Dear Systems Thinker,Service organizations have three roles.
- Roles that create value
- Roles that add value
- Roles that have no value
The last group is killing service organizations in the design of the work or just a misplaced management thinking. Those that understand the Vanguard Method know that building roles that create value and add value to those that create is a result of redesign.
Too many roles exist that add no value. Worse, these roles can get in the way of those that can create/add value. Governance, management, information technology, finance, human resources, audit, legal, quality control and risk fit this bill. When they interrupt the flow of work or influence the service design - we have a problem.
Some of these groups like management, IT and human resources can add value if they work on being value adding to those that create value. Otherwise, it is like piling on with more obstacles to navigate - increasing costs and worsening service to customers. Never mind the frustration to the front-line.
Take a hard look at your service organization. How many roles truly create or add value? Are the supporting and protecting functions soaking up unnecessary resources? Creating waste?
Maybe a redesign is in order.