Organizational Behavior: Implementing Progressive Changes

Organizational Behavior: Implementing Progressive Changes

Organizational behavior provides several methodologies to help today’s businesses improve their overall operations.  Several have been explored over recent years, but none as much as incentive-based practices to help increase the likelihood of positive results.  The organization I mostly identify with is one that currently employs me.  There several major issues which feeds lower moral: wages, leadership engagement styles, and overall communications.  The target organization for this paper operates as division under the U.S government.  Wages for this organization are competitive for industry which it operates within, but somewhat less than the national averages, when closely examined.  The cultural appears to be rooted in outdated ways of the thinking with a heavy emphasis on pay and benefits to improve employee retention.  However, this has proven unsuccessful with highly qualified personal leaving at an increased rate of departure.  This is because there is no true vehicle for actively engaging the workforce.  The organization’s management style is lead from the top down with little to no input from lower-level workers.  In a recent gallop poll, it is revealed, a huge proportionate number of US workers are not satisfied with their current employment; mainly from lack of engaging work environments.  “Just 13% of employees are engaged in their jobs -- they are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace.  The remaining 87% of employees are either not engaged or indifferent -- or even worse, actively disengaged and potentially hostile -- to their organizations” (O’Boyle, E. and Harter, J.).  Why do employees make the decision to remain in unengaging work environments?  Scientist, believe this a matter of choice in some cases.  The lack of understanding impacts our decisions and goes beyond passive choices.  They can provide pathways to what really matters far beyond monetary compensation.  These are keys to compiling issues which can easily be addressed with measureable results through efforts to promote progressive change.

Discussion

Notwithstanding, all research has limitations.  The foundation of this paper of is based on first hand observations as I am thoroughly acquainted on the culture and environment; having been exposed to it over several years. Suggestions offer a combination solutions based on research materials and readings to support the topic.

Progressive Change

Having identified the key underlying issues with the target organization as wages, management practices and communications, I offer solutions which will prove beneficial if implemented. First, to address wages I suggestion that the organization increase them across the board for the entire work force.  This would not adversely affect the organization because as a non-profit entity, operating under the government, they donate all profits every fiscal year to another non-profit.  Profits yearly range from 50 to 80 million dollars after operating expenses.  Most of the workforce, having knowledge of the organization’s bottom line, doesn’t agree with wages which are thousands of dollars less than the national average.  This case proves that a small marginal increase would help the organization take wages off the table to address other key areas important to progressive-organizational change.  Leadership practices, specifically feedback intervention is widely used by this organization.  It is proven effective but where this practice fails is how the organization incorporates workforce feedback towards improving the work environment.  Often, suggestions to aid in the success of the organization are rarely taken under advisement; with not action to follow.  “Employees may be reluctant to spearhead organizational change, discount their own role in subordinates’ performance failures, and fail to speak up in the face of wrongdoing”-(Bohns, V.K. and Flynn, F.J); this is especially the case when employees feel that their input is not take seriously or put into action.  My suggestion for this organization is to spearhead change by starting with minor decisions render from the middle-up approach.  Allow the employee collective, to include supervisors and entry-level management to make decisions on how the organization should act or react as it pertains to certain operational efforts.  This will increase moral and employee buy in.  This must include verifiable and measureable results that the employees themselves can validate. Thirdly, this leads to improved communications within the organization.   No operation can run effectively without proper internal and external lines of communication and practices.   Improving communications will in turn improve employee input and retention.  Engaging the workforce will improve employee retention and moral. When employees’ feel as though they are contributing towards a greater good, something bigger than themselves, they take pride in how they played apart towards the organization’s success.  “This would allow them experience a shared cognitive reality that encourages members to adopt a primary definition of the “self” in collective terms rather than individualistic terms” (Tongo, C.L.).  A purposeful mode which increases communications touching all facets of how an organization operates will be well worth it; improving relations, services and overall operations with a combination of both written communications, face-to-face meetings and surveys will serve to improve understanding across all departments to lessen distortion and decrease uncertainty.  “Distortions, ambiguities, and incongruities between verbal and nonverbal messages all increase uncertainty and reduce satisfaction” (Judge, T.A., and Robbins S.P). Implementing these small changes, supported by outside research and polls, can greatly improve any work environment. Organization must endeavor to always evaluate their efforts, to include employees from all divisions, to cultivate a solid plan of action; motivating the workforce is a moving target but it is not impossible.