine and Secure: Everyone leaves the office as they find it. This will allow the clear-out to be effective for a longer period of time and help out new employees understand what is where faster.
- Standardise: Have a standard procedure clearly written for the above three
- Sustain: These elements should be embedded within the culture of the organisation so that it would occur naturally, rather than as a top-down approach
Which other big industry brand names have caught on to Lean practices and the importance of systematic clearing out?
Audi
After taking on a clean desk policy, executive vice president Johan de Nysschen of the multinational car brand Audi has said regarding their policy: “We want to create a sophisticated atmosphere. It’s conducive towards organisation.”
Nike
Nike is another major industry giant to see less waste and higher customer value since implementing Lean manufacturing, in addition to improvement of overseas labour practices.
Intel
The leading computer company, began using Lean manufacturing techniques to provide an improved product to the ever-changing tech industry by redirecting focus from quantity to quality
Boeing
The airline manufacturing giant implements a variation of the 5S method ‘the Lean Production System’. by implementing 5S and the Lean Production System across all areas of the organisation to guarantee maximum efficiency
What is the connection between systematic clearing out or uncluttering physical and electronic information and organisational change?
A good time for a clear-out is at the introduction of the change. This way, both the staff and the executives can be on the same page about the new values and processes that are being implemented. There is often a structural disconnect in companies, wherein executives will implement strategic transformational change, while the staff might still be using old strategies and information. Additionally, during a clear out, hidden gems can surface. These are important information that have been forgotten, due to the untidy environment. The hidden gems can shorten or change whole processes in general, think of what you can achieve and the benefits and rewards that extra time to spend on details within tasks or projects could bring.
Unclutter your desk, unclutter your mind-The psychology behind it
The results of a complex study by the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, shows us that having multiple stimuli present in view at the same time as trying to get on with your work, causes the brain to compete for ‘neural representation’ by suppressing evoked activity, consequently resulting in limited processing capacity. If you can see too much stuff in front of you whilst you’re trying to work, it’s going to have a negative impact on your attention and ability to concentrate on tasks.
Whatever your role is within your organisation, this theory proves that a cluttered workspace can cause procrastination and even risk your ability to meet important deadlines. Organisation and clearing out any unnecessary physical items or electronic documents will help you access what you need in a faster time as you will know the exact location of anything you may need throughout your working day. Cutting out this ‘search’ time could leave you with much more time and even help you reach your goals and deadlines faster.
It’s not just papers documents that get cluttered
In today’s digital age, often shared folders, emails and internal communication systems get messy very easily. It is thus important to implement a digital clear out as well as a physical one. This will allow employees to know instinctively where information is, what is missing and what can be done to improve. It is easier to understand where to go when one knows what they already have. A digital clear out will also make the IT team happy by opening new storage space, which might increase the electronic processing time and help them to be more efficient.
Working from home
In April 2020 46.6% of employed adults in the UK did at least some work from home, of which 86.0% did so as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. With almost half of UK workers using home desks, systematic clearing out is essential when your workspace is within your own home. Working from home means removing the commute, break room down time and likely decreases the chance of you taking a walk or going out for your lunch break which may result in you being in one designated room for much of the day. This situation is not uncommon however it likely means that by the time you log off at the end of the working day, you’re keen to get out of this room, with the chance of you staying on longer to organise your desk… slim to none.
James Clear, author and entrepreneur, developed the ‘2-minute rule’ an intriguing psychology technique to stop us procrastinating, following the idea of purposely introducing ‘gateway habits’ to naturally lead us down a more productive and sustainable path. Dedicating just 2 minutes at the end of your day to re-organising what became undone throughout the working day. In addition, at the end of each day write down a clear list of priorities for the next day. It will allow you brain to mull over these and give you focus the next day.
Now you know the importance of systematic clearing out, the proven methods discussed in this blog are simple and time effective ways to start fresh the next morning as the most productive, focused and organised version of you.
6 Essential organisational tips
1.) Remove digital clutter during working hours- This includes closing unnecessary internet tabs, moving your phone out of your working room and if this is not possible, turning off all notifications that aren’t job related. Have you ever clicked on just one notification and found yourself disengaged in your task and scrolling through social media 20 minutes later? We’re naturally inclined to this bad habit, with the clever consumer psychology behind the ‘notification’ so it’s best to just remove the risk entirely.
2.) Organise your inbox– This step goes further than ensuring you have separate personal and work email accounts. It’s important to continuously unsubscribe to any senders who aren’t necessary, to remove working hour distractions and the risk of missing important messages from your boss, employees, colleagues, suppliers, clients or anyone else who’s email certainly shouldn’t get lost among a sea of advertisements and personal chats.
3.) Out with the old– Have folders you no longer need named ‘old’ followed by a delete date e.g.Old_delete_Dec_2021. That way it makes it perfectly clear what can be cleared out and help you find the folders you do need much faster. It will also help you if you’re prone to hoarding or hanging on to old documents you really aren’t going to need again.
4.) Standard operating procedures- Systematic clearing out isn’t just about deleting or getting rid of what you don’t need but also about taking better care of what you do need. Setting up a standard operating procedure can help ensure that yourself and your colleagues have everything you need at your fingertips.
5.) Physically destroy what you don’t need- The beauty of paper documentation means you can quite literally rip pieces of paper you don’t need, or if you have access to a paper shredder… a symbolic sign of letting them go and moving on to new tasks.
6.) Don’t resolve real issues over email– If you have serious discussions or disputes to be had, this should be done ideally in person, over virtual face call or on the phone. A follow up email overview of what was discussed, may be necessary however disputes over emails will drain your energy and clog up your inbox with negativity which may lead to avoidance behaviours. Once any issues are resolved, you can archive related content, for example putting all documents into one zip file.
By following Lean principles including the 5S method, as demonstrated by some of the world’s leading companies, such as Toyota, reducing waste and maximizing value to the customer, both consumers and companies can benefit, including you and your team directly.
By Ketan Varia and Lucy Green
Bibliography
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Stoller, Jane. “How To Declutter Your Workspace While Working From Home”.Forbes,19 November2020. Available:https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/11/19/how-to-declutter-your-workspace-while-working-from-home/?sh=72fcf7c178c5Accessed May 2021
