A multifunctional product can perform multiple functions.
Multifunctional is not a term accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) . Its use, however, is very frequent in our language to refer to one or something that can fulfill several functions .
This adjective , therefore, is used to describe a versatile person, capable of developing different tasks or activities effectively. If a sports journalist affirms that a footballer is multifunctional, he will be saying that the athlete in question can occupy various positions on the field of play and thus develop different functions. A player who can play in any position in the middle of the field and also play as a forward will be classified as multifunctional.
Similarly, it is possible to classify as multifunctional a public official who has worked in various areas of the Administration . If the same person worked in the Economy, Health, Tourism and Environment sectors, it could be said that he or she is a multifunctional official.
Multifunction objects
The adjective also applies to devices or objects. A piece of furniture that, depending on its layout, can be used as a sofa, bed or table, is a multifunctional product. The same can be said about the tool that has a screwdriver on one end, a hammer on the other, and a ruler on its surface to make measurements.
Referring to objects, the term polyfunctional is usually used as a synonym for multifunctional or multifunction : “It is a multifunction appliance: it cuts, grinds and chops food,” “The building has a multifunctional room in which you can organize seminars, offer banquets or develop training sessions” .
The multifunctional worker
In most traditional sectors, until a few years ago, the normal thing was the division of labor governed by the so-called functions manual , a kind of encyclopedia that segments production and prevents a person from intervening in the tasks of his colleagues. This has its advantages, such as encouraging specialization and room for growth with a clear focus on one's own functions, but it also leads to an inevitable imbalance in overall activity .
If a worker is prohibited from crossing the boundaries of his or her job to lend a hand to another, he or she is likely to spend slow periods watching his or her colleague fight the clock to finish their tasks on time, and vice versa. Of course, companies that rely on this paradigm can try to fill the gaps with training courses, for example, but that does not solve the problem of the overworked employee , who may see their performance affected by greater attrition.
The multifunctional model brings with it a series of advantages that make the organization of a company much more compatible with the current times, in which customer satisfaction begins with that of the workers and delivery dates are very tight, given that the Competition is fiercer than ever.
A multifunctional employee takes on different tasks.
A form of organization
When talking about a client , we must distinguish between the external (the company or the individual buyer who uses the products and services of a third party) and the internal (any employee who requires the collaboration of another within a company). To guarantee the satisfaction of the first, it is essential to meet the needs of the second, and a multifunctional system is the basis so that no one feels helpless in the most chaotic phases of production.
Although this way of organizing work may seem modern to many sectors, the video game industry began relying on the multifunctional model: its founders were passionate young people who created virtual worlds, characters and music in their bedrooms or garages. Despite its evolution, the multifunctional figure continues to be normal in companies in this sector.