Redesigning Management Consulting Practices

Redesigning work is an innovative and potentially effective method for improving the productive ability of workers and organisations. When thoughtfully and skilfully applied, work redesign can also result in more interesting and challenging work for employees. Traditional and most contemporary work design approaches examine either the technical(scientific management) or the social (human relations) system in isolation. Sociotechnical work design theory demonstrates that both the social and technical systems must be jointly considered. The applicability of sociotechnical work design in various organisational settings is addressed, focusing particularly on the management consulting practices in a large public accounting firm. The results of interview and survey data on test site employees are examined, and it is concluded that sociotechnical work design is an appropriate tool for improving productivity and employee job satisfaction.