A Critical Evaluation of HRM and Organisational Behaviour Theories - Essay Example

? There are various human resources management (HRM) and behavioural tools such as leadership styles, ethics, learning, values, as well as attitudes of the employees can be used to improve the performance of the individual and the organization as a whole. Grobler (2006) argues that the performance of the employees is usually behaviour based and there are various measures that can be implemented in order to improve it. As such, this essay seeks to critically analyse the influence of HRM practices and organisational behaviour on the performance of the individuals as well as the organization as a whole. The essay starts by explaining the meaning of the key term, organizational behaviour and this will be followed by the evaluation of various factors that can affect the performance of the employees. The last part of the paper will summarize the main points discussed. Basically, organisational behaviour can be summed up as the study of what people do in an organization and how that behaviour affects the performance of the organization (Robbins, 1993). Organisational behaviour is specifically concerned with employment related situations and it emphasizes on aspects such as work, productivity, human performance and management. As such, there is a correlation between organisational behaviour and HRM given that these are employee oriented. In order for the workers to put optimum performance in their operations, it is imperative that the leadership of the organization put some measures that are meant to ensure that they are satisfied with their work. This leads to improvement in their performance which ultimately leads to the productivity of the organization as a whole. It can be noted that organisations during the contemporary period operate in a dynamic environment which is constantly changing (Schultz, 2003). It can also be observed that the HRM landscape is also changing given that people have needs which also constantly change. It is therefore the duty of the HR manager to establish the needs and interests of the employees and try to put measures in place that are meant to appeal to them. This can greatly enhance the performance of the employees and the organisation as a whole. Leadership within an organization plays a pivotal role in influencing the behaviour of the employees towards the attainment of set organizational goals. Leadership is generally defined as “the social process of influencing people to work voluntarily, enthusiastically and persistently towards a purposeful group or organisational goal,” (Werner, 2007, p.36). A leader often adds an inspirational and emotional dimension to the organization through creating a shared vision among the members and inspiring people within that particular organization to be passionate towards the achievement of the vision and set goals. It can be noted that change is also inevitable in organisations hence there is need for the HRM to take a holistic approach in anticipating such changes. Given the complexity of the changing human resources management landscape, the leader has to be better positioned to engage the employees through working with them such that they will be in a better position to put optimum performance in their operations. The human resources managers as leaders play a great role in anticipating both internal as well as external factors that can affect the operations of the employees. More often than not, certain changes are viewed with mixed reactions by the members of the organisation hence there is need to first identify the aspects that can immediately affect the performance of the workers. Internally, there may be need for the managers to change the roles played by the employees but this strategy requires them to take into consideration the needs of the workers. Individuals in an organization have different needs and aspirations to fulfil hence their efforts have to be catered for by the management (Robbins, 1993). Some situations can emerge within the organization where there will be need to move away from traditional ways of doing business through the adoption of the use of computers for instance. This entails that the operations of the employees will be changed. As such, there is need for the leaders to expect forces in the organisation’s external and internal environment that can lead to change. Failure to do so can negatively impact on the performance of the company as a whole. The HRM must put measures in place that are meant to ensure that they gain the support of the employees. Behaviour theories of leadership posit to the effect that leaders have specific behaviours that differentiate themselves from non leaders. Whilst leadership is defined as the ability to influence a group towards the achievement offset goals (Robbins, 1993), it can be observed that the leaders have a great deal to motivate the employees in order for them to improve their performance as well as the organization as a whole. More often than not, the leader plays a pivotal role in giving direction to the other employees such that their efforts can be pulled in one direction with the aim of achieving the set organisational goals and objectives. There are various tools that can be implemented in order to improve the performance of the others within an organization. First and foremost, the leadership style used by a leader within an organization is a very important tool that can be utilised in order to improve the performance of the employees. Goleman (2000) suggests that there are many leadership styles and these can positively contribute to the overall performance of the organisation if fully implemented. In order for the leader to positively influence the employees to be committed to their work, the democratic leadership style is often considered as more effective given that its advantages outweigh other leadership styles. Consensus within the operations of the organization is built through individual participation where the members are presented with the opportunity to give their opinions as well as ideas when it comes to making decisions that affect the organisation as a whole. There are various advantages that can be derived from this particular style of leadership. The major notable benefit is that diverse views are accommodated in the decision making process. Given such a scenario, there will be mutual understanding within the members since they will have a common understanding towards the goals of the organisation. A sense of belonging to the firm is created among the employees and they will be happy to identify with it. If all the people are part of the decision making process, they will put optimum effort in their performance with the aim of achieving the set goals (Schultz, 2003). Some people are motivated by the fact that they will be treated as valuable assets to the company rather than just being treated as mere employees. Basically, the human resources within a company are responsible for all the operations hence there is need for the leaders to take into consideration their interests and aspirations as these will reflect on their performance. There will also be lower chances that the employees can deviate from the agreed decisions since they will also be part of the decision making process. Common understanding among the members of the company is beneficial in that there will be fewer conflicts and all the employees will be aware of the organizational expectations. This style of leadership is also advantageous in that it is flexible given that the leaders can initiate changes that can be streamlined in the operations of the organisation with relative ease. If the employees are aware of the changes that may take place in the organization, they are likely to have a positive approach since they will also be sharing the same vision with their leaders. The environment in which the organization operates is often seen as dynamic since it is exposed to various changes that may be inevitable (Robbins, 1993). It will therefore be important to gain the views of the employees rather than imposing the changes on them. If they are informed about the changes that can be implemented, their performance will not be affected but it can be improved as they will also be inspired to pull their efforts in the same direction towards the achievement of the set objectives. The aspect of organisational culture is also very important with regards to the performance of the employees. Rousow (2003) defines organisational culture as s system of shared values, actions and beliefs that often shape the behaviour of the employees. The culture excellence ought to be adopted by the leaders in order to facilitate a scenario where shared values are given precedence in the operations of the organisation as a whole. Better performance is promoted if the values are shared by the employees within an organization. The culture that also promotes innovative as well as creative ways is very important since it leads to better performance of the employees and the organization as a whole. This view is also supported by Brand (1998) who states that better performance is encouraged through innovative and supportive culture while dominant control of the employees by the leaders will lead to dissatisfaction in their work. There will be need to integrate the values of the people as well as capabilities in the workplace so that they will be in a position to put maximum performance in their work. In order to create a high performing culture in the organization, values in the organization have to be given special consideration as these significantly shape the behaviour of the employees in the company. According to Carrel (1995), values are a representation of a particular type of conduct that is preferred by the people. This shapes the way they behave and these values are seen as a yardstick to measure something that is right from wrong. The value system of an organization is very important since it shapes the performance of the people. Values also influence the perceptions held by employees about different things in their lives. Another important aspect about the values in an organisation is that they often lead to group cohesion since there will be common understanding of the things that are treated as the basic tenets that shape the operations of the company. Robbins (1993) posits to the effect that values within an organization are enduring and they are often viewed as stable. Particular focus is paid on making a distinction between behaviour that is seen as good from that which is considered as bad. The employees are forced to behave in a particular way that will reflect the interest of the organization given that they will be sharing a common understanding of pertinent issues that shape the functions of the company as a whole. There are likely chances that the performance of the employees will improve if the organization’s value system aligns with his or her personal values. It becomes easy for such kind of person to easily fit into the value system of the organisation which can also positively influence his or her behaviour. Another important element that can be implemented by the HRM in a bid to improve the performance of the employees is related to ethical considerations. Rollinson (2008) defines ethics as a distinction made between something that is good from bad. Each organization has a particular code of ethics and this is used as a guide in all its operations. Therefore, leaders have to ensure that they put steps in place in order to operate within ethical boundaries. Leaders who are unethical uncharacteristically affect the performance of the employees since they can also follow suit. On the other hand, leaders who display ethical principles such as rewarding good performance among the best performers will significantly motivate the workers. Employees who are aware of the benefits they are likely to get from their performance are productive compared to those people who are not given incentives to put optimum performance in their operations. Incentives such as rewards are very important since they motivate the workers to put more effort in their operations which contributes to the overall performance of the organization as a whole. Attitude is also very important in as far as performance of the employees is concerned. Swanepoel (1998) defines attitude as degree of positive or negative feeling a person can have towards a particular thing, place or situation. Employees who have a positive attitude towards their work are more productive compare to those that view their work from a negative perspective. If the employees have an internal feeling of likeness of their work, there will be high chances that these are satisfied hence they will put more effort in their operations. Productivity of the company will be promoted which will also be an added advantage to it. Another notable aspect about attitude is that people are likely to be committed to their work if they have a positive attitude towards it. There is a correlation between commitment to work as well as positive attitude to it. These two aspects positively contribute to growth of the organization given that all members will meaningfully contribute in its operations. Coaching is very important in as far as the leader is concerned with improving the performance of the employees. In coaching, an experienced leader often guides the less experienced managers as well as the employees to improve their delivery within the organisation (Robbins, 1993). This approach has several advantages such as immediate feedback on the performance given that there is direct interaction between the parties involved. Employees can gain new knowledge from their coaches and this particular type of knowledge can be used to improve their performance. Coaching also promotes the people involved to share information as well as knowledge and this is very important in the operations of any given organisation. It can be seen that knowledge management is characterising the operations of various companies as a result of the fact that the environment in which they are operating is constantly changing. Therefore, in order to keep pace with these changes, it is important to ensure that the employees are equipped with the correct knowledge that can also help to improve their performance. Another important aspect that can be implemented in order to improve the performance of the employees is learning. Vygotsky (1978) defines learning as the change in behaviour that is caused by experience of something. Learning in organisations which gained prominence as a result of Peter Senge’s five disciplines is primarily concerned with creation of new knowledge among the members of the organisation. In order to overcome challenges that can be encountered in the operations of the company such as knowledge deficit, it can be noted that learning is very important since it promotes the creation of new knowledge. Whenever behaviour change is concerned, it can be noted that a new type of thinking is inculcated among the employees and this can be helpful in finding solutions to the problems they may encounter in their operations. The main characteristics of learning include the creation as well as exchange of knowledge as well as ideas (Marzano, McNulty, Waters, 2005). The knowledge created can be shared among the members of the organisation and this greatly helps in promoting the positive performance of the employees. With the right information, the employees are likely to contribute meaningfully to the operations of the organisation as a whole. Behaviour change is the main idea behind the concept of learning organisation which is also geared towards improving the employees such that they will have the knowledge to execute various tasks in their operations (Zararkis, 2011). The organisation will also be able to gain a competitive advantage given that its employees will be in a position to utilise the new knowledge acquired from learning which can also enable them to meet whatever changes that may take place in the environment. If the employees have an opportunity to develop new ideas as well as knowledge, there will be high chances that the whole organisation will develop. The other tool that can be implemented in order to improve the performance of the employees as well as the organisation as a whole is motivation. Werner (2003) describes motivation as the enthusiasm people may have for their work and this often leads them to improve their performance. There are various measures that can be taken in order to motivate the employees. Apart from incentives such as financial gain, employees can also be motivated through involving them in the decision making process. If they are given the opportunity to solve different problems they may encounter, they will also develop a positive sense of identity with the organisation (Langley, 2003). As such, their performance is likely to be improved since they will be sharing a common understanding of the organisational goals with their leaders. If the employees are treated as important to the company, they can meaningfully contribute to its performance since they will be aware that they will get some reward at the end of the day for their sterling effort towards the attainment of the set organisational goals. Another tool that can be implemented in order to improve the performance of the employees as well as the organisation is concerned with improving the communication system of the organisation. Kritzinger, Bowler & Goliath (2003) posit to the effect that there is no organisation which can function properly without communication. Problems are solved through communication and it also allows the employees to gain feedback from their leaders with regards to their operations. If they get feedback, they will be in a position to assess their performance which can also influence them to improve it should there be need. Communication is also advantageous in that it promotes mutual understanding among all the members which can improve their performance which is beneficial to the organisation as a whole. Over and above, it can be noted that HRM practices within an organisation have a bearing on the behaviour of the employees. 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