Scenario of human resource development consultancy in the company
I am reflecting on my role as a consultant human resource development officer. I worked as an independent and private consultant manger offering human resources related strategies and advices. I am reflecting on one of my challenging tasks, which was to provide human resource strategies to medium sized business with ten principal partners. Although the company was experiencing constant growth rate and high returns, it was experiencing several human resource related challenges. Furthermore, the growth rate and return levels of the company attracted potential employees but the company could not retain them. The company was also experiencing an increased staff turnover, lack of motivation, low morale and poor team relations within the company. The company was facing these challenges despite having been in business operation for the past 25 years, which is quite a long time for a company to experience such human resource related challenges.
The control of the organization was based on the individual shares of the partners in the company. The highest shareholder had the authority to control several aspects of the company. Senior partners expected high returns without consideration of the social responsibility of the company, and development of an effective human resource system or structure. According to the informed given by the senior partner in the company, I concluded that the company lacked mission and structure. The company lacked appropriate and effective strategic plans. Strategic planning and management is an important factor in the management and operation of a business entity because it provides for alternatives in case of uncertainties in business operation. The partners were also comfortable with their current earnings hence did not work towards future plans, which also worsened the situation.
There were several areas that I ascertained that the company had not effectively addressed, which led to the problems facing the company currently. Generally, the company lacked an effective and operational human resource system, an established and effective performance management, team development and reward system. This led to communication breakdown within the organization, which led to divided loyalty or cooperation towards the achievement of common goals. The company could easily loose its competent employees to rival companies that were able to offer higher remuneration. Therefore, if the company expected to survive, contain competition and maintain its return levels, it must develop and establish effective and realistic human resource strategies.
Impact of scenario events on attitudes and perceptions of employees
Business management is a challenging factor and practice. The scenario above affected the perceptions and attitudes of employees within the organization directly in several ways. Perception is a process of receiving, organizing and interpreting information in an environment. Attitude affects the perceptions of individuals in an environment setting (Punjaisri & Wilson 2007). Moreover, perception also affects the personality, needs, motives, values and experiences of individuals (Wood, Zeffane, Fromholtz, & Fitzgerald 2006).
The scenario described above affected employees of the organization in several ways. The employees felt that the organization did not appreciate their services and efforts towards the achievement of the goals and objectives of the company. The low remuneration was the cause for this thought among employees, which led to low morale. The values of employees were affected negatively due to the strategies of the organization. Value management is imperative for attitude management; hence employees expect to be respected by the employer. Moreover, they expect the employer to appreciate their contribution towards the development of the company and the achievement of the goals and objectives (Waddell, Cummings, & Worley 2000).
There are several factors that motivate employees to work better in an organization. However, pay is also a contributing factor in employees’ motivation. The employees felt that the pay offered by the company was not realistic considering their duties and responsibilities. The most important aspect in a working environment is job satisfaction. However, the employees were not satisfied with their job based on several factors. On the other hand, the management thought that the pay package was effective based on the economic situation, and perceived the unmotivated employees as unappreciative. This led to the existence of different perceptions in the working environment (Northcraft & Neal 1994).
There are several instances that led to differences in perception in the organization between the employees and the employer. The organization lacked an established and operational objectives and strategy guideline. The operations of employees in an organization are guided by the strategies and objectives of an organization. Moreover, an organization requires a mission statement, which employees adhere to towards the realization of the goals and objectives of the organization, while fulfilling social responsibility requirements (Wood, Zeffane, Fromholtz, & Fitzgerald 2006). The development and establishment of these factors are the only solution to the challenges and problems facing the company in its human resource department, which has also affected the operation of the company and achievement of both short term and long term goals and objectives. The actions that can be taken to manage and control the challenges affecting the organization are outlined and summarized in the successive task (Punjaisri & Wilson 2007).
Motivational theories and impact of events in scenario upon the motivation of staff
There are several theories of motivation. However, their applications in the business environment are based on scenarios and organizational needs. Considering the scenario described above, there are two motivational theories, which can be applied because they are relevant, they are Hertzberg theory and expectancy theory (Meyers 1968).
Expectancy theory
The employees in the organization were unmotivated due to the low payment package offered by the company. Furthermore, the company lacked a reward system, which could motivate employees to enhance their efforts towards promotion or the increased payment (Waddell, Cummings, & Worley 2000). Employees can only work hard if an organization has an established and operational promotion and reward system in an organization. According to the motivational theory developed from Vroom, expectancy theory, valence (V), expectancy (E), motivation (M), and instrumentality (I) are related according to the equation: M=EXIXV. This therefore indicates that in case any of the elements or factors is missing, a motivational appeal is likely to occur (Robbins, Millet, & Waters-Marsh 2004).
Considering the equation of the expectancy motivational theory, the employees of the organization are more likely to have low expectations because the organization lacks essential human resource system in place. Therefore, the senior partners in the organization must ensure that a friendly and favorable work setting is created where individual employees works towards the contribution of the goals and objectives of the company (Lawton 2008).
Hertzberg’s two factor theory
The two factor motivational theory developed by Hertzberg is relevant to the scenario described above. The theory highlights the distinction between work satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Furthermore, it highlights how a management team should operate towards the achievement of two distinct objectives, which include maximization of job satisfaction and minimization of job dissatisfaction. Motivation may be low in several departments in an organization. However, they can be enhanced or boosted through recognition, achievement, growth, advancement and responsibility towards increased job satisfaction (Hersey, Blanchard, & Johnson 2000).
The theory developed by Hertzberg can assist managers in supervising an organization at all levels, and enhance autonomy, competence and confidence feelings. Hygiene factors as described by Hertzberg can be used to eliminate job dissatisfaction, and enhance the willingness of employees to work towards the achieving of the goals and objectives of the company. On the other hand, motivators’ factors enhance growth and development within an organization, which increases the employees’ ability to work. Considering the scenario, the hygiene factors are missing in the company, which can affect employees’ motivation, and the achievement of the goals and objectives of the company. The company lacks an effective communication channel, performance appraisal and management system, strategic human resource planning and formal procedures and policy implementation. This theory is important, and all factors must be present for employees to be motivated because it enhances the realization of the concept of “who we are” and “what we can do”, which enhances involvement in the operations of an organization (Covey 1989).
Team work and group dynamics
Solicitors in the company operate as Co actors’ group, and each person works independently. Furthermore, it is considered a formal group because the structure is designed in such a way that it operates on a full time basis with its departments. The decisions made in the company are limited to the elite management team, which has contributed to the group think symptoms. This has also led to the fear of speech during making due to fear of disapproval by the elite. Moreover, several decisions are adopted in the company with assumptions that the majority of employees concurs with them, but due to consensus of silence (Fielder 1967).
Communication is a vital tool in management and success of an organization. The views of employees should be considered in the day to day running and management of an organization. However, the company never considered the views of other employees in the company. It mainly relied on the information provided by the management team. Most meetings were selective in attendance, and the employees could not voice their concern on the nature of meetings being conducted in the organization. Management should provide a forum for its employees to voice their objections and doubts about the operation and policies used in the respective organization. This can benefit because it is employees, especially subordinates who are well versed with the business environment and situation. The organization did not provide for departmental and group meetings in the company, which further limited the opportunity for employees, especially the subordinates to voice their concerns or contribute to decision making (Carey & Warner 2002).
The company discouraged team work because it had no established groups or teams within the company. These further unmotivated and isolated employees in the organization. It also casts a thought upon the subordinates that it was a norm of the company for the top management team only to meet, and not the subordinates. It is through teams and the group’s establishment in an organization that a company can enable employees to align their personal interests, talents, goals and objectives to those of the company, which increases efficiency in operation and can lead to the achievement of goals and objectives in an organization (Cawley, Keeping, & Levy 1998).
The company lacked team and group work. The company could not adequately explore the innovation and the creativity nature of its employees because it lacked teams and groups contribution in the management and decision making. The subordinates of an organization can only contribute their creativity and innovation if they have a shared vision and mission, which can be realized through teams and groups. The organization requires inclusion of a holistic approach to enable the management link key competencies, reward systems, roles, and team culture with the goals and objectives of the organization (Tovey & Uren 2006).
Recommendations
There are several recommendations that can be provided to control or address the scenario above so as to effectively manage employees’ motivation, perceptions and attitudes of employees, and group dynamics (House & Mitchell 1974).
List of References
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