Managing Work Situation - Assignment Example

Introduction Managing work situation is a natural part of the workplace environment, since conflicts of different forms emerge as a natural pattern of job management. It is thus, important for a manager to learn how to effectively manage work situation. In most cases, managing work situation involves change, which for most people is a difficult path to trail especially if the work setting is one where challenges abruptly alter the course of an individual’s career and lifestyle. Little control over workplace situations usually triggers uncertainty, increased tension, and other modes of job stress on the part of the individual worker. Hence, it is important that management effectively manage the workplace and ensure that employees do not fear or resist both challenges and changes. An effective workplace management would strategically empower management and employees with the necessary skills that effectively manage life changes. Regardless of what changes they might face, managers and employees are drawn towards strategically preparing themselves towards the change process. Some of the work situations often encountered are: being criticized by others for one’s work, lack of job security, lack of recognition or appreciation for a good work, destructive conflicts between and among departments, poor supervision, small opportunities for growth and advancement, a too-high or a too-low stress level, departments that are constantly reorganized, a high fear of change, poor job fits, and poor working conditions (Topchick 2001). Given the mentioned situations, an employee is certainly not expected to be satisfied with his job and may probably contemplate about leaving his current post and find one that he perceives complying with his expectations of a good job. The firm will certainly fall into an unsecured environment in which goals and tasks are often unmet. This scenario only proves that giving specific attention to people resource is an important pursuit and a step towards this undertaking is how to make them feel empowered, secure, challenged, and nurtured through an effective conflict management of a workplace situation. Congruent to the work situation is giving due attention to effects of growth needs, management style, and job structure on job-related satisfactions, which the management must pay due relevance. As important facets of human resources, the work setting should also give appropriate focus and credit to these aspects. Studies show that there are interactive effects of individual growth needs, job richness, and management style on job-related satisfactions experienced by employees in the job site. Employees tend to respond positively on the presence of both a rich job and more organic management style, and negatively to the absence of one or both, indicating the need to focus on these aspects in order to produce good outcomes (Zierden 1980). It is furthered that the growth need scale is primarily a measure of sociological expectations about work, which every employee looks forward to in his accomplishment of every task. Effective delegation is an important area of ascertaining that a job is satisfactorily accomplished and the employee is empowered and fulfilled in the undertaking. Leadership style matters in this view, which mainly depends on the task, the team or individual’s capabilities and knowledge, the available time and tools, and the desired results, which are all congruent to producing good outcomes for both the company and the employees (Heathfield 2008). Democracy in the workplace results in the development of productivity and worker participation, given clear guidelines and rules. Change management contributes to the emergence of democratic practices in the workplace (Poole 1975). Richer job content, increased dignity for workers and a more effective use of productive resources are some of the outcomes expected to be accrued from a democratic work environment (Gardell, 1982). Conflicts in a Current Work Situation The Researcher is a head of the Tender Section in their company whose one of most important tasks is to motivate his staff personnel, give them voice and dignity in a pursuit to optimise their performances by empowering them with the right tools needed in finishing a given undertaking alongside with maintaining time quality and workflow. He noticed that one of his engineers in the analyses section lacked focus on a certain task given to him, leading to the probable delay of the analyses of the tender’s documents. This scenario led the Researcher to discuss this issue with the mentioned engineer, and invited him to his office for such purpose. After making the employee comfortable by providing coffee, the Researcher inquired about the former’s family, as he knew he was married, how he felt about working in the analyses section, and if there was any problem that he encountered during such moment. The employee then disclosed that he was not satisfied with the tasks he was undertaking and aired that he had the time and energy to give better performances and wanted to be more involved in a likewise challenging job. The Researcher then decided to give him a chance of leading the analyses group, allowing him to choose the members of his team, a decision, which the Researcher found a good avenue towards the former’s empowerment. These techniques have proven its worth when the young engineer started enthusiastically, showing promising results within a short period. This example proves the truth that low efficacy among people in the workplace leads to low productivity, low participation, low morale, less creativity and innovation, and high labour turnover while the reverse of it encourages the employee to be autonomous and innovative (Edralin 2004). A sound people-management strategy does not permit individual perception of low levels of self-efficacy to thrive and become a contagious disease that infects the workplace environment (ibid). Likewise, job coaching and supported employment is directly and closely linked together, ensuring support services to employees with a doubt about their workplace capacity. Analyzing the task to be performed is part of job coaching, as well as systematically teaching the task, collecting data, and gradually fading to the cues in the natural setting (Hagner, Rogan, and Murphy 1992). Job-related social skills may also be taught by the manager as a job coach, alongside with teaching additional functions that can benefit the employee further. It is clear that with an executive coaching just like the Researcher who is a Tender Section Head, the results are sustained emotional, behavioral, and cognitive changes that help facilitate goal attainment and performance enhancement leading to the development of efficacy and esteem on the part of the employee. By emphasizing the instructional aspect of coaching, self-directed learning is often facilitated, leading towards empowerment and efficacy (Grant 2001). Another case that the Researcher faced in dealing with work situation involved another young engineer in the Tender Section where the Researcher was Head, as mentioned. The Researcher observed that the young engineer was shy and hesitant when asking for the needed help and decided to visit his office and encouraged him to improve his performance by personally asking his colleagues for help at any time in case he faces any problem, and even offered his own. The Researcher further encouraged the young employee by explaining to him that he had the same situation as the young engineer during his initial period of joining the workforce, in which he had to adapt to the nature of the work environment and the execution of plans, which had great discrepancies with what was theoretically studied in universities. The young engineer was satisfied with the Researcher’s approach as well as the motivation the latter gave him, that he showed a big progress in his work after such encouragement. Understanding employees’ attitudes, beliefs, values, and personalities can assist a manager towards effective communication in coaching employees. Early work experiences, demographic trends, and historical events, among others, contribute to an employee’s perception of things leading them to be different in work ethic and expectations (Weston 2001). Hence, the management must be on the alert about these aspects in order to ascertain full utilization of employees’ talents alongside their enjoyment of management tasks. When the researcher was appointed as the head of the Tender Section, it was imperative that he study carefully ACT number (4) of 1977 concerning Tenders Auctions and Stores and Rule No. (3) regarding the issue of the Executive Regulations for ACT No. 4 in Abu Dhabi Emirate. It was important to use accuracy and validity when analyzing the bidder’s offers in order to deliver fairness and efficiency. There were two methods to announce the projects. The first one was through lump sum, which depends on the total bidder’s offer, and the second one was through reimbursement. The management of building department used the lump sum method for all their projects while the technical service department used the reimbursement method. The researcher noticed that the issue of the Executive Regulations Article (28) mentioned that Arithmetical mistakes shall be corrected against the offer and documents. This checking shall be the basis for determining the price and the order of the offers. As a member of the Rewarding Committee, he mentioned what the law states trying to unify the rewarding methods, in which he later found resistance from all the other members because they were rewarding bidders against the law all these past years. He had to look for a way to convince them and fortunately found one through a new legal advisor in the department whom he convinced to address the committee of legislation and legal advisory for the emirate of Abu Dhabi to send them a case to study from one of the decisions that was taken by the Rewarding Committee in the department. After fifteen days, a response was received through a clear statement that all tenders should be analyzed according to the Executive Regulations Article (28), which was really a triumph for the Researcher who led the pursuit, and a real revolution in the way of analyzing the tenders. This scenario points out to diversity in the workplace, which is also an organizational issue that affects the status of a current work situation. The notion of diversity brings opportunities for organizations, which poses challenges at one end (Ferris, Frink, and Galang 1993). Human resources system must be fundamentally developed in meeting such challenges posed by workplace diversity – one that encourages, reinforces, and allows similarity. The management should propose steps to circumvent the problems inherent in contemporary human resources systems through a careful examination of diversity concept and human resources systems, which would further allow for utilization of employee’s available talents and skills (ibid). Organizations can indeed achieve competitive advantage by managing workplace situation and the conflict found therein, leading the people towards utilization of new avenues for the realization of company goals. Having studied the ILM, the Researcher learned new ways to empower his staff personnel and show them great support and motivation. One of the first decisions that the Researcher will undertake is introducing a new orientation programme to new employees who join the department, providing them a road map and good information of the workflow. He will also provide an orientation about how to be a role model of correct behaviour and work ethics such as fairness, consideration for others, and competence . In addition, he will also implement the creation of new mission and vision to the department alongside a clear short and long-term strategic plan by the staff for developing and providing necessary resources. Likewise, a weekly staff meeting in a healthy environment needs to discuss the problems and concerns, which the employees face during the week, alongside with brainstorming the solutions through a teamwork effort. These meetings will help the employees contribute to how the workflow and the work environment may be best developed. Enrolling the staff in training programs such as time management and leadership training program provide them the necessary tools to improve themselves and to optimise their performances to the best levels. Training programs promote a condition of transfer, which include both the generalization of learned material to the job and the maintenance of trained skills (Baldwin and Ford 1988). The effects of training design, trainee, and work-environment factors on conditions of transfer are important parameters to ensure a good job performance of employees. Training also plays an important role in the workplace situation, a concept which is no longer considered as simply work-related; rather, work-based (Tannenbaum and Yukl 1992). A company’s survival in both the national and international markets is attributable to a competitive edge and a sustainable performance of human resources. It is significant to consider that competitive edge is a result of a high quality enterprise performance that went through a thorough planning and is in itself, sustainable (Carter 1993). Valuing people in the enterprise comes with the encompassing concept of community of employees, with human resource development becoming an important priority by a contemporary workplace. Training and development are seen as a productive investment that yields long-term results to the firm. Thus, employee-based training and development plans must be structured within a quality management approach (Noe 1986). Likewise, it is also important to consider devolving an attractive, competitive promoting system that creates a fair environment for the staff, serving as a motivating factor for them to show their abilities and creativity. Creating an information pool such as a library or a web portal also updates knowledge and information and keeps the staff personnel up-to-date with new rules and circulations both locally and internationally in the filed of civil engineering. Facilitation of E-tender in an E-government Workplace To make a major change in the way to deal with companies in the Tender Section, a fully computerised tendering system was implemented, which would enable the workplace to join the Abu Dhabi E-government. The E-tender should be a fully computerised tendering system aimed at tracking bids and helping bidders apply online for the tenders. This new system also helps the staff of the section to analyze the tenders more efficiently and accurately. Some of the items that needed discussion include cost, key benefits of the project, parties involved, barriers, and ways to overcome them. The cost of the project is about 5 million, which will include security (e- secure system – payment methods), crossing culture gaps, stress management, relieving staff emotional needs, time and resources, and performance weakness until change starts to appear. The key benefits of the Project include joining the E-Government, which is seen as an advantage, helping bidding companies to remotely access the tender information in applying and tracking tenders online, and minimizing the coast and time of tender processing and analyzing. Parties involved in the Project are the following: √ The Abu Dhabi E-government, which will provide guidelines and monitor the project; √ The higher management of the company, which will provide the budget and the administrational consultant; √ The Rewarding Committee, which determines who wins the tender; √The Tender Section, which will provide the analysis of the bidders’ offers according to the tender rules and specifications; √ The IT section, which will manage the website and provide the technical support and security; √ The bidding companies, who will rest their bids online; and √ Banks, which will provide the E-bidding performance bond for the companies applying for the tender. The barriers foreseen in the implementation of the e-tender system consist of staff resistances to change the work system, pursuing the administration with the project and approving the budget, staff training about the new system, the company’s sceptical response to the new system, pursuing the banks to issue E-bidding performance bonds, and being granted an online security. Overcoming barriers includes forming teams of people who are interested in the project (change process) to present the idea to all involved parties, focusing on people as a key factor in the success of the project and addressing their needs, being aware of the project time line and ensuring that all involved parties are informed about the procedures and barriers with the change process. Holding training seminars to get involved parties to participate effectively in the change process is another form of overcoming barriers. When employees have all the needed information, they can guide themselves and make day-to-day decisions, without coming to the manager all the time. Since they know what success means and what might indicate problems, they can make corrections on their own or, at minimum, work with the Researcher, who is the Head of the Tender Section, to solve problems early. Clear goals also allow easier determination of whether or not the employee has hit the target at appraisal time. Part of overcoming barriers is working with the employees to set measurable goals/objectives during performance planning, focusing on employee behaviour and /or the target outcomes. The Researcher, as head of the Tender Section, will use numbers, and quantise when possible. The change process involved in shifting to E-Tendering is based on changing goals as needed. It is based on the fact that things change fast and people may need to change goals as situations change, and that change is a permanent occurrence in any workplace. Employees and management can focus too much on the details of the goals and try to get them just right. What is more important is that employee share the same understanding as that of the management, and their needs and interests are not hampered by the change process. Focusing on mutual understanding will eliminate the earlier fears about the notion of change, since the employees feel challenged about the new system and anticipate on working within it. Conclusion Managing work situations does not always come handy for a manager, but given the acquired administrative and coaching skills, the conflicts and difficulties encountered by employees will be eventually resolved through a good management and coaching system. The shift on the method of tendering into an e-environment provided preliminary perceived barriers on the part of the organization, knowing the nature of change process that inflicts fear among employees in the beginning, as they go through the refreezing process. The good management change strategies were able to manage these conflicts, along with giving back to employees the confidence that they somewhat lost because of the change process. The work situations depicted in this paper also shows the significant role that a manager plays in encouraging and empowering employees by urging them to utilize their talents through challenging tasks delegated to them in pursuit of this opportunity. A democratic work setting helps in enhancing employee skills and encourages them towards innovation and skills development. The work situation examples included in this paper point out to the significant attention that must be given to human resources who are the primary movers of the change process and the ones to enable the company to surge forward and realize organizational goals. Hence, ensuring a good work environment with a good conflict management, good employee relations, and a feeling of job satisfaction and security contribute to making a productive and happy employee who works further towards the attainment of organizational objectives. References BALDWIN, Timothy T. and Ford, Kevin J., 1988. Transfer of training: a review and directions for future research. Personnel Psychology. Vol. 41 (1). CARTER, Earl, M.A., 1993. Coaching Trainers for Workplace Performance, in The return of the mentor: strategies for workplaces. B.J. Calwell and E. M. A. Carter (eds). The Palmer Press, London. EDRALIN, Divina M. 2004. Empowering people at the workplace. College of Business and Economics, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines. FERRIS, Gerald R., FRINK, Dwight D., and GALANG, Carmen M., 1993. Diversity in the workplace: the human resources management challenges. Human Resource Planning. Vol. 16. NOE, Raymond A., 1986. Trainees’ attributes and attitudes: neglected influences on training effectiveness. The Academy of Management Review. Vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 736-749. GARDELL, B. 1982. Worker participation and autonomy: approach to democracy at the workplace. Intl. J Health Serv. 12(4):527-58. GRANT, Anthony M. 2001. Towards a psychology of coaching. Coaching Psychology Unit. School of Psychology, University of Sydney. HAGNER, David, ROGAN, Pat, and MURPHY, Stephen, 1992. Facilitating natural supports in the workplace: strategies for support consultants. The Journal of Rehabilitation. Vol. 58. HEATHFIELD, Susan, n.d. Delegation as a leadership style. Retrieved on May 28, 2008 from http://humanresources.about.com/cs/manageperformance/a/delegation.htm POOLE. Michael, 1975. Workers’ participation in industry. Routledge. TANNENBAUM, Scott I. and YUKL, Gary, 1992. Training and development in work organizations. Annual Review Psychology. Pp. 399-441. TOPCHICK, Gary S. 2001. Managing workplace negativity. AMACOM, USA. WESTON, Marla, 2001. Coaching generations in the workplace. Nursing Administration Quarterly. Vol. 11. No. 2. pp. 11-21. ZIERDEN, Wm. E. 1980. Congruence in the work situations: effects of growth needs, management style, and job structure on job-related satisfactions. Journal of Occupational Behavior. John Wiley & Sons. Vol. 1, No. 4. pp. 297-310. October. Read More