Increasing Productivity without Contributing to Burnout - Essay Example

Leadership Leadership Topic: Increasing Productivity without Contributing to Burnout Employee burnout occurs when the employees suffer from stress in the workplace when they try to work hard increase their production. Burnout is characterized by increased inefficiency, exhaustion, and depersonalization of the employees. Employee burnout is one of the most pertinent issues in human resource management today (Ayers, 2008). With the fast changes taking place in the business environment, organizations are becoming under pressure to increase their efficiency to remain viable in their respective industries. This pressure is often transmitted to the employees who are required to double their efforts and work much harder so as to beat the challenge ahead of them. If this pressure and demand to increase productivity is not properly managed, the employees are likely to suffer from prolonged work related stress which will lead to burnout (MacLeod, & Clarke, 2009). Managers in modern organizations have to ensure their organizations are up to standard in terms of the skills of their human resources and technological advancement. This is the foundation to success in the contemporary business environment which is characterized by increased competition (Ayers, 2008). Organizational psychology attempts to look at the issue of employee burnout and how managers can manage their employees without necessarily causing stress and burnout. My current organization is Imaginative Inc, which is in the highly competitive Information Technology industry. In the technology industry, organizations have to maintain innovation at the highest level possible in order to remain relevant. Therefore, there is tremendous pressure to perform and maintain creativity among employees. The managers have moved in to ensure the employees increase production without necessarily burning out. The managers have moved in to implement various strategies that ensure there is increased productivity without employee burnout. Among the strategies the managers of Imaginative Inc have implemented include increased employee engagement and maintaining a positive environment in the workplace with proper communication channels at all levels of the organization. These strategies ensure that the employees find fun and enjoy their work (Schneider, & Smith, 2003). Employee engagement increases dedication vigor and absorption of the employees. Improved communication at all levels of the organization ensures any emerging issues that are likely to derail performance are properly addressed. With this positive environment in the workplace, there is a great atmosphere for employees to have fun and enjoy their work, increase productivity without fear of burning out. These two strategies have had a lot of positive impact on the employees and the whole organization at large. First and foremost, the employee engagement has contributed to a great organizational culture in the company characterized by hard work, quality service and products as well as great relationship with all the stakeholders in the company. The other positive influence of these strategies is that it has given employees great motivation to work hard and contribute to the realization of the company’s goals and objectives. These strategies have also had a negative impact on the company in terms of finances and time. The company has had to invest more to ensure the employees have a good environment to work in. The other negative impact comes in when time has to be spent on training the employees in order to increase their skills. Even though these investments are beneficial in the long term, they cost the company in the short term. References MacLeod, D. & Clarke, N. (2009). Engaging for Success: enhancing performance through employee engagement. Ayers, K. (2008). Engagement Is Not Enough: You Need Passionate Employees to Achieve Your Dream. Schneider, H., & Smith J. (2003). Which comes first: employee attitudes or organizational financial and market performance? Journal of Applied Psychology. Topic: Insights on Organizational Behavior This topic of organizational behavior is very important in organizational psychology as it enables one to understand how different organizational function and impact on each other and on themselves. Organizational behavior has been very fascinating to me throughout this course (Jones, 2008). Organizational behavior in itself is very wide and touches on a lot of other different issues revolving around organizations. Throughout the course, I have been able to learn a lot regarding organizations and management. The knowledge gained in this course has greatly improved my perceptive of a wide range of issues including improving employee performance, working in teams, leadership and decision making (Jones, 2008). I have gathered many insights from this course, which will be instrumental in my career as an industrial psychologist. Among the greatest insights I have gained from the course is on managing teams. Teamwork is a very important element of organizations since it brings together employees with different skills and experiences to work together on a single project (Lowman, 2002). As the business environment becomes more vibrant and complicated, it is going to be mandatory for organizations to rely on in order to have that competitive edge required to maintain profitability (Jones, 2008). I have learnt a lot regarding team management as well as managing international teams that are highly diversified. With this familiarity, I will be better placed to provide leadership in any team that I will work with. The other insight I have gotten from this course and the topic of organizational behavior is on employee engagement. I have been able to understand a lot how important this is in relation to productivity in the organization. As an organizational psychologist, engagement is very important in the general behavior of the organization. It is one of the areas of human resource management that needs a lot of attention in today’s organizations (Rogelberg, 2002). The other great insight gathered from this course is on leadership in general. Organizational behavior is very dynamic and is changing very fast. It will take leaders with great character to drive their organizations in the right direction. This course has equipped me with adequate leadership skills that are essential in management in the contemporary organizations. Among the many different topics covered under this course in organizational behavior, the one that I found very interesting is on employee diversity. Employee diversity refers to the inclusion of people with different backgrounds in terms of ethnicity, gender, religion, tribe, age and disability in to the workforce of an organization (Lowman, 2002). This topic is exceptionally interesting to me because it seeks to address one of the biggest challenges in organizations today. With rapid globalizations, organizations are constantly becoming internationalized thus requiring them to have employees from very diverse backgrounds (Rogelberg, 2002). This topic explains the need to accept diversity in organizations and how this can be used for the common good of the organization. References Lowman, R.L. (Ed.). (2002). The California School of Organizational Studies handbook of organizational consulting psychology: A comprehensive guide to theory, skills and techniques. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Rogelberg, S.G. (Ed.). (2002). Handbook of research methods in industrial and organizational psychology. Malden, MA: Blackwell. Jones, I. (2008). The Human Factor: Inside the CIAs Dysfunctional Intelligence Culture. New York: Encounter Books. Topic: Further Areas of Interest Research requires a thorough examination and analysis of existing theories and knowledge covering the area of interest of the study. In organizational psychology, research is very important as it helps to unveil new ideas and ways of thinking about existing and emerging problems in contemporary organizations. In my thesis, I plan to cover a variety of issues that are pertinent to organizations today (Haines, & Taggar, 2006). This calls for a lot of keenness and attention to detail in the various topics associated with my area of interest. This is way, my thesis is going to be authentic and reliable in addition to providing new ways of handling organizational issues in the modern society. While examining all these theories and statistics, it is important to remain loyal to the topic of research and not to get lost in the statistics and theories (Haines, & Taggar, 2006). In order to enhance my thesis and make it more groundbreaking in terms of unveiling new knowledge, I intend to incorporate another topic of organizational psychology. One other topic that I find very fascinating in organizational psychology that can contribute a lot to my thesis is the topic on organizational culture (Montana and Bruce, 2008). Organizational culture can be described as the attitudes, customs, values and belief systems that influence the operations of the organization and its relationship with both internal and external stakeholders. Each organization has its own distinct culture that defines it and identifies it from other organizations in the industry (Haines, & Taggar, 2006). This topic interests me because it has a tremendous impact on the organization and it influences a great deal on how the organization performs. Together with organizational climate, often described as the ways in which the stakeholders think about the organization, have a very important role to play in the general success of the organization. Organizational culture affects the performance of the employees, it affects the relationship between the employees and the management as well as with other stakeholders, the quality of products produced by the company among other things (Montana and Bruce, 2008). A great organizational culture can steer the organization to greater heights in terms of improved performance, employee engagement and quality production of products. Conversely, a weak organizational culture is likely to drag the organization behind its main competitors because of poor performance and low motivation among employees, which translates to reduced growth andf may force an entity to be thrown out of the market (Tittemore, 2003). The topic of organizational culture can contribute a lot to positive social change in the society. Primarily, a good organizational culture can impart positive values in the organization and its employees. These values can then guide the employees towards initiating positive influences in the society that will lead to improved social standards. With a great organizational culture, there is bound to be greater environmental awareness where both the community and the organization will join hand in saving the environment (Montana and Bruce, 2008). References Tittemore, J. A. (2003). Leadership at all Levels. Canada: Boskwa Publishing. Haines, V.Y. & Taggar, S. (2006). Antecedents of team reward attitude. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 10, 194–205. Montana, P. J.; Bruce H. (2008). Management. Hauppauge, New York: Barrons Educational Series, Inc. Topic: The importance of ethical leadership Leaders in any entity are figures of authority. For this reason, many people expect that they should have the ability to lead ethically. It is possible to indicate that unethical behavior by the leaders of an organization might damage an organization, and there is a possibility that the damage might be irreparable. In some circumstances, it is expected that the leaders should resign from the positions they hold in the organizations willingly. On the other hand, there are times that the leader, who violates the codes of ethics, might be forced out of the leadership position (Schminke, 2010). For instance, in the year 2010, the then CEO of Hewlett-Packard, Mark Hurd, was required by the organizations board to submit his resignation due to the conflict between the codes of conduct and his actions. This was after an investigation questioning his relationship with a female contractor. As mentioned by the organization’s representatives, Mr. Hurd did not violate the organization’s policy on sexual harassment since it was not clear whether the two knew each other prior to working with the organization. However, there were identified inaccuracies on some expense reports, whose intention was to conceal the personal relationship that Hurd had with the woman in question. This counts as unethical leadership in any organization. Another example of unethical leadership involves a former senator of the United States, John Ensign, who was accused of being in an extramarital affair in the year 2009. In order to cover up, he was accused of making a number of payoffs, after which he had to resign since the news was already with the public. Another leader accused of behaving unethically was Lee B. Frakas, a former chairperson of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker, whose charges involved orchestrating a mortgage fraud in the United States. This was probably one of the most dishonorable fraud schemes in the history of the country. The frauds had a grave ripple effect to some of the government-controlled housing agencies. With the negative effects caused by unethical behavior from leaders, it is necessary to incorporate ethical standards in leadership, which ensures effectiveness in the operations of the different institutions in society (Schminke, 2010). For instance, the main concern of political leaders is the people. For these reason, the leaders should have high ethical and moral standards, thereby thinking from the community’s view. With this consideration, there is a possibility of insinuating that the leaders will be able to create a better society by solving some of the issues since they will likely get the support needed from the people in society. For the case of John Ensign for instance, societal norms advocate for faithfulness in marriage, but by cheating on his wife, not so many people will approve of the action. These people might loose faith in his ability to lead, and he might not have the opportunity to take care of people’s issues. In the realm of business, even though the core mandate of doing business is to make profit, the leaders should also care about issues to do with morality in their operations (Reilly et al, 2012). Through socially responsible activities, the business might get societal praise, which might lead to the achievement of business success. One of the ways through which leaders can be able to promote ethical behavior would be through the creation of a culture that empowers employees. It is possible to develop such a culture with the people through social learning, which involves demonstrations of ethically appropriate decisions from the leaders (Lewis, 2007). This means that the leaders should provide accurate and complete information regarding some of the issues related to the work environment. References Lewis, P. S. (2007). Management: Challenges for tomorrows leaders. Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western. Reilly, N. P., Sirgy, M. J., & Gorman, C. A. (2012). Work and quality of life: Ethical practices in organizations. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. Schminke, M. (2010). Managerial ethics: Managing the psychology of morality. Taylor and Francis. Topic: Future trends of organizational leadership Participating in this course would be influential for future leadership since it mainly imparts the necessary skills required for the execution of different leadership roles. Humbleness is one of the fundamental requirements of a leader (Perkins and Gordon, 2012). This requirement makes recognition of the fact that leaders are not experts in every field, which means that they should learn how to ask for help from experts in different fields. Learning this skill will be beneficial since asking for help from experts within or outside the organization will empower a leader with the necessary knowledge for making good decisions. This consideration is likely to improve the operations of the organization. This also means that as a leader, I will be in a better position to become responsible for the team effort, which means that when things go wrong, there is a possibility of rectifying the situation collectively. This consideration will make everyone comfortable while executing duties in the organization. Apart from the consideration of gaining skills that promote humility, the course is vital for developing competency in the management of an organization. With this capacity, it will be possible to organize a group of people in an effective manner, which directs the entire team to the successful achievement of the organization’s objectives. On the same note, the course can equip an individual with skills that provide an assurance of effectiveness. This means that apart from the management skills provided for from the course, effectiveness involves the galvanization of departments in a manner that will make sure the different departments coherently to meet the organization’s goals. One of the considerations that are likely to make my work as a future leader is to ask for help whenever I need it. Taking recognition of the fact that I am not an expert in everything, seeking advice from the experts in different fields within the organization will be instrumental in developing teamwork among other participants. Conversely, asking for help is necessary for determining the best option to take when faced with a dilemma (Schwartz and Gimbel, 2000). For instance, if I do not have adequate knowledge on the operations of the finances of an organization, it would be beneficial for the team as well as for the organization if I could seek the services of an expert in the field, who could provide the necessary options to take. The other consideration that is likely to develop good leadership would be to lead with passion. Quite a number of people share the belief that those people who are passionate about what they are doing are likely not to be afraid of showing it. Considering the skills one can get from participating in this course, it is possible to be confident enough to execute whatever is required and in a passionate manner, in order to ensure the effectiveness of the operations in the organization. When a leader demonstrates to his or her members that he or she loves and appreciates their work, it is highly likely that the other members will follow suit. With the right culture that is likely to follow from the leadership downwards, which is an ingredient in the creation of a successful organization (Yammarino and Dansereau, 2009). References Perkins, J., & Gordon, W. (2012). Leadership revolution: Developing the vision and practice of freedom and justice. Gospel Light Publications. Schwartz, M. K., & Gimbel, K. G. (2000). Leadership resources: A guide to training and development tools. Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative Leadership. Yammarino, F. J., & Dansereau, F. (2009). Multi-level issues in organizational behavior and leadership. Bingley: JAI. Topic: Implication of Technological Advances for Leaders Leaders across various organizations are making use of contemporary technology such as social media, internet and e-mail in order to attain organizational objectives and to enhance the functioning of the workforce. These contemporary mediums provide efficient channels of communication within the organization that allows leader to comprehend and resolve any conflict that may arise. This enables the employees to perform efficiently as they are able to relay their feedback instantly once a misconception has emerged. The technology allows the leaders to introduce sophisticated programs or procedures in carrying out various activities while instantly observing reactions from the workforce. This enables the employees to be aware of what is required from them through merging the guidelines provided and the anticipated results (Gasling & Marturano, 2007). Workforce performance augments as the collaboration between the leader and the employee increases, which enhances teamwork. The contemporary technology enables the leader to assess varied tasks performed in various structures of the organization without necessarily moving from one office to the next. This advantage allows the leaders to save time and energy thus performing other goal-oriented activities within the organization. The employees function efficiently as frequent appraisals done by the leaders make them function competently while under no physical supervision. Through the contemporary technology such as social media and internet, the leaders are able to cover an extensive market for their goods and services as these mediums have a wider network coverage (Gasling&Marturano, 2007). The contemporary technology allows the employees to engage in distance training through e learning in order to meet the increased demand of the wider market. The training increases workforce competence and social skills thus leading to a better performance. References Gosling, J,&Marturano, A. (2007). Leadership: The Key Concepts, New York N.Y: Routledge. Seidel, J. R & Kett, A. L. (2006). From Principles of Learning to Strategies for Instruction: Empirically Based Ingredients to Guide Instructional Development. New York N.Y: Springer. Zheng,Y & Zhang, X. (2009). Chinas Information and Communications Technology Revolution: Social changes and state responses, New York N.Y: Taylor & Francis Read More