Risks and rewards

Discusses the creation of self‐directed teams in the service industry in a bid to improve processing time, reduce the number of “hand‐offs” and create more interesting customer‐focused jobs for employees. Explores the definition of a self‐directed team, and reviews service organizations which use them. Questions the merits of system and provides three factors for consideration ‐ interdependence, supportive culture and management skill and willingness. Gives a structure for redesigning service organizations into self‐directed teams, and suggests that, when working efficiently, this system can revolutionize the workplace by providing a faster service for customers and greater job satisfaction for employees.