Hi everybody,
The following is my question:
A quality management and continuous improvement initiative was introduced on the instructions of head office, but there is a little enthusiasm for it among either employees or managers. The unions have been hostile to any changes in working practices, eg. teamworking has been delayed by industrial action over union demands for a bonus to change to this new way of working.
Management decided that the lack of enthusiasm among employees was down to a lack of quality awareness, and so a compulsory off-site training weekend was held despite resistance from workers and the unions. A minority of the workers refused to go and now face disciplinary action.
Please help improve the competitive advantage of my organisation.
Thanks a lot!!
From Hong Kong, Kowloon
The following is my question:
A quality management and continuous improvement initiative was introduced on the instructions of head office, but there is a little enthusiasm for it among either employees or managers. The unions have been hostile to any changes in working practices, eg. teamworking has been delayed by industrial action over union demands for a bonus to change to this new way of working.
Management decided that the lack of enthusiasm among employees was down to a lack of quality awareness, and so a compulsory off-site training weekend was held despite resistance from workers and the unions. A minority of the workers refused to go and now face disciplinary action.
Please help improve the competitive advantage of my organisation.
Thanks a lot!!
From Hong Kong, Kowloon
Sir,
Any Continuous improvement effort such as TQM or Kaizen is a strategic driven exercise and requires continuous top level commitment and empathetic leadership guided by a proper direction and destination of effort.
Any effort during Pursuing TQM, organizations tends to go through three identifiable phases
Phase 1: Start Up. In this first phase people at all levels of the organization struggle to learn about TQM and its principles. Early efforts generally involve implementing quality improvement projects by using the tool and techniques of TQM.
Phase 2: Alignment. In the second phase the organization discovers that quality is more than the sum of isolated improvements. To really leverage quality, organizations must align their organizational systems and practices to support quality and teamwork.
Phase 3: Integration. In the third phase the organization strives to so completely integrate TQM principles into every aspect of the organization’s operations that its influence becomes invisible and automatic.
Given these three distinct phases in the implementation of TQM or any continuous improvement effort analyze the causes for the failure of your effort using the below analysis aid
Why ORGANIZATIONS Fail During START-UP
1) Lack of Management Commitment
2) Poor Timing and Pacing
3) Wasted Education and Training
4) Lack of Short-Term, Bottom-line Results
Why ORGANIZATIONS Fail During ALIGNMENT
1) Divergent Strategies
2) Inappropriate Measures
3) Outdated Appraisal Methods
4) Inappropriate Rewards
Why ORGANIZATIONS Fail During INTEGRATION
1) Failing to Transfer True Power To Employees
2) Maintaining Outmoded Management Practices
3) Poor Organization and Job Design
4) Outdated Business Systems
5) Failing to manage learning and innovation Diffusion
Please bear in mind that you have failed once and it is very difficult to secure the complete confidence of your employees again for this initiative.
Ensure the next time, before you undertake any effort in this direction analyze the prevailing situation, identify the constraints and ensure you take positive steps to over come them and create a climate of trust and participation in your organization then proceed.
Regards
From India, Bangalore
Any Continuous improvement effort such as TQM or Kaizen is a strategic driven exercise and requires continuous top level commitment and empathetic leadership guided by a proper direction and destination of effort.
Any effort during Pursuing TQM, organizations tends to go through three identifiable phases
Phase 1: Start Up. In this first phase people at all levels of the organization struggle to learn about TQM and its principles. Early efforts generally involve implementing quality improvement projects by using the tool and techniques of TQM.
Phase 2: Alignment. In the second phase the organization discovers that quality is more than the sum of isolated improvements. To really leverage quality, organizations must align their organizational systems and practices to support quality and teamwork.
Phase 3: Integration. In the third phase the organization strives to so completely integrate TQM principles into every aspect of the organization’s operations that its influence becomes invisible and automatic.
Given these three distinct phases in the implementation of TQM or any continuous improvement effort analyze the causes for the failure of your effort using the below analysis aid
Why ORGANIZATIONS Fail During START-UP
1) Lack of Management Commitment
2) Poor Timing and Pacing
3) Wasted Education and Training
4) Lack of Short-Term, Bottom-line Results
Why ORGANIZATIONS Fail During ALIGNMENT
1) Divergent Strategies
2) Inappropriate Measures
3) Outdated Appraisal Methods
4) Inappropriate Rewards
Why ORGANIZATIONS Fail During INTEGRATION
1) Failing to Transfer True Power To Employees
2) Maintaining Outmoded Management Practices
3) Poor Organization and Job Design
4) Outdated Business Systems
5) Failing to manage learning and innovation Diffusion
Please bear in mind that you have failed once and it is very difficult to secure the complete confidence of your employees again for this initiative.
Ensure the next time, before you undertake any effort in this direction analyze the prevailing situation, identify the constraints and ensure you take positive steps to over come them and create a climate of trust and participation in your organization then proceed.
Regards
From India, Bangalore
My view is category and reasons list is very small.
- An organization is replicating the abstractions for repititive use by not generating any true business value.
- An employer is no longer employer and an employee is no longer employee
- Security is main focus - From alien invaders ; takes energy and time.
- A lot more reasons..
From India, Delhi
11- An organization is replicating the abstractions for repititive use by not generating any true business value.
- An employer is no longer employer and an employee is no longer employee
- Security is main focus - From alien invaders ; takes energy and time.
- A lot more reasons..
From India, Delhi
Hi!
Organizational problems like this are difficult to solve by mere advises from people, whether experts and PH.D. holders, who are FAR from the actual situation.
Real solutions, whether along the lines suggested by our colleagues, can only be developed by people who are within the organizational environment because these countermeasures or programs must be adopted to the unique environment and situation of your company, esp that there is already resistance from the union (as you said).
I suggest you hire an OD or Labor Relations specialist/ consultant to implement an Organizational Scan and Diagnosis Program that will assess your situation and recommend the most appropriate and immediate remedial actions.
My outfit designs OD Scan and Diagnosis Tools that can help you assess your situation. We also have canned diagnostic tools that we sell.
Best wishes.
Ed Llarena,Jr.
Managing Partner
Emilla Consulting
From Philippines, Parañaque
Organizational problems like this are difficult to solve by mere advises from people, whether experts and PH.D. holders, who are FAR from the actual situation.
Real solutions, whether along the lines suggested by our colleagues, can only be developed by people who are within the organizational environment because these countermeasures or programs must be adopted to the unique environment and situation of your company, esp that there is already resistance from the union (as you said).
I suggest you hire an OD or Labor Relations specialist/ consultant to implement an Organizational Scan and Diagnosis Program that will assess your situation and recommend the most appropriate and immediate remedial actions.
My outfit designs OD Scan and Diagnosis Tools that can help you assess your situation. We also have canned diagnostic tools that we sell.
Best wishes.
Ed Llarena,Jr.
Managing Partner
Emilla Consulting
From Philippines, Parañaque
Hi Lucky,
Its my pleasure to review your queries:-
Q. A quality management and continuous improvement initiative was introduced on the instructions of head office, but there is a little enthusiasm for it among either employees or managers. The unions have been hostile to any changes in working practices, eg. teamworking has been delayed by industrial action over union demands for a bonus to change to this new way of working.
A.If you don't mind if i say something here...what i percieve is that this initiative was taken at Head Office and here we have made the typical management decision making process of implementing it without taking into account the views & opinions of the people!..naturally people don't like things imposed on them...
You as the HR Manager have to do politicking & involve the people in this discussions, identify the Opionion makers or leaders among the employees to champion the causes.
Union- use sweet & hard communication with them!..tell them implicitly that if we don't get innovative - our company can close down & become sick...and you don't want the workers to be jobless...initiate discussions with the workers...start like this ...ask them why should not they adopt new system or be innovative..don't interfere in the discussions...they would see your point!...
Q. Management decided that the lack of enthusiasm among employees was down to a lack of quality awareness, and so a compulsory off-site training weekend was held despite resistance from workers and the unions. A minority of the workers refused to go and now face disciplinary action.
A. Employ the above methods as suggested above...
Lucky, don't give up and take charge of the situation if you truly believe in the cause.
Best of Luck!!
Rajat Joshi
From India, Pune
Its my pleasure to review your queries:-
Q. A quality management and continuous improvement initiative was introduced on the instructions of head office, but there is a little enthusiasm for it among either employees or managers. The unions have been hostile to any changes in working practices, eg. teamworking has been delayed by industrial action over union demands for a bonus to change to this new way of working.
A.If you don't mind if i say something here...what i percieve is that this initiative was taken at Head Office and here we have made the typical management decision making process of implementing it without taking into account the views & opinions of the people!..naturally people don't like things imposed on them...
You as the HR Manager have to do politicking & involve the people in this discussions, identify the Opionion makers or leaders among the employees to champion the causes.
Union- use sweet & hard communication with them!..tell them implicitly that if we don't get innovative - our company can close down & become sick...and you don't want the workers to be jobless...initiate discussions with the workers...start like this ...ask them why should not they adopt new system or be innovative..don't interfere in the discussions...they would see your point!...
Q. Management decided that the lack of enthusiasm among employees was down to a lack of quality awareness, and so a compulsory off-site training weekend was held despite resistance from workers and the unions. A minority of the workers refused to go and now face disciplinary action.
A. Employ the above methods as suggested above...
Lucky, don't give up and take charge of the situation if you truly believe in the cause.
Best of Luck!!
Rajat Joshi
From India, Pune
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