Why Efficiency Isn’t About Working Harder

I’ve always seen driving efficiency as an intrinsic part of running any organisation — whether it’s a company, a team, or even a family.

But here’s the truth: efficiency isn’t about working harder — it’s about alignment.

The real skill lies in bringing the whole team with you on the journey.

The Origins of 5S

The 5S system comes from Japan’s world-renowned production philosophy, developed in the aftermath of the Second World War. Faced with scarce resources but huge ambition, companies like Toyota created systems to eliminate waste, maximise efficiency, and build quality into every step of work.

At the heart of this approach was 5S — a simple but powerful method to organise, align, and sustain performance. What made it unique wasn’t just the process, but the culture it created. Everyone, from the factory floor to the boardroom, shared the same language and took ownership of standards.

That’s why the Japanese 5S system still stands out today. It works not just because it’s structured, but because it’s communicable.

The Five Phases of 5S

• Sort (Seiri) – Remove what you don’t need.

• Set in Order (Seiton) – Organise for efficiency.

• Shine (Seiso) – Clean and restore the workspace.

• Standardise (Seiketsu) – Create consistency.

• Sustain (Shitsuke) – Maintain discipline and improvement.

When your team starts using these words in everyday conversations — “Let’s Set in Order this process” or “Time to Sustain that improvement” — that’s when you know you’ve made a real cultural shift.

From Good to Great

Efficiency isn’t just a process. It’s a way of thinking and working together. The 5S system gives you a common language, a shared framework, and the tools to align your people around what matters most.

That’s when teams stop firefighting, and start building momentum.
That’s when good organisations become great.