“Look at the checklist!” This is one of the phrases I hear on a daily base where I work at. My job consists of analyzing and imputing data in SAP – HR environment. For every single transaction I process, I need to make sure I am following the checklist. Whenever I need to process an unknown transaction I feel tempted to discuss it with a co-worker, because it is faster. So it frustrates me to hear someone saying “look at the checklist”. It is easier to talk to a co-worker and clarify my questions. But at the end, I know that relying on the checklists is the safest way to go on my job.
I believe that human beings and organizations rely on patterns in order to make decisions. On chapter 3 of textbook Karl Weick suggests that “…what we remember worked for us in previous decisions becomes the frame for viewing the next decision.” Then he adds that organizations perform on the same way: “they use maps from earlier situations in a new situation because that’s the best they can do.” Hence, past experiences provide guidance on the decision making process.
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4 comments:
I can imagine your frustration with doing what you think may make your job more efficient. Checking with your co-worker because it's more obvious seems to be logical. However, there must be a reason why your organization is so rigid with the policy of "look at the checklist!"
Maybe another employee was asking too much or not being as efficient as they could be. So, creating a policy to control the lack of direction and offer some structure to the process would seem to be the appropriate solution. Yet, we can see that in your opinion, this narrow-minded policy lacks the evaluation process.
As an Instructional Technology major I have enjoyed the systematic approach to design. In this methodology the Implementation and Evaluation of the process are key elements to the final design process. Formative evaluations are conducted to make sure the process (in your case inputting data) is flowing without difficulty. The formative evaluation requires input from the user and the comments are taken back to the developer to see if it can benefit from this evaluation phase. I think hearing from employees (like yourself) about the process will eventually create a more positive outcome.
I also find that the natural tendency to clarify process-related questions is to ask another employee. But the procedures set up by the organization were likely generated through some systematic decision-making process where, on some level, productivity would be maximized.
The problem I have encountered is in an apparent delay in updating these procedures and policies when they are no longer effective. The organization, all too often, still expects procedures to be followed even when there are more effective or practical methods at hand.
Perhaps one solution is a combination of protocol and autonomy, where modifications to procedure can be effected when needed, with a general adherence to policy.
Past experiences do provide guidance but how often is it that you will end up in the same situation as before. Checklists do come in handy when the work you are doing never varies from a specific pattern but when there are day to day problems to handle you need something more than a checklist. Checking with a co-worker seems like a more logical option to me. Just sticking to checklists will not only result in frustration but also to less productivity. The creative and decision making faculties of the mind some times need some freedom to do what they think is right rather than just following checklists to make the wrong decision in the suggested way.
From the employee perspective, checklists can be a bummer if talking to a co-worker may provide a more efficient means to completing a task, or on the other hand, if bypassing or condensing a few steps may make things run quicker. From an organizational view, checklists may be a way to ensure efficiency across the board. Also, when such checklists are micro-managed, they may be a way to pinpoint sources of errors which can be quickly identified and corrected for.
I recall a position I once held many years ago where we had checklists to actually check off completed sub-tasks and submit the list to a manager for review at the end of every shift. I always thought the checklists were cumbersome and unnecessary. I thought if I knew what needed to be done to get the task completed, just do it and call it a wrap. No matter if my tasks were completed efficiently and quickly with no errors at all, the manager would request that I still physically check off every item night after night after night, even if the list never changed. I figured he just had to have the items checked off to make himself feel complete or something— seemed he was caught up in the bureaucratic process
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