Managing and Leading People - Essay Example

Managing and leading People Introduction The concept of the wellbeing of the employees has increased its popularity in the present business and corporate world. However, the concept has been in existence in the majority of the relaxed management approaches in different organisations worldwide (Rees and French, 2013). The aspects of employee well-being and absence management have become vital to the policy makers worldwide. Furthermore, the majority of entrepreneurs consider the aspect of employee wellbeing as an essential approach to effective management and success of an organisation (Jibeen, 2013). Failure to examine the wellbeing of the employees impacts directly on the profitability and profitability of the organisation. Also, failure by the management to support the wellbeing of the employees has various effects on the business such as increased operation costs and poor public relations (Rees and French, 2013). There are different descriptions of well being of employees in various employment contexts. According to research, the workers’ wellbeing should balance their needs with those of the company. In this case, the concept of wellbeing refers to the creation of an environment for the promotion of a state of satisfaction among the workers as well as achieves their maximum potential for personal and organization’s benefit (Anjum, 2010). The wellbeing of the workers entails more than the aspect of preventing sickness at the workplace. It involves a wider bio-psycho-social structure that includes mental, physical and social health. Normally, employees are mentally and physically capable of contributing at the workplace and become more engaged to their work under good working conditions. Well-being at the workplace, therefore, does not involve the management of the cultural and physical environment with the aim of safeguarding workers from harm. However, it requires corporations to assist individuals to maximise their mental and physical health. The approach for wellbeing benefits individuals both inside and outside the work environment (Jibeen, 2013). In addition, it promotes various aspects of the workplace such as productivity, morale and commitment. Positive wellbeing at the workplace can also benefit the community that is essential for enhancing the public relations of the organisation. It is important for the management and leadership of various organisations to support the wellbeing of the employees because of various reasons such as promotion of employees’ morale, commitment, transparency, productivity, public relations and efficiency (Rayner and Adam-Smith, 2009). In addition, an enhanced wellbeing of the workers is essential for effective communication between the management and leadership with the workers. It also creates good customer care services that are essential for enhancing the organisation’s market share. The essay critically examines the importance of the role of the leadership and the management in supporting the wellbeing of the employees and other individuals in the society (Kalshoven and Boon, 2012). Stress and its Implications to Work Stress at the workplace occurs when an individual finds that they are unable to mobilise their physical, social and intellectual resources to meet the requirements of the situation. Most of the stress at the workplace occurs due to various factors, which include work overload, workplace conflicts, unhappy working environment, competing priorities and over-demanding deadlines. Furthermore, the workplace stress can occur due to a person’s social engagement such as family issues and financial problems. Stress has different implications to work. First, it limits an individual’s productivity and concentration. The aspect of stress interferes with the normal functioning of a person’s brain that influences their concentration and performance at workplace. Consequently, the productivity level of the employees decreases because of low concentration abilities. Secondly, workplace stress leads to fatigue due to lack of sleep. The fatigue resulting from stress hinders an individual’s decision-making abilities as well as their performance at the workplace. The person therefore fails to meets the organisation’s goals hence limiting the profitability and productivity of the company. Finally, stress promotes the occurrence of health problems such as headaches, hyperacidity and ulcers which impacts of a person’s performance at the workplace. As a manager, supporting the well being of the employees is important in minimising the occurrence of workplace stress. Importance of the Role of the Management and Leadership in supporting and creating employees’ wellbeing The management’s involvement in creating and supporting the wellbeing of the employees are an essential initiative in various aspects of the business. First, as a manager, engaging in initiatives to support the wellbeing of the employees helps to break the communications barrier between them and the employees. In this case, employees can approach the management freely, which is important for decision-making processes in the organisation. Communication is among essential determinants of the performance of an organisation in a particular industry. Management can access adequate information regarding different factors that influence the performance of the workers (Kalshoven and Boon, 2012). Effective communication between the subordinate workers and the management is vital for promoting an open style of management. In this context, the employees can express their opinions regarding the factors that hinder their wellbeing at the organisation. This approach to management enables the organisation’s leadership to establish various issues that influence the performance of the employees such as stress, physical effects and working conditions (Kinder, Hughes and Cooper, 2011). The establishment of these factors is essential for the development effective strategies for human resource management at the organisation. The role of the management is developing and supporting the wellbeing of the employees is essential because it helps the management is acquiring reliable information about the workers. Furthermore, the aspect of communication is enhanced at various levels at the organisation that is important for effective decision-making processes. The management and leadership of the organisation are also able to establish avenues for reducing fatigue among the workers such as the introduction of breaks during the working hours. The involvement of the leadership in supporting the wellbeing of the workers promotes the organisation’s public relations due to the creation of an appropriate communication platform among different individuals in the organisation (Anjum, 2010). The effects of good communication among the employees are reflected in the productivity and profitability of the organisation. In addition, an organisation that allows free communication between the employees and the management implements reliable decisions regarding various aspects of the business such as marketing, remuneration, teamwork and innovations. The concept of communication that is developed through the engagement of the management in supporting the employees’ wellbeing is influential in promoting the success of the business (Berger, 2011). Secondly, the management can establish various techniques for enhancing motivation among the employees. Motivation is among the major approaches to effective management in any organisation worldwide. Highly motivated employees bring high returns to the organisation that is crucial for the success of the company. Commitment refers to the force that binds a person to a particular target as well as a course of action that is relevant to the goal. The concept of commitment encompasses various aspects such as involvement and affective attachment with the goal, an obligation to the objective and an awareness of the effects of discontinuing the involvement with the goal (Robertson and Cooper, 2010). A committed employee acquires reliable information regarding various aspects of the goal to establish the techniques of achieving the objective (Kinder, Hughes and Cooper, 2011). Commitment is one of the management concepts that are adopted by the leadership of the organisation for the achievement of the overall objective of the organisation (Scott and Jaffe, 2010). As a manager, I exploit the aspect of commitment among the employees when implementing decisions regarding productivity and consumer relationship in the organisation. In this case, as a manager, one should establish various avenues for enhancing commitment among the employees such as good remuneration, working conditions and wellbeing. Presently, a majority of leaders and organisational management engage in various initiatives for developing and supporting the wellbeing of the employees to enhance commitment (Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall, 2011). The engagement of the management in creating and supporting the wellbeing of the workers is essential for enhancing commitment among employees in various ways. One of the ways involves the establishment of factors that hinder commitment among the employees. Through the processes of establishing different approaches to improving the wellbeing of the employees, the management can identify different avenues for improving commitment through enhancing the wellbeing the workers. In this case, different factors such as physical and mental health of the employees are an essential avenue for improving commitment (Berger, 2011). The leadership of an organisation can introduce various approaches for enhancing the physical and mental wellbeing of the employees that is important in promoting their commitment. By introducing avenues for improving the physical and mental aspects of the employees’ wellbeing, as a manager acquiring adequate trust among the employees promotes their commitment to the work guidelines that are given by the management (Robertson, Jansen Birch and Cooper, 2012). Moreover, the employees associate their wellbeing with the contribution of the organisation that facilitates their commitment to the success of the organisation. The second aspect of commitment that is enhanced through the involvement of the management in developing and supporting the wellbeing of the employees is the belonging (Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall, 2011). The avenue for creating and supporting the wellbeing of the workers is critical for developing an aspect of belonging among the employees. The employees identify with various aspects of the organisation such as products, consumers and public relations events. This concept of belonging among the employees is essential in enhancing the aspect of customer relationship and service in the organisation. The employees commit to providing their services to the organisation through effective customer service and relationship techniques. Additionally, the workers commit to the initiatives of the business to the community that is important in enhancing its public relations (Li and Xie, 2013). Thirdly, as a manager one can improve the working conditions in the organisation through participation in creating and supporting the wellbeing of the employees. The employees wellbeing is impacted by the working conditions in a particular organisation. The involvement of the leadership and the management in the creation and support of the wellbeing of the employees is crucial to the establishment of healthy working conditions (Li and Xie, 2013). In this context, as a manager it is vital to identify the sectors of the organisation where the employees are exposed to poor working conditions. This evaluation of the wellbeing of the employees helps managers to develop effective approaches to creation of good working conditions in the organisation such as the use of protective clothing, safety equipment and the introduction of healthcare among the employees. According to research, most of the workers in the lower level of the organisation are exposed to poor working conditions than the ones in higher levels of employment (Liu and Liu, 2012). It is, therefore, hard for the management to relate to the working conditions of the subordinate workers. However, the participation of the leadership and management of the organisation in the development and support of the wellbeing of the employees enables them to acquire reliable information regarding the employees working conditions (Hunsaker and Hunsaker, 2009). The management considers various aspects of working conditions that are essential in the development and support of the wellbeing of the employees. First, the psychological and physical work environments influence the health and wellbeing of the employees. In this case, the management creates a healthy psychological and physical work environment in the organisation to promote the wellbeing of the workers (Li and Xie, 2013). Moreover, the leadership can identify the avenues in the organisation that have negative impacts on the health and wellbeing of the employees. Secondly, as a manager, it is important to establish effective criteria for organising work at the organisation that is crucial for enhancing the wellbeing of the workers (Chuang and Liao, 2010). The manner in which the work is organised affects the wellbeing of the workers. Good organisation of work at the organisation minimises the occurrence of role confusion that is essential for enhancing efficiency at the workplace. The participation of the management in developing the wellbeing of the employees is important in making reliable decision regarding the work organisation and health of the employees (Scott and Jaffe, 2010). Thirdly, the managers can establish mechanism for improving the quality of work when they develop and support the wellbeing of the employees. In this case, the type of work that is given to the employees is identified based on the health condition of the employee in order to prevent the exposure to hazardous or allergic working conditions. As a manager, it is paramount to identify the health weaknesses of the employees that might limit their performance in specific departments and work environments. Finally, the management can increase individual performance and accuracy among the workers by improving the psychosocial working situations (Berger, 2011). Good psychosocial working conditions are vital in improving the employee participation in making decisions as well as control over their duties. The leadership of an organisation can establish avenues for enhancing the psychosocial work environment through their involvement in the creation and supporting the wellbeing of the employees. The management can also acquire reliable information regarding the work environment in the organisation that impacts on the productivity of the employees (Storey, 2015). The enhancement of psychosocial aspects of work is essential for promoting the relationship among the employees, which promotes productivity and teamwork (Chuang and Liao, 2010). It is also important for the management to participate in supporting the wellbeing of the employees because it essential in the creation of a good working environment for both workers and top managers. In this case, the employees can communicate their social issues directly to the management, which is essential for enhancing the psychosocial work environment at the organization (Liu and Liu, 2012). Fourthly, it is preeminent for the management to engage in the creation and supporting the wellbeing of employees because it enhances the decision-making process and reliability. The leadership and management of the organisation are responsible for the development and implementation of various decisions regarding the operations of the organisation (Tsaur and Tang, 2012). The participation in creation and support of the wellbeing of the employees provides the management with a reliable avenue to acquire information regarding various aspects of the employees that affect the operations of the organisation (Dowling, Festing and Engle, 2009). First, the interaction of the management with the employees during the process of creating and supporting the wellbeing of the workers enables them to identify health aspect, which hinders individual performance among the employees (Hunsaker and Hunsaker, 2009). The management engages the employees in various discussions regarding their well-being to establish effective techniques for improving the employees wellbeing. In this case, the workers provide the management with adequate information regarding their health condition that might hinder their performance in the organisation. The management is, therefore, able to make reliable decisions regarding the employees health cover and other benefits which are crucial for enhancing their wellbeing (OLoughlin, 2010). Furthermore, the management can access information regarding the work environment in the organisation that might influence the performance of the employees. The decisions regarding the working conditions and health of the employees are made due to the participation of the management in supporting and the creation of the wellbeing of the employees. The decisions are essential in enhancing the productivity and efficiency of the employees, which influences the overall performance of the organisation (Dowling, Festing and Engle, 2009). Secondly, decisions regarding the working hours of the employees and extra hour payments are made based on the management participation in the creation and supporting the wellbeing of the employees (Peterson and Mannix, 2011). As a manager, one establishes reliable avenues for enhancing the performance of the employees such as improved overtime payment and legal working hours. In this case, the employees are provided with reliable working hours based on the information they provide to the employees regarding the effects of long working hours in the organisation (Peterson and Mannix, 2011). Creation of reliable working hours at the organisation is important in enhancing the productivity and efficiency of the employees. Thirdly, decisions regarding the organisation of work in the organisation are made based on the information that is acquired by the management as they support the wellbeing of the workers. The management can establish effective work criteria to promote productivity among the employees. In this case, a reliable organisation of work in the organisation promotes individual responsibility and decision-making among the employees t are crucial for the achievement of the overall goal of the organisation. Additionally, the management can create a work environment where the employee takes control over their tasks to improve the work environment and achievement of the objectives of the organisation (Chuang and Liao, 2010). Shamrock Theories of work flexibility As a manager one can promote commitment among the workers by using Hardy’s Shamrock concept. All the groups of workers in the organisation are treated equally to support their wellbeings and individual contribution to the success of the company. According to Shamrock theories, there are three categories of employees in an organisation, which include the qualified, contractual, and the casual employees. Core Workforce The core workforce comprises of the permanent and highly qualified individuals at the organization. This group of employees consists of the managers and professional technicians. The core employees are important for the continuity of the organization and have adequate knowledge regarding various aspects of the organization such as practices, goals and objectives. As a manager, it is important to support the welfare of this group of employees to enhance their motivation and commitment to the activities of the business. Contracted Specialist The contracted workforce comprises of individuals who perform specific duties in the organization for a particular duration of time. These workers are useful for R&D, advertising, catering, computing and mailing services. These employees are rewarded with specific amount of fees rather than salaries. The contribution of these workers is determined in terms of output and results rather than hours. Flexible Workforce This group of workers discharges seasonal, temporary and part-time roles. They function with a culture of responsibility, but Hardy highlights that are essential for the continuity of the organization regardless of the casual nature of their work. All these categories of employees are important for the achievement of the organizational goals, implying that their wellbeing should be a major concern to the management. As a manager, participating in the creation of the wellbeing of the employees is crucial to understanding the populations of different categories of workers. Knowledge of the various categories of workers is vital for making decisions regarding dissemination of information, planning and provision of duties to the workers. Conclusion The concept of employee wellbeing has been in existence for various decades in the industrial and corporate sector worldwide. Most organisations worldwide conduct different researches regarding the best approaches to enhancing the wellbeing of the workers to achieve the objectives of the organisation. Wellbeing refers to the ability of an individual to perform under good working conditions. Besides, the psychological and physical aspects of the employee encompass their wellbeing at the workplace. Poor wellbeing of the employees hinders individual performance, efficiency and communication among the employees. There are various benefits of the management and leadership engagement in the development and supporting of the wellbeing of the employee. The participation of the management in the wellbeing creation process promotes communication among the employees. Effective communication enhances teamwork and productivity among the workers, which are crucial for increasing the profitability of the company. Furthermore, the participation of the management promotes effective decision-making process, the creation of good working conditions and motivation. By participating in the process, the management acquires reliable information regarding different aspects of the employees, which is crucial for promoting efficiency at the workplace. It is, therefore, important for the management and leadership to support and create the wellbeing of the employees to promote the achievement of the goal of the organisation. References Anjum, Q. (2010). Impact of Individuals Spirit at Work on Psychological Well-Being of Employees: Moderating Role of Organizational Culture. SSRN Journal. Berger, A. (2011). Managing and leading People.München: GRIN Verlag GmbH. CHUANG, C. and LIAO, H. (2010). STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN SERVICE CONTEXT: TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS BY TAKING CARE OF EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS. Personnel Psychology, 63(1), pp.153-196. Dowling, P., Festing, M. and Engle, A. 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