A 5S Thanksgiving

Every once in a while I write about productivity systems such as 5S, Kaizen, etc. Case in point...

Ever since November 1863 American families have celebrated Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday of the month. One of the busiest travel times, Thanksgiving summons far-flung family members back home for large meals, football game-watching and the occasional squabble. It can be a fun but disorderly, confusing event.

Disorder and confusion can be systematically banished from any family event by implementing the 5S and visual workplace systems, which were originally pioneered by Japanese industrialists in the aftermath of World War II. If your Thanksgiving dinner resembles a battle zone, why not implement the 5S system with your family this year?

Here are some ways you can use 5S and other visual workplace cues to streamline your special day and obtain a safer and more efficient outcome.

The five Ss are Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain.

SORT: Eliminate clutter and wasted space prior to the cooking phase of the meal. Conduct a thorough audit of your kitchen inventory, including herbs and spices, pots and pans, cutlery and cooking implements, glasses and mugs, plates, bowls and service items. Holiday-themed items used only once a year, tacky kitchen gifts you received, chipped dinner plates and expired food can be “red-tagged.” Items marked with red tags can be sorted into categories such as Infrequent Use, Disposal and Hazardous Waste. Use DuraLabel .5" premium vinyl to label your shelving and cupboard contents to aid in meal preparation and cleanup.

SET IN ORDER: Analyze and document the workflow for setting up and breaking down a meal, including retrieval of food from cold storage, preparation of ingredients, disposal and composting, application of cookware, herb and spice adjustment, meal presentation, consumption and cleanup. Place items for optimal ergonomic efficiency. Anticipate areas of high foot traffic and unnecessary loitering, and use floor marking to delineate areas for cooking, idle chat/gossip and football game-watching.

SHINE: A poorly kept kitchen is a sign of inefficiency. To enhance both efficiency and safety, have all kitchen appliances maintained, repaired, and deep-cleaned before and after meal preparation. Wear gloves during meal preparation to protect your guests from food-borne pathogens. Cleaning personnel on duty during meal preparation must not allow any scraps, drippings, crumbs or other food items to make contact with the floor. Always use approved industrial-grade cleaners and solvents. Note that most authorities having jurisdiction forbid the use of canine assistance for cleaning duties.

STANDARDIZE: Color-coding is a key technique in 5S standardization. By
implementing a color-code system, everything in the kitchen, as well as guests, can be put in the proper place. Try color-coding family members by age, marital affiliation or political or sports-team preference. Using the same standardized system year after year, you ensure a safe and conflict-free meal. DuraLabel 2" premium vinyl, ideal for this application, is available in enough standard and custom colors to ensure each classification will have a unique label. Another useful standardization tip: Each family member gets two non-transferable extra-helping vouchers good for four ounces of turkey or side dishes. Implementing a non-transferable voucher system ensures popular items like stuffing or potatoes will not be depleted.

SUSTAIN: The 5S system is designed to be sustainable year after year. Some ways to do this include developing your own guide called Thanksgiving Standard Operating Procedures that outlines the various job functions, duties, work zones, color coding keys and other directives. Using Thanksgiving Standard Operating Procedures, any family member should be able to step into any job function and contribute to a meal experience that perfectly replicates that of the prior year. To ensure continuous improvement on an ongoing basis, have every family member fill out a post-meal evaluation that rates operational efficiency, speed of meal service, taste and nutritional value of food, squabble rate and overall satisfaction level.

Visual workplace hints

Many Thanksgiving headaches can be traced to a lack of proper visual communication. Use your DuraLabel printer to create ANSI-compliant safety and health labels to warn guests of hazardous situations. By understanding nutritional, physical and social risks, family members and other guests will steer clear of harm’s way and keep coming back year after year.

Originally published here: http://www.duralabel.com/duranews/2012/nov/5s-thanksgiving