Community of Practice (CoP) by their informal nature, members are usually a group of workers who have a common issue and regularly meet to discuss issues, solutions, technological challenges or advances and such things related to their common interests.
Workers are a source of innovation as they form the knowledge capital of an organization. Through a CoP, workers have a common form of identity to discuss issues emanating from any organizational effort. A process improvement activity has it own challenges and if care is not taken, the whole effort will crash like a pack of cards if not supported. A process that is created, driven and supported by the workforce will not be allowed to fail. It is not enough to train employees after the purchase of a package if they are not included in the improvement effort or introduced to the advantage of the new system or process. For effective performance, employees should be allowed to work in groups and freely associate. One greater advantage of the inclusion and participation of workers in change management, process development or any project that affects the positive development of the organization is that suspicion between management and employees are reduced. This breeds workplace harmony, employee loyalty and innovation. On several occasions and in many instances, employees as a group have come up with innovative ideas that have changed for the better the fortunes of their workplaces. New product development, time and material saving strategies and such other ideas are been championed daily by employees.
The insistence on compliance of policies that are alien to staff could lead to workplace tyranny. Staff may not only revolt, but it may also cause a great disaffection between senior management and lover level employees. Even if such projects or policies are aimed at improving the lot of the end-users, their non-inclusion at the right stages may lead to the creation of a defective process. The history of law itself reveals that the law is an extract of the people’s culture and unwritten acceptable level of behavior. Organizations review their workplace manuals from inputs from their employees, make members a part of various workplace committees in order to secure this similar commitment of supporting and strengthening.
Global organizations have networks for people who work in the same unit, perform similar tasks or share common interests. Strategically managed, these knowledge networks, social groups or CoPs are essential in the smooth running of their various organizations. Some CoPs have regular tele/video conferences to address workplace challenges, discuss common interests or just share ideas. Groups of professionals through their networks work for the advancement of their profession. In so doing, they document and share best practice and even form a standard enforcing body. The International Institute of Business Analysts, Project Management Institute, other certification bodies and organizations were at one stage or the other a network of professionals.
To promote support, efficiency, waste reduction and desired improved process, it is expedient that people (staff, employees or even clients) who are going to use the process or system or those that will directly benefit from the implementation be involved in the development of such process, program or system at all levels of the implementation
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