Issues between Organizations

and Individuals

ways in which organizational policies and practices influence individuals

rights of privacy

discipline

job enrichment – quality of work life

responsibility of individuals to their organizationshow people seek personal power over others, interact with them, engage in and resolve conflict

ways in which organizational

policies and practices influence

individuals

Model of Legitimacy of Organizational Influence

highlegitimacy

moderatelegitimacy

moderatelegitimacy

lowlegitimacy

on-the-job

off-the-job

job-related

not job-related

Typ

e o

f C

on

du

ct

The power of business to regulate employee conduct off-the-job is very limited.

The basic relationship is as follows:The more job-related one’s conduct is when off the job, the more support there is for organizational influence on the employee.

Rights of Privacy

Primarily related to organizational invasion of a

person’s private life

Unauthorized release of confidential information about a

person in the way that would cause harm or suffering.

relevance

•Only necessary, useful information should be recorded and maintained.

recency

•Obsolete information should be removed periodically

Some Policy guidelines relating to privacy that organizations are using:

Some Policy guidelines relating to privacy that organizations are using:

notice

•No personal data system unknown to employee should be used

fiduciary duty

•The keeper of the information is responsible for its security

Some Policy guidelines relating to privacy that organizations are using:

confidentiality

• * Information should be released only to those who have a need to know

• * Release of information outside the organization should occur only with the employee’s permission

Due process

• The employee should be able to examine records and challenge them if they appear incorrect

Protection of the psyche

• The employee’s inner self should not be invaded or exposed except with prior consent and for compeling reasons

Business activities that may involve employee rights of privacyLie detectors/

honesty testingPersonality tests

Location trackers

Medical examinations

Alcoholism treatment

Lifestyle monitoring

Treatment of drug abuseSurveillance devices

Computer data banks

Confidential records

Genetic screening/ biometric data

Inquiry into personal relationships

are not considered to be undue infringement on privacy if they are known to employees and have compelling job reasonsA fast food chain installed in a number of its

stores. the surveillance camera photographed the cash register whenever it is open. Employees knew that it was there to control theft, although it also could photograph robberies. The cameras worked effectively, providing an unexpected increase of about 10% in receipts.

Electronic sensor badges, electronic monitoring

Surveillance devices

Electronic sensor badges

Electronic

monitoring

Cybersurfing• cyberloa

fers• cyberslo

ckers

Surveillance devices

Polygraph - an instrument that was used to detect when a person tells a significant lie. Use was questionable because of issues on

validity and privacyPaper and pencil tests – also known as

integrity tests attempt to get the respondent to disclose information about hi/her previous or prospective honestyOvert tests - inquire about attitude toward

theftPersonality –based tests – indirectly identify

dishonest individuals by relating scores on personality-based tests to a theft criterion

Honesty Testing

Alcoholism and Drug AbuseAbuse of drugs and alcohol, particularly if used at work, may cause severe problems for the individual, the employer and other employees.

In some job situations such as those of a pilot, surgeon, railroad engineer or crane operator, the effect of alcohol and drug abuse can be disastrous.

Impairment testing –usually consists of a brief motor-skills test performed on a computer; the test is much like playing a video game.

Allows the use of medical tests results to accurately predict whether an employee may be genetically susceptible to one or more types of illnesses or harmful substances.

Generic Monitoring – identifies harmful substances in the workplace, examines their effects on genetic makeup of employees and provides basis for corrective action

Genetic testing

Discipline

Discipline

PreventiveEncourage

employees to follow rules

best done by making company standards

known and understandable in

advance

CorrectiveDiscourages

further infractions

Action that follows an

infraction of a rule

ProgressiveGives the

employee an opportunity for self-correction

Gives management time to work with an employee on a

counseling basis to help correct infractions

1 •to reform the offender

2 •To deter others from similar actions

3 •To maintain consistent, effective group standards

A Progressive Discipline System

Verbal reprimand by supervisor

Written reprimand with a record in the personnel’s 01 file

1 – 3 days suspension from work

Suspension for one week or longer

Discharge for cause

Quality of Work Life

QWL refers to the favorableness or unfavorableness of a total job environment for people.Another way in which organizations recognize their

responsibility to develop job and working conditions that are excellent for people as well as for the economic health of the organization

Includes many items of supportive organizational behavior such as:Open communicationsEquitable rewards system Concern for employee job security and satisfying careersCaring supervisorParticipation in decision-making, etc.

Quality of Work Life

Quality of Work Life

development of employee skills,

reduction of

occupational

stress

development of

more cooperat

ive labor-

management

relations

QWL usually emphasizes:

Quality of Work Life: A Rationale

Difficulties that developed from Classical Job Design

Excessive division of

labor

Workers become socially

isolated

Highly specialized jobs weakened

workers’ community interest in the whole

product

Higher-order needs became unsatisfied•Higher turnover•Absenteesim•Decline in quality•Alienated workers

The job itself was not

satisfying

Two reasons employers have in redesigning jobs and organizations for a better QWL:

Classical design originally gives inadequate attention to human

needs.

The needs and aspirations of workers were changing.

The modern interest in quality of work life was stimulated through efforts to change the scope of people’s jobs in attempting to motivate them. JOB SCOPE has two dimensions:

Job enlargement vs. Job enrichment

Job breadth

• The number of different tasks an individual is directly responsible for

Job enlargement

• Employees with narrow job breadth are given a wider variety of duties in order to reduce the monotony.

Job enrichment

• Adds additional motivators to the job to make it more rewarding; developed by Frederick Herzberg

• Adds depth to a job by giving workers more control, responsibility and discretion over how their job is performed

Job enlargement vs. Job enrichment

Job enrichment

Job enrichment

and enlargement

Routine jobJob

enlargement

Higher order

Lower order

few many

Acc

en

t o

n

need

s(f

ocu

s on

d

ep

th)

Number of tasks(focus on breadth)

Benefits of Job EnrichmentJOB ENRICHMENT BENEFITS

Individual

Growth

Self-actualization

Job satisfaction

Organization

Intrinsically motivated employees

Better employee performance

Less absenteeism and turnovers; lower grievances

Society

Full use of human resources

more effective organizations

Job characteristic approach developed by J. Richard Hackman and Greg OldhamFive CORE DIMENSIONS:

Skill varietyTask identityTask significanceAutonomyfeedback

How can jobs be enriched?

•Allows employees to perform different operations that often require different skillsSkill variety

•Allows employees to perform a complex piece of the workTask identity

•Amount of impact, as perceived by the worker, that the work has on other peopleTask significance

•Gives employees some discretion and control over job related decisionsAutonomy

•Information that tells workers how well they are performing•Can be positive or negativeFeedback

Core dimensions of job enrichment

Social Cues Affect Employee Reactions to Tasks

Objective task

characteristic

Social cues - supportive; counteractin

g

Perceived task characteristic (e.g. Skill variety)

Employee attitude and behavior (e.g. Motivation, turnover)

The Individual’s Responsibilities

to theOrganization