How to Design a 5S Reward and Recognition Program

As the employer, your challenge is to create a successful environment for growth. With reward and recognition programs you can focus on any achievement as a reason to applaud others and motivate the growth of a successful 5S program. You can successfully create change in the workplace.

When it comes to creating a lean workplace through 5S principles, getting a thumbs up from the workforce can sometimes be a little tricky. While one employee gets it and is eager to get moving in the right direction others might be hesitant to change. Without all your employees on board, you could find yourself hitting a brick wall.

Breakthrough whatever is hindering the success of 5S in your workforce by promoting change and creating a culture of trust, acceptance, and recognition. 

Reward Program vs. Recognition Program

The main goal of 5S reward and recognition programs is to improve sustainability, productivity, and commitment of those within your organization.

Not all reward and recognition programs should be created equally. Some employees may not be as motivated as others by your incentives, so try to offer a variety of rewards and recognition opportunities to meet various employee needs. For example, Generation X employees (those born between 1965 and 1979) might be more motivated by something completely different from Generation Y (those born between 1980 and 1995)

Reward Programs

An employee reward program is set up to acknowledge performance and motivate employees on an individual and/or group level with something that has monetary value or is otherwise a cost to the company. All companies can benefit from a strategic reward program for employees.

A winning system rewards specific behaviors that make a difference to your company. For example, your employees have significantly cut down on wasted material, downtime, and production remakes at your facility. Customize the reward to fit your company and other departments will feel compelled to work more efficiently and effectively too! Looks like you’re on the track to 5S success!

5S Team Motivation

Recognition Programs

With a recognition program, you provide a psychological reward. Recognition works most effectively when done in real-time so that it reinforces the desired behavior or action. While everyone loves a yearly raise or monthly bonus, most employees need recognition for their hard work too. Acknowledge your employees and encourage them to be the best they can be.

Sometimes you may offer verbal praise: “Hey Mrs. Employee, thank you for a job well done! We appreciate you!” You could also provide your workers with an employee of the month parking space or 5S Success pins, stickers or T-shirts, or hang a 5S banner to let a division know they’ve done a great job. The recognition needs to be appropriate for achievement.

Use Reward and Recognition Programs to increase productivity.

Although reward and recognition programs offer two different ways to thank your employees, they work best when used together. Monitor Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), 5S successes, KPIs, and days without a lost-time accident. Here are six key steps to help you focus your programs to best motivate your employees towards the goal YOU have set.

1. Recognize the company or group goals that the reward program will promote.
2. Identify the behaviors, performance levels, and attitudes that will collectively reinforce your company’s goals.
3. Monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) based on achievements within each department.
4. Meet with management/supervisors to determine the best type of rewards. (note: Revise rewards per measurements of success throughout the workplace.)
5. Announce the program so employees are aware and ready to do their very best.
6. When one level of achievement has been met, challenge your employees to beat their previous record!

Workplace stress is a major contributor to worker health and job dissatisfaction. Since workers spend more waking hours in the workplace, they need a productive work environment. Productivity also creates a healthier work environment. To be successful over the long term, the health and wellbeing of employees must come first. Reports show that employees that are stressed out experience decreased productivity. It makes sense that stress would have a negative impact on a worker’s ability to perform their job effectively.

What can you do to create a more efficient workplace?

The answer lies in implementing an effective and sustainable 5S reward and recognition program.