“Without doubt the most meaningful change initiative at Bankstown has been the introduction of self managing work teams,” said Mark Fitzgibbon, General Manager Bankstown City Council.
“We have wiped away a traditional command and control hierarchy and replaced it with self managing teams within each of our business and corporate units. Within our operational ranks we no longer have overseers, supervisors, foremen or gangers but team leaders.”
Given the responsibility, skills, ‘time out’ and support, staff are not only better positioned to compete but in the long run will have increased job satisfaction and security.
“In creating self managing work teams, we actually allowed staff at the frontline to come up with the necessary changes,” Mark continued. “The talent which the process has unlocked in many of our staff is perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the change.
“Self managing work teams and the process by which they are created provide people with an opportunity to influence their working lives and align their own personal goals with those of the business. This is a basic human ‘turn on’ and a powerful motivational force underpinning the changes at Bankstown.”
Changes at Bankstown include a new management structure designed to give a stronger focus upon strategic planning, as well as create a purchaser/provider separation. An important feature of the new structure is that it will help our staff meet the challenge of competition.
Council’s policy requires the exposure of at least 60% of all operations to competitive tendering by 2001 and has provided much of the impetus for change.
The second stage of restructuring focused upon establishing the self managing work teams. Starting in late 1995, the restructure process was complete by the middle of this year.
“Our objective was to create a flatter structure, redetermining resource levels and empowering staff,” Mark Fitzgibbon continued. “The new arrangements serves as a platform for continuously improving customer service, quality and efficiency.”
He said the results have gone far beyond removing the middle layer of management and creating self managing teams. The process exposed a flotilla of outdated work practices and inefficiencies compelling those in the work redesign teams to take immediate corrective action.
“Naturally, it is still early days for us and we do not for one moment underestimate the task of ‘bedding down’ the new teams and associated changes,” he said.
“Nevertheless, there is a clear sense of renewed purpose and excitement. I also believe that most of those involved in the work redesign teams will emerge as the champions of change and that their ongoing commitment will ensure self managing work teams are a winner.”
For further information contact Mark Fitzgibbon, telephone (02) 9707 9524.
