How Quality Circles Are Structured

It is a group of employees of the same institution or company who perform similar tasks and who voluntarily meet regularly, during working hours, to identify the causes of problems in their jobs and propose solutions to the management.
Their meetings generally last about an hour and are held once or twice a week during or after normal business hours. Members of a quality circle usually receive overtime pay if they meet after the work is completed. They normally receive eight or more hours of formal training in decision-making and group processes, knowledge that they apply in their meetings. It is not common for quality circles to have the authority to execute the solutions they propose, without submitting them to management's consideration. Quality circles were an organizational fad of the 1980s, but today they are replaced by teams with the authority to decide and act. Empowerment streamlines decision-making, reduces the need to turn to many administrators and generates greater commitment to the team and a greater sense of responsibility over the results.

There are characters in charge of the development of the Quality Circles:
The Facilitator.- He or she is responsible for directing the activities of the circles and attending their meetings. He serves as a link or pathway between the circles and the rest of the institution and reports to a high authority that supports the idea of ​​quality control circles.
Other responsibilities include training leaders and forming other circles within the organization. Get external technical assistance when required.

The Quality Circle Leader.- He is the natural head of the work group and at the same time the symbol of the support of the management, direction or leadership. Their absence from the quality circles, in one way or another, is always detrimental to the process. Over time, the members of the quality circle will choose the leader they prefer the most according to their agreements; in the meantime and until this happens, the supervisor will be the one generally chosen.

The leader's activities include: Creating a meeting environment that encourages participation. Use interaction techniques that give everyone the opportunity to speak so that all points of view are heard. Work with the team to help them make decisions without conflict. Ensure that someone is in charge of carrying out the decisions and agreements made by the quality circle. Follow up on the proposals and resolutions taken.

Instructor.- Organizes and conducts training courses for operating personnel, supervisors and heads of the circles, as well as for the employees who are members of the circles and advisers. Initially, the courses are aimed at explaining the functions that each one must perform within the process, then the training is oriented to the use of tools and techniques for the identification and resolution of problems.

Advisor.- Advises the circles and in particular the leaders, on the way in which meetings should be handled, solving problems and presenting cases to management. The advisor attends all the meetings of the circles assigned to him, meets privately with her leaders before and after each meeting with the purpose of helping them organize and assess their progress, and provides support in terms of training materials study.

The expert.- Is the one who, due to his scientific or technical knowledge, is empowered to determine the feasibility of the solution or measure proposed by the quality circle.