Smart Work Design

In the global business landscape organisations must continuously evolve their work environments to stay competitive, attract and retain talent, and promote well-being. Focusing on work design is not always the first approach organisations choose when promoting health and wellbeing, although it has proven to be a critical approach in the last few years because it enables leaders to effectively change the work balance of demands versus resources and critically mitigate risks.  

Smart Work Design is a comprehensive approach to create work environments that uses technology, data, and human-centric principles to establish efficient, adaptable, and people-focused workplaces. It encompasses the organisation of work tasks, activities, relationships, and responsibilities, influencing job satisfaction and performance as well as organisational productivity and safety. 

Developed by Sharon Parker, the SMART Work Design Model outlines five key work characteristics for positive outcomes: 

•  Stimulating: Ensuring work is diverse, engaging, and meaningful. 

•  Mastery: Providing clear objectives, feedback, and a sense of contribution. 

•  Agency: Allowing freedom and control in task management and decision-making. 

•  Relational: Building a supportive network through teamwork and collaboration. 

•  Tolerable demands: Balancing workload to prevent stress and burnout. 

Smart Work Design is built on core principles that include flexible work arrangements for better work-life balance, technological advancements for efficiency, ergonomic workspace design for comfort, data-driven decision-making for strategic planning, and a focus on health and well-being.  

Utilizing the SMART model helps evaluate and enhance workers work design, leading to a more motivated and satisfied workforce. Its impact is deeply rooted in a comprehensive approach deeply anchored in a participative, empowered and multilevel intervention process.  

The benefits of this organisational process are manifold. It boosts productivity by refining processes and focusing on high-value tasks. It minimizes harm by safeguarding against physical and psychological risks. It also emphasizes wellbeing by creating a positive work environment that encourages commitment, creativity, engagement, high performance, and innovation. The cost savings are achieved by the decrease in absenteeism and turnover, and through automation, which significantly reduces operating expenses. 

The case study of Perth hospitals illustrates how small changes in work design can have significant impacts on individual and organisational outcomes. In this hospital were introduce multi-disciplinary surgical briefings before surgery. The purpose of these briefings was to enhance the team’s understanding of each other, clarity of procedures, and cohesion. The results show that the briefings had very positive outcomes for both the team and the hospital, increasing the efficiency of the surgery, reducing the delays by 50% and an annual saving of three million dollars, while improving the engagement, communication, and patient safety. A win win for all involved. 

How can we implement Smart Work Design in our organisations?  

By following these steps, organisations can create a dynamic work environment that aligns with actual business demands while fostering a thriving workforce: 

• Assess Your Current State: Analyse your organisation’s workflow, technology use, and worker’s needs. 
• Define Clear Objectives: Set goals for what you aim to achieve with Smart Work Design. 
• Involvement: Engage your workforce in the design process for valuable insights. 
• Technology Integration: Adopt technologies that automate tasks and facilitate collaboration. 
• Workplace Ergonomics: Create physical spaces that prioritize comfort and safety. 
• Training and Support: Offer resources for individuals to adjust to new environments. 
• Implement Changes: Apply agreed-upon changes across teams. 
• Evaluate: Measure the impact of changes on team outcomes. 
• Feedback Loops: Establish continuous improvement processes based on individual feedback. 

References: 

Davenport, T. H., & Harris, J. (2007). Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning. Harvard Business Review. 

Lang, P. M., & Wynn, M. J. (2014). The Relationship of Lean Management and Six Sigma: Comments and Observations. International Journal of Management Practice, 7(3), 195-210. 

McEwan , A. M. (2016). Smart Working: Creating the Next Wave. Taylor & Francis 

Parker, S. K., & Grote, G. (2020). Work Design Influences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Creating Better Work as a Pathway to Recovery. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 69(4), 1369-1415.(myosh.com) 

Parker, S. K., Rammohan, A., Griffin, M., Flemming, A. F. S., Hamdorf, J., Leung, Y., … Yam, C. (2018). Success in the operating theatre: Multidisciplinary pre-operative briefings for efficiency, patient safety, and staff engagement. Australia. 

 Parker, S. K., & Wang, Y. (2020). The science of work design: A critical review and future research agenda. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 7, 1-30.(dmp.wa.gov.au)