NL1030894C1 - Guaranteeing work efficiency and quality, especially in service industries, involves placing work floor handbook in each department and implementing control so that department work is described in these handbooks - Google Patents

Abstract

u All the departments of an organization are passed through from top to bottom and a work floor handbook is placed in each department and a control is implemented, e.g. the balanced scorecard method of Kaplan and Norton. Primary work carried out in the departments of an organization is composed centrally, structured and described in work floor handbooks to be used daily.

Description

Method and techniques to continuously guarantee the efficiency and quality of work of all types, especially of service work.

The invention relates to ensuring the quality of work of all types, but in particular of service-providing work. The invention is directed to securing and obtaining a continuous process of communication about the work to be performed. This will keep the incentive to control and improve the quality of work going. Through the invention, organizations will be better able to continuously implement the policy in an efficient manner and with guaranteed quality.

The invention arose because of the many large organizations or companies that carry out reorganization on reorganization. The many cost-saving measures of recent years have also put considerable pressure on the quality of work in the workplace. Many, especially large but also smaller organizations or companies, no longer have a hold on the quality and efficiency of the work that is carried out in the workplace. Those organizations or companies can no longer be controlled policy-wise. As a result, in the management of these organizations or companies, the need for reorganisations and cost-saving measures will only increase.

However, this is not the way to turn the tide. One has to go back to basics. This means going back to the workplace and ensuring an efficient and qualitative work or work process. The realization must come again that the primary work done on the work floor is the basis for operating profit or achieving business objectives. Only when a solid foundation has been laid that continuously, efficiently and qualitatively carries out the primary business process, can effective policy management once again be possible.

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Nowadays it is also true that many American and English model organizations are increasingly driven by results. This is of course not a wrong method, but one forgets the power of the European more social management method 5 of an organization. Only counting employees on results, without listening to the arguments if the result is not achieved, will stimulate inefficiency and manipulation of the results. This will mean that incorrect policy decisions 10 can be taken within organizations. It seems wise to combine the result and the social management method.

Especially the above practical situations have led to F.J. Arendsen within sole proprietorship FAAQ (Flexible Advice & Automation @ Quality) the working method 15 Sceqo (Social & Self Controlling Efficiency, Quality and

Organization). Both FAAQ and Sceqo will be registered as brand names. This working method comprises a total of working documents, working guidelines and working techniques, which provide a solid foundation in the workplace (s). As a result, the primary business process can be carried out continuously, efficiently and qualitatively. This method will be implemented by FAAQ in an organization from bottom to top in the departments.

The result will not be a dusty quality manual in the cupboard, but a Work Floor Handbook specific to the work of a department. This Work Floor Handbook will be made by an employee of or via FAAQ. This is because the employees of a company usually do not have the time to make such a manual themselves. In addition, the FAAQ employee also brings in Sceqo's expertise. The FAAQ employee will be present in a department for a specific period of time. During the creation of the shop floor manual, it can be used immediately. As a result, the employees of a department within an organization are automatically trained 3 in the use of the Workplace Handbook. The Workplace Handbook is also immediately tested in practice. As already stated, all departments (work floors) of an organization will receive such treatment from the bottom up and the solid basis will thereby be formed.

After that, a policy control method will be introduced and set up from top to bottom within the organization. A commonly used method for this is the Balanced ScoreCard method. The solid basis and the policy control method 10 allow the organization to set out the policy again from above, whatever is actually implemented on the basis (work floors) in practice. The latter makes it possible, unlike many current organizations, that the organization can actually be controlled from above !!! 15 The Workplace Handbook consists of a number of chapters

A chapter will always be started in which the roles, not the functions, of the people in a department are described. For each role, a section with tasks, powers and responsibilities (TBVs) 20 will ultimately be included and a section with work instructions for that role. These paragraphs will, moreover, be filled in definitively later.

After determining the roles, the first chapter with the objectives of the department will be completed. This also does not have to be a definitive interpretation at this stage.

It is, however, necessary to identify and define the area in which the department plays a role within the organization.

After this, the chapters will be filled with matrices. 30 These are chapters between the first chapter with the objectives of the department and the chapter with the descriptions of all roles. There are at least three matrices and therefore also chapters.

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The first matrix that will be set up is the "organization of roles" matrix. In this matrix, a short description is given per role of how this role is organized within the department. The description should not include names of 5 employees, but only the number of employees.

The hours per week are also estimated for the entire role.

The latter, of course, with the help of the person who performs or performs the role. These weekly hours can easily be converted into hours per year. Subsequently, depending on the agreements within an organization about the "Full Time Equivalent" (FTE), a conversion to this can also take place. In this simple way a well-founded formation plan is created very quickly. The matrix will therefore be referred to as the "role FTE organization" matrix.

15 The second matrix contains all roles in relation to the actual employees in the department. It is indicated here which employees play which role (s).

Of course, the number of employees must match the previously created "role FTE organization" matrix.

The matrix is called the "roles-employees" matrix.

This is therefore a very simple matrix that has a lot of added value in determining the impact of outflow and inflow of employees.

The third matrix indicates which employees could perform which role. This matrix indicates which employees have the knowledge to perform a role. In practice, it is not necessary that the employee performs the role. That is why the previous matrix and this "role-employee-knowledge" matrix are different. This matrix is extremely useful, for example, if an employee fails for the short or long term and it has to be decided how and by whom these roles should be taken over.

The fourth matrix is optional but a very handy matrix. This is about the "employee-knowledge" matrix.

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This describes the knowledge of employees in general, whereby the required knowledge for all roles in a department is possibly the starting point. This gives the department more insight into which missing training courses are required 5 in order to be able to continue the roles in the department in the longer term. It also gives the employee insight into which training (s) are needed to perform certain roles that he / she aspires to. In short, this matrix is very useful when drawing up a training plan for the department and 10 for employees in a department. Certainly if this structure has also been implemented in the other departments of the organization, it is quickly clear to an employee what he must do for roles in another department. For each employee, a link (reference) can then be made in the matrix to a centrally stored curriculum vitae (CV). In this way a good and useful structure has been created for all knowledge in an organization.

Another 2 optional matrices can be mentioned that provide much and quick insight. The "consultation employees" matrix 20 in which the consultations with the organization, purpose and employees who are members of it are registered. Such a matrix can be made for the reports produced or used by a department, the "reporting staff" matrix. A number or all of the reports could be input for the policy control method. In any case, roles must always be defined for consultations and reports.

During and after setting up the matrices, the objectives and the rolling chapter can be definitively supplemented. This will be fully focused on the practice as it is present in a department. This means that the organization and execution of the work will not be changed by the creation of the Workfloor Handbook. It only records how a department works in a structured way. Afterwards 6, by setting out the desired policy and objectives for the entire organization, it can be efficiently examined whether the objectives and the role descriptions contribute in a correct way to achieving those objectives. A department can then jointly decide how the objectives and role descriptions should be adjusted.

Also during the operational process, the daily course of work, decisions can be made to improve the work. Or for example in 10 meetings an appointment can be made for improvement. These improvements must always lead to an adjustment of one or more role descriptions (TBVs and / or work instructions). In this way the improvements are immediately guaranteed in the organization. The participants in 15 consultations and / or meetings must also follow the following rule: "everything discussed must be or can be guaranteed in a role description (TBVs or work instruction) or another part of the Workplace Handbook". If topics are discussed throughout the organization that do not fit into a role description, it must be immediately considered why the topic is important and how the result of the discussion can be safeguarded in the organization. As a result, the efficiency and quality of all kinds of communication and consultation structures in an organization will increase enormously.

Apart from the chapters mentioned so far, a separate chapter could be added for the planning of a department. The planning is extremely important in order to have constant insight into the availability of all employees in a department in the present and the future. This does not have to be a separate chapter. The planning method can also be included in the role description of the "planner" role.

Sceqo from FAAQ contains a planning of various main tasks of a department that are linked together with a separate absence planning 7 and feedback (feedback) planning. This method of planning is a very efficient method of planning, which means that keeping up with the planning only takes a few hours per week. Moreover, in this way a task list or "todo" list can be made per week for every employee. If there are circumstances that cause the deployment of employees to change, by changing the schedule and comparing it with a previous version, it is immediately clear what the consequences are. The persons, departments or external customers of the department to which these consequences apply can then be adequately informed. To implement these planning techniques, a planning tool such as MS Project will be used.

A separate schedule will be set up to record the structure of feedback (feedback) on the work of a department. This is an important part of FAAQ's Sceqo. This is the aspect that ensures continuity and social control of the work. The feedback structure encourages 20 people to talk about work again in a social and respectful way. This means that feedback must also be given and received in a social and respectful manner. It must again be possible to be allowed to make mistakes, while learning from mistakes must be made.

25 Employees must learn from themselves and from each other to become better. Employees must also learn that you can always learn something from someone else or from the mistakes that others have made. Part of giving feedback is viewing the work instructions. This can possibly be included as a separate part 30 in the planning for each employee.

This feedback structure and work-related conversations also make it possible to carry out the assessments of employees with more content and social aspects. This makes it possible to approach the result agreements, not cold and bare, but 8 socially. All this will create a sense of togetherness in achieving the individual, departmental result agreements and the objectives of the entire organization.

5 Apart from the above main aspects of Sceqo from FAAQ, there are a number of aspects that should be given a place within an organization or a department and therefore the Workplace Handbook. These aspects can give an extra boost to the efficiency and quality of a department.

10 Logging activities can result in an enormous gathering of practical knowledge that can then be used when performing activities. However, logging is not popular. Apart from logging, the following two documents can in any case be used within a department that have many of the advantages of logging. This is the central action list and a central knowledge document.

Another important aspect is version control over all the documents in a department. Recording the reason for the change is also important so that the reason for decisions in the past can be traced in the future. This will reduce the chance of a department or organization falling into errors made earlier. Furthermore, a modification procedure may apply to documents or, for example, work instructions. For example, everyone who performs the role must be notified of the change and / or approve the change. A change may be decided democratically. So by the majority with perhaps an extra vote for the superior (boss). For version management, a tool can be used, for example, "Polytronic Version Control System" (PVCS).

Apart from the Workplace Handbook, a department for operational work will also need other documentation. This documentation falls outside the scope of attention of Sceqo, but is guaranteed because reference must be made to 9 in the work instructions for roles. Documentation is an important part that departments of an organization must pay attention to. This documentation must also be fully tailored to the practical situation in the department. In addition, efforts must be made to minimize documentation. So delete what is not necessary for the daily activities or, if necessary, archive if it has to be retained for certain reasons.

The remuneration structure within an organization is also not part of Sceqo. A more horizontal remuneration structure is recommended by FAAQ. This is based on the idea that a solid foundation is the most important for an organization. Employees must be able to experience sufficient financial growth in their area of work. In many companies you see 15 that good employees in their field are encouraged to perform other types of work within the organization just to grow financially. Unfortunately, it is often to be noted that the employee is not so good at the new position. The result is a good employee leaving the old position and a less good employee in the new position. This is therefore due to a more vertical remuneration structure. An excellent employee for the primary process of an organization can earn as much or more than, for example, a team leader or a manager.

25 Large organizations have often become complex. FAAQ with

Sceqo ensures that every and therefore a complex organization can be managed efficiently and with quality. By building a solid and structured basis again from the bottom up of the existing departments within an organization and using a policy control method from top to bottom. The social and control aspect also ensures a continuous process. As a result, it will no longer be necessary to implement many money-wasting reorganisations or to implement many quality-reducing, cost-saving programs. If desired, with Sceqo from FAAQ a quality certificate such as the ISO 9001: 2000 standard is within reach.

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Claims (7)

1. Method and techniques for continuously guaranteeing the efficiency and quality of work of all types, but especially of service-providing work, characterized in that the method comprises: a. Going through all departments of an organization from bottom to top, whereby a Workplace Handbook is created for each department. 10 b. going through all departments of an organization from top to bottom, whereby a policy control method / technique of your choice is set up, for example the Balanced Scorecard method of Kaplan and Norton. 15 where the working method is distinguished by putting primary labor in the departments at the center and by describing it in daily used Work Floor Manuals, structuring and implementing techniques in order to create a social and solid basis for all this work that provides a 20 enables a continuous process of high quality and efficiency and policy-based management within an organization. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a Workplace Handbook includes a chapter with roles in a department 25, which is distinguished in that they are roles and not functions, the role descriptions being outside the Tasks, Powers and Responsibilities (TBV) ) section contains a separate section with work instructions drawn up from practice. To this end, the guideline 30 has been stipulated that the work instructions must also be consistent with the practical situation. Method according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that several matrices are included in a Workplace Handbook. 1 030 8 94 a. Role FTE organization matrix which is distinguished by the technology that each role is linked to an organization description with an hourly estimate per week immediately afterwards, which is then converted into hours per year and formulas by means of formulas. This creates a complete formation plan for the department. b. Roles-employees matrix that distinguishes itself by the technology that one or more employees are linked to each role. C. Roles-employees-knowledge matrix that distinguishes itself by the technology that one or more employees are linked to each role. d. Employee knowledge matrix which is distinguished by the technology that the roles are linked to knowledge areas 15 and the knowledge areas to the employees who control them. In addition, the CV will be linked per employee with a referral technique (link). All these techniques create clear role profiles and, depending on the ambitions of the employees and 20 departments, training plans will emerge. Method according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the methods in the preceding claims are used to obtain a highly efficient organization. This working method for efficiency is distinguished by the use of the rule: a. In all communication (consultations, meetings, mail exchanges, etc.), all discussed topics, conclusions, decisions must be guaranteed or can be guaranteed in a role description (TBV) or work instruction) or in another part of a Workplace Handbook. Method according to the preceding claims, characterized in that each department receives its own schedule, which is distinguished by the use of a technique in which there is a link between multiple schedules, including always a separate absence and feedback schedule and including separate schedules for the main tasks of a department. There will always be a role planner in the department but due to the above structure this will only take a few hours per week. This planning technique further distinguishes itself by delivering tasks or "TODO" lists for all employees. The planning in a department gives continuous insight into the occupation in the present and in the future. Method according to the preceding claims, characterized by feedback or feedback which ensures continuity and social control of the work. 15 This method is distinguished by the separate feedback planning and the following techniques and algorithms: a. Feedback must always be social and respectful. b. In the feedback planning, the time for reading work instructions will also be scheduled so that the knowledge is provided to the employees on a structural and regular basis. c. Feedback does not have to be given specifically by employees with the same roles. Depending on the desired knowledge sharing, this can be scheduled. d. For every role of every employee, we strive for 25 feedback at least once a year. e. Every employee will eventually receive feedback from every other employee in a department. f. Feedback will also be provided on the work of managerial roles. 30 7. Method according to the preceding claims, characterized by subjects that stimulate long-term efficiency and quality: a. Central action list b. Central knowledge document c. Matrix consultation structures with purpose of consultation. Per consultation there will always be a role in the Workplace Handbook, 5 d. Reporting matrix to be delivered with purpose of reporting. Roles must also be included that will produce the report, e. Version management of documents and other components. A role must also be included for this. 10 f. Minimization of required documentation g. Horizontal remuneration structure All these topics are distinguished by the advice to include them in one or more Work Floor Handbooks. 15 1 030894