Job rotation is method of designing jobs that motivate

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Reference no: EM133742259

Practice Case Study

HR in Small Business

Johnson County Library Checks out Job Rotation

A few years ago, some branch managers in the Johnson County Library (JCL) system in Kansas met with the director of branch services to discuss a problem: after years on the job, they were feeling burned out. The director invited them to talk to the other branch managers and propose a solution. The full group of managers considered their strengths and desires for future career opportunities, as well as the culture of the libraries 14 branches (it has since grown to 16). They saw fresh opportunities within their organization and developed a proposal to try job rotations. The proposal included plans for communicating the changes to those who would be affected. After a year of planning, the job rotation began with assistant managers spending one week as assistant manager in a different branch. Even this short job rotation was considered a success. The assistant librarians found that they were building networks with more of their colleagues and strengthening relationships with more staff and library patrons. Building on this success, JCL then did two-week job rotations of clerks and then information specialists. Again, the employees completing the rotations build work relationships. They also reported developing greater flexibility ad appreciation of the JCL system beyond the particular branch where they had been working. Being in a different place with different people caused them to look at the library's work with greater attentiveness. Following the series of job rotations, some staff members permanently moved to new positions where they could contribute more or had better working relationships with their colleagues. Some examples illustrate the impact of the job rotations. A developer of web content had been wanting to work more with patrons. Rotating jobs led him to a position as an information specialist, which involves working with the public. A clerk who rotated to another branch was promoted there to assistant branch manager. Because of her experience as a clerk, she was quickly able to size up opportunities for improving efficiency in her new branch. A branch manager who got experience with several locations helped JCL identify a more effective way to pair small branches with shared leadership. The turnover in librarians in the JCL system is small, and there are only 16 locations serving the 20 cities of Johnson County, Kansas. This means that the career path for any given librarian is limited within the organization. With job rotation, the employees found a way to inject variety into their work. The refreshed their thinking, sparked some improvements in operations, and launched an approach to work design that seems likely to endure.

1. Job rotation is a method of designing jobs that motivate. How did its use at Johnson County Library also help the organization improve efficiency?

2. According to the Job Characteristics Model, which we discussed in our section on job design, what other aspects of jobs contribute to making work more motivating? Which of these do you think could apply to the librarians at JCL?

Reference no: EM133742259

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