Knowledge + Learning = Performance

Continuing Professional Education

Queeney (2000) defines continuing professional education (CPE) as “the education of professional practitioners…[that] extends their learning…throughout their careers” (p. 375). Given the increased demand for accountability in today’s workplace, the goal of CPE is to help ensure an established level of professional competence. It also encourages the transfer of learning back to the job. With its focus on practitioners, CPE is very similar to the concept of worklong learning via a human capital paradigm—thus aiding professionals to build their storehouse of skills and knowledge in preparation for contributions to generating tangible goods and traditional forms of capital.

To meet the challenges of providing continuing professional education, Queeney introduces a number of strategies that professional educators need to apply. These include: “Building Effective Partnerships, Assessing Professionals’ Educational Needs, Designing and Delivering Practice-Oriented CPE, Performance-Based Program Evaluation, Inter-Professional CPE, …[and utilizing] Distance Education” (Queeney, 2000, p. 380-388). Since a definition of learner needs is an important underlying component of effective continuing professional education, let us examine the subject of needs assessment both in theory and practice.

Needs Assessment Theory

Needs assessment for professional education most typically includes components of performance analysis, task analysis, goal analysis, and audience analysis. With audience analysis in particular you can identify what motivates the learners and thus devise ways to tap into their internal and external motivators per the primary assumptions of Knowles’ andragogical model (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2005). In practice, needs analysis can range from full curriculum needs assessments to course needs assessments. Rossett (1987) defines training needs assessment as “the systematic study of a problem or innovation, incorporating data and opinions from varied sources, in order to make effective decisions or recommendations about what should happen next” (p. 3). Techniques for needs analysis include review of existing materials, questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. Additionally, one of the most critical things to remember about analyzing learning needs is to not blindly accept someone’s proclamation of a performance problem. As Queeney cautions, “all too often programming decisions are made not on the basis of needs assessment” (p. 381). Mager & Pipe (1970) also warn, “What people identify as ‘the problem’ often isn’t the problem at all. It is merely a symptom of the problem” (p. 2). Additionally, do not jump to the conclusion that training is the correct solution. The performance problem may not be a skill deficiency that can be solved via training, but rather something in the environment that either is an obstacle to performance or even rewards non-performance (Mager & Pipe, 1970).

Needs Assessment in Practice

As both Rossett and Queeney describe, needs assessment can take many forms from the simple to more complex. Based on my experience as a workplace learning and performance professional, I have seen and conducted needs assessment at all points along this continuum. When conducting needs analysis for an individual program, simpler forms of needs assessment typically are adequate. For example, focus groups and discussions with content experts, the target audience, and their supervisors can help to define where the performance gaps lie and thus help inform the most appropriate design for the learning solution. More extensive needs assessments are appropriate for large-scale learning initiatives where entire curriculums are being evaluated. For example, when a company institutes a new competency model, the curriculum needs to be realigned to the competencies and gaps analyzed to identify learning needs. Additionally, if the learning function within an organization is seeking to realign itself as a corporate university or to aid the shift in the organization becoming a learning organization, that is often another situation for which a more extensive needs assessment would be appropriate. In these cases, the needs assessment will often involve a combination of techniques including surveys (with multiple versions for each audience and their immediate supervisors), interviews, and focus groups.

Queeney’s (2000) argument on “the increasingly entrepreneurial demands of [the professional educators’] organizations and institutions [that force] them to adopt cost-effective strategies for designing, developing, and delivering CPE” (p. 380) is very true. With all needs assessments, the challenge often involves getting buy-in for the time and expense of conducting the assessment. Thus, the professional educator needs to be well-adept at justifying the effort—including being able to articulate the potential risks and costs of not completing the assessment. Additionally, they need to be creative in determining a low cost approach that still results in valid information upon which to base their design and development decisions. Resistance can also be dealt with by not referring to the up-front analysis tasks as a “needs assessment,” but rather to incorporate the needs assessment analysis tasks into the content gathering and design work that accompanies the beginning of learning initiatives. For course-level analysis, that is often the best and most creative work-around to ensure the needs assessment is completed.

References

Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2005). The adult learner (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. (Original work published 1973)

Mager, R. & Pipe, P. (1970). Analyzing performance problems. Belmont, CA: Fearon Pitman Publishers.

Queeney, D. S. (2000). Continuing professional education. In Wilson, A. L., & Hayes, E. R. (Eds.), Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp. 375-391). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Rossett, A. (1987). Training needs assessment. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

- Robin

Copyright Robin Donnan 2008. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.perfassocinc.com

My company has used Wikis to facilitate the collaborative development of content with two of our clients, one a large Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) and the other a worldwide quick service restaurant chain (QSR).

Our first Wiki experience was to create the detailed content for the REIT’s knowledge base on tenant improvement (or how to manage the construction effort involved in customizing a tenant’s office space). For this project, we had a pre-existing team that we’d worked with before to develop their methodology/approach for how to approach tenant improvement. To capture their collective knowledge and put it on their Intranet for access by Property Managers who did not specialize in construction management, the Wiki worked very well. Using MediaWiki, we set up the structure of the Wiki to mirror the different phases of their tenant improvement process. For each phase, we added the different tasks and deliverables, entered the content that existed, and identified what content was needed. To kick off the effort, we facilitated a web conference to introduce the Wiki to the team, discuss process, and assign responsibilities. For responsibilities, those who would develop the content and those who would review were assigned to each phase of the tenant improvement process. That way, each team member did not have to develop and/or review every section, but every section was developed and/or reviewed by 6 of the 12 team members. A home page was set up on the Wiki that captured these assignments, as well as a visual depiction of each phase’s status using a red/yellow/green stop light analogy. In addition, I was responsible for monitoring the Wiki and providing process and writing assistance; the project sponsor was responsible for final review and sign-off of the content. Overall, the process worked extremely well and we were able to develop the content in just 5 weeks.

We applied a similar process to creating updated drive-thru manuals for a QSR, but did not experience as much success. It worked well in the early stages, even for those team members who were somewhat technology adverse. After the initial draft of the content was generated, however, the project began to experience difficulties. The content/procedures were not stable, and the client had unrealistic expectations of the effort required to implement late changes. In that aspect, the technology hurt us because the perception was “it’s just electronic.” Additionally, it became apparent that this organization had a deeply-ingrained preference for paper-based copies of deliverables. The plan was to use the Wiki for the first two rounds of revisions to develop the final content; then the last two versions would be paper-based and focus strictly on formatting. Unfortunately, the manuals were not “real enough” for them until we got to the paper-based versions; thus significant content changes from the client didn’t surface until we were to the 3rd version, resulting in significant time and costs overruns. This was an important example of how important culture is when implementing technology. And no matter how excited or interested a client is in using new technology, always tread cautiously and take small steps first.

References:

Wikimedia. (n.d.). Welcome to MediaWiki.org. In MediaWiki. Retrieved April 4, 2008 from http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki

- Robin

Copyright Robin Donnan 2008. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.perfassocinc.com

Dalkir (2005) defines metadata as “information about physical structures, data types, access methods, and actual content” (p. 169). Taylor (2003) defines metadata as “structured data which describes the characteristics of a resource. It shares many similar characteristics to the cataloguing that takes place in libraries, museums, and archives. The term "meta" derives from the Greek word denoting a nature of a higher order or more fundamental kind. A metadata record consists of a number of pre-defined elements representing specific attributes of a resource, and each element can have one or more values.” Following is an interesting link that provides additional information and examples of metadata: http://www.library.uq.edu.au/iad/ctmeta4.html

On the subject of meta-knowledge, Abrams (2000) offers some interesting insights and links meta-knowledge to tacit knowledge in his presentation on knowledge mapping. In describing the meta-knowledge of experienced workers, Abrams (2000) argues that it is the “Old-Hands’ meta-knowledge of knowledge that novices need: document, application, methodology, expert, etc.” (p. 37). This includes such things as description of the content, qualification of the author/expert, authentication, location of knowledge, intended purpose, usefulness, usability, deployment, availability, leverage, interpretation, and potential knowledge gaps (Abrams, 2000, pp. 37-39). In contrast, when describing the tacit knowledge of novices, Abrams (2000) points to the challenges they face and the “meta-knowledge [novices possess] of strengths and weakness of knowledge infrastructure [including]:
- Ways that do or don’t work to get an expert to help.
- Who to talk to find out who knows or where to find the answer.
- Who sits at the intersection of many different communities and personal networks with visibility and access
- Who has organized their metaknowledge and can transmit it without actually having to be reached “face to face” on the phone.
- The limitations of knowledge retrieval systems under urgency.
- Workarounds for knowledge retrieval system limitations.
- When and why training does or doesn’t work. (p. 41)

Some tools and organizations for knowledge mapping include:
- MindManager (http://www.mindjet.com/)
- IHMC (http://cmap.ihmc.us/)
- knetmap (http://www.knetmap.com/)

References:

Abrams, K. (2000, May). Knowledge mapping quick start. Paper presented at 2000 APQC Annual Conference. Retrieved April 15, 2008, from http://www.apqc.org/portal/apqc/ksn?paf_gear_id=contentgearhome&paf_dm=full&pageselect=detail&docid=110657

Dalkir, K. (2005). Knowledge management in theory and practice. Burlington, MA: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.

Taylor, C. (2003). An introduction to metadata. Retrieved April 15, 2008 from http://www.library.uq.edu.au/iad/ctmeta4.html

- Robin

Copyright Robin Donnan 2008. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.perfassocinc.com

Kerka (2001) introduces seven themes related to human resource development: work force diversity, cross-cultural issues, the learning organization, technology in work and learning, increasing numbers of older workers, informal learning, and spirituality in the workplace. In reflecting on the work that my company does for its clients, these themes would be ranked in the following order of relevance (from most to least):

1. The learning organization
2. Technology in work and learning
3. Informal learning
4. Increasing number of older workers
5. Work force diversity
6. Cross-cultural issues
7. Spirituality in the workplace

Senge (1990/2006) first introduced the concept of the learning organization as a set of core learning capabilities that enable an organization to innovate and create sustainable advantage. These principles of the learning organization underline much of the work we do, helping organizations and their employees to improve their knowledge, skills, and abilities. This often includes many components beyond just training events; it often includes cultural elements, change management, communication, leadership development, rewards and recognition, coaching, and more. The learning organization is also the concept around which we are seeing a growing synergy between learning and knowledge management. When focused on improving the performance of organizations and their employees, many of the techniques used by both disciplines overlap and they certainly share much in common related to their desired end goals. In 1999, Senge himself shared that he saw KM addressing “the same critical issues [that the Society of Organizational Learning] members have been struggling with—the sustainable creation, transfer, and dissipation of organizational knowledge” (Karlenzig as cited in McElroy, 2003).

Technology is becoming an increasingly critical delivery vehicle for learning as well as knowledge sharing. Over the last 15 years, our company has seen a shift from only the largest organizations implementing technology-enabled learning solutions (or eLearning) to now seeing that nearly all learning projects involve some form of a blended learning approach. Technology is also being used as an important tool during the design and development of learning programs via the use of Wikis, web conferencing, Instant Messaging, and team Web sites to help manage the workflow of often geographically dispersed project teams.

Informal learning would be the third most relevant theme in the work we do, especially as we shift to recommending more holistic solutions to address organization’s learning and performance improvement needs. Informal learning is often defined as the individually driven lifelong learning that occurs outside training or a classroom. By equipping individuals with the skills needed to be self-directed learners, informal learning represents significant potential in helping individuals improve their skills and knowledge. With a workforce skilled in self-directed learning and the creation of an environment conducive to knowledge sharing and innovation, informal learning can act as an important conduit for taking knowledge from an individual level to a work group and even organizational level. In practice, by applying the discipline of knowledge management to informal learning, new learnings can be captured, shared, and applied. Thus through Nonaka & Takeuchi’s (1995) concept of socialization, informal learning can become a viable gateway to accessing tacit knowledge—and converting it into something that can benefit entire work groups and organizations.

The next three themes—increasing number of older workers, work force diversity, and cross-cultural issues—do arise periodically as specific need for clients. Many workforces are challenged with generational conflicts as older workers remain in the workforce longer. Work force diversity and cross-cultural issues can also arise in the form of gender, race, geographic, or cultural differences. Often the solution lies in ensuring that learning programs incorporate the perspectives representative of that organization’s workforce. Additionally, if there are existing issues across these groups, we recommend that action be taken to improve employees’ understanding and appreciation of differences (paired with policies to enforce non-discriminatory behavior).

Lastly, spirituality in the workplace is not something my company has dealt with; but I do have colleagues who are doing work in this area, often paired with executive or other one-on-one coaching efforts.

References:

Kerka, S. (2001). Human Resource Development. Trends and Issues Alert, No. 25, Retrieved March 28, 2008, from https://www.cete.org/acve/docs/tia00093.pdf

McElroy, M. (2003). The new knowledge management. Burlington, MA: Butterworht-Heinemann.

Nonaka, I., & Takeuchi, H. (1995). The knowledge-creating company: How Japanese companies create the dynamics of innovation. New York: Oxford University Press.

Senge, P. M. (1990/2006). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday.

- Robin

Copyright Robin Donnan 2008. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.perfassocinc.com

Games and simulations have been associated with learning for many years, both in academic as well as workplace settings. In looking at the use of games and simulations in knowledge management, a search revealed the following applications:
- Participating in a simulated organization to practice valuing and managing intangible assets (including knowledge) (Bontis & Girardi, 2000).
- Investigating “how co-ordination in…knowledge networks could be improved with the help of information and communication technologies (ICTs)” (Van Laere, De Vreede, G, & Sol, 2006, p. 558).
- Investigating “the effect of knowledge distribution and group structure on [a group’s] performance” (Rulke & Galaskiewicz, 2000, p. 612).

According to Bontis & Garardi (2000), two of the benefits realized from these simulations and games include being able to “rehearse novel approaches to management in a low risk learning environment” (p. 548) and to create mindset changes that improve receptivity to the importance and value of knowledge/intellectual capital in organizations.

According to Van Laere, De Vreede, G, & Sol (2006), games and simulations can help model and diagnose issues in knowledge sharing, uncovering the “qualitative issues in co-ordination [that] can help to improve our understanding of co-ordination and guide interventions in [improved] co-ordination” (p. 568).

According to Rulke & Galaskiewicz (2000), games and simulations can be used to demonstrate how knowledge distribution affects a group’s performance. In their study, Rulke & Galaskiewicz were able to demonstrate that “in general, groups that had broadly distributed knowledge, i.e., groups made up of members who had general knowledge, outperformed groups that had knowledge concentrated in different members, i.e., groups made up of members who had specialized or both specialized and general knowledge. However, the advantage that the former enjoyed over the latter disappeared when groups of specialists or mixed groups had decentralized network structures” (Abstract).

These three examples show how games and simulations can be used to facilitate experiential learning and produce empirical evidence of the value and impact of effective application of KM concepts.

References:

Bontis, N., & Girardi, J. (2000). Teachihng knowledge management and intellectual capital lessons: An empirical examination of the Tango simulation. International Journal of Technology Management, 20(5-8), 545-555.

Rulke, D. L., & Galaskiewicz, J. (2000). Distribution of knowledge, group network structure, and group performance. Management Science, 46(5), 612-625.

Van Laere, J., De Vreede, G, J., & Sol, H. G. (2006). A social simulation-game to explore future co-ordination in knowledge networks at the Amsterdam Police Force. Production Planning & Control, 17(6), 558-568.

- Robin

Copyright Robin Donnan 2008. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.perfassocinc.com

Lifelong learning, training and development, and corporate education all make claims that they contribute to both individual and organizational performance improvements. Using the structure of the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, this paper explores how learning has indeed contributed to organizational performance excellence for one Baldridge award winner: Pal’s Sudden Service.

Pal’s Sudden Service

Pal’s Sudden Service is a quick service restaurant serving “primarily drive-through customers at 17 locations, all within 60 miles of Kingsport, Tenn., where its first restaurant opened in 1956” (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2002, p. 1). Pal’s employs “465 people, 95 percent of whom are in direct production and service roles” (p. 1). In 2001, they became the first restaurant to receive a Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award. Pal’s continues to be the only restaurant to have ever won the Baldridge award, and they also are the proud recipients of two Tennessee Excellence Awards in 2001 and 2007 (Pal's Sudden Service, n.d.).

Organizational Performance Improvement

The Role of HRD in Improving Organizational Performance

In looking at learning’s role in organizational performance improvement, what have researchers found? The field of Human Resource Development (HRD) provides some insights. Swanson & Arnold (1996) define HRD as “a process of developing or unleashing human expertise through organization development and personnel training and development for the purpose of improving performance” (p. 16). They further argue, “when practiced in productive organizations, [HRD] should strive to contribute directly to the organization’s goals” (p. 16). Furthermore, Swanson & Arnold remind us that it is important to remember, “HRD is broader than training or adult education. There are HRD interventions that involve much more than training, and some (however rare) that might involve no training at all” (p. 16). What is needed is for HRD “to focus on systems and processes that ensure that individuals in the organization have the knowledge, expertise, and attitudes to produce quality” and deliver on the organization’s goals (p. 15).

At the same time, performance improvement for the sake of meeting organization goals should not be the only focus for HRD. Bierema (2000) argues that there is “value in striking a balance between organizational and individual goals… [and that] human values must be the starting point when considering workplace learning” (p. 279). Bierema further cautions us not to lose the human in Human Resource Development for the sake of improved organizational performance (and profits).

Baldridge Organizational Performance Excellence Goals

The performance excellence goals and criteria for the Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award offer a formalized program that defines, measures, and rewards organizations who exemplify the principles of an organization that is actively taking steps—and reaping the results of—being a high-performing organization. Three Baldridge criteria areas are particularly relevant to the subject of learning’s contribution to organizational performance: workforce engagement, workforce environment, and workforce-focused outcomes. Workforce engagement and workforce environment fall under the category of workforce focus; this category “addresses key workforce practices—those directed toward creating and maintaining a high-performance workplace and toward engaging your workforce to enable it and your organization to adapt to change and succeed” (Baldridge National Quality Program, 2008, p. 41). Within the category of workforce engagement are the aspects of a positive/supportive work environment, compensation and recognition linked to organizational goals (i.e., reward for performance), workforce satisfaction measurement, plus training and learning opportunities and systems. Additionally, workforce environment includes different methods for supporting the workforce such as learning and training development opportunities that are not strictly focused on employees’ job responsibilities. As Bierema (2000) recommends, this is how the more humanistic goals of lifelong learning and providing opportunities for individual improvement that do not focus strictly on job-related skills can be addressed.

The third Baldridge criterion relevant to the subject of learning’s contribution to organizational performance is the results category of workforce-focused outcomes. This set of criteria provides objective evaluation of the organization’s results and how those results support the achievement of the organization’s overall strategy. Per the Baldridge National Quality Program (2008), these criteria measure the effectiveness and outcomes of key indicators of workforce engagement and satisfaction (e.g., increased retention or promotions) and can also “include generic or organization-specific factors…you assess for determining your workforce engagement and climate,” e.g., turnover, satisfaction, and training opportunities (including retraining and cross training) (p. 46-47).

Learning’s Contributions to Organizational Performance Improvement at Pal’s

Pal’s aim is that to learning be pervasive throughout the organization, whereby training and development has been designed to “support improvement in operational and business performance” (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2002, p. 2). “Employees at Pal’s are challenged to produce excellence in [their] operations…; to exhibit positive energy, well-being, and self-control; to make the right decision at the right time; and to be dedicated to continuous learning, development and growth” (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 20). Moreover, “organizational learning, employee development, and continually improving results are basic characteristics of the Pal’s culture” (p. 5).

Pal’s Approach to Training and Development

In staffing their human resource (HR) functions, Pal’s does not have professional HR staff. Instead, they rely upon clearly stated policies that operations staff and management use for all hiring, compensation, training, etc. decisions. This operations-drive approach also extends to who delivers their training. Pal’s does not rely on training instructors, but rather uses only operations personnel to lead their classroom training sessions. Senior leaders are involved in teaching classes and attending training sessions, which are considered by the organization to be an opportunity to “personally drive the Business Excellence Process” (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 8). Additionally, “owner/operators and assistant managers have primary responsibility for staff training” (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2002, p. 3).
In the design and development of training, the leadership team annually assesses the organization’s training needs. This has resulted in the creation of a variety of training modules designed to meet Pal’s business needs. Following “a four-step model [of] show, do it, evaluate, and perform again,” Pal’s uses a combination of self-teach and classroom training modules (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2002, p. 3). In stores, they utilize on-the-job training, “computer-based training, flash cards, and one-on-one coaching” (p. 3). In addition, much like other leading quick-service restaurants:

Visual standardization is a critical element of Pal's training and development program. We thoroughly train/coach our employees on our precise work procedures and process standards. This training focuses on developing a visual reference to verify product quality and usability. Operational procedures, service standards, and in-process control measures for all core processes, each product, and support services are carefully designed and documented in the Pal’s Operations Manual. (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 26)

Workforce Engagement

When looking at the criteria of workforce engagement, the Baldridge criteria (2008) asks the question, “How do you engage your workforce to achieve organizational and personal success?” (p. 42). Pal’s utilizes a number of techniques and programs to ensure a positive and supportive work environment, compensation and recognition linked to organizational goals, measurement of workforce satisfaction, plus ample training and learning opportunities. For example, “individual training and personal development plans are established for all employees at all levels to ensure that knowledge and skills required for defined responsibilities at each position are acquired” (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 22). Considered an important part of their Communication/Feedback process, organizational learning is a key tool for “quick deployment/sharing of the information/learning throughout Pal’s operations in all stores” (p. 8). This Communication/Feedback process is designed to take the output of the process’s inputs, analysis, and rapid prototyping, and share them across the stores. This process is also credited with encouraging “organizational agility and organizational and employee learning” (p. 8). In fact, Pal’s Communication/Feedback process “often produces rapid learning and decision-making that is shared company wide within the same day (or same hour)” (p. 20).

Feedback, coaching, and mentoring also play an important role in Pal’s workforce engagement. “Through training and coaching, [they] instill in [their] staff a positive, helpful, can-do focus on [their] customers, which also contributes to building good customer relationships” (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 14). “Feedback and coaching are provided by store owner/operators and assistant managers as appropriate to build customer service skills” (p. 14), thereby making “feedback, coaching, and reinforcement of applied knowledge and skills…natural parts of [Pal’s] work execution” (p. 22). Mentoring from owner/operators working directly with employees in the operations areas, “coupled with the developmental aspects of peer reviews and [Pal’s] training processes, effectively supports employees in developing and utilizing their full potential” (p. 21).

An intriguing reward and recognition program used by Pal’s is their “Caught Doing Good” (CDG) program. CDG has been designed to “provide an abundance of immediate, public, non-monetary recognition for staff contributions in support of employee development, customer satisfaction, continual improvement, and organizational learning” (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 21). To ensure the link between individual performance and organizational goals, “a special effort is made in CDG to identify behaviors that are consistent with [their] training programs and that are clearly linked to desired performance results” (p. 23).

Workforce Environment

When looking at the criteria of workforce environment, the Baldridge criteria (2008) asks the question, “How do you build an effective and supportive workforce environment?” (p. 43). In response, Pal’s utilizes a number of techniques and programs to support the workforce including learning and training development opportunities that are not strictly focused on job responsibilities. For example, Pal’s learning opportunities cover not only the skills needed to support operations, but also listening, health and safety, and organizational culture. For safety training, they have “adopted the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe training and certification, an industry best practice for food safety education” (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 9). Additionally:

Pal’s frontline staff training program includes intense instruction on effective listening skills. These skills are not only critical for high performance on the food preparation line…but are also beneficial for gathering valuable customer information about needs, expectations, and satisfaction.” (p. 13)

Pal’s also strives to prepare their employees not only for their job at Pal’s, but beyond. They acknowledge, “Most of our employees’ ultimate careers are with other companies. Therefore, we strive to provide skills, knowledge, a principle-based mindset, and work habits required for producing excellence and practicing life-long learning” (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 21). Pal’s also extends its contributions to their communities believing that “a major responsibility to our local communities is the shaping of our employees into positive citizens. By helping our people grow, develop, and become better citizens, Pal’s helps make our business more successful while also making our communities a better place to live and work” (p. 10). This echoes Bierema’s recommendation that HRD needs to expand beyond just “performativity” and help contribute to social and political change.

Workforce-Focused Outcomes

As Swanson & Arnold (1996) argue, “performance takes place and can be measured at the organizational, process, and individual levels” (p. 15). When looking at the criteria of workforce environment, the Baldridge criteria (2008) asks the question, “What are your workforce-focused performance results?” (p. 46). To answer this question, Baldridge recommends measuring the effectiveness and outcomes of common indicators of workforce engagement and satisfaction (e.g., increased retention, promotions, turnover, satisfaction, and training opportunities (including retraining and cross training)).

Pal’s requires cross training “of all store-level staff to ensure their complete understanding of all production and service procedures as well as quality standards” (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2002, p. 3). Specifically, cross-training is used so that “staff members have a complete understanding of all production and service procedures and quality standards to allow smooth transition from work station to work station and cooperative, flexible responses to volume cycles and unplanned reassignments” (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 20).

Pal’s measures their organizational performance with their SysDine management information system, which is also used to analyze operations for a company-wide balanced scorecard. Some important workforce indicators of Pal’s success include the following:
1. “Pal’s leads the industry in low staff turnover. The industry annual average in our market is over 300 percent while Pal’s turnover rate for 2000 was 127 percent” (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 24).
2. Pal’s “group of store operators and senior leaders has lost only three individuals in the last twenty years, which gives [them] a major advantage in leadership continuity over [their] competitors” (p. 31).
3. Employee satisfaction surveys reveal steady improvement in the period from 1995-2001 with all categories (communication, training, motivation, excitement, harmony, and management’s ability) rated a 4.12 or higher on a 5-point scale (p. 31).

Operationally, Pal’s has also seen the following performance improvements resulting from their learning programs:
1. Staff productivity and sales per labor hour have been on an “improving productivity trend [reflecting] the effectiveness of [their] selection, hiring, training, and work designs” (p. 31).
2. “Over the past several years both the timeliness and satisfaction of complaint handling have been improved through training and by empowering the staff to instantly resolve complaints” (p. 15).
3. “On-the-job injury/accident claims [at Pal’s] have declined seventy-five percent since 1992” (p. 23).

Looking to the future and continuing to ensure sustained results, Pal’s also utilizes benchmarking to “determine best-of-class practices and performance and to set stretch goals to reach and exceed best-of-class performance levels” (Pal's Sudden Service, 2001, p. 17). “After [they] have analyzed and learned as much as possible from [their] benchmarking partner’s processes and performance data, [Pal’s uses their] Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) piloting and continual improvement approach to incorporate any learning [they] gain into [their] own processes to produce equal or better results” (p. 17).

Conclusion

Through a focus on workforce engagement and environment, Pal’s has experienced significant positive and measurable workforce-focused performance results. The quick-service channel in particular faces many challenges—a dwindling labor pool, increased cost of raw products, pressures from customers to provide variety and keep prices low, and an increasingly health-conscious public. Despite this, Pal’s has been able to create a workplace that has the lowest turnover in the industry (for both their front-line and management employees) and some of the best results on key operational measures such as sales per labor hour, order accuracy, and time spent in drive-through.

References

Baldridge National Quality Program. (2008). Criteria for Performance Excellence Retrieved April 11, 2008, from http://www.quality.nist.gov/PDF_files/ 2008_Business_Nonprofit_Criteria.pdf

Bierema, L. (2000). Moving beyond performance paradigms in human resource development. In A. L. Wilson & E. R. Hayes (Eds.), Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp. 278-293). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

National Institute of Standards and Technology. (2002). Pal's Sudden Service. In Baldridge Award Recipient Profile. Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www.nist.gov/ public_affairs/pals.htm

Pal's Sudden Service. (2001). 2001 Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award Application Summary Retrieved April 11, 2008, from http://www.quality.nist.gov/PDF_files/ Pals_Application_Summary.pdf

Pal's Sudden Service. (n.d.). Pal's News. Retrieved April 16, 2008 from http://www.palsweb.com/news.htm

Swanson, R. A., & Arnold, D. E. (1996). The purpose of human resource development is to improve organizational performance. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education,(72), 13-19.

- Robin

Copyright Robin Donnan 2008. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.perfassocinc.com