Management, Teamwork, and Decision-Making at CashLab Bank - Case Study Example

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR Student’s name Code & Course Professor’s name University City Date Contents 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 Company Profile 3 3.0 Theoretical Framework 4 4.0 Management 4 5.0 Clarity of Objectives 5 6.0 Theory X and Theory Y 6 7.0 Understanding Employee Needs and Motivation 6 7.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 6 7.2 Alderfer’s Needs Theory 8 7.3 Herzberg’s Two-factor Theory 9 8.0 Conclusion 10 9.0 Reference list 12 Organizational Behavior 1.0 Introduction Management at the workplace is key to the success of any organization. Management has developed from the classical theory, through behavioral management to contemporary management (Altman et.al, 2013). All these theories seek to answer the question of what should be considered with greater weight; the employee or work? Studies have been conducted to determine how employees can work with minimal supervision and yet reach optimal productivity. There exists a broad theoretical framework based on management, teamwork and decision-making at the workplace. This paper intends to analyze and give a report concerning how management, teamwork, and decision making relate to CashLab Bank. 2.0 Company Profile Incorporated in 1990, CashLab Bank operated as a scheduled commercial bank. The main objective of the bank was to become an excellent bank in all its undertakings. The management of the bank is inclined towards product and service quality; a step that has been recognized both domestically and internationally. The bank has won various awards with the distinctive one being the ‘Best Employer Award’. I work as a human resource manager at one of the bank’s branch. The bank has a managerial design comprising of five interrelated components namely; leadership, decision making and structure, people, work processes and the organizational culture. The management ensures there is cohesion in leadership as well as keeping the vision and priorities of the organization clear. Objectives, roles, and accountabilities are catered for in the decision-making body. The human resource department handles all aspects that deal with the employees of the organization such as evaluation and motivation. The work and processes body ensures that work schedules are followed, and support systems are in place. Our organizational culture upholds positive performance values while ensuring we are in a capacity to change if need be. 3.0 Theoretical Framework As a manager, it is evident that many factors surface when people interact with various organizations. Many philosophers have contributed to the field of organizational behavior through various schools of thought, which makes organizational behavior what it is today. Though managers rely on management theories, they do not choose any one particular theory to include in management. A combination of several theories is usually employed in relation. An analysis was conducted on the bank with respect to its management and other activities. The following analysis indicates the expected performance based on a conceptual framework, theory, school of thought or relevant scholarly article, book or journal; the actual performance of the organization and any significant differences. 4.0 Management According to Fredrick Taylor, human variability should not exist in any organization (Shafritz, 2015). For maximum output per employee to be achieved, there must be some form of stable and predictable work behaviors. He, therefore, argued that money is the main incentive that leads people to work better and proposed that if people have to reach optimal output, then they must be motivated in the form of money. CashLab does not entirely rely on monetary incentives to boost work performances of its employees. However, the importance of the matter is not dismissed. Workers are rewarded accordingly in monetary terms where applicable. There is fairness in remuneration and salaries are paid on time. However, there are other methods used for motivating the employees to boost their work output (Jenkins et.al, 2012. In contrast, Though monetary incentives are important, Cashlab uses Them only where possible but not entirely. Monetary incentives do not always motivate employees and it is important to consult them prior to issuing incentives, to determine the best approach possible. 5.0 Clarity of Objectives Clarity of organizational objectives is crucial in guiding performances by the employees. The management is expected to set out an organization’s goals and objectives in a clear manner. The employees should be made to understand the link existing between daily routine activities and the organizational overall strategy (Arvy et.al, 2012). At CashLab, The management gathers the employees on an irregular basis to remind them of the organizational objectives. Employees are instructed that daily performances should be directed towards the achievement of the company’s objectives in the long run. By doing so, the employees are always up to the task and working towards the achievement of long-term goals. In comparison to this, my organization goes further than just talking out the organizational objectives. Publications are considered a useful resource for clarifying key issues. As such, all short-term and long-term goals in the organization are well published and available to all employees on demand to ensure that clarity is maintained concerning such objectives. The organization should keep up the trend of ensuring its employees are updated and are working in line with all the organizational objectives at all times. 6.0 Theory X and Theory Y Fredrick McGregor argues that there are two ways of viewing employees in an organization. He puts forward the X and Y theory where he proposes that in theory X, employees are negatively inclined to work and will always avoid it where possible (Sahin, 2012). In theory Y, he argues that the management can view workers as responsible and willing to work under minimal supervision. My organization uses the theory to some extent but on a flexible basis. If an employee’s evaluated performance is below average or negatively progressing, the management ensures that the employee is monitored closely to ascertain the course of the problem. This monitoring does not subject an employee to stress and assumptions that they are not willing to work. The organization uses the Y theory. The major difference exists in the execution of theory X. the managers are not entirely autocratic unless such autocracy in undoubtedly needed. With respect to theory Y, there is no significance difference existing. The organization is therefore recommended to adopt only measures that do not torture employees emotionally when taking disciplinary measures. Use of theory X in the modern world is considered unethical. It should, therefore, be used sparingly and with caution. 7.0 Understanding Employee Needs and Motivation 7.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Maslow’s hierarchy of needs argues that human behavior is controlled by both internal and external factors (Dubrin, 2013). He grouped these needs into a five-tier list. These are; physiological needs, safety and security needs, love and belonging needs, self-esteem and self-actualization needs. He further argues that satisfaction of lower level needs will be the driver of satisfaction of the next higher-level needs in the hierarchy (Maslow, 1943). As such, a higher-level need cannot be satisfied prior to the satisfaction of the preceding lower level need. These needs need to be looked at each at a time. A manager will look at the needs of each individual in the organization differently. This is because; an employee will have fulfilled their physiological needs but has a difficulty in satisfying their esteem needs. It will, however, be different to another employee who maybe has not yet satisfied the lower need. In the working environment, these needs will be viewed respectively as; survival issues, stable environment at work, social concerns, recognition and respect concerns and achievement concerns (Maslow, 1943). Bankers are subjected to preferred job satisfaction, where an intention to leave could be attributed to stressful working environments. Such stresses include; customer relations, poor interactions, staff shortages, work schedules and unpredictable workflows or overloads (Chye & Boo, 2004).In accordance to these shortcomings, Maslow’s theory is used in my organization to bring changes to the employee practice environment. If employees perceive that their practice environment needs are being unmet, they will feel demotivated and will less likely progress to the next higher-level need. To enhance retention in the organization or to prevent many employees from leaving the organization, their practice environment has to be reviewed periodically. With respect to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, this reflects that once this basic need is met, the employee will shift towards achieving other higher-level needs such as self-esteem and self-actualization. This improvement will be based upon the elimination of these stressors, which make banking challenging. 7.2 Alderfer’s Needs Theory Alderfer’s ERG theory poses a hierarchy of needs under three classifications namely; existence, relatedness, and growth. Existence reflects on an individual’s interest in basic materials or existence physiological essentials like food, water, fringe benefits, pay and working conditions (Sirota & Klein, 2013). Relatedness caters for the need to develop and sustain interpersonal relationships with family, friends, co-workers, supervisors, subordinates and significant others. Growth focuses on a person’s intrinsic needs of creativity and making useful contributions. It includes personal development while incorporating personal growth opportunities (Sirota & Klein, 2013). ERG theory allows the satisfaction of needs without any systematic procedure as opposed to Maslow’s theory. As such, it paves the way for the satisfaction of higher-level needs even before the lower level needs is satisfied. In essence, the satisfaction of lower level needs is not the driver for the satisfaction of higher-level needs. It also puts it that if satisfaction of a higher level need fails; the individual is frustrated and regresses to a lower level need. This is called frustration- regression principle (Sirota & Klein, 2013). CashLab’s employees are its most valuable asset. Therefore, the organization has the responsibility of balancing its goals and objectives in line with the needs of its employees, to enhance workplace motivation (Andrews, 2005).In the banking industry, ERG theory is applicable in motivating all staff in line with their needs. In this case, my organization uses it in attaining job satisfaction in the following ways:Input: employees have the opportunity to talk about their jobs, which in turn enables them to give us suggestions about the change needed, and ensuring that the management listens to them (Andrews, 2005).Employee-manager relations: the manager of the organization is the main element of enhancing harmony in the interrelationships of the individuals in the organization. This is in relation to understanding, being fair and helpful to them. Work environment: practice environment is made comfortable, clean and safe in accordance with ERG theory.Breaks and meals: the organization allows adequate time for breaking and meals to cater for existential needs. Other important factors for job satisfaction include; the style of management, decision making, performance appraisals, pay and development opportunities and rewards (Andrews, 2005). CashLab works in line with this theory, and it is highly recommendable that they keep do so. 7.3 Herzberg’s Two-factor Theory Herzberg’s two-factor theory states that individuals have two fixed levels of needs namely; avoidance of unpleasant situations and personal growth (Mitchel, 2013).The theory also puts across five factors that influence job satisfaction. The factors are; achievement, recognition, works itself, responsibility and advancement (Mitchel, 2013). Job dissatisfaction is influenced by; company and administrative policies, supervision, interpersonal relationships, salary and working conditions. The term hygiene as used in this theory refers to the factors necessary in avoiding job dissatisfaction although they cannot provide for such satisfaction or motivation. In the managerial field, managers will find this theory relevant because according to it, factors involved in the creation of this satisfaction are distinct from those factors that lead to that satisfaction. The hygiene factors (salary, work environment, interpersonal relationships, esteem, etc.), according to this theory are not the main causes of motivation upon their satisfaction. An employee will feel motivated by a job, for instance, if they perceive the job to be good for them; otherwise, even if all the other hygiene conditions are positively met, the individual will still be lowly motivated for the task (Mitchell, 2013). The theory is most applicable in changing the motivational techniques used in many organizations. Managers should learn that what they possibly perceive to motivate employees is not necessarily true. My organization, in line with this theory, focuses on the intrinsic, job content factors (Mowday et.al, 2013). It implies that an employee, for instance, will feel more motivated if he/she is recognized, encouraged, has a sense of achievement or responsibility as opposed to when their salary is reviewed upwards. An employee will not be motivated if they feel that they have no responsibility for the task, they have been given. Such alienations would be as a result of the management not involving such an employee in decision-making or failure to assign a fairly challenging but achievable task (Mowday et.al, 2013).This theory is hence a challenge to all managers in all industries, banking included. It would be better to use these intrinsic motivational techniques rather than the extrinsic factors especially monetary benefits. Though the theory is used in the organization, it appears to be rather confusing based on its various assumptions. This does not however dismiss its applicability and effectiveness. The organization should combine the effectiveness of the theory with other useful measures that are congruent to motivating employees for better job performances. 8.0 Conclusion Using applicable theories in practice is vital to the success of any organization. CashLab is a business entity that has proven to scale heights in ensuring that its employees are working together as a team and are involved in decision-making. The management has chosen not to isolate the employees and to motivate them all the way. The organization has invested heavily in keeping its employees contented, as a step that led it to winning a valuable award. However, the main recommendation is to adopt policies that put the organization in a capacity to adopt changes easily. In the contemporary banking environment, many organizations are failing due to their in conformity to the changing business environments and customer needs. CashLab should, therefore, make haste and do thorough research in the market to ensure that it is in line with the market requirements and in a capacity to embrace any organizational change strategies. 9.0 Reference list Altman, S., Valenzi, E., & Hodgetts, R. M. (2013). Organizational behavior: Theory and practice. Elsevier. Arvey, R. D., Dewhirst, H. D., & Boling, J. C. (2012). Relationships between goal clarity, participation in goal setting, and personality characteristics on job satisfaction in a scientific organization. Journal of Applied Psychology, 61(1), 103. Andrews, D. R., & Dziegielewski, S. F. (2005). The nurse manager: job satisfaction, the nursing shortage and retention. Journal of Nursing Management, 13(4), 286-295. Chye Koh, H., & Boo, E. F. H. (2004). Organizational ethics and employee satisfaction and commitment. Management Decision, 42(5), 677-693. DuBrin, A. J. (2013). Fundamentals of organizational behavior: An applied perspective. Elsevier. Jenkins Jr, G. D., Mitra, A., Gupta, N., & Shaw, J. D. (2012). Are financial incentives related to performance? A meta-analytic review of empirical research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83(5), 777. Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological review, 50(4), 370 Mitchell, G. (2013). Selecting the best theory to implement planned change: Improving the workplace requires staff to be involved and innovations to be maintained. Gary Mitchell discusses the theories that can help achieve this. Nursing Management, 20(1), 32-37. Mowday, R. T., Porter, L. W., & Steers, R. M. (2013). Employee—organization linkages: The psychology of commitment, absenteeism, and turnover. Academic Press. Şahin, F. (2012). The mediating effect of leader–member exchange on the relationship between Theory X and Y management styles and affective commitment: A multilevel analysis. Journal of Management & Organization, 18(02), 159-174. Shafritz, J., Ott, J., & Jang, Y. (2015). Classics of organization theory. Cengage Learning. Read More