meet regularly to identify, analyze and solve work-related problems, such as product
improvement, workplace improvement, work processes, health and safety, etc. It
consists of at least three and up to a maximum of twelve members. The concept is
based on the premise that the people who do a job everyday know more about it than
anyone else and hence their voluntary involvement is the best way to solve their
work related problems.
Normally small in size, the group is usually led by a supervisor or manager and
presents its solutions to management. Where possible, workers implement the
solutions themselves in order to improve the performance of the organization and
motivate employees. Quality circles were very popular during the 1980s, but continue to exist in the form of Kaizen groups and similar employee participation
schemes.
Quality circles are typically more formal groups. They meet regularly on company time and are trained by competent persons (usually designated as facilitators)
who may be personnel and industrial relations specialists trained in human factors
and the basic skills of problem identification, information gathering and analysis,
basic statistics, and solution generation. Quality circles are generally free to select
any topic they wish (other than those related to salary and terms and conditions of
work, as there are other channels through which these issues are usually considered).
Quality circles have been limited in other countries, sometimes with limited
success. However, in many organisations, particularly small infrastructure providers,
employees of the same category or grade do have opportunities to discuss their
problems and personal solutions. In some ways, they do achieve the same objectives
of the quality circles. The only problem is getting endorsement from top management. This is where ‘office politics’ sometimes help.
20.6.4 Service Delivery
This topic is dealt in more detail in the next chapter, but the characteristics of people
as described above should be helpful in choosing the right category of people for the
right functions. If anything, the yellow category of persons should do quite well on
front-line jobs where they meet angry customers with complaints. While the red and
blue categories should be quite useful in other departments, they would mean danger
for the infrastructure provider when dealing with such customers.
References
Erikson, T. (2019). Surrounded by idiots. Penguin.
Lorenzo, D. K. (2001). A manager’s guide to reducing human errors: Improving human performance in the process industries. API Publication, 770.
Moubray, J. (2001). Reliability-centered maintenance. Industrial Press, Inc.
592
20 Human Resources Management for Infrastructure
improvement, workplace improvement, work processes, health and safety, etc. It
consists of at least three and up to a maximum of twelve members. The concept is
based on the premise that the people who do a job everyday know more about it than
anyone else and hence their voluntary involvement is the best way to solve their
work related problems.
Normally small in size, the group is usually led by a supervisor or manager and
presents its solutions to management. Where possible, workers implement the
solutions themselves in order to improve the performance of the organization and
motivate employees. Quality circles were very popular during the 1980s, but continue to exist in the form of Kaizen groups and similar employee participation
schemes.
Quality circles are typically more formal groups. They meet regularly on company time and are trained by competent persons (usually designated as facilitators)
who may be personnel and industrial relations specialists trained in human factors
and the basic skills of problem identification, information gathering and analysis,
basic statistics, and solution generation. Quality circles are generally free to select
any topic they wish (other than those related to salary and terms and conditions of
work, as there are other channels through which these issues are usually considered).
Quality circles have been limited in other countries, sometimes with limited
success. However, in many organisations, particularly small infrastructure providers,
employees of the same category or grade do have opportunities to discuss their
problems and personal solutions. In some ways, they do achieve the same objectives
of the quality circles. The only problem is getting endorsement from top management. This is where ‘office politics’ sometimes help.
20.6.4 Service Delivery
This topic is dealt in more detail in the next chapter, but the characteristics of people
as described above should be helpful in choosing the right category of people for the
right functions. If anything, the yellow category of persons should do quite well on
front-line jobs where they meet angry customers with complaints. While the red and
blue categories should be quite useful in other departments, they would mean danger
for the infrastructure provider when dealing with such customers.
References
Erikson, T. (2019). Surrounded by idiots. Penguin.
Lorenzo, D. K. (2001). A manager’s guide to reducing human errors: Improving human performance in the process industries. API Publication, 770.
Moubray, J. (2001). Reliability-centered maintenance. Industrial Press, Inc.
592
20 Human Resources Management for Infrastructure