What is the 8S Methodology and How to Apply It in Your Organization

The 8S methodology is an evolution of the 5S program aimed at enhancing the qualities of the popular workplace organization and cleanliness method. It adopts the same five senses of the original program but introduces three new elements to improve teamwork, reduce waste, and increase employee training.

According to Dr. José Abrantes, a PhD in Production Engineering, the 8S methodology is a program for changing habits and behaviors—something known in English as Behaviour-Keeping. With the three new senses, the program has been updated to the Brazilian social reality and the behaviors of the country’s workers.

Despite this, the philosophy is quite versatile, allowing its application in industries and companies of any sector or region of the world. After all, the 8S program promotes training to improve employee behavior and habits, resulting in less waste, lower variable costs, and higher profits.

Continue reading this article to learn more about the 8S methodology, its benefits, and its evolutions compared to the 5S program.

Benefits of the 8S Methodology

By applying 5S, organizations already had access to a series of benefits. After all, the method was designed to offer a greater sense of utilization, organization, cleanliness, standardization, and self-discipline.

Through training, workers can achieve greater productivity, more safety, better product quality, lower costs, and an improved work environment. In the 8S program, all these benefits are repeated, but now with new opportunities such as:

• Greater collaboration: By having a sense specifically focused on unity and determination, the 8S methodology promotes a more focused and collaborative work environment.
• Better-trained workers: The program emphasizes the need for continuous training to develop employees’ skills. This way, they can stay updated for their job performance.
• Less waste: The third major novelty of 8S is the better optimization of resource use. This will allow your company to have more sustainable finances, reduce unnecessary costs, and improve operational efficiency.

What Each of the 8 Senses Means

The eight senses of the 8S methodology include five principles derived from the 5S program. They are:

• Seiri (Sense of utilization): The philosophy of eliminating anything unnecessary from your work environment. For this, you separate the necessary tools, parts, and instructions from those that are not useful.
• Seiton (Sense of organization): Take the remaining objects and organize them based on your workflow. Make sure to identify the parts and tools to facilitate their use.
• Seiso (Sense of cleanliness): This principle promotes a cleaning campaign to keep the work area free of dirt and impurities.
• Seiketsu (Sense of standardization): The next part of the process is to implement a continuous improvement cycle in your organization. From here, Seiri, Seiton, and Seiso should become daily habits.
• Shitsuke (Sense of self-discipline): The manager must work to ensure that all team members achieve the self-discipline to continue the 5S cycle in their routines. Employees should strive to apply it regularly.

 

Based on these five senses, three new principles have been proposed to better adapt the methodology to Brazilian companies. See below what else comprises the 8S methodology program:

• Shikari Yaro (Sense of determination and unity). Promotes the participation of top management, who must change their attitudes first to set an example. The key here is to get motivation, leadership, and communication right.
• Shido (Sense of training). The idea is to encourage professional training and human education. This principle develops more qualified professionals and allows the collection of information for the rest of the stages.
• Setsuyaku (Sense of economy and waste reduction). The most important part of the new program, it is only implemented when all other senses are already ingrained. It promotes the creation of a waste reduction plan, encouraging the adoption of internationally recognized methods such as statistical process control (SPC), quality control circles (QCC), and maintenance philosophy.

How to implement the 8S program

Now that you know what the 8S methodology is and what each of the senses means, it’s time to apply them in your organization. Before starting the implementation, however, it is important to know the order of senses that must be followed:

1. Shikari Yaro (Sense of determination and unity);
2. Shido (Sense of training);
3. Seiri (Sense of utilization);
4. Seiton (Sense of organization);
5. Seiso (Sense of cleanliness);
6. Seiketsu (Sense of standardization);
7. Shitsuke (Sense of self-discipline);
8. Setsuyaku (Sense of economy and waste reduction).

Check out the step-by-step guide to implementing the 8S program in your company:

1. Plan your course of action

To start, you should use the sense of determination and direction (Shikari Yaro) to organize the implementation of the program and motivate your workers to move in the same direction.

Define a team responsible for the project, the frequency of meetings, and the location of these meetings. At this stage, your team should:

• Delimit the scope of the initiative;
• Define contact points;
• Plan the implementation of the program;
• Define evaluation criteria;
• Collect information;
• Create the training schedule;
• Promote the program within the company.

2. Train your employees

The next stage involves preparation and education efforts so that your team has the necessary knowledge to successfully implement the 8S. This is the time to ensure that everyone is aligned with your goals and responsibilities.

You should communicate the program’s objectives and explain the action plan to all team members. Detail the steps to be taken and the deadlines for implementation.

Conduct training sessions on the principles and practices of the 8S methodology. Try to vary the training methods, adopting workshops, seminars, and online courses — this way, you cater to the different learning styles of your employees.

3. Implement utilization, organization, and cleanliness

It’s time to move on to steps 3, 4, and 5: Seiri, Seiton, and Seiso. At this point, we return to the traditional planning of the 5S methodology. This is a very operational part of the process, but it is also when you will see the greatest visual difference in the work environment.

Create a detailed inventory of your parts and tools. Determine what you use in your work and what is not necessary to perform your functions. Remove or dispose of items that are not needed, outdated, or broken.

Then organize the remaining items in a logical and efficient manner. Always try to minimize movement and maximize accessibility. Use labels and visual management tools to facilitate identification.

Finally, clean your workstation. Perform regular cleanings, whether sweeping, vacuuming, or wiping surfaces. Inspect equipment and tools to see what needs maintenance. Maintain a rigorous level of cleanliness in the future.

4. Standardize the system and develop self-discipline

We arrive at Seiketsu and Shitsuke, the final steps of the 5S methodology. These steps are important to maintain the improvements achieved through the initial stages, ensuring the organization’s long-term success.

You should create standards to maintain the organization and cleanliness that your employees have achieved. Develop clear and consistent processes for your tasks. Create visual management tools such as checklists, standard operating procedures (SOP), and visual aids to ensure uniformity.

Develop a culture of discipline and continuous improvement to not lose what you have achieved with the 5S. Continue promoting training and educational campaigns to reinforce the importance of the methodology’s principles. Reward workers who consistently apply and promote the program’s concepts.

5. Implement a sense of economy and waste reduction

Integrate the principle of Setsuyaku within the process of implementing the 8S methodology. Start by identifying areas of inefficiency in current processes and practices — see where you are wasting time or resources excessively.

After that, develop strategies to minimize waste. You can optimize workflows, reduce unnecessary steps, or reuse materials (when possible).

Seek to create a culture of economy among your employees, encouraging them to think critically about resource use. Ask them to identify ways to be more efficient in their daily activities.

6. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of training

Ensure that training programs are evolving consistently to meet the needs of your organization and employees. Implement a system to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of training programs.

Use participant feedback to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments.

Conclusion

The 8S methodology presents itself as a powerful tool for organizational transformation. It is not only capable of optimizing physical workspaces but also the habits and behaviors of employees.

By incorporating the three new senses, the 8S goes beyond simple organization and cleanliness, promoting a more collaborative, skilled, and efficient work environment. Implementing it requires a commitment to continuous training and constant improvement, but the results can be substantial.

Your organization can achieve greater productivity, waste reduction, and a significant increase in the company’s quality and profitability. If your company seeks deep and sustainable change, adopting the 8S may be the ideal path to achieving these goals.

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