The design and use of effective employee participation groups: Implications for human resource management

Abstract

The use of employee participation groups is an increasingly widespread response to unrelenting environmental demands for higher levels of organizational performance. Guidelines for the design of participation groups are suggested, based on a study of participation group programs in nine organizational units of a major corporation. In order to be most effective, participation groups should include or have access to adequate skills and knowledge for systematic problem solving, should use formalized procedures, should be integrated horizontally and vertically with the rest of the organization, and should be a regular part of the organization rather than special entities. The appropriateness of using participation groups as a part of a larger human resource strategy is explored.