Operational Excellence

September 1, 2011

Online Journal Showcases Kaiser Permanente’s Model of Frontline Partnership and Unit-Based Teams

The Aug. 30 edition of Human Resource Executive Online features an article by Barbara Grimm, senior vice president, Office of Labor Management Partnership, and John August, executive director of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. The article, “A Strategy for Employee Engagement and Performance Improvement,” describes how unit-based teams are advancing Kaiser Permanente’s strategy for frontline engagement and workplace transformation.

Grimm and August outline three practices, based on the work of UBTs, that can help other organizations engage their employees:

• Empower the workforce to make a difference.
• Identify and support the essential attributes of successful teams.
• Disseminate effective team practices throughout the organization and integrate them into day-to-day operations.

The article includes examples of UBT success, shows how teams align their performance improvement goals with the larger strategies of the organization, and highlights Kaiser Permanente employees’ industry-leading levels of engagement.

Human Resource Executive Online is the Web-based version of Human Resource Executive magazine, aimed at HR directors and vice presidents across all industries. Human Resource Executive Online reports that it gets more than 15,000 unique visitors per month.

For more about Kaiser Permanente’s Labor Management Partnership, go to: http://www.lmpartnership.org.