In the present scenario, it is expected to have many hurdles in the process of its implementation due to the very nature of activity groupings and multi-tasking and the points are presented below: 1. Job combinations. The multiskill concept envisages that employees will be taking additional responsibilities. These responsibilities maybe parallel activities in the same work platforms, or, linear activities in multiple work platforms. Work definite physical boundaries where different activities are performed either in a sequential manner or as lateral/ parallel activities.
There would be many other activities that transgress the work platforms from one to another and the linkages would be the linear activities. Job combinations would be built up within the work platforms. However, there would be instances where it might not be feasible to build up additional responsibility into all existing individual jobs / activities. This, in all such instances, would be because the existing job itself is one that is distinctive by: § An extreme of heat, smoke and the job activity is individual in nature and also the individual is fully occupied during his duty hours.
Examples exist like ‘doorman’ in CO&CCD; § Such work positions where the individual is in a critical job and his work area is extremely narrow and in a confined location. Examples exist like ‘stove operators’ in BF. In both the above cases and similar cases in other areas in the plant, multi-tasking would involve enrichment of job content which needs to be worked out meticulously so that definite and measurable value addition is ensured. The hurdles expected in the aforementioned context are: § Absence of formal, designed and well thought out job combinations; § Working out of ‘definitive’ enrichment of job content where job combinations are not feasible.
Job Content Activities within each set of job combination would necessarily form the job content. It is therefore necessary that each and every activity needs to be micro detailed that would form the parameters of the job combination. This is more so important since many of the combinations would entail the employee to be engaged in both operational and maintenance activities. Since the basic process of multiskilling and multitasking demands a major paradigm shift, the planning of job combinations and the detailing of job content has to be performed with a missionary zeal and commitment towards the vision.
To prepare a logical job content, the shop personnel executive is expected to interact freely with the front line managers and document the necessary data and subsequently validate the same. In fact, these job content would subsequently become a valid component of SOP & SMP. At present however, the shop floor HR man is hardly equipped to perform these tasks and it is anticipated to get identified as a major hurdle. 3. Designations The issue is whether to build up newer and newer designations as per job combinations or develop generic designations where job combinations are shop specific.
The aforementioned job combinations should be logical so that as soon as a person moves from one area to another area, he is well informed about the job expectations and automatically adopts the responsibilities after requisite induction training in the new area. 4. Target Population Another area where there is lack of clarity is regarding WHO (is to be trained first) and HOW MANY (numbers to be covered within any specific period) and BY WHEN (completion of training related to release of benefit).
Many line authorities expect that the multiskill project is merely aimed at allowing basic growth opportunity to employees who are stagnating in their existing pay scales and as such, these group of employees will get cleared for promotion and the scheme is aimed for such persons! It might be expected that in the mid run, the multiskill project may likely get hijacked into a number game and thereby defeating the very purpose of the scheme as envisaged in the pre page.
However, there are other executives who have a very clear vision as to what the multiskill project entails and also its limitations. Obviously, it would not be prudent to extend coverage to the majority population at one stretch where authentication and validation would take the back seat. It is necessary that the shop personnel executive and the line executives develop a very clear vision as to the persons and the job activities where multiskill training need to be imparted, authenticate the process and validate the multi-task results.
Towards this, it is necessary to identify and to initially start the process where measurable and visible value addition is foreseen. 5. Compensation / Benefit A specific communication exercise has also to be undertaken wherein the “benefit” component needs to be spelt out. Regarding the ‘benefit’ package, the optimum situation would comprise of specific monetary benefit directly and independently linked with adapting the additional responsibility with a provision to withdraw the benefit as managements’ prerogative non-performance.
One option could be to give the additional benefit (say, 1 or more increment in the existing scale of pay keeping scope for collective bargaining in the process) in the form of personal pay (PP) or under some reward scheme, which would appear in the pay slip as “MS.xxx”. However, if the traditional route linking with upgradation / promotion is found as the only alternative, then the initial list of employees would comprise of under consideration for either upgradation or promotion. Apart form this, it would force multiskill in an unplanned manner and in isolated pockets where authentication and validation may not be possible.
This would also limit automatically to those eligible by way of length of service in their existing grades and also willing for the higher or additional jobs. Proposed Action Plan A rebuilding of the awareness of the multiskill project with the focus on a logical road map culminating into multitasking of activities which ultimately results in achieving the desired objective, can be achieved by: § BRAINSTORMING: Presentations of the project with live examples of multitask activities followed by multiple brainstorming sessions amongst a selected group comprising of opinion influencers within each department.
The following process is envisaged subsequent to the preliminary brainstorming session: a. The personnel executive and the designated line executive, (herein after known as “the team”), identify the work platforms wherever possible; b. The team identify the linear activities in multiple work platforms where #a. above is not possible; c. The team work out the job combinations and micro-detail the job content within the respective job combinations; d. After performing the above activities for one area in a specific shop, the team formalizes the data in a structured format (MS-01) and makes a brief presentation to the HOD, Section I/c and HRD.
This would take the form of a brain storming session and finalise both the job combination and the job content. e. The above initial identification of such employees who would have a positive attitude & aptitude for the higher / additional responsibility and present the data in the format MS-02. § EVOLVING: The alternative method can be through group – activity like sessions wherein the solution finding process comes out with the required recommendations as an output of ‘collective’ discovery.
In this process, the group deals with a multiplicity of issues and slowly emerges out with a few optimal solutions process about the “What, Why and How” of multiskill and multitasking, a group activity in the form of a group task will enhance the assimilation. Focus of the group task: A company is and its survival is in doubt.
It has very high internal costs and although it manufactures products of acceptable standards, the rejection percentages is on the higher side with poor delivery schedules. Due to a combination of all these factors, the company is on the verge of bankruptcy. Though newcomers are entering the market, the company’s brand value would assist it to jump back as a major supplier if it can rework its costs. Tools provided are as follow: 1. A very simple which provides data regarding employee costs of 18%, raw material costs of 52%, processing & energy costs of 34% and marketing costs of 12%.
The raw material costs and processing & energy costs are showing an increasing trend of >7% over previous 3 years. The company has eroded its net worth and its vendor payments are lagging behind by more than 100 days. 2. The company has an employee base of 1200 persons in the non-executive and supervisory cadre and, 150 persons in the executive cadre. All the non-executives are spread across 32 designations as operating personnel, heavy maintenance personnel and light maintenance personnel with clearly defined supervisory roles & executive positions.
Data is also provided regarding employee output, working with responsibility and work accountability as assessed by an external consultant who has the reputation of turning around several sick companies. The consultant was called in about 3 years ago when the company had started showing a downfall in profits; the management had however ignored the findings and did not seek an action plan nor did it think necessary to prepare for any intervention. 3. A flow chart of the activities of the company is also provided along with a decision making structure within the executive hierarchy. 4. Findings of the consultant are provided at annexure.
Group Task The group is analysing the primary causes and suggest remedial measures. The group members are the functional heads of HR, Production, Maintenance and Finance with the group leader executing the responsibility of MD. The group may focus on the following as an aid to solution finding: § Reorganizing of work activities, § Reduction of hierarchies, § Strengthening of skills, § Addition of lateral activities to existing jobs, § Relationship building, § Developing process standards and audits. The interventions are to be listed in order of priority and interdependency of action points should be clearly listed.
Findings of the consultant § The executive hierarchy is too elongated and is a hindrance to effective decision making. In the process of arriving at decisions, it is found that the implementer and the frontline manager gets ignored and time constraints are poorly followed. § The executive work responsibilities are fragmented, narrow and miss the broader focus. This also results in unclear accountability, communication failures and process short cuts. § The non-executive designations are focused towards compartmentalized working and lack the cross-functional team concept.
§ There is an absolute lack of awareness as to the company’s varied product line, cost and quality parameters. § The company lacks the ‘open forums’, which are essential to identify problem areas and work towards optimum solutions. PROCESS § The program will be for 2 full days; § The participants will be a cross functional team from operation and maintenance areas of 3 different shops, numbering around 6 from each shop along with personnel executives of a different shop; § After the formal inauguration of the workshop, the participants will be given the case study and simply asked to go through the data presented;
§ After tea break, the entire group will be divided into 3 sub groups comprising personnel from different shops and will be assigned the first task of problem finding i.e.“identification of all the issues” without any focus on the how part or solution finding; § After lunch break, the group will be given some inputs on force field analysis and thereafter they will be assigned the task of presenting the issues in the form of driving and restraining forces; § After this presentation, their overnight task will be solution finding § The second day will immediately start with presentation by the three groups on possible solutions; § After lunch, the groups will be reconstituted shop-wise and they will be asked to analyze their existing issues and present the findings in the force field diagram
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This post was last updated on 4th January 2023
