Research
Report
Research
Report
A Review of an Independent Evaluation of the Impact of
The Mansis System on The Government of Canada,
Department of Communications, Central Region, May 1990
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS:
IMPACT AND BENEFITS OF THE MANSIS SYSTEM
In 1990, the Government of Canada, along with Prairie Research Associates Inc., a professional research institute, completed an independent evaluation of the impact of The Mansis System on the operations of the Central Region of the Federal Department of Communications (Communications Canada). [See Reference 1] This was a scientifically designed study of a set of critical factors related to the management of the Central region (which includes Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the North West Territories).
The results of this research study were highly significant and they support the positive impact that The Mansis System can have on the performance of management and the culture of an organization. The government's study concluded that "considerable benefits have resulted from having The Mansis System in place throughout this Region." [See Reference 2]. These results also support the informal research studies undertaken by Mansis and Mansis' clients over the past ten years regarding the benefits of using The Mansis System.
THE MANSIS SYSTEM
The Mansis System is an integrated general management system comprised of interpersonal skills, procedures and forms for leading and managing people. Through the proper use of the System, senior management can ensure that all employees are always fully aware of job expectations and are held accountable for individual performance. The System ensures that timely, valid communication between management and non-management happens and that problems or issues are identified and resolved or prevented. The Mansis System is an effective tool for the head of the organization to define, communicate and develop corporate culture.
RESEARCH BACKGROUND
In February and March of 1988 a national survey of Communications Canada employees was conducted to measure employee attitudes towards their jobs and the Department. The results revealed strong positive attitudes about job interest, job satisfaction, autonomy and friendliness, but low confidence in management, poor communication between management and employees, and an overall negative image of management. It should be noted that the Central Region rated best in Canada - satisfactory to good ratings on many factors but with room for improvement.
In part to address the issues raised in the 1988 study, the Central Region adopted The Mansis System as its management system and started a process to implement the System across the Region in the late summer of 1988.
In June 1989 the Program Evaluation Division of the Department of Communications contracted Prairie Research Associates Inc. to undertake a survey evaluation across the region to measure the impact of the implementation of The Mansis System and, as well, to see if a selection of the 1988 measures had improved. The Program Evaluation Division also conducted interviews with 52.3 % of staff. This project began in the Spring of 1990 and concluded in May 1990.
MAJOR STATISTICAL FINDINGS
The following statistics show many of the significant changes that the study attributes to the implementation and use of The Mansis System since 1988 in the Central Region of Communications Canada. The survey had a 91% response rate.
The following 4 major human resource criteria were rated from medium to very high by the noted percentage of employees:
[1] There is now good two-way communication and exchange of ideas between management and non-management. (98%)
[2] Employees' roles and jobs are clear. (96%)
[3] Employees are aware of what the supervisor expects. (93%)
[4] There is good performance feedback from management to non-management. (92%). Even though the Region had good ratings in the 1988 survey, the following percentage of employees agreed, to strongly agreed, that these factors had improved by 1990. Research interviews which followed the survey indicated that not perceiving an improvement in a factor often meant that the factor was initially perceived to be satisfactory and not needing improvement.
[5] Mansis has improved my relationship with my supervisor. (76%)
[6] I am better able to communicate direction to those who work for me because of the Mansis System. (63%)
[7] Managers and supervisors are more confident in their ability to manage employees well, compared to two years ago. (60%)
[8] Management finds it easier to provide direction. (50%)
[9] Managers find that employees are more receptive to direction. (50%)
The next set of figures relate to statements from the 1988 survey that had statistically significant improvements in the 1990 survey. In the 1990 survey, almost all of the measures which also appeared in the 1988 survey, showed improvement. Those noted in the charts, however, showed the strongest improvement.
| aaaaaaaaaa |
1988 National Average |
1988 Central Region |
1990 Central Region |
Central Region % Improvement, |
Potential National Average Improvement |
|
Que. 1 |
89.5 |
91.1 |
98.3 |
7.9 |
9.8 |
|
Que. 2 |
80.4 |
83.7 |
97.5 |
16.5 |
21.3 |
|
Que. 3 |
60.0 |
65.9 |
81.5 |
23.7 |
35.8 |
|
Que. 11 |
38.7 |
53.0 |
78.3 |
47.7 |
102.3 |
|
Que. 18 |
51.3 |
55.7 |
72.0 |
29.3 |
40.4 |
|
Que. 25 |
40.6 |
52.9 |
77.9 |
47.3 |
91.9 |
|
Que. 27 |
77.6 |
77.0 |
84.8 |
10.1 |
9.3 |
|
Que. 28 |
37.5 |
51.3 |
58.8 |
14.6 |
56.8 |
|
Que. 46 |
10.5 |
18.2 |
33.9 |
86.3 |
222.9 |
** agreeing with a positive statement or disagreeing with a negative statement
|
Que. 1 |
Most of the time I know what I have to do in my job |
|
Que. 2 |
My duties are so unclear that I don't always know what I'm supposed to do. |
|
Que. 3 |
I am confused about what this Department is supposed to do. |
|
Que. 11 |
Management encourages me to make suggestions for improvement. |
|
Que. 18 |
I know the goals of my Department well. |
|
Que. 25 |
My superior ignores suggestions and complaints from people at my level. |
|
Que. 27 |
I usually know if my work is satisfactory. |
|
Que. 28 |
The way things are here one can't put much confidence in management. |
|
Que. 46 |
To what extent does your Dept have a real interest in the welfare of those who work here? |
CONCLUSIONS QUOTED FROM GOVERNMENT REPORT
FROM THE SURVEY:
>> Overall, almost 80 percent indicated that they participate in regular communications with their superiors.
>> The vast majority of respondents indicated that their supervisors made sure that they have direction, yet respondents also feel that they can make suggestions and, in fact, feel that management encourages such participation.
>> Over 80 percent were positive about the direction and consultation in the Central Region.
>> Over 80 percent of respondents thought the communication to them from those they supervise was good or extremely good. Almost two-thirds thought the communication from their supervisor was good or extremely good.
>> Overall, almost 80 percent rated their understanding of Departmental goals as high.
>> Between 40 and 60 percent of those who responded agreed that things had changed for the better in the last two years. For example, almost 60 percent of respondents felt more confident in their ability to manage employees well, and 40 percent felt they were receiving clearer direction from their supervisors than they did two years ago.
>> There is great acceptance of the Mansis System among managers and supervisors. These two groups appear to have "bought in". The majority of non-management personnel generally accept Mansis and see benefits.
>> Although all these changes cannot be attributed to the Mansis System directly, it appears to have played a role. The attitudes of respondents and the improvements in these attitudes since 1988 must, at least in part, result from the new management system. Mansis appears to be performing as intended.
FROM THE INTERVIEWS:
>> Mansis has raised the consciousness levels of employees. Employees are now learning to bring problems to their supervisor's attention, thus supervisors are now more aware of what really goes on in their units.
>> Managers and supervisors feel that it is much easier to deal with problems and with difficult employees now (e.g. "you can plan out what you are going to say and not be angry ... it forces you to be constructive and come up with something to do rather than just rant").
>> Employees made comments indicating they felt more confident now (e.g. "knowing where you are at in terms of performance improves your confidence") and felt more encouraged by management.
>> Many managers and supervisors felt their confidence in themselves as managers and supervisors has increased. Mansis has forced this group of employees to think through their direction and communication to staff to ensure that nothing is left out.
>> Employees also saw many benefits at appraisal time because Mansis ensures that you have a record of what you've done over the year, plus a record of your concerns and what has happened as a result of airing these concerns. For some employees, the best thing about having Mansis in place is that they now hear the words 'thank you' in the office. Finally, employees appreciated the opportunity to be able to express their concerns to their supervisors with the knowledge that the supervisor then has to act on these concerns.
>> Clearly there are a large number of benefits experienced by employees as a result of using Mansis. These ranged from more opportunities to communicate and being better able to deal with problems and conflict to ensuring that appraisals are more representative of a full year's work.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE MANSIS SYSTEM
The focus of the Department of Communication's study was to identify attitude changes since 1988 in a selection of factors and to assess the implementation of The Mansis System. The results of that study directly or indirectly support the following conclusions which complement Mansis' experience with The Mansis System over the past 10 years.
[1] Even very good organizations can improve dramatically by implementing and using The Mansis System!! The Central Region was the best region of Communications Canada, with very good ratings on many of the factors assessed in 1988. Yet many operationally and statistically significant improvements were experienced by the majority of Central Region employees in 1990.
[2] The Mansis System is an effective tool for senior management, and especially for the head of an organization, to implement a mission statement, to change a culture and, in this case, to get an entire region to progress. Federal Government bureaucracy is perceived by some to be reactionary, uncontrollable, unmanageable and not responsive to change. This perception is often a self-fulfilling prophecy of those who have not been able to implement change and/or those who fear change and the unknown. Despite these presumed barriers to improvement, positive changes in perceptions, attitudes and practices occurred over a year and a half period, across an entire region.
[3] The CEO or head of the organization must model and mandate the use of the full System throughout the organization and, in particular, with all the executive and senior management. Not doing this perpetuates distrust and cynicism among non-management employees, especially those associated with the managers not fully using the System. Failure by a senior manager to properly use and model the System or to mandate its use has a dramatic impact on the attitudes and activity of non-management employees two or more levels below the senior manager.
[4] The Mansis System is a very effective system for encouraging and soliciting ideas and feedback from employees, and thereby incorporating the act of suggesting improvement as a normal part of work. As this study showed, this happens because:
>> confidence in management increases;
>> management's self-confidence increases, especially related to dealing with employees;
>> all employees (over 90% in this study) have a much clearer understanding of the expectations of their individual jobs, and a much clearer understanding of the objectives of the Department;
>> communication between management and non-management increases, and becomes a planned mandated activity.
[5] Detailed, thorough orientation of all employees to the use and benefits of The Mansis System must be a high priority activity when implementing the System, and not left to chance or to the discretion of a front-line supervisor.
[6] Attempts to ignore parts of the full Mansis System or to use only the parts of the System a manager feels comfortable with, seriously reduces the effectiveness of the System and demonstrates inequity or double-standards to the workforce. This study showed the negative impact on employee attitude and management performance when a few managers, for whatever reason, dilute or misuse the System.
[7] Implementing and mandating The Mansis System can expose management and non- management employees who are unsuited for their current positions, because of their temperament and personality, or their deficiencies in skills and innate abilities.
CHANGES TO THE MANSIS SYSTEM SINCE THIS STUDY
Since this study in 1990, The Mansis System has continued to evolve and improve as it is implemented into new organizations and modified. In particular, a Window-based software version of The Mansis System has been developed, partly in response to the reaction of many clients to the use of paper and the need for documentation, and also to benefit from the great advantages of computer network technology.
REFERENCES
[1] Prairie Research Associates Inc. "Results of a Survey of Employees; Central Region;
Mansis Evaluation: Final Report." Prepared for Department of Communications, Government of Canada, May 28, 1990.
[2] Program Evaluation Division, Department of Communications, Government of Canada, Use of The Mansis System In The Central Region: Interview Study, May 1990
For a review of the theoretical development of The Mansis System purchase your copy of : The Mansis System: Common Sense Management for Everyone
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