Graduate Organizational Management (MGMT) Course: Case Study 3, Introduction Previous Work Position

Graduate Organizational Management (MGMT) Course: Case Study 3, Introduction Previous Work Position.

 

MGMT500 B001 Spr 12 - Week-3 Case Study 3 -

                                                                                        

Professor Dr. Jerome Pionk

 

April 22, 2012, by Mr. Valerian B-K. Masao II

I worked as a program manager of one of the group home run by a not-for-profit organization. The group home capacity was 12 individuals with all range of developmental disabilities. The Six Sigma project that I identified includes understaffing that was increasingly costly and caused exhaustion with burnout to Direct Care Workers (DCW) from due to the mandatory overtime. Also during this time allegation of abuse toward individuals and work related injuries were at the most high, causing the medical spending for work related to double. As manager, it was my responsibility to make sure that my group home met the parameters coverage, safety measures and precautions were taken to keep the group home (both staff and individuals/clients safe) and yet to operate within the budget. However, the administration disconnect was vivid, because the overtime was increasingly becoming costly, overall budgeting spending was high and the drivers of these spending were not addressed rather bandaged or postponed. For example, the administration thought of controlling overtime by only allow me to approve 10 hours of over time per employee within the pay period, yet to cover the parameters. Unrealistic approach to meet the required state and federal compliance by the regulatory agencies; to meet these compliances I needed at least 2 new employees (DCWs) to overhaul the system and consume all the overtime, ovoid burnout, zero injury, maintain safety and drop down the budgetary cost and spending.

A possible Six Sigma project in my previous work position:

A possible Six Sigma project that I can identify in my previous work position is to staff the group home without excessive overtime, operate within budgeting, assure minimal accidents/injuries and boost DCWs morale. Hiring was low because Direct Care Worker (DCW) position at the area depended on high school and college students in the college town that my agency was based. The hourly pay was the minimum wage with few benefits composition. Also the agency is privately owned not-for-profit, competing with publicly/governmental owned- state agencies run group homes, ARC-county run group homes and religious organizations’ run group homes. i.e. Catholic charities, Lutheran and Baptist group homes. These were advantaged competitors because were not by any means tight in budgetary issues and they could get volunteers easily, hire without problem because they paid more with good benefits, and redeploy employees from one group home to another without affecting their parameters. To promote hiring, less burned out staffing, zero or minimal accidents and injuries, and enthusiastic employees the agency decided to ask staff to bring referrals for potential new hire and get $200 upon the refereed new hire pass the probation period of 6 months as incentive. Also the agency used the colleges and high schools near by to use the agency’s group homes as learning center for practicums and internship in various fields including health and human services field. This Six Sigma improvement project would be suitable using Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) as preferred model. {Pande, 2000, p. 150}

DMAIC: Three Basic Qualifications for a Six Sigma Improvement Project.

First qualification is that there is a problem and or opportunity in this Six Sigma Project because the agency need new hire in the highly competitive advantaged agencies, environment. The gap between current plan and desired plan is obvious and needs major improvement. The new launched activities are such as employees’ referral for potential new hire incentive, volunteers’ promotion, and student internship program. {Pande, 2000, p. 142}

Second qualification is that the cause of the problem is known because the competitors have advantages on the budgetary matters and attracting new hire turnover. The agency can increase salary and benefit to match the competitors. But still this solution will blow-out the budget and cease to serve the best interest of the individuals, the main focus. Also the administration control on overtime by putting a cap of only 10 hours can be approved by manager is handicapping the ability of manager to best serve the individuals and satisfy employees. Administration solution, capping the overtime approval is like putting bandage on the problem waiting to fix it in the future. {Pande, 2000, p. 142}

Third qualification is if the solution is predetermined and obvious. In this project the solution is predetermined and obvious because the new hire by employee referral with $200 incentive is most likely to materialize; and the use of the agency’s facilities/group homes as nearby colleges and high schools as learning center for practicums and internship in various fields including health and human services field can attract new possible hire of young professionals and it can be used as a free marketing strategy. Also increasing hourly salary compensation and bump up a bit the benefit can attract productive employees and become beneficial in the future. {Pande, 2000, p. 142}

Definition of Criteria For Project Selection:

The project leader agreed on redesigning and overhauling the staffing problem that is the main cause of the problem the group home is facing and ultimately affecting the care of the individuals with a possibility of losing the license/recertification to provide services. Also the team agreed on not to keep on putting bandage on this problem because it continue to affect services, unsustainable, blowing up the budget, and tear down the morale of employees and the image of the agency in the eyes of the community. The priority number one is to take care of staffing and improve the care of the individuals by complying with regulatory state and federal government. Therefore, first problem will be to hire additional two required staffs so that we can alleviate the overtime (mandatory and budgeting havoc). This is to be done by the employees’ referral incentive and sustain the staffing and minimizing overtime by volunteers program. This project selection will be hand in hand with business benefits, feasible and will have an organizational impact. {Pande, 2000, p. 145}

Use of Training to implement the Six Sigma Project:

To implement this Six Sigma Project I will use the six essentials that I should keep in mind when planning my training program. I will emphasize a “hands-on” learning strategy is when trainer is training trainees by applying concepts and skills in to an immediate practice; I will provide relevant examples and links to the “real world” is when a trainer uses materials and vivid examples that are close or known to the trainees and get the concept; I will build knowledge is when training is designed to address specific principles and ideas by using measured skills and methods. i.e. DMAIC, the Six Sigma Roadmap e.t.c; I will cater to a variety of learning style is when trained is given with visuals, games and exercises to make the theme fun and exciting; I will make training something more than learning can be a good marketing plan. Normally it is done in a way that trainer establishes ways to reinforce the message during training; I will make training an ongoing effort is very useful theme because it makes training practical and not something to remember at the training scene only, rather practical and applicable at all the time. {Pande, 2000, p. 132 and 133}

Conclusion:

This Six Sigma project is perfect for Six Sigma team to evaluate and I would recommend it to my Director so that we can evaluate and execute it carefully. This project meets my agencies business benefits, feasibility and it certainly has an organizational impact as it overhaul the staffing system by having almost a fresh start, introducing better improvement models. Furthermore, to best generate and sustain long-term commitment to this project as basic strategy that builds an institution my analysis is that this agency needed to become successful as Six Sigma process and therefore leadership, management and staffing, all, have to fully be committed to this Six Sigma Project. The goals and objectives are to be clear and self-explanatory, training and support to be ready whenever needed. Administration is responsible to lay out Six Sigma Project and fully committed, while management is to clarify and direct staff members to execute Six Sigma plan respectively. All these will determine the strategic planning and long-term planning commitment of Six Sigma. {Fitz-Enz, 1997, p. 50 and 51}

Reference:

Fitz-Enz, J. (1997). The 8 Practices of Exceptional Companies: How Great Organizations Make the Most of Their Human Assets. New York, AMACOM. {Fitz-Enz, 1997 #2}

Pande, N. a. C. (2000). The Six Sigma Way: How GE, Motorola, and Other Top Companies are Honing Their Performance McGrow-Hill. {Pande, 2000, p.}

 


The Fatherhood Life Reader(s) Signature and Disclaimer. Content of this Blog (The Fatherhood Life) is intended for reading use only and may contain privileged, confidential, or proprietary information that is exempt from disclosure under law. Reader(s) discretion is required of essence. If you have received this link in error, please close the window and inform us promptly by profile e-mail and or comment line. Content of this blog are protected under the privacy, 1st amendment and private property laws. Do not distribute, print, download and or copy content of this Blog without Blog Administrator’s permission or proper academic references to Fatherhood Life Blog. Also contents of this Blog are personal opinion, views, perception and private or Public observations of the Blogger(s). Thank you and may God bless you and The United States Of America. "In God we Trust" and "United We Stand".