5S
A method for keeping a workplace organised: sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain.
What it means in business
The five steps are to remove what is not needed (sort), give every needed item a place (set in order), clean and inspect (shine), make the first three the standard way (standardise) and keep it up (sustain). It reduces searching, errors and accidents, and makes problems easy to see.
Example
A small workshop clears its benches of unused tools, marks a place for each tool, cleans the machines daily and puts the layout on a chart, then checks it weekly. This is an illustration of normal business use rather than a quoted case study.
How to use it correctly
Start with one area, involve the people who work in it, photograph before and after, and set a regular short check. The gain comes from the routine, not from a one-time clean-up.
Common confusion
5S is not just cleaning. The sort and standardise steps are what stop the clutter from coming back. And it is a habit and not a project with an end date.
Related glossary terms
Written on 24 October 2026 for lamp. Confirm the current rules with the official source or an adviser before relying on it.