Wk 4, IOP 490: Using I/O Psychology to Mitigate Workplace Challenges
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ProjectPortfolioWorkplaceAssessment-TheWholeSystem.pptxProject Portfolio Workplace Assessment - The Whole System
Christine Ledford
University of Phoenix
IOP/490
October 29, 2020
Professor D. Athanassiades
Hello, my name is Christine Ledford. Thank you in advance for your time in reviewing my workplace assessment presentation. This presentation focuses on the whole system approach, its relationship to an organizational issue, and needs assessment. I will suggest strategies and methods needed to apply a successful change.
Introduction
Organizational Issue Overview
Strategies for Performance Improvement related to:
Leadership Style
Organizational culture
Mission, vision, and values alignment
System of management
Decision making
Motivational techniques
Employee morale
Ethics
Communication and feedback
Conclusion
(Pompilii, 2018)
Introduction
Whole system discovery is an option that involves the people that are affected by a specific change in the organization join you in process of discovery, recommendation, decision as well as implementation (Walker, 2014). The key elements of the whole system discovery include specialization, in which the system is divided into small components; groupings, it aid aims at avoiding generating complexity due to increase of specialization; coordination; it is essential to manage the interactions among groups; and emergent properties, dividing a system into subsystems requires recognition and comprehension of why the system as a whole is effective that the sum of its part (System Theory, n.d.).
Many organizations can contribute their success to effective communication. Through effective communication, organizations can reap the benefits of reduced employee turnovers, conflicts, absenteeism, and other negative factors. Communication is the organizational issue that will be addressed. The prosperity of an organization begins with how well the staff communicates. Strategies for performance improvement will be accompanied by a needs assessment.
Organizational Issue Overview
| Communication | |
| Effective | Ineffective |
| Leads to efficiency and success | Impeds on operations |
| Increases employee motivation | Lack of employee job satisfaction |
| Reduces conflict | Conflict |
| Thriving staff relationships | Poor staff relationships |
Organizational Issue Overview
Communication plays a significant role in the development of an organization. It ensures a flow of information between and within departments and leads to efficiency and success. It also contributes to employee motivation and drives them to work more efficiently. Effective communication decrease conflict through sharing information efficiently as well. Thriving staff relationships is beneficial to organizational culture and the success of the organization. Ineffective communication is a critical organizational issue that impedes the smooth running of operations and their final output (Kegeyan, 2016). It results in a number of issues such as lack of job satisfaction among employees, conflicts and derails the realization of a better work future for an organization. This issue also leads to poor staff relationships that are likely to negatively impact organizational culture. According to Eads (2017), organizations that lack cross departmental communication have departments working independently and this segregates relationships across the organization.
Leadership Style
Ability to inspire, prioritize, and promote safety
Influencer
Effective communication skills
(Clark, 2019)
Leadership Style
The effectiveness of leadership is related to the ability of the leader to inspire and prioritize needs that produce a sense of safety. Leadership style is an intentional means through which a leader influences his/her followers in an organization (Gandolfi & Stone, 2018). Although not all leadership styles can lead to a better organizational future, the best styles rely on communication to bring everyone on board in order to realize set organizational objectives. This shows that the choice of a leadership style is a pivotal decision that determines whether communication will be prioritized or not. Communication is therefore an aspect of effective leadership without which it becomes an issue that derails organizational success.
Organizational Culture
Has a shared norms, principles, and values
Determines staff relationships and extent.
Establishes appropriate channels of communication
Influences communication
Focus on cultural variables
Organizational centralization
Leadership behaviors
Job autonomy and control
Psychological safety
(Wong, 2020)
Organizational Culture
Organizational culture is a set of shared norms, principles, and values among people in an organization. It determines how people relate with each other and to what extent. For instance, it dictates how subordinates interact with the top management. It also establishes appropriate channels of communication by removing obstacles to communication. Organizational culture therefore influences communication. Organizations that are keen on establishing proper channels of communication and encouraging openness between and among members build professional relationships that promote growth. An organization can focus on certain cultural variables such as organizational centralization, leadership behaviors, job autonomy and control and psychological safety. These variables can negatively or positively affect organizational communication.
Mission, Vision, and Value Alignment
Determines if communication is prioritized
Mission is the purpose of the organization
Vision is the potential.
Value is the degree in which something is held
(Kolowich Cox, 2018)
Mission, Vision, and Value Alignment
The mission, vision, and values of an organization are the basics that determine whether communication is prioritized or not. Mission is the purpose of an organization while the vision is its potential. Value is related to the degree in which a belief is held, like communication being ranked very important to organizational success. Since communication plays a significant role in the success of an organization, it is important to align the mission, vision, and values to the communication needs to maximize potential. It is important to return to the basics when an organization realizes that it faces communication issues in its operations. It should set these to bring everyone on board so that they are more committed. The mission, vision and, core values will align people with the organization.
System of Management
Refers to policies, procedures, and processes (guiding principles)for day to day operations.
Depends on leadership
An effective system of management prioritizes the right initiatives
(Egger, 2018)
System of Management
System of management refers to a set of policies, procedures, and processes that an organization utilizes in its day to day operations. These policies, procedures, and processes are the guiding principles that direct the achievement of set objectives such as product quality and good customer relations. System of management depends on the types of leadership that can leverage high impact practices such as encouraging communication. Effective leaders will also prioritize communication because they understand that it is integral in meeting performance targets, understanding progress obstacles, and coming up with solutions. An effective system of management will also prioritize the right initiatives while undertaking their responsibilities such as planning, monitoring and organizing.
Decision Making
More efficient with technology
Communication is an issue due to less face-to-face contact caused by technology
Productive organizations make collaborative decisions
Enhances comprehension
Increases the effectiveness of problem solving
(Ohio University, 2020)
Decision Making
Although technology has made decision making within organizations more efficient, there are certain unhealthy practices that hinder the process of effective decision making. For instance, less personal contact among employees and a heightened use of smartphones, emails, and other forms of electronic devices. There is limited face to face communication (Eads, 2017). The most productive organizations make collaborative decisions because they tend to work as teams. Communication is therefore important in the process of making decisions because it enhances the comprehension of the complexity of the decisions that should be made. It also increases the effectiveness of solving problems and thus makes it easier for organizations to make decisions.
Motivational Techniques
Enhance employee engagement
Employee satisfaction
Open and effective communication
Organization giving employees a sense of purpose
(Watts, 2016)
Motivational Techniques
Motivational techniques are the strategies that motivate people, especially employees, within an organization. An organization that looks into motivational techniques understands that employees are an integral part of the organization and that they also have needs that need to be met. Motivational techniques therefore enhance employee engagement and result in employee job satisfaction. Some of these techniques can be identified when there is an open and effective communication within the organization. For instance, the management can let the employees know that they are trusted so that they gain confidence to go about work. The organization can also give the employees a sense of purpose so that they better understand its purpose and potential.
Employee Moral
Communication is an important component
Employees will be more engaged
Employee harmonious relationship with the organization
Enhances job satisfaction
(Moran, 2018)
Employee Moral
Employee morale is the general spirit or feeling among employees in an organization. There are several factors that influence employee morale such as layoffs, stressful work environments, and communication. Communication plays an important role in employee morale. For instance, when there is a two-way positive communication in an organization, employees’ morale is piqued and they become more engaged at work. Employees thrive on communication and they feel happier and more fulfilled when expectations and goals are clearly explained. Communication has a way of preventing common workplace conflicts and therefore results in harmonious relationship within the organization. Communication also enhances job satisfaction among employees without which they will feel frustrated and unproductive.
Ethics
Product of transformational communication
Ineffective communication is a barrier
Has a role in communication mechanisms and behavior
(Mutsvairo, 2016)
Ethics
Ethics is a product of transformational communication which results from effective leadership in an organization. For example, ineffective communication emerges as a barrier to the ethical foundations of an organization (Laužikas & Miliūtė, 2019). This is because communication is usually the bass of developing the mechanisms of participation and transparency which are the foundations of ethics at the workplace. Ethics has a role in the communication mechanisms and behavior of an organization. It begins with managers embracing honesty and transparency in their communication with the employees, customers, and partners. The others are likely to respond with behaviors that mirror the leadership and thus it becomes a norm in the business operations.
Communication and Feedback
Constructive feedback is the product of effective communication
Allows for learning the strengths and weaknesses of strategies to improve
Allows for the realignment of operations with its mission, vision, and values.
(Sommer, 2018)
Communication and Feedback
Constructive feedback is vital in an organization and it is a product of effective communication between employees and the management. Feedback provides opportunities to address the concerns of employees and in the process device mechanisms to improve their morale. It is also an opportunity to learn the strengths and weaknesses of the strategies that are employed by an organization thus enabling them to improve. Feedback allows an organization to go back to the basics and align its operations with its mission, vision, and core values. This shows that without effective communication, an organization may never realize its need for improvement and it may never adjust to measure up to its competition.
Conclusion
Ineffective communication derails morale and productivity
This needs assessment embraces the investment needed in appropriate leadership style
Prioritizing communication will invest in motivational techniques and ethical leadership that encourages feedback.
Feedback is an important component for addressing organizational needs and using creative problem solving.
(World Manager, 2019)
Conclusion
A needs assessment addresses the needs and gaps between a present condition and the desired condition. From my undisclosed workplace, one of the evident issues is ineffective communication which has derailed employees’ morale and ultimately their output. The assessment shows that there is a need to invest in appropriate leadership styles that embrace communication, and the leadership should go back to the basics and focus on the mission, vision and core values of the organization. It goes without saying that an organization that prioritizes communication will invest in motivational techniques and ethical leadership that encourages feedback. Feedback is also an important recipe for understanding the needs of organization and identifying creative ways to improve.
References
Clark, D. (2019). Leadership tips for motivating members. https://hrfloridareview.org/magazine/magazine-archives/item/810-leadership-tips-for-motivating-members
Eads, D. (2017). Changing the climate: Staff development activities that address the real issues, communication in the workplace. North Carolina Libraries, 75(1).
Egger, J. (2018). 5 ways to improve your day-to-day operations now. https://www.volusion.com/blog/5-ways-to-improve-your-day-to-day-operations-now/
Gandolfi, F., & Stone, S. (2018). Leadership, leadership styles, and servant leadership. Journal of Management Research, 18(4), 261-269. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Franco_Gandolfi/publication/340940468_Leadership_Leadership_Styles_and_Servant_Leadership/links/5ea6a029a6fdccd79457ffa9/Leadership-Leadership-Styles-and-Servant-Leadership.pdf
References
Kegeyan, S. E. (2016). Intercultural communication in the workplace and the role of communication in an organization. International Journal of Professional Science, (2). https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/intercultural-communication-in-the-workplace-and-the-role-of-communication-in-an-organization
Kolowich Cox. L. (2018). How to write a great value proposition [infographic]. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/write-value-proposition
Laužikas, M., & Miliūtė, A. (2019). Transformational communication via evolving ethical and moral norms of lithuanian civil service organizations. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 6(4), 1750-1761.
Moran, A. (2018). The importance of employee moral and how to improve it. https://www.careeraddict.com/employee-morale
References
Mutsvairo, B. (2016). Why journalistic ‘balance’ is failing the public. https://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/journalistic-balance-failing-public
Ohio University. (2020). Managerial decision-making with data: The dos and don’ts. https://onlinemasters.ohio.edu/blog/managerial-decision-making-with-data-the-dos-and-donts/
Pompilii, B. (2018). Gear-hands. https://www.lifesciencetraininginstitute.com/building-stronger-community-site-based-research/gears-hands/
Sommer, T. (2018). Giving feedback is hard. Really hard. https://medium.com/redbubble/giving-feedback-is-hard-really-hard-d8f6689b7ebf
System Theory. (n.d.). The systems approach. http://landscapemanagementsystem.org/ecosystem-management/systems.html
References
Walker, L. (2014). Whole system discovery. https://prezi.com/0jthftzeytsm/whole-system-discovery/
Watts, M. (2016). 5 keys of effective communication in the workplace. https://www.independenceplus.com/5-keys-of-effective-communication-in-the-workplace/
Wong, K. (2020). Organizational culture: Definition, importance, and development. https://www.achievers.com/blog/organizational-culture-definition/
