The Japanese have been described as unyielding enterprising workers. Even the slogan of a samurai they idolize is “better to die rather than live in shame.” Then there is again the term Makato which means, “work hard, spirit, honest and sincere.” The spirit of work is then downgraded into some simple principles that often applied to factory management, ie 5S: Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke. 5S is a small thing but will have a major impact, especially in manufacturing production processes that require accuracy of equipment, state of the machine prime, as well as a safe and comfortable working environment.
The unchecked goods and equipment of the plant will generally disrupt the eyes. Not only that, a ravaged atmosphere will also make people no longer sensitive or responsive to dangerous things covered by irregular goods. It is very risky for the working environment of the factory that relies on machining as one of the means of production. Meanwhile, factories that successfully apply the 5S principle will generally look cleaner and shinier. In principle 5S it is believed that the messy factory situation can hide the problem. Application of the 5S principle is expected to bring up the problem that has been hidden.
Seeing the success of Japanese industry, finally 5S program adopted by various industries in various countries. 5S popularity can not be separated from the success of the Japanese industry that has been focusing on reducing all waste. 5S is the foundation for shaping human behavior to have a habit of reducing waste in the workplace. The 5S program was first introduced in Japan as a movement of determination to sort (seiri), arrangement (seiton), cleansing (seiso), guarding steady conditions (seiketsu), and self-awareness of the habits necessary to perform the job well (shitsuke). Each S in 5S and its explanation are described below.
Seiri. Seiri is the first step of implementing 5S, which is sorting of useful items from 
goods that are no longer useful. Useful items are stored. Items that are no longer used are removed / discarded. In the first step is known as the term red tag strategy, which marks the items that are not useful with the red label (red tag) to be easily distinguished from the items that are still useful. The items with the red label are then removed from the workplace. The leaner of the workplace of unneeded items, the more efficient the workplace will be.
In seiri is known the term stratification management. There are various theories about how to sort out the work, but the first step of all that theory is to divide everything into groups according to the order of importance.
The first step is to create a level of importance and apply stratification management. Make a priority, make a list of inventory, how to arrange goods, which one is important and which one is very important, then sort them in order of importance. Disposing of unsold supplies or making periodic changes on demand, this is another way to move or get rid of items that are less necessary. Thus employees can concentrate on goods that really matter and need attention.
Seiton. Seiton is the second step after sorting, namely: the arrangement of useful items to be easy to find, safe, and given an indication / explanation.
In the second step is known term signboard strategy, which is placing the goods useful neatly and regularly then give a description of the place, the name of the goods, and how much the goods so that when it will be used can be easily and quickly accessed. Signboard strategy reduces waste in the form of movements for searching items.
The principle of structuring applies not only to factories but to all aspects of life. This principle is found in the library’s catalog card system, the parking lot of a building, in the air ticket booking system, in planning analysis, the way the warehouse is arranged, how to set up the dressing table and the house wardrobe, even how to store things in the wallet.
Structuring begins with an intensive and detailed study of efficiency. Beginning with organizational stratification, the principle of structuring attempts to formulate rules that control stratification. It often starts by deciding how many times to use everything, and from there: Unused goods are discarded Items that are not used but want to be used should they be kept as something for unforeseen circumstances.
The goods used only at any time are kept as far as possible. The items that are sometimes used are stored in the workplace. The items that are often used are stored in the workplace or kept by the workers themselves. Storage should also be based on the quantity / how much is handled and how quickly it should be found as needed.
Seiso. Seiso is the third step after the arrangement, ie cleaning the items that have been arranged neatly so it won’t get dirty. Generally, this term means cleaning stuff from all the dust. In 5S terms, cleaning also means removing garbage, dirt and foreign objects.
Cleaning also includes workplaces, work environments, and machines. Cleaning of the machine, carried out either being rested or in maintenance. As much as possible the workplace is made clean and shining like an exhibition space to be healthy and comfortable. It aims to prevent the deterioration of work motivation due to dirty and messy workplace. Cleaning is also a form of examination. While cleaning they also check if any equipment is damaged / not in top condition. It is also an examination of the cleanliness and creation of the workplace so as not to have any defects and blemishes.
Although it seems trivial, cleaning the equipment is small. But this affects the precision of the tool. With higher quality, higher precision, and smoother processing technology, even the smallest things are still fragmented again. That’s why you should not give up easily in a complete cleaning.
Seiketsu. Seiketsu is the next step after seiri, seiton, and seiso, 
namely: guarding. The beauty of the factory must be kept. A clean and tidy working environment should be a working standard. The circumstances achieved in seiri, seiton, and seiso processes must be standardized. These standards should be easily understood by employees, implemented throughout the organization, and regularly and periodically checked.
Shitsuke. Shitsuke is the last step, which is self-awareness of work ethics: (1) Discipline against standards, (2) Mutual respect, (3) Shame to commit offense, (4) Happy to make improvements. The success of 5S lies in the extent to which people do 5S as a habit rather than a compulsion, so that improvement initiatives will emerge by themselves. The essentials for the implementation of the 5S program are as follows.
Requires the involvement / participation of everyone in the organization from top to bottom level. It requires a management commitment to ensure that 5S activities are conducted every day and considered a priority. Change the perspective of everyone in the organization that 5S is more than just a clean-up program or housekeeping management. Consistently apply 5S to change culture. Use the visual display system to effectively communicate 5S activities. Conduct regular 5S (weekly, monthly, and surprise audit) audits to assess performance. Requires education on the concept and benefits of 5S activities.
Principle 5S is not hard to understand, but it is very difficult to implement properly. 5S requires perseverance, determination, and requires constant effort. 5S probably will not give dramatic results. However 5S makes the job easier. 5S will reduce the waste of working time. 5S will make employees proud of their work. 5S will improve work productivity and better quality, bit by bit, but sustainable.
(Source : Ananto Hari, https://tinyurl.com/y839mqlu)
Learn more about people development & HR system : CLICK HERE
Click to Download PDF Version 
