Most organizations are being challenged by the same mantra: Improve quality, increase quantity and reduce costs. And do it with the same staff size. More than ever, the bottom line is under a microscope.

How can managers raise the bar to another level without burning out themselves and their employees? They've already downsized in the last couple of years and are now managing lean-and-mean staffs.

Asking employees to continue to work longer and harder is not going to get the job done more efficiently. This approach, which may have been successful in the past, is not going to continue to work. So what is the answer?

 MAXIMIZE STRENGTHS

Make sure that every employee is maximizing his or her strengths. Employees want to feel valued by having their skills used and maximized. When they don't feel valued, their enthusiasm and productivity slip.

Even though organizations have jobs to do, managers also have the flexibility to determine how these jobs are accomplished. A balance is needed between organizing a job around the needs of a department and organizing the job around the strengths of the employee.

Managers should examine every job, analyze the strengths and potential of every employee, and match them for maximum satisfaction and productivity.

SUCCESS STORY

The following success story shows how a manager implemented organizational effectiveness changes to maximize employee strengths.

Mary is a patient customer service representative for the reception area of a busy hospital. She works extremely well with patients and makes them feel comfortable with the hospital environment. The new and return patients are directed to her cubicle and she completes patient information on the computer. The patients usually don't have the information available, increasing the time for inputting the data. Because she objects to patients being treated like numbers each time they visit the hospital, Mary takes time with each one. As a result, she does not meet the productivity goals of the department, and receives less than satisfactory performance reviews.

Julio and Tracey, also patient customer service representatives, have outstanding performance statistics based on the high number of patient records they input. However, they are also perceived as being abrupt with patients.

Leonard, the receptionist, is overloaded with phone calls, requests for information and scheduling appointments. He is very good with the patients, but doesn't have time to talk with them.

A patient satisfaction survey for the department reported that the staff is efficient but lacks a caring attitude. The manager's challenge for the year was to raise the productivity bar while also improving patient service levels.

REORGANIZATION

The manager decided to change the division of labor. She didn't dictate these changes, but rather met with the department staff as a whole and each employee individually and asked the following questions:

·        Which of your job functions detract from your ability to input more patient records?

·        Which of your job functions detract from your ability to help patients feel welcome in our hospital?

·        Which of your job functions do you dislike?

·        Which of your job functions do you feel are not fulfilling a purpose?

·        Which of your job functions do you like and want to perform more often?

Based on the employees' responses, she made several organizational changes.

Mary moved from her cubicle to the reception area. She now greets patients and helps them get their documents ready for input. She answers any questions on the forms so that their information is accurate.

When the patient has all the necessary information, Mary escorts the patient and any family members to Julio or Tracey for inputting the data. Julio and Tracey only perform data entry functions. Leonard now has more time to answer calls, pull up patient records and schedule appointments. Mary and Leonard fill in for each other when the other one is busy.

The manager requested that the information technology department price laptop computers that would streamline workload. With laptops, Mary could help patients input their own data. The IT department is also collapsing some of the screen input so that Tracey and Julio can work on two screens instead of five. They're also eliminating useless data requests.

A HAPPY ENDING

After monitoring first quarter results and receiving another patient service survey, the reception area showed a decrease in administrative processing time by 20 percent and an increase in patient satisfaction. The staffing costs are the same.

During the next phase of the project, the manager is replacing the burdensome, outdated computer terminals with less expensive, portable and faster laptops.

In conclusion, before you ask your employees to work longer hours and more days, look at the job duties, get employee feedback and maximize strengths. Don't be afraid to restructure jobs, the entire process and who is performing each job.

Sue Romero is a human resources consultant and facilitator specializing in employee relations issues, manager coaching, management and team training. She has over 20 years experience coaching managers on enhancing their effectiveness. Her Web site is www.romeroconsulting.com.