Quality circles
Quality circles emerged from American manufacturing processes and focused the involvement of all workers associated with the execution of a particular task.
The approach has as its objectives of improving communication between all task participants to improve efficiency.
Quality circles of workers can also be tasked with problem identification and resolution, working conditions improvement, empowering key workers to use their own creative skills so as to improve team morale and commitment.
Quality circles are usually restricted in size to 7 or 8 people who meet together on a volunteer basis and select their own champion who can represent the group when interacting with others.
Such groups may need resources invested in them by employers via team building and leadership skill development
Effective quality circles, when working well, can generate a ‘feel good’ factor that helps to create a dynamic and committed work force and such benefits have a clear benefit for quality in terms of processes and product