Service Is the Reason

Every organization that is committed to continuous improvement will periodically reorganize functions and departments to better serve customers. These reorganizations can radically change the company organization chart, reporting relationships, and even the content of employees’ jobs.

If companies reach the goal of the reorganization, which often includes increasing empowerment, responsibility, and accountability of existing staff and functions, more sales and improved profitability should follow.

In an effective reorganization, the purpose and motivation are expressed and broadly disseminated, goals are clearly defined, and new accountabilities are spelled out with the understanding that they may change as the organization members learn and understand their new roles. But, the bottom line is always to better serve customers when reorganizations succeed.

I don’t know, as an example, how the U.S. Army’s Human Resources Command Center for Human Resources Excellence in Fort Knox, KY will work out, but I assume the concept was carefully studied. I do know that the Human Resources Command was created to better serve the total career needs of their customers: active duty military, reservists, and retired military personnel.

The stated goal of the reorganization? To enable soldiers to manage their entire career from basic training until retirement and later through one office. Now, that’s a thought for HR departments. We reorganize to serve customers, not just to cut costs and better align responsibilities. But, those will follow when customers are well-served.

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