1 Knowledge Workers Knowledge workers: analysts; programmers; researchers; designers; distributers Will they manage themselves? Change in workers requires change in management Davenport, Thomas, H. (2005) Thinking for a Living : How to Get Better Performance and results form Knowledge Workers Boston, Harvard Business Press

2 Change in Management FromTo Overseeing workDoing it too Organising hierarchiesOrganising communities Imposing work design & methods Understanding work design & methods Hiring and firingRecruiting and retaining Building manual skillsBuilding knowledge skills Assessing visible job performance Assessing invisible knowledge achievements Ignoring cultureBuilding a knowledge-friendly culture Supporting the bureaucracyFending off the bureaucracy

3 Some Key Points Re-balancing the doing-managing continuum Many knowledge workers are scattered or work alone or are virtual colleagues – managers need to facilitate communities Redesigning and improving process – inclusive and with discipline Retention through motivation and belonging (involvement, challenge, feedback as well as money)

4 Some Key Points Building a desirable culture for knowledge workers would include (Kanter and Bennis): Fast, up-to-date and responsive to change Flexible and open to change Focused on what matters for success Friendly and fun (work hard-play too) Family i.e. communal sense of purpose and vision Tolerance for different behaviours and approaches to work It’s like herding cats!

5 Getting Results Effective management (performance and satisfaction) More player-managers; for respect as well as flat structures Create and nurture communities.