ARTICLES

Self-directed Work Teams

Are you considering creating self-directed work teams in your organization? Or do you already have some type or form of teams already up and running in your organization. What is a self-directed work team?
You can define it as a process and an outcome. Self-directed teams result in:

gains in productivity and quality,
greater commitment from employees
better,more innovative solutions to problems,
Increasedlikelihood of implementing decisions.

Fantus Technologies specialises in the training, development and implementation of empowered self directed work teams. Fantus works on a concept where we mentor teams down to the shop floor level. Teams that take immediate ownership of the concept usually prove to be successful. Properly implemented self-directed work teams can substantially increase quality and productivity.
There are three fundamental areas of shop floor teams, namely:

The team and their identity, mission, objectives and values.
The team and performance under Quality, Cost and Speed.
The parking bay and action plans with “whom”, “when” and “where”.

Fantus Technologies will work with your workers on the shop floor to formulate and then implement their self-directed work teams. Once the teams have been implemented, we will work with the teams to ensure that they are maintained and sustained to ensure that they continually run effectively. Continuous improvement is the responsibility of the self-directed work team; Fantus Technologies will work with your company’s employees to ensure that their teams are continuously improving and do not become stagnant.

Advantages of self-directed work teams
Self-directed work teams have resulted in:

Increased communication
Improved quality, productivity and service.
Greater flexibility.
Reduced operating costs.
Faster response to technological change.
Fewer, simpler job classifications.
Better response to workers' values.
Increased employee commitment to the organization.
Ability to attract and retain the best people.