Safety:  Some 5S programs actually add a 6th S for safety. An organization’s concern for safety can be a significant contributor to morale and pride. It can be measured with lost time injury rates or other measures of safety performance.

Space:  Cleaning out the junk will often open significant amounts of space that can be turned into productive work areas. Warehouse storage areas are expensive “real estate” and can be assets or liabilities.

Productivity:  Measurement of productivity can occur in many ways and at many levels such as overall company productivity, team productivity, or individual productivity. Overall productivity is the most important from a competitive viewpoint. Remember, productivity does not necessarily relate to improved performance. Productivity is basically how much is done – Performance is how well it is done.

Pride & Morale:  Pride and morale are notoriously difficult to measure but critically important. While there are survey tools for such measurements, they can often be very time-consuming themselves. The practical effects are seen primarily in absenteeism, turnover and productivity.

Absenteeism:  Absenteeism results from many causes but pride and morale are two of the more important. Improvement in absenteeism, if other factors remain constant, can be assumed as resulting from increased pride and morale.

Wasted Motions:  If 5S teams work together through 5S implementation, they can measure reductions in physical motion during their workday.

Kaizen Mind:  The rigor, discipline and analysis inherent in 5S can contribute to the development of the “Kaizen Mind.” This is a culturally induced attitude of constantly looking for and implementing improvement, particularly at the level of an individual or work team.

Performance:  The ability to accomplish needed processes or tasks more efficiently, with greater quality, and increased consistency will empower teams to raise their own bars for success. Any company operating under this environment will undoubtedly win the battle for the marketplace.