Gearing Up for Growth
The Situation
The company was positioning further growth - focused on adding shareholder value and improved profitability by reducing costs and complexity. There were greater demands for increased capability from people and systems
Excellerate’s preliminary diagnoses indicated that the company was experiencing many of the symptoms associated with the “Crises of Control” (a stage of organizational growth defined by Greiner 1972) Greater coordination was required, different parts of the business needed to work together more effectively and more sophisticated systems were required to achieve greater efficiencies and manage the predicted growth.
What was the Strategy?
Rummler and Brache's Matrix of Levels and Needs (1) provided the framework for a more comprehensive analysis. With each of the 9 variables representing the “performance levers” within an organization, Excellerate was able to identify where improvement opportunities existed. The framework also provided a means to evaluate the impact of interventions on individual and organizational performance.
Excellerate, together with the CEO, Managers and HR department, designed and implemented a series of interventions over a 12 month period which are summarized in the table below.
Overview of the Performance Improvement Interventions
(within the Matrix of Levels and Needs)
|
3 Levels
x 3 Needs
|
Goals
Specific standards, expectations to deliver on stakeholder expectations
|
Design
Structures and systems that enable
goals to be met
|
Management
Practices that ensure goals
are relevant and achieved
|
Organisation
Level |
Strategic Planning
Annual Business Planning
Provided direction, strategy, clarity,
alignment of goals, explicit targets and specific measures
|
Design, alignment and improved integration of
Functions: HR, Client Services, Marketing,
Finance and Administration,
Establishment of new functions and roles
|
Introduced improved team leadership practices
Operationalised Business Plans
Updated HR Systems and Policies |
Process
Level |
Business Plan tracking and reporting
with repeating 30 day cycles |
Redesigning, improving, streamlining processes,
reducing and eliminating barriers:
Managed Hours of Work
Insituted revised Remuneration System, Performance Appraisal and Management System
Strengthened Internal Communication systems
|
Improved structure, focus and efficiency of
Executive Meetings leading to improved reporting and interface with Board
|
Job Performer
Level |
Team Business Plans
Improved Performance Appraisal
Revised Job Descriptions |
Hours of Work
Revised Accountabilities
|
Executive Coaching and HR Mentoring
Individual Leadership Needs Analysis
360 Feedback for Snr and Mid Level Managers
Workplace Counselling
Training/Workshop
Resolution of ER Issues |
(1) Rummler, G. & Brache, A., (1990). Improving Performance: How to Manage the White Space on the Organization Chart. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
NZ Police: Prioritising and targeting resources to improve operational effectiveness
What was the Situation?
Our police field nearly half a million emergency calls each year through three communications centres in Auckland, Palmerston North and Christchurch. The centres operate 24hrs a day seven days a week. Communications staff, comprising of uniformed and non-uniformed personnel, receive calls for events which range from found property and insecure premises to homicide or civil disaster and everything in between. They are required to obtain the relevant information from the caller, assess the situation and initiate an appropriate response with consideration for the safety of police staff and services despatched to attend.
What was the Solution?
Excellerate undertook a systematic analysis of the Communications Centre to clearly define operational requirements and performance standards which would enable the prioritisation of communication staff development needs including the most efficient targeting and the most effective approach for new programme development and delivery.
The process involved interviews and real time observations across all three centres, reviews of job documentation, existing training strategies and programmes. Based on the analysis, recommendations were then presented, with coaching for Communicators (call takers) and a comprehensive Team Leader development programme confirmed as immediate priorities.
Excellerate undertook a further analysis to develop Team Leader competency profiles for ongoing learning needs analysis, training and development. Tools were also designed and coaching provided to enable HRD personnel to follow through with individual 1-1 team leader needs analysis, and to replicate the same analysis and competency development process for the Communicator and Dispatcher roles within the centre.
The Continuous Upskilling of Fisher & Paykel Service Technicians
What was the Situation?
Fisher & Paykel is an international manufacturer of multi award winning home appliances that are distributed in markets throughout Australasia, UK, Europe and North America. As their engineering design teams continue to innovate it's the company's network of F&P Authorised Service Centres and service technicians who maintain product performance in the field.
Fisher & Paykel's Global Technical Manager and Performance Improvement Project Manager invited Excellerate to work with the company's product experts on a service technician skill strategy across the full range of F&P appliances. Flexibility, efficiency and cost effectiveness were key criteria.
While the company had provided service technicians with in house training and technical publications via the intranet, traditional courses were expensive requiring specialist trainers, travel, accommodation and time away from the customer. The existing documentation was high quality however it was daunting for new technicians who were required to learn a great deal of complex information for a wide range of appliances.
What was the Solution?
Excellerate reviewed existing product documentation, interviewed authorised service centre managers and technical experts. Observations of technicians in the field provided an ideal opportunity to meet and talk with customers.
This process resulted in the design of a template-learning guide that referenced existing documentation enabling technicians to quickly focus on the key content and formulate effective responses to customers frequently asked questions.
Authorised Service Centres are now able to access a full range of Learning Guides via Fisher & Paykel's intranet. By using the Guides Centre managers can identify individual learning needs and quickly implement "just in time" technical and product knowledge training for apprentices, new and experienced service technicians.
Developed as a sustainable tool the Learning Guides have proven to be a flexible, efficient and cost effective strategy in all aspects of design, delivery and implementation. The framework with its simplified formula quickly enabled F&P technical experts to create new guides independantly as the company continues to improve and expand on its range of appliances. The same Guides are also used with in-house courses and have proven to be a valuable resource for training F&P's Customer Care staff who need to maintain extensive product knowledge as well.
Excellerate Your Employees Performance and Improve Business Results
Contact Excellerate for an obligation free consultation to determine how we can assist you
with your performance improvement and develoment needs.
Call 0800 EXCELNZ (NZ only) or Email Us
