Flat Orgs & Learning LO4886

DAVID REED (DPR9989@KGV1.bems.boeing.com)
Mon, 15 Jan 1996 09:59:18 -0700 (PDT)

Replying to LO4794--

Roxanne, thank you for your reply. In discussions here about job-free
environments, eyes roll and voices get choked. 'Never see it in my day'
is the typical response I get. Yes it would mean altering or tearing out
a lot of sacred turf. From your post, it sounds like you have helped in
this change process.

> One of my clients tells his employees: "We have only one job
description here and it reads 'Does whatever needs to be done'. The
president had a vision of a job free workplace but he had few ideas on
how to operationalize his vision. He started by modeling the behavior he
wanted to see in others. He packed boxes, he answered phones and
swept the floor. But the group didn't self-organize as fast as he had
hoped. He hired me to help dismantle the job systems that kept people
locked in the old paradigm. We got rid of job evaluation, job
descriptions, job titles and job based performance management. We are
now implementing competency based pay which has already increased
employees' interest in learning. They have come a long ways but I still
feel they need to work on process documentation and assigning
accountability for processes.>

Did you deal at all with Unions? They are steeped in job discriptions and
they too would need to help in the dismanling efforts. Seniority is job
based, salaries are job based, most training is job based, as are
performance evaluations and promotions.

My question(s) now becomes, is it worth it? Is there a discernable
pay-off to this new system? What are some of the new rules by which
work is allocated, compensated for, and promotions handled?

--
 For now...
 David Reed
 (206)655-3245  Web:dpr9989@kgv1.bems.boeing.com
 Human Resources Strategy Development