Almost everyone knows it well – Sort, Set in Order, Sweep, Standardize and Sustain. It’s the English version of 5S, a productivity formula popularized by the Japanese in the 1980s. It helps declutter workspaces by organizing and labeling everything with the precision of an obsessive investigator, utilizing color-coding cable ties for an Instagram-worthy, showroom aesthetic.
But here’s the issue. Sustaining 5S is more difficult than you can imagine until somebody made it doubly complex with 10S. More eses to remember, less understanding. That’s the concern raised by Jeff (not his real name). He owns a small factory struggling to compete in a crowded industry dominated by low-priced Chinese products. But he’s unfazed.
He believes he has the right products, and he wants fast action right away. He doesn’t want seminar lectures or any boardroom discussions. He wants to get it done right away with 5S until a consultant pitches his 10S program. Jeff was puzzled:
“We can’t even do 5S, so why bother with 10S?
Let’s try to understand this consultant’s excessive behavior: 6S, with Safety (isn’t a given?); 7S, with Security (another given); 8S, with Savings (of course, there are savings); 9S, with Synergy (whatever it means); and 10S, with Social responsibility.
It’s starting to feel less like an improvement method and more like a family reunion where no one remembers who their grandparents were.
That’s where I’m coming from, making a bold claim even at the risk of getting myself banned from the continuous improvement community potlucks: 2S is better. Simply stick with Sort and Set-in-order, and you can’t go wrong. Sort all unnecessary things in the work area. Then, set all necessary things with proper labels. This includes cleaning and inspecting.
Simple. Deal with the mess. Then do the rest by setting everything in its proper place with labels. Do it monthly, weekly, or as needed. Nothing more, nothing less. This stripped-down version of the beloved Japanese system is all the eses you’ll ever need.
Real-world evidence
With 2S, everyone can commit just enough effort to maintain order, without succumbing to the illusion of lifelong, ritualistic devotion. You sort your mess, then you snooze. That’s the rhythm. Need proof? Just last week, I toured the factory of a tier-one supplier to Toyota in Calamba City.
Surprisingly, they’ve abandoned the rigid 5S system and embraced the simpler 2S model. My client, who joined the visit, was stunned. But I reminded him: even Toyota isn’t religious about 5S. According to Prof. Jeffrey Liker – author of over a dozen books on Toyota – they practice just 4S.
And it’s not just Toyota-adjacent suppliers. Take Seating Matters, a global leader in manufacturing “clinically-tested tilt-in-space chairs.” Their Northern Ireland-based factory, led by co-founder Ryan Tierney, champions 3S (Sort, Sweep, Standardize) to streamline teamwork and reduce wasted motion. No shrines to shine. No polishing for performance theater.
It’s not about being lazy; it’s logical. You focus on sorting and sweeping, then return to doing meaningful work – or perhaps a much-needed power nap. It’s Lean Thinking in real, practical action, without the burnout.
2S improves morale
That’s not all. It’s not just your desk or workstation that needs organizing. Your soul needs it too. With 2S, we don’t force morale. We believe in the restorative power of a 20-minute nap within a one-hour lunch break – with a “Do Not Disturb” sign taped to your forehead and a fan blowing dramatically on your face like you’re Beyoncé in a productivity commercial.
2S works in the real world. It’s a practical antidote to corporate chaos. People have 86 unread emails, 12 open browser tabs and three half-eaten sandwiches hidden in drawers “for emergencies.” Do they have time for 6S or 8S? Absolutely not. Do they have time for 2S? Always.
Because it’s laughably simple and beautifully doable, as long as there’s a trash can under your desk and a chair that reclines just enough for dreams to happen. You sort your mess. You snooze off the stress. No weekly audits. No monthly rituals involving charts, gongs or incense. Just 2S and a dream.
You want camaraderie? Let your team clear their clutter and then collapse into synchronized ergonomic bean bags. That’s team bonding. That’s innovation. That’s 2S. It’s sustainable – not in the “carbon offset” sense, but in the “I can do this every Monday to Friday with much gusto.”
5S and its alphabetic offspring have their place. In sterile factories. In minimalist catalogs. But in the real world – t he one with deadlines, digital overload and existential dread – we need less doctrine and more dopamine. Less confusion, more clarity. Less complexity, more comfort. A clean desk, a clear mind and a soft landing.
So, the next time a consultant in a wrinkle-free suit tries to sell you 9S – or, heaven forbid, 10S – stand up, look them in the eye and say with the calm of a well-rested champion:
“I believe in 2S. I sort. I snooze. I succeed.”
But don’t forget about the red-tag station. It’s the purgatory for the things you don’t need. That’s where you should store all things that have been rendered unnecessary. Unless they’re obviously without value, then you’ve no recourse but to throw them right away.
Now, you’ve earned the right as a global housekeeping champion.
Rey Elbo is a quality and productivity improvement enthusiast. Email your story to elbonomics@gmail.com or DM them on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or https://reyelbo.com. Anonymity is guaranteed even if you’d like to complicate your work life.