Induction and Work Pleasure or Pain - Assignment Example

Discussion Part A – Good Induction Induction programme is a group activity conducted by organisations to familiarize new employees with organizationrelated aspects. It is a part of the on-boarding process that gives new employees sufficient direction and guidance in the initial stages of employment. Induction programme acts as a platform to get introduced to new people and situations in a short time, which will provide a valuable learning experience in terms of adapting to new situations and people. A good induction may be characterized by its contents and commitment to translate organisation’s goals and strategies in the right manner so that every employee is fully aware of these aspects. A good induction should familiarize its attendants with the organisational policies, procedures, and staff benefits. The organizational policies should include organizational vision, mission statement, core values and guiding principles, if any. These will, at once, align the employees towards organizational expectations. Any changes to procedures and policies should be communicated to all employees on a regular basis so that every employee is aware of the policies and procedures. This is very important from a corporate governance perspective. Lack of knowledge related to governance issues can lead the employee and organization in great trouble from legal, ethical and moral perspectives. In order to save the organization and the employees from such reputational loss and shame, it becomes imperative to conduct induction programmes for all employees. The traditional practice of introducing oneself to others in a group provides a good opportunity to speak in public, which in turn boosts one’s confidence greatly. The induction to e-learning provided new view to the entire learning experience, very different from the conventional classroom approach. Though virtual, e-learning method is comparable with any classroom approach as it provides all required support and resources. The induction programme eased the anxiety and helped in gaining an understanding of the entire process. The TGF helped in creating acquaintance with other people form the group. The most appealing aspect of this programme was the tutor’s approachability, which was very supportive and encouraging. This induction programme was like a saviour compared to previous work experiences that did not have any such induction activities. Induction activity not only introduces the employees to the organizational policies and procedures, but also provides a brief overview of its expectations from the employees. These expectations include code of conduct, dress code, discipline and organisational norms. In addition, the program briefly introduces the employees to the organizational culture so that employees are aware and prepared to adapt to the new culture. In fact, induction programme provides sufficient practice for employees in the adaptation process. Induction programmes vary in every organization. Some follow a short induction while others follow a comprehensive induction process. Small organizations follow short induction programmes that may not be as effective as the comprehensive programmes. Employees struggle to adapt to the organization for days and weeks after joining. Such induction programmes are not desirable because these do not help the employees to fully come on board. Induction programmes may be split between different departments based on departmental functions. For instance, a general induction programme may be conducted for one day and respective departments continue with the induction activity which is modeled according to their policies and procedures. Such programmes are more precise and give a precise idea of organization’s and departments expectations from the employees. Absence of formal induction can create many problems for the employees as well as the organization. The employees will not be aware of their goals and objectives; the organizations may fail in achieving expected outcomes, performance and behaviour from employees. Induction, whether formal or informal will be of great significance for the employees and organization. Recalling experience with college induction, which was for one day, makes me realize its importance. Though a very new and anxiety-filled experience, it is a memorable one. This programme introduced us to the college procedures, classes’ locations, health and safety aspects and familiarized us with the vast college premises. This introduction made all students comfortable as they were about to enter completely new world. This highlights the impact premises can have on people’s mental status; familiarization with premises will ease anxiety to a certain extent. In general, organizations cover common topics in induction such as organisational policies and procedures, health and safety procedures, staff benefits, organizational systems, structure and culture. Although it is very difficult for one to assimilate all the information, it will at least make them aware of the existence of policies. One can always refer to the handy ready reckoners for future references. Moreover, having knowledge about the systems and structure of work and organization will give sufficient confidence before one starts working in a new setting. In this view, induction activity provides great confidence to the members before they enter their roles. In conclusion, a good induction programme familiarizes the employees with the organization and its procedures; educates them about their roles and responsibilities, health and safety procedures and other aspects related to the organization. Every employee needs to know these aspects as it is a governance requirement and have legal implications attached. This activity also provides an opportunity to employees to meet and get introduced to new colleagues, supervisors and managers with whom they would be building a working relationship in near future. Good working relationships will produce positive attitudes, feelings and work outcomes. On the other hand, bad or non-cooperative relationships affect one’s attitude, lower confidence and commitment to work, and eventually lead to low performance and undesired outcomes. Therefore, the foundation for achieving success at work by the employees, and accomplishing goals by the organization is laid at induction programmes. In short, induction programmes help in keeping the employees focused and aligned to organizational objectives. Part B - Work is pleasure or pain? In my first opinion, work is pleasure and not painful. This is because if work were to be viewed as pain, then one would not continue to do the same work in long term. Working in the events industry is very different from other industries that have sedentary working style. In the events industry, work demands commitment beyond that is visible and expected. In this industry, one needs to work for long hours and for days. This work requires intense physical activity and could be dangerous from health and safety perspective. It also requires long hours and months of touring and staying away from home and normal family life. For people with similar qualifications, acquiring simpler and well paid jobs is not very difficult. People appointed as freelancers in this field work without any perks or incentives, yet are committed to this work. In spite of such challenges, people continue to work; this could only be possible because they view work as a pleasure, and not pain. Individuals are motivated to work because of various factors. The driving factors could include need for work, as a source of income, as a necessity in life, out of interest etc. A few professions, like medicine or engineering, require immense efforts to learn and earn the required skills. After obtaining the required skills, work seems rewarding and a pleasurable experience. However, more often, individuals choose specific profession out of certain obligations and not out of pleasure. For instance, people might get influenced by their social circles. For example, in a team, members tend to compare and relate to each other in terms of work, achievements, attitudes, expectations etc. Deriving from Theory X and Theory Y, motivation for work can come from money, but are lazy and do not want to work. However, people may also work out of need to earn respect, make a career, have good working conditions, achieve job satisfaction etc. For those considering work as a pleasure, Theory Y will be most applicable and would be motivated by managers belonging to the same category. Further, the nature of work has significant impact on notion of work. For those that work in corporate organizations with good business ethics, work environment and culture could be the key motivators. On the other hand, for those who work to achieve success and earn money, good pay and incentives could be the motivating factors. For people who work in the arts field like to display their talent and continuously improve the same through immense practice. For such people, continuous innovation and excellence are the motivating factors. Another factor impacting notion of work is the economics attached to their lifestyle. Financial matters are viewed as extremely important to lead a sound life. Therefore, no amount of employee-friendly HR policies and practices will help in motivating employees to stick to a particular organization. If the economies are fluctuating, then their instability becomes higher. In such cases, people tend to take up jobs that are available at hand. These could even include temporary and contractual jobs being taken up by those that were previously full-time employed. In case of economic fluctuation, people tend to look at sources of income rather than the kind of employer. These situations have their own advantages and disadvantages, yet people opt for such jobs because they are driven by the need for income rather than pleasure of working. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs best exemplifies these factors of motivation. However, these aspects of motivation change with age, experience and skills. With time, people’s work environment keeps changing; this further influences their motivational factors. In the present scenario, we spend most of our time at work, and hence want a safe and healthy work environment; I expect good communication with colleagues and managers so that I can continuously learn and upgrade my skills in order to survive; and like to work in a team that has common values and works towards a common goal. The determining factor of work as a pleasure or pain is the type of work and its outcome. Motivational factors play a major role in this and determine what we expect out of work. This is different for different people. As mentioned earlier, for some, work could be a source of income; or a wish to build a career; or a hobby to meet people. However, these motivating factors fall in a hierarchal structure, described by Abraham Maslow. The motivating factors begin at the bottom, and shift upward as and when these needs are accomplished. Motivational needs are further dependent upon the life events and needs, as well as people’s nature. For example, charity workers’ can be motivated by helping the needy, which in turn helps the workers to move up the hierarchy besides satisfying the needs of the needy people. In this case, work can be a pleasure because motivational needs are being met through work. Considering work as a pleasure or pain depends on the nature of work and the individual. If the individual belongs to worker described in Theory X, i.e., if the individual is lazy and is working for earning money, then work could be a pain (McGregor, 1906-1964). On the other hand, if the individual is self motivated and willing to work, then work will be a pleasure. Therefore, motivation is the key element in describing the experience of work. This further depends upon psychological need, which if not met can lead to further demotivation, as described in Maslow’s theory. For example, if an employee’s skills and competencies are not fully utilized, then the employee can become demotivated and may lose interest in work, thereby causing work to be a pain. In conclusion, whatever be the nature of work, motivation makes the work pleasurable. In turn, motivation keeps changing. Based on these motivation or needs, experience with work varies. However, money is an important factor for motivation for every person. For this reason, organizations attract best talent in the market by providing competitive remuneration packages. When this fluctuates, works seems pain; else, work is pleasurable. Read More