Purpose of Assignment The purpose of this assignment is to provide students with an opportunity to apply communications theories, research, and conversation with class colleagues to actual business situations, through the development of applicable strategies. Assignment Steps Resources: Reading Materials Week 3’s Learning Team discussion Additional research Write a 1,050 to 1,225-word paper on the communications and group behavioral issues identified during your Learning Team’s discussion that might arise in an organization hiring employees for their first job. Analyze issues identified Include strategies to address these issues Support discussion with solid rationale (research and/or workplace experience/examples) Format your assignment consistent with APA guidelines. Team Notes Below here are the major points/headers from the discussions earlier in the week: Workforce maturity- younger employees do not necessarily have career goals; might not be interested to grow or learn. Might not have the resilience to mature; just go with the flow or walk out. Focus on the paycheck over the job High attrition rate- crew turnaround can cause team and leadership issues. Can cause management to deemphasize extensive training and be more practical – jump-to-task. Management maturity- In-store management may not facilitate growth or foster teamwork. Managers might not be that far along in development compared to everybody else in the team. Cohesion within the management team was cited as an issue (from experience)… no good handover between shifts Franchise Scenario- conflicting goals between the parent corp and the franchisee can lead to mixed signals for the employees (Eg. Priorities – completing required training v. immediately taking over a cash register) What metrics are important? Lack of reliable vision/direction- Store managers focused on day-to-day operations only. No development plan/strategy

 

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Communications, Group Behavioral Issues and Strategies

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Communications and Group Behavioral Issues and Strategies

Workforce Maturity

The young employees who were hired are not driven by career development and growth. Most of them operate under the philosophy of the paycheck. The loyalty is to the immediate gratification. So long as they can pay bills for the basic needs, the job is good to go. Additionally, some of them do not have good motivation to deliver beyond the job description and job specification. Some did not show much interest in growth, learning or resilience to mature. All they follow is to go by the books with much focus on their paychecks overwork.

It is imperative for the organization to realize in such a working force, it is the responsibility of the management to align the ambitions of every employee with those of the organization (Armstrong, & Taylor, 2014). From the first instance, the organization must build an organizational culture that will attract like-minded employees. The employees would like to work in such an environment due to shared values or due to the culture of the organization. Organizational culture makes the working environment conducive for everybody. Secondly, the organization must work on employee motivation to work.

Motivation must be on a different scale depending on the reward system. For instance, since most of the young people like their paychecks over the job, they must be motivated to work more to get more money. It entails overtime work. Additionally, they should be rewarded in competition for best employee of the year, the personality of the month or other possible schemes. Tuition fees, training, seminars, medical insurance, and an elaborate work-life balance would help the young people love working for the organization and look at it beyond next pay, (Armstrong, & Taylor, 2014).  Mentoring programs would help employees know that the organization has better plans for them regarding longevity within the organization.

High attrition rate

The rate of attrition can be high or low depending on some issues. Two trends are popular about attrition. First, staff can be reduced, and productivity minimized through unfavorable working conditions or poor treatment of employees. Secondly, it can happen through natural means of employee retirement, resignation or elimination of a particular position.  As such, attrition is a significant problem that if not addressed can affect the profit margins of an organization.

Bratton, & Gold, 2017 state that one of the major causes of high rate of attrition in an organization is lack of acknowledgment of employees by management. In new business, the management is often focused on profits and operations of the organization without putting much emphasis on employees. If an employee doesn’t feel part of a team, a higher chance is, she/he will leave. Additionally, if employees don’t see the advancement opportunities within a firm, they are likely to go. Reward system is also part of the reasons why employees can quit working for an organization or can demotivate them thus reduced productivity.

It is therefore imperative for organizations to be recognizing the hard work of their employees and have a comprehensive reward system for them. They can be taken on a paid leave, bought for gifts, take dinner with the CEO or recognized on the company magazine. Bonuses, pay raise, or promotions also works in employee motivation. It is important for the management to have democratic leadership styles, transactional and transformational traits of leadership to mentor new employees, listen to their issues and advise them accordingly. The result of an empowered employee is a turnaround which would make the leader trust their employees and make them free in decision making, planning and execution of their duties with minimal intervention.

Management Maturity

The management of an organization is fully responsible for the team cohesion, team spirit and working to realize organizational goals and objectives (Bratton, & Gold, 2017). As such, it is essential for the management to be open with the team, inform, instruct, and show the leadership. First, if the management is isolated, the employees are not able to have the bigger picture of the organization. There will be a disconnect between the vision, mission and periodic objectives of the firm and the implementation of procedures and operations.

To realize team cohesion, the management must invest in team building and good relations within the organization. First, the management needs to invest in a communication system that will see information flow from the management to employees and from employees to the management. The management should also create a forum like seminars, retreat and team building session that can bond the management team and the entire workforce. When there is a good relation in the workforce, communication would be easy. Additionally, the management must create a good organizational culture that will see employees motivated and follow a channel without supervision.

Franchise Scenario

Organizations always seek to expand in some issues like expansion in the product line, opening other branches or expanding geographical locations. Mergers, partnerships, and acquisitions are mostly used to meet such targets (Goetsch, & Davis, 2014). In either case, it is essential within the contract signing to establish limits and scope of operations. Additionally, the employees should be given directions on their new job descriptions and specifications.

What is significant to do in the case of an acquisition or merger, the parent company and the franchise should have a modus operandi on a daily basis like a hierarchy. Conversely, the two teams must set up a method of a takeover which should be done in faces. It is advisable for the parent corporation to do an internal audit first before taking over the accounts or cash register. Also, it would be prudent for employees to be trained in their new designations and job specifications given to them. When employees have been trained in their jobs, they can deliver results and indicate where there are problems or anomalies. Secondly, the training of employees is significant since it will allow the employees from both firms to interact and form a team under new management. Additionally, the communication system to be developed to ensure relations are maintained and a good organizational culture entrenched (Goetsch, & Davis, 2014). Taking over must thus be done in phases.

Lack or Reliable Vision/Direction

The store managers who are focused on a day to day operations and sales are do not have a focused vision. Such operations are short-term and might lead to an immediate profit. However, when looking at the long-term effects, the business might go out of the market due to competition from rivals, government policies, and out of touch with consumer needs and preferences.

Bryson 2018 posit that any business operation is important that they develop a strategic plan. It means the organization must have a vision of where they want to take the company. The business must have a mission, the issues it seeks to address and how. The business is supposed to have objectives, both short-term and long-term with roadmaps to achieving such objectives. Both the employees and the management are supposed to be a preview of such plans. A good vision and mission for an organization will drive growth. A company is, therefore, able to have a competitive edge against rivals, predict market trends and meet consumer needs and expectations hence customer loyalty.

 

References

Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers.

Bratton, J., & Gold, J. (2017). Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave.

Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations: A guide to strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement. John Wiley & Sons.

Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. B. (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.