SELF-DIRECTED TEAMS
Building High Performance Teams for the Future
Program Objective: To enable participants to assess the benefits of
Self-Directed Teams for their organization, and to plan the design and
implementation of the change effort.
Definition of Self-Directed Teams:
A group of highly trained (5-15) employees working as a Team responsible
for a product (or process). The Team plans, schedules, coordinates, produces,
monitors and controls the work. They are responsible for quality, quantity,
costs, schedules, problem solving, safety and employee relations.
Reported Benefits:
- Increased Productivity, generally 20-40% gain (18 months)
- Streamlining reduces redundant bureaucracy
- Flexibility results as workers are cross-trained in jobs
- Quality Improvements are continuously identified by Teams
- Increased Commitment to organizational goals by employees
- Customer Satisfaction is achieved with rapid response and high quality
products and services
- Employee Satisfaction is enhanced with those who prefer a challenge
by having authority and responsibility in the workplace.
Reported Barriers to Success of SDT :
- Resistance of First Line Supervisors
- Lack of Up-front Planning
- Lack of Management Support
- Lack of Worker (Union) Support
Design and Implementation Steps
The following is the design and implementation steps for a Self-Directed
Team effort, although in "real life" some events take place concurrently.
- Decision to explore the implementation of SDT.
- Secure top level commitment to the SDT change effort.
- Secure a consultant (internal or external).
- Involve the Union or Employee Representative.
- Establish a SDT Steering Committee.
- Conduct a Study to determine ability, willingness andreadiness.
- Go/No-go Decision.
- Establish a SDT change effort mission statement.
- Determine criteria for measuring success--Critical Success Factors.
- Select the work group and workers to pilot the effort.
- Establish the framework to transfer decision-making authority.
- Identify new Team roles, responsibilities, and parameters.
- Change position names to represent new process.
- Review pay structure and consider changes.
- Review and revise the initial plan.
- Train the pilot work team cross-functionally and inleadership and communication
skills.
- Implement the Self-Directed Teams.
- Reinforce positive behaviors.
- Identify problems as they occur and take corrective action.
- Measure Team and individual progress toward goal achievement.
- Reward and celebrate the success!
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Delta Systems
5621 Somerset Drive
Brooklyn, Michigan 49230
Tel/Fax (517)592-5463
rmerchant@dmci.net
revised 1/2/98