In addition to their own purchasing, teams do their own hiring. Today, teams are directly involved with all phases of the hiring process. In this way, they can bring in workers who fit the team philosophy and add skills that enhance the larger organization. One of the more recent new hires had extensive background in horticulture. Though he didn't have the same skills as the worker he was replacing, the support team felt his knowledge of horticulture would benefit all of them.
Teams set their own standards of performance.
The move to a team-based organization has had another, unexpected result. Under the team design, the worker and his teammates developed the system, made sure it met environmental standards, found the training they required and implemented the program. The program has been a model and has increased safety and worker morale. No change of this magnitude is made overnight without some dislocation of people and processes. Moving from a formal hierarchy to an informal autonomous team has presented three unique challenges both collectively and individually.