5S Store April 2019

5S Store April 2019

APRIL 2019

www.the5sstore.com 978-842-4610

YOUR NO. 1 PEACEKEEPING TOOL

AT THE WAREHOUSE AND AT HOME My tools are some of my most prized possessions, as are yours for many of you. This becomes clear when I’m at a trade show — every time someone spots our tool shadow board, they comment on how useful it would be in their garage. We pride ourselves on our tools and their organization. As a dad, this was also a source of conflict, especially when my kids were younger. I’d tell them not to play with my tools, but their curiosity won out. They’d take them from the detached garage, play with them, and misplace them. I’d find them in the car, in their rooms, in the basement, and in other random places throughout the house. It irritated the heck out of me, though I knew my kids were just following in my footsteps. I can remember doing the same thing with my dad’s tools as a kid. I’d use his tools and then leave them lying around — definitely not where I’d found them. This went over really well in a boisterous Italian household, as you can imagine. Calling on the best 5S equipment, I set up a tool shadow board in my garage to make it easy for my kids to return the tools they borrowed. The shadow board helped, but inevitably, my kids would forget to put a tool back on the board, and I’d find it laying around the house.

remind them how easy our system was. “Hey, I set the garage up so you’d always know where to put something back,” I’d explain. They got better at returning the tools to their places, but as weeks went by, they’d get lax again, and I’d start finding my tools around the house. Eventually, as a stop gap, I put a bin in our basement so that if my kids weren’t going to go put the tools in their spot in the garage, I could at least find them all in one place. The system worked better — they would more often than not put the tools in the bin. While it wasn’t in their exact spot, it was better than having to search for them. As they so often do, my kids taught me a humbling lesson when it came to my tools: there’s no magic solution for organization. Sure, tool shadow boards are an incredible tool, but they require follow-through. 5S doesn’t work by itself. It’s why the fifth ‘S,’ sustain, is so important — we have to recommit to the system every day, or it’s not going to work.

Even when you put standards in place, people aren’t always going to follow the system to a T. When I organized the garage and made it straightforward for the kids, they still needed to be reminded about it, and maybe I needed to adapt the system. Continuous improvement necessitates that we review and reevaluate our systems and processes when they’re not working. While a solution might seem clear cut, it’s often not until we implement it that we can see how well it actually works. This spring, I encourage you to look at some of your 5S practices. What’s working? What isn’t? Most importantly, where is there room for improvement? As always, if you get stuck along the way and could use guidance, we’re here for you. Give me a call. I’d be happy to help.

Until next month,

David Visco

When that happened, I’d review the system with them, much like I would for a team member. I’d

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TIME TO SAY GOODBYE IS TRANSPARENT SEPARATION RIGHT FOR YOUR COMPANY?

• Managers are not cast in an adversarial role for abrupt firings. The company has time to find a suitable replacement, resulting in a smoother transition. Remaining employees feel more comfortable when they don’t have to worry about “disappearing” overnight. Even with all these positives, Siegel notes that transparent separation may not be the best course of action for every employee termination. For example, if the soon-to-be-ex- employee is a manager whose toxic behavior is harming the work environment, they need to be shown the door immediately. Siegel claims that in two-thirds of cases, transparent separations offered the best outcome both for the company and the former employee. • •

can cause after being told they are losing their job. Some employees may even prefer to collect severance and leave so they can fully focus on the job search. Is transparent separation the answer to all your termination woes? The jury’s still out; there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to any business problem. What works great for one company might not

Getting fired is a horrible experience. Losing a job is hard on an employee, and terminating an employee can create a whole mess of grief for a company. In a 2018 article for Harvard Business Review, Investopedia CEO David Siegel laid out his strategy to avoid the troubles of termination by offering a more considerate approach to firing: transparent separation. In a transparent separation, when underperforming employees are informed that their tenure with the company is coming to an end, they are given a time frame to look for a new job before their last day. Employees are asked to keep the arrangement confidential and are expected to maintain job performance. Siegel states that employees who abuse the goodwill of transparent separation should be let go immediately. Transparent separation is a wild departure from the traditional termination playbook, but Siegel insists that the strategy offers some incredible benefits, such as the following: Departing employees avoid the struggle of trying to find a new job while unemployed. There’s reduced legal risk that the company might be sued by an angry employee. • •

be best for another. But if you think the pros outweigh the cons, transparent

separation might be worth considering the next time your company has to say goodbye.

There are potential drawbacks to transparent separation. Opponents to this strategy note the potential damage a disgruntled employee

IMPLEMENT A SHINE INITIATIVE WITH THIS 5S SUPPLY

You go to grab the broom to finish off the last step of your day — only to find it’s not where you left it. How many times has this happened, and how many more times until it prompts you to change something?

As David shared on the

tools have been taken from and makes it easier to return them to where they go. It also helps you notice when something is out of place. Color-coding equipment is an important step in any Shine initiative. The idea is to put processes in place that make it easy to maintain and easy to spot anything out of order. Shine is about so much more than cleaning up equipment — it’s about making issues easily visible. It’s about getting the equipment in your area to a point where if something’s out of conformance, you can see it immediately. When you clean it up, the equipment speaks to you when there’s an issue. For example, if there’s a leak in a piece of equipment that’s gone through Shine, you’ll notice it. If equipment is filthy, you’re not going to see a little leak.

cover, tools and cleaning equipment don’t get put back where they belong far too often. This costs time, productivity,

and frustration for team members who are trying to get work done. Fortunately, there are 5S solutions that can prevent this from happening by making it easier for your team to keep track of and return equipment. Shadow boards are a great start for making sorting and standardizing tools easy. Once you have boards in place, color-coding the tools goes one step further to make a space shine. This step helps team members keep track of which area

It’s what Shine is all about — getting tools and equipment to “shine” so they can be easily maintained and inspected going forward. You can find color-coded cleaning tools and all the supplies you’ll need to carry out Shine on our website, or give us a call. We’re happy to help!

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LILLY’S WAREHOUSE

TAKING THE ‘SCARY’ OUT OF 5S HOW WE HELPED LEE TRANSFORM HER FACILITY

CAT GOT YOUR PERSON?

Well, I was right — Kingston the Cat is not to be trusted. He’s trying to move in on my person, David. When David and I retire to his cushy chair at the end of a long day, it’s our special time together. But ever since he arrived, Kingston has been interrupting us. Kingston coolly walks over, tail a-scheming, as if he has any business getting between the two of us. The nerve! I’ve told David, but I’m not sure he gets what a serious threat this cat is to our family. You can bet when Kingston gets too close, I let him know. Back away, Feline!

As the Continuous Improvement Manager at MTI Polyexe, Lee Campbell was ready to implement 5S in their facility. She’d been part of a lean team before and knew how effective 5S is at transforming a space. As Lee says, “If you can’t do 5S in a facility, you can’t do other lean implementation.” She started searching for the supplies she needed to make this happen, and that’s when she found The 5S Store.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

“They helped me do more than I’d ever done with 5S,” Lee says of working with David and The 5S Store Customs Solutions Team. “We needed a lot of help.” Lee mentions photo evidence of the state of their facility. When she submitted the photos to The 5S Store for a “Scariest Space” Halloween contest David was running, her photos won. “I don’t know if we take that as a compliment,” Lee says with a laugh. Lee enlisted David’s help to start their transformation. “I told him, ‘Dave, I need your help. I have my own ideas, but I need you to come in here and tell me the other things I’m not doing,’” Lee says. David obliged, visiting Lee’s facility with a 5S Store team member. “He sent me a long list of things I could do afterwards,” Lee says. “He helped me do more than I’d ever done with 5S.” Since their winning photo submission, MTI Polyexe has gone from scary to sorted, ordered, standardized, and shining. They’ve sustained these efforts with customized 5S supplies and our team members who go above and beyond. “The 5S Store Custom Solutions Team helped us make customized safety signs, communication boards, and road maps,” Lee shares. “They got communication boards for us made up with our logo that we’ve put up throughout our facility. The signs they created are beautiful, quality, and cost-effective. They did such good work,” Lee says. “It’s amazing what they do.”

INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS

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12 ounces pasta, ideally fusilli 1/2 pound broccoli florets 2 carrots, shredded

1. In a large pot, liberally salt water and bring to a boil. Add fusilli and cook according to package

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directions. Add broccoli, carrots, and bell pepper during the last 2 minutes of cook time. veggies, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Return pasta and veggies to pot. olive oil to medium heat. Add garlic and cook until translucent and golden, 30

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1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips

2. Drain the pasta and

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1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

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3. In a large skillet, heat

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seconds. Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until tomatoes are wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in reserved pasta water. 4. Add tomato mixture to pasta pot, stirring to coat evenly. 5. Divide into bowls, top with Parmesan cheese, and serve.

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1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Thank you for sharing your story, Lee!

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1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, ideally Parmigiano- Reggiano Kosher salt, for pasta water and to taste

We love hearing from our customers. If you’ve had a similar 5S Store experience, please share it on our Facebook page!

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Inspired by Food Network

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

978-842-4610 www.the5sstore.com

16 Lomar Park, Unit 8 Pepperell, MA 01463

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 | Voicing Frustration for Missing Tools

2 | A Better Approach to Firing? Get Your Equipment to Shine 3 | Customer Success Stories Lilly’s Warehouse Pasta Primavera

4 | Walk to Work Today!

WALK TO WORK DAY

day will help you feel more refreshed and ready to get back into the grind. You can also invite other coworkers or friends to walk with you. OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION Although Walk to Work Day encourages people to walk, there are other ways to get to work without having to drive. Biking is an excellent means of transportation and can be helpful for people who might have a longer commute. If you don’t own a bike but are still in need of a quick transport between two locations, you can hop on an electric scooter. These scooters have appeared across America over the past year or so and have proven handy for individuals needing to get from point A to point B quickly. Walk to Work Day offers a perfect chance to change up your routine for a more active lifestyle. Let this holiday be the first step in many that will come!

A START TO A MORE ACTIVE LIFE

Everyone knows

has been picked up by people, businesses, and organizations across the world to inspire people everywhere to exercise more. OBSERVING THE HOLIDAY To celebrate Walk to Work Day, simply slip on your walking shoes, grab a portable breakfast, and head out the door! Be sure to bring an extra outfit and shoes with you as walking in high heels, dress shoes, and/or dress attire can be uncomfortable. For people who don’t have the time, try taking a short walk around the workplace during breaks or lunch. Getting in a 15-minute walk during the

that walking is healthy for us, but not very many people have the chance to stretch their legs. With a busy schedule, you might not have the

luxury to get up earlier and get a quick brisk walk in. But that doesn’t mean routines can’t be changed. Walk to Work Day is an unofficial holiday that encourages people to walk more in their daily lives. Finding the time to walk for 30 minutes a day can help you lose weight, reduce the chance of heart disease and diabetes, and improve emotional and mental health. A LITTLE HISTORY Walk to Work Day takes place on the first Friday of April every year and has been celebrated since 2004. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services promoted the holiday with enthusiasm as a way to counter the alarming rise in obesity and health issues throughout the country. Since its debut, Walk to Work Day

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