Rl Wolfe's Self-Directed Team Model

RL Wolfe opted for a self-directed team (SDT) approach instead of the traditional hierarchical system at their Corpus Christi plant back in 2003. While this system has shown clear benefits, the plant is beginning to run into dilemmas as the new approach continues to evolve, many of which involve workforce motivation and team structures. RL Wolfe faces the problem of either reverting back to its old ways or continuing to assess and adjust the self-directed team model. John Amasi, the director of Production and Engineering, is a strong proponent of SDTs and would like to focus efforts on optimizing the system implemented in 2003. As of 2007, the company has made significant strides towards a more productive model, but there are still many
For example, there is still an issue surrounding job definitions. There is some resentment coming from the line operators and material handlers, who feel that they are not respected as much as the technicians even though the hierarchical system was supposedly discarded. Next, now that 80% of the decisions on the floor are made by the teams, the coordinators are often unfamiliar with the plastics extrusion process. While decision making among the teams is encouraged, the coordinators still need to be aware of the work done on the floor so they can best assist the team. Furthermore, the plant is struggling with performance evaluation and individual recognition. With proper adjustments made to Corpus Christi’s SDT model, the majority of these problems can be
One potential solution for this is to adjust wages within the team based on performance, which will address the employee complaint that they have more responsibility with no increase in pay to compensate. Two common wage management strategies include individual reward systems and team-based compensation, however there are inherent problems with both. Individual reward systems can discourage teamwork, and team-based systems can cause some individuals to sit back and let other teammates do all the work. The solution is a combination pay system, which addresses both the motivation and individual recognition dilemmas within Corpus Christi. Combination pay systems generate a bonus or compensation pool at the group level and then allocate it on an individual basis in relation to performance. This proved effective in a study conducted at Clemson and Lander Universities, and accounts for the shortcomings of individual and team-based recognition (Fredendall & Emery,