Multi-Skilling Jack of All Trades Master of None Essay Example

tasks, either as a form of empowerment or due to downsizing. However, in some cases, individuals lacking leadership abilities or proper training result from this process.

Horizontal Multi-skilling refers to the acquisition of skills from a different discipline or function within an organization. For instance, it could involve an electrician learning certain mechanical tasks or a process operator acquiring maintenance skills. There are two primary types of Horizontal Multi-skilling: Skill broadening, which involves learning additional elements and tasks alongside the main activity, allowing for the maintenance of expertise in the major task while increasing efficiency.

The text discusses the concept of cross skilling/dual skilling, which involves learning an additional major activity in addition to one's main craft. This allows a person to be competent in carrying out tasks in these two main disciplines. For instance, a mechanical engineer may learn how to isolate and disconnect a motor to avoid the need for an electrician. Multi-skilled craftsmen are examples of individuals who are considered competent in performing both mechanical and electrical tasks. However, there may be limitations on the types of safety critical work that they can undertake. (Horbury ; Wright,2001 ,p.)

3) Depth multi-skilling involves training more complex and specific skills within the same skill set. These skills can be acquired either through individual effort to support a team or by incorporating them into multi skill set teams. Multi Skill Set Teams, also known as Skill Mix, should not be confused with multi-skilling. Although they involve some similar processes, they do not have the same dynamics as multi-skilling. Multi skill set teams aim to align job-specific personnel in order to streamline processes or increase capacity

for serving more people or producing more products.

In many industries, multi-skilling requires a team with diverse skill sets, which are combined and managed by one person. Different industries have their own models and stages for implementing multi-skilling. In this literature, we will focus on the most common model used in various settings.

Initial conception - There are generally several reasons why organizations opt to multi-skill. These reasons primarily fall into four main areas:

1. Organizational flexibility - companies are moving away from having workers who can only perform one job task. This limitation impedes the efficiency and competitiveness of the company. Thus, organizations now seek employees who can function across multiple levels of job tasks and experiences, and they are reducing previously instituted functional demarcations to remain flexible.
2. Reduction in labor costs - Multi-skilling often serves as a reaction to a reduction in personnel rather than being a deliberate strategy. The implementation of multi-skilling has been found to lead to a 20-25% decrease in direct labor costs. Additionally, there is a reduction in overtime and a decrease in the number of personnel required to perform tasks (Horbury ; Wright, 2001).

Reduced downtime/Streamlined Jobs - It is often observed that when tasks are assigned to multiple workers and excess workers are eliminated, the process for specific tasks or related jobs can be streamlined, resulting in increased efficiency and reduced time taken.
Human resource issues - Various human resource challenges can contribute to the need for multi-skilling, which in turn can weaken the power of trade unions, enhance skillsets, promote personnel development and empowerment initiatives, and increase job security.
Imagining change - Once the decision to implement multi-skilling has been

made, organizations can choose from different approaches. The "Wait and See" approach is reactive in nature and often leads to a lack of focus on proper training, reluctance to invest sufficient resources, and a more troubleshoot-oriented mindset. On the other hand, the "Learn as you Go" approach emphasizes feedback strategies and requires constant communication at all levels.

Management needs to assess the overall cultural perspective towards change with a focus on fostering a widespread sense of ownership. A beneficial aspect of this approach is the minimal initial expenses required to implement the system. This approach, known as "Predict and Preempt," involves implementing changes in both the execution and content phases. The organization establishes a series of facilitating measures that address staffing, education, training, and salary matters. Key decisions that should be addressed include determining the company's vision for this time period, assessing the risks the company is willing to take, finding ways to demonstrate the company's commitment to the change process, and determining how to convince the workforce to support the changes. Additionally, it is important for the company to acknowledge that it may need to persist with the change efforts for several years and exert a coordinated effort. Ill.

During the planning and enrolling stage of implementing multi-skilling, it is important to consider various factors. These factors include human resource agreements, the organizational culture, effective communication of multi-skilling goals, obtaining buy-in from stakeholders, and assessing the compatibility of current technical and social systems with the multi-skilling plan. Enrolling support involves persuading workers to collaborate and participate in the proposed changes. Additionally, identifying routine and non-routine tasks is another important element to consider.

Efforts should be made to

improve existing technical and social systems. It is important to identify the necessary knowledge and skills for multi-skilling. While there are numerous task-specific items and resource-specific ideas that could be discussed in detail, it is beyond the scope of this text to list them all. In particular, the medical field considers targeting technical specialists for cross-training as beneficial.

One of the key tasks in the implementation and operation process is to ensure that staff are adequately trained and competent. This involves training staff in the necessary activities and ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to safely and proficiently carry out their tasks. There are several methods to achieve this, such as cross-training employees in different skill sets, providing external learning opportunities, using log books to document daily duties and best practices, reassessing job skills, and providing periodic refresher training. Ongoing management is crucial for the success of multi-skilling. Additionally, programs are in place to monitor the use of new and existing skills and prevent stagnation. Supervisors and trainers attend relevant training courses to ensure they are aware of the skills required for specific job tasks.

Different organizations used various methods to gauge the effectiveness of the multi-skilling process and employed control measures to assess its impacts. Performance measures such as job satisfaction, motivation, performance, turnover, health and safety, and financial performance were considered. The literature also discussed a model that companies should follow to implement the multi-skilling format. While this model closely follows the stages in terms of wording and format, it delves deeper into the lifecycle process used. According to Horbury and Wright (2001), the steps are defined by key management objectives and issues. These

steps include recognizing the need for multi-skilling, identifying and assessing associated risks, using SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and MOIs (Methods of Instruction) for understanding and compliance, and defining safety criteria. Planning and assessment involve determining which individuals and tasks will be involved, training and supervision methods, considering workload and competence during decision-making, and ensuring changes are implemented in a planned and systematic manner. During implementation, detailed planning is put into action while allocating proper resources to facilitate change. Flexibility is also incorporated into the model to accommodate future changes and growth.

• Implementation check - confirm that planned training, supervision, etc. has been executed, attained required performance objectives, modify implementation if needed, consider feedback and potential issues.
• Ongoing skills maintenance and review - ensure skills are sustained at both organizational and individual levels, identify any hidden problems, always strive for opportunities to enhance the process.

How does the issue of multi-skilling, models, and stages presented fit within the healthcare arena? Many healthcare organizations adopt the multi-skilling model due to downsizing requirements resulting from staff limitations or financial constraints imposed by struggling economies. Healthcare is encompassed by both of these scenarios.

The healthcare spending in the U.S. has surpassed 16% of its GDP. Despite the increased expenditure, the revenue generated is diminishing. Consequently, a healthcare crisis is imminent as the large number of baby boomers, who are on fixed incomes and Medicare insurance, enter the age range of 65-85 and will need various medical interventions.

There is a well-publicized national nursing shortage that has resulted in many hospitals lacking required staff. Some hospitals are also facing a recent problem with staffing technical job skills, and there has always

been a challenge in providing healthcare to urban settings with limited resources and personnel. As a result, the issue of multi-skilling and cross-training has become prominent in addressing these issues. Many hospitals began exploring cross-training/multi-skilling their employees over 20 years ago, with a focus on training medical personnel in administrative assistance tasks like handling phone calls, generating reports, and data processing.

In 1995, Greiner introduced three main work-restructuring models for hospitals to address the aforementioned problems: patient centered care (PCC), patient-focus care (PFC), and operations improvement (01). The PCC model utilizes comprehensive survey data to identify organizational changes that can enhance the humaneness of hospitals. This information is then used to implement structural reorganizations, redesign work processes, and continually improve the quality of care based on detailed patient reports.

Cost savings have not been a priority in this model. The PFC model emphasizes both cost and quality and affects various occupations through multi-skilling, redeployment of ancillary services, and teamwork. Ol's main focus is reducing the number RN FTE's and increasing the use of nurse Aides, while ancillary services remain more centralized (Grenier ; Pindus,1997). Many hospitals are currently grappling with which approach to take, which skills should be multi-skilled, and where to establish the boundary between patient safety and proper medical care. A hospital in Illinois encountered several issues related to the multi-skilling model under the PFC model. Job redesign suggests to workers that although they have been productive and performed well, the hospital has determined that their role does not sufficiently contribute to the patients' well-being.

One of the most challenging aspects is helping individuals comprehend the reason for change. "Why do I have to change?" It's

one thing to grasp it intellectually, and another to internalize it emotionally (Hequet,1994). In the medical field, a major concern related to multi-skilling revolves around licensing. Typically, nurses are the lowest-level workers required to hold state licensure. When legal disputes arise, they usually only involve nurses' responsibilities. Consequently, nurses become apprehensive when new training involves assigning medical tasks to non-licensed staff. Certain states are experimenting with employing individuals known as I-JAPS (unlicensed assistive personnel).

The purpose of bridging the gap with nurses is to perform direct and indirect patient care under the direction of the registered nurse. Duties include giving patients baths, emptying catheter bags, and dressing wounds. These activities may seem menial, but for nurses they provide relevant information for medical care. For example, during a bath, nurses can assess skin care issues and educate patients about their condition. When emptying a catheter bag, nurses can check for blood in the urine and ensure proper hydration. Similarly, during a dressing change, nurses can look for signs of infection and use sterile technique. Healthcare should learn from this model and apply the lessons learned to ensure a smooth transition before these tasks become mandatory.

The literature demonstrates that models generally function effectively, unless they are utilized following a reduction in staff and the organization is compelled to employ the model. Multi-skilling is poised to be extremely influential in the future of the healthcare sector, which is currently plagued by difficulties. Consequently, the medical industry must take a proactive approach in both its legislative efforts and hospitals to establish and execute these action plans. There have already been multiple conflicts between nursing associations as they resist diminishing their

expertise or relinquishing patient control to other job skills.

Certain technical job skills are fighting in court to maintain their status as multi-skilled individuals. The importance of human resources cannot be overstated, as this entire issue revolves around effectively utilizing personnel and involving employees in the process of change. The literature extensively covers HR-related matters, discussing various issues, topics, and terminology related to the implementation of multi-skilling in different organizations. However, it is evident from this literature review that there is a lack of research on these issues being conducted in the United States. Most of the literature comes from studies and reviews conducted in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Furthermore, there was limited research available on the specific issues regarding multi-skilling and its impact on patient care among licensed and non-licensed staff and how this relates to HRM and staff training.

References

1. Backman, A. (2000).
2. Job Satisfaction, Retention, Recruitment and Skill Mix for a Sustainable Health Care System (Report to Deputy Minister of Health, Saskatchewan). Health WORCS. Grenier, A ; Pindus, N. (1997).
3. The Effects of Health Care Industry Changes on Health Care Workers and Quality of Patient Care.
4. Retrieved June 14, 2010, from Urban Institute, from World Wide Web site:http:// www. urban. org/publications/407308.

The text states that Hequet (1994) wrote an article called "The people squeeze in health care" in the 1994 issue of the journal, Volume 31, Issue 7. The article is published by lntertec Publishing and specifically mentions Central Dupage Hospital in Illinois.

Horbury, C ; Wright, M. (2001).