Self-managing teams - designing teams for productivity, job satisfaction and safety
In complex organisations, teams can often achieve results beyond the reach of individuals. But which team design is best for the task?
Self-managing teams, where day-to-day control, responsibility and decision-making is devolved to front-line employees and supervisors become coaches, have an established track record of improving productivity, reducing costs and raising employee involvement and satisfaction. Widely adopted in manufacturing, self-managing teams are now being implemented in safety-critical industries. To assess their impact on safety, The Keil Centre has been working on a project for bp Oil's Grangemouth refinery and the Health and Safety Executive's Offshore Safety Division. By drawing on scientific literature and four in-depth case studies of onshore and offshore petrochemicals operations, a clearer picture of how self-managing teams can positively impact on productivity, job satisfaction AND safety has emerged. Many of the lessons learned about how to design and implement successful teams, and pitfalls to avoid, are currently being applied by bp's refinery, and are directly applicable to other organisations.
Contact Ronny Lardner at our Edinburgh office for more information.
Delivering in-house 360 degree feedback
"The ongoing challenge for UDV, and many other organisations, is how to release the full talent and energies of its people, particularly in flatter organisations when lateral career development opportunities are limited.
I believe, if handled properly, 360 degree feedback can be a powerful tool for both development and motivation.
It focuses energy specifically on areas which need attention whilst acknowledging positive contributions already made." Catherine Turnbull, Human Resources Manager, UK Operations
United Distillers and Vintners, in common with many organisations, have experienced significant change as they compete in an increasingly complex global marketplace. To help them to develop their people in line with the business needs, the UDV Product Change team asked The Keil Centre to design and support a 360 degree feedback process.
Using behaviours the business had identified as key to future success, The Keil Centre designed the questionnaire used to gather feedback. To maintain confidentiality, the questionnaires were returned directly to The Keil Centre for analysis. The process for participants to receive their feedback and develop action plans was carefully structured to ensure it was used constructively and focused on their personal development. Catherine Turnbull, HR Manager, worked with The Keil Centre on the design of the process and managed communications within the organisation. As this was the first experience of 360 degree feedback for most of the team, it was important to build in reassurance about how feedback would be used. The Keil Centre provided support both to individuals in using their feedback, and to an internal team of facilitators established by UDV. The internal team worked with participants in refining their actin plans and linking them to the wide range of opportunities for development available within the business.
Evaluation of the process confirmed that people had found it a positive experience which was helpful to them in their development.
Driving for Success
"This course is designed to make sure we have competent managers capable of taking the company into the next millennium. Companies which don't think about the future won't be able to influence it - we want to make sure we are able to influence it." Paul Davison, Managing Director, Northern Spirit
Transport group MTL is reaping the rewards of 'Driving for Success', its biggest ever management development programme.
Peter Coombes, Chief Executive, wanted a programme that would develop his middle managers' skills and understanding of how the whole business operates. The programme was designed round MTL senior manager competencies. Key areas range from leadership through to teamwork, problem solving, strategic awareness and initiatie.
Participants represent all the MTL businesses - which allows sharing of best practice across the MTL Group. Participants were drawn from bus operator MTL North, rail operators Merseyrail Electrics and Northern Spirit, and MTL's commercial and environmental arms. While the programme's main focus is on personal development, a six monthly review demonstrated tangible business benefits - £90K savings from a management of paper project, £35K income from new business through networking and £46K potential savings identified by a manager working on strategic awareness skills. Driving for Success participants meet in monthly action learning sets, where each person devises their own self development programme. Support and challenge is provided by peers and external facilitators, Louise Clarkson of The Keil Centre, who designed the programme for MTL. Development activities are fitted in around existing commitments. The value of taking time out to reflect was one of the main learning points for many people. Chris Day, Commercial Development Manager with Northern Spirit, is two thirds of the way through Driving for Success and finds it is already paying dividends. "Some managers were surprised by frank assessments of areas in which they were less strong but, once they got over that, they had a basis on which to go forward. They not only improved their own performance but also that of their teams. It was the most challenging part of the course - and the reason for taking it."
Louise commented, "One reason for the success of the programme is ongoing senior manager support, especially the project sponsors, mentors and contributors. The long term benefit of this course will be seen in the way the company meets the needs of customers over the coming years."
Experts in mind
Our chartered psychologists are frequently asked to provide expert witness evidence for legal cases.
This typically involves our clinical psychologists assessing an individual and writing a medico-legal opinion on their psychological state before and after a significant life-event. Ian Tierney gives opinions on general adult psychology. At present our two clinical psychologists give several legal opinions a week. The cases involve actions in the Court of Session, Sheriff Courts and Industrial Tribunals. Increasingly our occupational (business) psychologists are also being asked to give expert opinion on psychological matters relating to work.
To discuss obtaining an expert opinion, contact Ian Tierney, Chartered Clinical Psychologist at our Edinburgh office
Safer behaviour at work
The use of behavioural modification techniques to improve safety in the offshore oil and gas industry is on the increase. The industry is seeking new tools to assist in achieving a step-change in safety performance. The UK Health and Safety Executive's Offshore Safety Division and the offshore industry's Step-Change Initiative are interested in identifying the efficacy of these techniques and the characteristics of successful programmes. The need to investigate why some programmes are effective has arisen because their success appears to vary widely.
Some organisations report dramatic reductions in accident rates, while others report no improvement. The Keil Centre is working with HSE and the offshore industry to identify key programme features and organisational requirements for the successful introduction of behaviour modification programmes. The project will also develop a model to help organisations select the behaviour modification programmes. The project will also develop a model to help organisations select the behaviour modification programme most suited to their requirements and culture.
For more information contact Ronny Lardner at our Edinburgh office