Education Two Part Assignment

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Workplace Problem 3

Introduction

The pertinent issue of the organization’s workplace deals with employee turnover and stability regarding operations. This issue became very apparent during the COVID-19 outbreak when the organization lost a considerable number of employees, and, in turn, its workforce was considerably reduced. At the same time, many of the recruits were relative novices, with little understanding of the company objectives and work policies; these new personnel inconveniences, reduced productivity, and procedural violations. Fixing this problem necessitates using a systematic problem-solving model, including divergent and convergent problem-solving models and a ‘devil’s advocate’ approach to problem-solving.

Divergent Thinking Process

The cognitive technique for developing multiple solutions to a particular issue is called divergent thinking. It is a fact that this method of problem-solving lets several ideas flow in rapid succession without immediate judgment. To solve the problem of employee turnover, a meeting with colleagues and other stakeholders was held following the brainstorming. The goal of the session was the generation of as many potential solutions as possible while following the rules, which state that one must not say anything wrong about an idea, that there should be a focus on quantity rather than quality, the time limit to complete the session, and improvement of suggestions of other participants. Getting ideas from the participants was easy after they were initially asked to get out of their comfort zone to brainstorm. It was much livelier as the ideas began to pour in. The solutions generated included:

1. Promoting effective onboarding processes such as complete on-board training.

2. Paying reasonable wages and allowances during their contracts or producing cheap products.

3. Improving educational and career training activities.

4. Creating mentorship programs.

5. Increasing organizational culture and climate.

6. Continuing the evaluation of people exiting the organization to get to know the reasons for turnover.

7. Allowing employees to work for shorter hours or establish part-time work.

8. Offering high rates of incentives and fairly treating employees.

9. Laying down a rigid set of promotion standards.

10. Using wellness programs as a means of speaking to the hearts and minds of the workers.

11. Open and accessible working environment practices.

12. Fortifying of team development exercises.

13. Recruiting competent and experienced workers to train fresh members of staff.

14. Performance appraisals and performance feedback sessions are conducted on a frequent and timely basis.

15. Enhancing the communication of organizational goals and functional processes.

These solutions were written down and depicted in mind map form so that the scale of the thinking and the connections between ideas could be seen.

Convergent Thinking Process

Convergent thinking is all about identifying the best solution from the possible solutions. Such an approach necessitates a step-by-step approach involving a critical assessment and categorizing the many invariable ideas to arrive at the most viable solutions. The solutions were reviewed and consolidated into critical themes: recruitment, recruitment consummation and training, physical benefits and inducements, organizational culture, information-sharing, and staff development.

1. Onboarding and Training: Develop extensive onboarding strategies and include efficient guidance to help newcomers understand the company's policy and vision.

2. Employee Benefits: To ensure that they get and retain employees, they should offer better remunerations, provide numerous and attractive employee benefits, and have flexible working hours.

3. Workplace Culture: This means focusing on the best personnel practices in the organization, such as group activities and health consciousness, as well as incentives for the workforce.

4. Communication: There should be coordination and effective feedback on how things are done internally to fix all the necessary concerns.

5. Professional Development: Career mobility for employees and training opportunities within the firm.

The feasibility of each solution was explained in terms of its ability to solve turnover causes and organization inefficiencies. For example, practical orientation can eliminate most problems that emanate from inexperience while providing attractive benefits that will help to discourage employee turnover.

Devil's Advocate Thinking

The devil's advocate technique was used to reinforce the feasibility of the proposed solutions. One of the unique methods involves analyzing the solutions given by evaluating their strengths and weaknesses.

1. Onboarding and Training:

· Why should this solution be implemented? It equips new hires with the necessary knowledge and skills, reducing procedural errors and increasing productivity.

· What could go wrong? Insufficient resources or poorly structured programs could lead to inadequate training.

· Weaknesses and risks: High initial costs and time investment.

· Alternative solutions: Outsourcing training to specialized firms.

· Who might resist? Budget-conscious management.

· Unconsidered factors: The need for continuous evaluation and updates to the training program.

2. Employee Benefits:

· Why should this solution be implemented? Competitive benefits attract and retain talent, reducing turnover.

· What could go wrong? Unsustainable costs if not managed properly.

· Weaknesses and risks: Potential financial strain on the company.

· Alternative solutions: Performance-based incentives.

· Who might resist? Financial officers are concerned about cost implications.

· Unconsidered factors: Balancing short-term costs with long-term gains.

3. Workplace Culture:

· Why should this solution be implemented? A positive culture enhances employee satisfaction and engagement.

· What could go wrong? Superficial initiatives might fail to bring about real change.

· Weaknesses and risks: Potential for cultural changes to be met with skepticism.

· Alternative solutions: External consultancy for culture transformation.

· Who might resist? Employees are resistant to change.

· Unconsidered factors: Need for leadership commitment and consistency.

4. Communication:

· Why should this solution be implemented? Effective communication ensures alignment and addresses issues proactively.

· What could go wrong? Miscommunication or lack of follow-through.

· Weaknesses and risks: Overload of information without clear prioritization.

· Alternative solutions: Implementing communication training programs.

· Who might resist? Employees are overwhelmed by changes.

· Unconsidered factors: Ensuring communication channels are accessible to all.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the following approaches have to be taken on employee turnover and operational efficiency. The primary interventions created through convergent were designing and implementing proper training programs, employee perks and privileges, creating a pleasant work climate, crafting suitable intra-organizational communications structures, and offering opportunities for personal and career growth. Possible limitations were considered with the help of the devil’s advocate system so that the proposed solutions were balanced and sound. The first strategy at this stage is extensive onboarding and training to address the problem. In contrast, the second strategy is the provision of proper remuneration packages to retain employees. The above strategies, a positive working environment, and good communication skills should help solve the problem.