[Disclaimer: This is an uncensored and unedited article submitted by a student at UBC. We have experienced recent cases of students publishing articles on TechNut that contain subtle advertisements, spam and offensive content. In those cases, we removed the articles promptly thanks to whistleblowing from our blog subscribers. If you believe this article contains any advertising, spam or offensive content, please report it immediately for us to review. Thank you.]

A committed business professional is accountable for the efficient management of their entire workplace. Business management calls for a robust understanding of pragmatic organizing of the office, with categorical sorting of necessities and removal of unwanted waste. It also involves strong supervision to check that the steps taken for effective organization in the workplace are being religiously followed. This is where seasoned management executives stress on 5s Lean training for MBA students. A robust know-how of 5S helps a manager to upgrade quality, improve factory up-time, lower operational costs and promote safety in their office. Implementation of this methodology also helps to boost customer & employee confidence, thereby increasing profit margins. It’s therefore only natural that employers all over are looking for MBA degree holders with additional 5s Lean certification.

5s Lean Training is not included in the regular MBA curriculum of UBC. You have to take it alongside your MBA from a 5s Lean manufacturing method training institute. Let’s explore what the 5s Lean methodology is:

A brief overview

The 5s Lean method was first implemented by legendary Japanese automobile giant Toyota. The basic principle of the method is the creation of efficiency and value across the entire workplace through efficient organization. It is achieved through identification, analysis, collaboration & search for unwanted waste and its effective removal. 5S focuses on a systematic approach to keep the whole workplace neat and clutter-free, in order to ensure a more proficient execution of operational processes.

The 5 “S”

The particular lean methodology is developed on the basic framework of 5 “S”s. These are:

• Seiri (Sort) – Meticulous sorting of everything in the organization to see what’s needed and what’s not.
• Seiton (Set things in order) – Proper arrangement of necessities in designated locations with labeling. This helps locate required things easily when they are needed.
• Seiso (Shine) – Cleaning of all equipments and the entire office regularly to check defects and maintain safety & cleanliness standards.
• Seiketsu (Standardize) – Creating rules for proper execution of the above mentioned 3S.
• Shitsuke (Sustain) – Carrying of frequent reviews to see how much the rules are being implemented and to identify any loopholes or limitations.

How 5s Lean certified MBA professionals help the businesses?

• Effective management and usage of essential office resources like time, space, money and energy;
• Reduction of obstacles in the workflow;
• Improvement of productivity and production quality;
• Faster delivery of orders;
• Assurance of a clean and safe environment across the office;
• Strong control on workplace standards, which will help identify issues on time that might otherwise deteriorate the standards;
• Boosted employee morale with assurance of safe working conditions

Problems 5s Lean pros can avoid for a business

• Overcrowding in the factory or workplace that might otherwise make working conditions harder for employees;
• Overloading of inventory with unnecessary stuff that prevents smooth flow of operations and communication across the office or plant;
• Dirty and disorganized workplace;
• Time wasted in searching for tools and parts;
• Higher costs wasted on maintaining unwanted machinery or tools;
• Accidents from slip/trip and fall in the workplace;
• Wastage arising due to defective products, accidents resulting from an unsafe working environment, and delay in searching for required tools;
• Breakdown of machineries and equipments due to lack of maintenance and supervision

Though the 5s Lean methodology is primarily used for manufacturing sectors and industrial plants, it can be used for any workplace, regardless of the industry. Thus, 5s Lean certification will help UBC’s MBA trainees to attain a coveted and respected career in any kind of business.