Importance of Individual Differences in Understanding Behaviour at Work - Essay Example

Importance of individual differences in understanding behaviour at work Introduction Personality refers to the individual differences which are evident among individuals (Woods and West 2010). Intelligence or the cognitive capabilities of individuals refers to the mental capabilities which involve the ability to reason, plan and solve problems by comprehending complex issues (Woods and West 2010). Intelligence involves attaching meaning to the complex surrounding and deciding which course of action to take among several alternatives. There are different models of intelligence which include the Vernon model which covers verbal and mechanical intelligence (Nairne 2010). The cattel model of intelligence covers the crystallized intelligence while the hierarchical model of intelligence covers numerous intelligent abilities like learning and memory intelligence, fluid intelligence, achievement, visual perception, crystallized intelligence and perceptual speed (Woods and West 2010). The individual personality is the pattern of thought, emotions and behaviors which are expressed a person. There are numerous theories which explain individual personality including the behavioral theories, psychoanalytic theories, social learning theories, trait theories and cognitive theories (McKenna 2000). This paper will discuss theories of psychology and the importance of individual differences in understanding behavior at work. The paper will also discuss how factors like personality, emotion and abilities influences the work experiences such as interpersonal relations, stress, work attitudes and organizational processes. The paper will address ways of improving work processes in organizations. The big five model of personality considers five factors which are the agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability and openness which is also the intellect of the person (Woods and West 2010). The big five model explains the individual differences at work and the differences in their personality. The personality, cognitive capabilities and emotions at work will affect the level of job satisfaction and job performance since these factors influence the individual motivation in the work place. Work habits such as motivation and team work will also impact on the job performance (Nairne 2010). The job appraisal techniques, the team characteristics, organizational policies and occupational interests of the worker will also determine the level of job satisfaction and amount of commitment which the worker may be willing to devote in his duties (Woods and West 2010). Personality and intelligence theories are useful in understanding the differences in employee behavior in the workplace. They help in identifying the human qualities of the employee like the motivation, leadership styles and empathy (Nairne 2010). They help the management in appreciating the different strengths and weaknesses of employees in the organization. Personality and intelligent theories are also useful in many human resource functions like recruitment, selection and training of the employees (Woods and West 2010). Personality helps in the development of self-awareness and which is critical in enhancing good working relationships within groups in the organization. Personality theories help the management to assess the level of employee motivation and job satisfaction in the workplace (McKenna 2000). Personality theories are also crucial in allocation of tasks within the organization since some employees value team work while others prefer working independently (Woods and West 2010). Personality and intelligence theories are critical in assessing the effectiveness of the leadership styles in the organization since employees prefer various leadership styles from the supervisors (McKenna 2000). Some employees work well while under authoritative leadership or rule and procedure based leadership styles while others prefer a flexible leadership style where they have a chance to participate in decision making and utilize their creativity (Woods and West 2010). Personality and intelligence theories helps the management in understanding the team dynamics like the effectiveness of informal or formal working groups in the organization and the channels of communication which are preferable in the organization (McKenna 2000). Personality theories help the management in identifying and resolving conflicts within the organization like the employee grievances or office politics which threaten team work in the organization (Nairne 2010). Personality and intelligence theories will help the management of the organization to identify the occupational interests of the employees since some workers prefer routine jobs while other prefers a variety of tasks since they are able to multi-task (Woods and West 2010). Models of intelligence One of the earliest models of intelligence is the Spearman’s model which composes of the general ability (g) and special ability. The special ability is based on observations such as the verbal abilities and mathematical skills of the employee (Hunt 2010). One advantage of the theory is the use of observation in measuring intelligence and the general practical use in various workplaces. The theory suffers a disadvantage since it is only based on two categories of intelligence (Woods and West 2010). Cattell intelligence model is based on fluid intelligence which is the ability to identify relationships among different aspect of work and crystallized intelligence which is acquired knowledge and skills (Hunt 2010). The Vernon model of intelligence considers the verbal intelligence and spatial or the mechanical abilities of the employee in understanding the behavior of the worker (Woods and West 2010). Hierarchical model of intelligence breaks down the abilities in to minor factor groups which include the learning and memory abilities, achievement, perceptual speed, ideational fluency, visual perception, crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence hence it is widely used and acceptable in assessing the behavior and intelligence of the employees (McKenna 2000). The disadvantage of the method is the difficulty in identifying the hierarchical relationships of the various types of intelligence (Nairne 2010). Theories of personality There are various theories which have been advanced to explain personality development. The major determinants of personality are hereditary factors, culture, family background, life experiences, cognitive abilities and social environment (Nairne 2010). The first group of theories is the biological theories of personality which are mainly associated with the work of Hans Eysenck who linked the aspects of personality to biological processes (Hunt 2010). According to this theory, introvert employees have high arousal which leads them to avoid stimulation. The extrovert employees have low cortical arousal which leads to them seeking more challenging experiences and tasks at the workplace (Woods and West 2010). Behavioral theories can be used to explain the differences of individual personalities and emotions in the workplace. Behavioral theories assert that the personality of an employee is determined by the interaction of the employee and the environment (Hunt 2010). This theories study the observable and quantifiable behaviors in determining the employee personality. The behavior of the employee is determined by conditioning where rewards and punishments exist for the desired and undesirable behaviors respectively (McKenna 2000). If the employee feels that is he likely to be punished for poor job performance or lateness, he will try to avoid the behavior. If the employee feels that high job performance will be accompanied by promotions and awards, he will improve high behavior at the workplace (Woods and West 2010). Humanistic theories of psychology can explain the employee behavior in the organization. The theories are associated with the work of Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. The theories emphasize on the need of self-actualization and self esteem in developing the behavior (Hunt 2010). According to the theories, employees have a human nature hence the personal goals of self-actualization and personal growth will influence the behavior of the employee in the workplace (Nairne 2010). Employee with high self-actualization needs have high motivation in their work and are more likely to dedicate more efforts in their job performance (Woods and West 2010). Employees who seek personal growth are likely to engage in team building activities hence they can control their emotions inn the workplace. Such employees experience low stress levels (Woods and West 2010). Psychosocial theories assert that the employee behavior is influenced by external factors in the social environment. The social environment in the workplace like the workmates, management styles and supervision styles can influence the behavior of the employee. Poor supervision skills can result to weak interpersonal relations in the workplace which demoralize the employees (Woods and West 2010). Psychoanalytic theories of psychology can be used to determine the personality, emotions and causes of the employee behavior (Ryckman 2007). The theories hold that employee behaviors are determined at their early stages in life hence the behavior are passed to them by their parents (Shaffer 2009). The neo-analytic theories on the other hand, explain that employee behavior in the workplace is influenced by the ego of the employee (McKenna 2000). The ego of the employee determines how the employee will cope with both the internal and external pressures of the colleagues in the workplace (Ryckman 2007). This theory explains that there is strong relationship between the level of employee motivation and their work performance (Shaffer 2009). The employee should be able to control their ego in order to avoid undesirable behaviors in the workplace (Woods and West 2010). Social learning theories emphasize on the interactions between cognitive abilities and environmental influences in understanding the behavior of employees (Shaffer 2009). According to the theories, employee behavior is leaned and influenced by the external environment, reinforcements in the workplace and the emotional coping mechanisms of the employee (Woods and West 2010). Trait theories of personality can also explain the behavior of employees in the workplace. The trait theories assert that the behavior of employees is determined by certain traits which are acquired at birth. The traits include the personal dispositions, consistency and importance of culture and functional equivalence (Shaffer 2009). They are focused on the internal mental processes such as motivation, problem solving and decision making abilities (Woods and West 2010). Five factor theory One of the major trait theories is the five facto theory which emphasizes on five factors which explain the differences in employee behavior in organizations. The first factor is the extraversion which explains the individual comfort ability in relating with others. Extravert employees are assertive and social while introvert employees are reserved and rarely socialize even in teams (Sternberg 2000). The second factor in understanding the employee behavior is the agreeableness where some people are high cooperative and trusting while others with low scores on personality are cold and mistrusting (Woods and West 2010). The third factor is conscientiousness which explains the reliability of the employees. Employees with good behavior and personality traits are well organized and responsible for the work in the organization (Sternberg 2000). Those scoring low on personality and behavior are easily distracted in their duties and are highly disorganized hence unreliable in executing their assigned tasks (Woods and West 2010). The theory also considers the emotional stability of the employee where employees with positive emotional stability are calm, secure and confident in their work. Employees who score poorly on emotional stability are nervous and depressed hence cannot execute their duties with confidence and effectively. The fifth dimension of the theory considers the openness to experience where employees who score highly on behavior are creative, innovative and curious of learning new knowledge (Sternberg 2000). Those with poor behavior scores find comfort in their current positions and current job performance level (Woods and West 2010). Reflections/examples from my workplace My personality traits have influenced my work behavior and performance at Premium health concepts. I role in the organization is accountancy mainly accounting for the account receivables. The five factor method has influenced my personality traits and experience at the Organization. In the first factor which is extraversion, I am socially active and energetic since I have to deal with numerous people in the organization including outside suppliers. I work at a fast pace and enjoy performing various duties in my position. I enjoy my achievements and attention and praise from my supervisors. I am competitive, enthusiastic and persuasive since I have to convince all customers to pay their dues within the recommended credit period. I am good in communicating with colleagues and the management and I like participating in team work. I can audit prepare and audit the accounts receivables schedules as well as prepare comprehensive financial performance statements. I can offer support services to other departments like the human resources department and marketing department. I have managed to reduce the account receivables outstanding amounts by more than fifty percent in the last twelve months. According to the second factor which is the agreeableness, I m self confident and independent in my duties and can dominate in teams. I am capable of handing the office politics and driving through obstacles which may negatively affect my job performance. I can make decisions which may be unpopular. I am determined to meet my performance target which is essential in attainment of the overall organizational strategic goals. I have used charismatic leadership style in dealing with the junior clerks who mainly receive their job instruction from my office. According to the third factor of the model which is conscientiousness, I have a structured approach to my work since I prepare work schedules and plans of the tasks which I should accomplish within a stipulated period of time. I am committed in my job since I am internally motivated by self-actualization needs. I ensure that I deliver quality work which pays attention to all accounting details. I am reliable and efficient since I have set goals which I should achieve at the end of the accounting period. I have a high score emotional stability since I am optimistic of the improved future profitability of the organization. I am able to withstand constant pressure from the management if it appears that my work schedules and targeted performance my not be accomplished within the stipulated period. I enjoy autonomy and I can cope with uncertainties like in case of loss of accounting data which is immediately needed by the management or incase of bad debts which are uncollectable. I am always calm while under pressure since I have high degree of self-esteem and self-actualization needs. I score highly on the fifth factor which is the openness to experience since I am follow the organizational rules, policies and code of conduct in the performance of my duties. I ensure that private and confidential information is preserved and no accounting records manipulation by my junior employees. I adhere to all the accounting policies which have been approved by the management like the depreciation methods and valuation methods which should be used in preparing the end of the period financial statements. I am able to flexibly adapt to change in the organization like the changes in valuation methods and the discount rates which should be offered to customers. I can adapt to changes in interest rates and exchange rates in the preparation of the accounts receivable schedules. I follow all the guidelines and systems in the organization including the grievances reporting guidelines and fraud investigation systems. Recommendations for improving work processes The management can use the hierarchical intelligence theory and trait theory of personality in improving the work processes. The main advantage of the hierarchical intelligence they is the ability to incorporate different skills which are needed by employees for effective work performance (Woods and West 2010). The model incorporates spatial, numerical, verbal, general intelligence and interpersonal abilities. The main disadvantage of the model is the complexity in analyzing the differences in employee behavior (Bryson and L’Abate 1994). The management can utilize the five factor theory to understand the personality of the employees. The five factor theory is able to identify employee attitudes towards work and the skills gap in the organization. The management should ensure employees have high emotional stability and conscientiousness in their job (Woods and West 2010). These theories can be used to assess the effectiveness of interpersonal relationships in the organization and level of employee motivation in the performance of their jobs (Bryson and L’Abate 1994). The theories can be used to identify the attitudes of employees towards their work and the general wellbeing of the employees including the level of work related stress (Woods and West 2010). The personality, emotions and intelligence abilities influence the work experiences of employees and differences in their work behavior (Woods and West 2010). In order to improve the work processes, the management should ensure effective channels of communication exist where employees can express their dissatisfaction with their work. The work processes may also be improved by effective recruitment, training and allocation of tasks to the employees (Woods and West 2010). The management should identify the abilities which are important for the effective performance of a particular task and train the employees those skills. The management should also motivate the employees through positive reinforcements like recognitions and awards which serve to improve the self-actualization needs of the employees (Woods and West 2010). The management can also improve the work processes by ensuring team cohesion through implementing effective conflict resolution mechanisms which improve the team spirit (Bryson and L’Abate 1994). The management should review the chain of command to ensure that its fits the individual employee requirements since some employees prefer work autonomy rather than receiving instructions from their supervisors (Bryson and L’Abate 1994). The management should understand the individual employee career objectives and future aspirations and align the overall organizational goals with the employee future aspirations (Woods and West 2010. The management can improve on the work processes through the provision of counseling services to employees who suffer from work related stress and depression (Woods and West 2010). The work processes can also be improved through provision of the right working tools and equipments like efficient information systems which ease the employee efforts in the performance of their jobs. The management can also motivate the employees by ensuring employees perform a variety of tasks in their positions hence reducing the work monotony (Woods and West 2010). Bibliography: Bryson, C & L’Abate, L. 1994. A theory of personality development. New York. John Wiley. Hunt, E. 2010. Human intelligence. New York. Routledge. McKenna, E. 2000. Business psychology and organizational behavior. London. Springer. Nairne, J. 2010. Psychology. New Jersey. Cengage Learning. Ryckman, R. 2007. Theories of personality. Belmont. Wadsworth. Shaffer, D. 2009. Social and personality development. Belmont. Wadsworth. Sternberg, R. 2000. Handbook of intelligence. New Jersey. Cengage Learning. Woods, S and West, M. 2010. The psychology of work and organizations. Andover. South- Western Cengage Learning. Read More