A company’s primary objective is making profit and for this objective to be met many forces should not only come into play but compliment and reinforce each other. The key factors in any organization are employees’ development, efficiency, maximum productivity and innovation and change. Employee development provides a strong platform on which all the other aspects of the organization are built on. Its success is vital if all the other objectives are to be met (McLean, 2005).
A successful company strives on good employees. If a company wants to attract highly qualified people and reduce employee turnover then it should nurture employee development. This means putting in place measures that ensure employee’s growth aside from the convectional benefits. These measures include adding value to the employee through training the employee with various skills which it deems important during the course of employment. It may also finance its employee’s education. This shows its effort in ensuring a highly skilled and trained workforce which is adequately equipped to work in a competitive job market and tackle challenges.
Benefits that accrue from employees’ development include a contented workforce which translates into increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and a clear understanding of what is expected from each person (McLean, 2005). It also contributes significantly to the efficiency and employees view on innovation and change. It’s imperative to align these goals with those of innovation and change for the organization’s well being. There is therefore a correlation between goals for employees’ development and those of innovation, change and productivity. Conflict may however arise as an organization tries to meet both sets of goals.
Innovation is necessary if any company wants to get a comparative advantage over its competitors. It is however viewed with suspicion as most innovations are characterized by uncertainty. Innovation can be as a result of external factors such as changing customer needs, competitors, and technology among other factors, while internal factors could include a company’s growth or change in leadership and personnel (Daft, 2013).
Innovation therefore tries to remedy a bad situation, conform to the changing trends or exploit a new opportunity.An organization’s attention should shift to those areas with the highest risk and susceptible to change now and again. Innovation is only effective when the entire organization is committed to change. Important decisions with regards to change have to be made for the sustenance of the business. The employees should therefore be empowered with the necessary skills to make the decisions and tackle any ensuing challenges. This affirms the goals for employees’ development.
Innovation consequently invokes change which is accompanied by learning. The company would have to foster a good working environment if it’s to avert hostile reactions to change. The company therefore should have invested in an employee development program. This emphasizes the need for employee development if any organization is to embrace change and innovation and increase its profit margin (Kondalkar, 2009).
The productivity of a company is a clear indicator of the employees’ satisfaction and effectiveness. Employee satisfaction is achieved through employee development. A trained employer works under minimal supervision and is also motivated for he or she can relate his or her efforts to the company’s overall objective. Better employee relationship and employee management relationship reduces conflicts in the workplace creating a conducive working environment.
The various goals may seem to converge at one main objective but in the course of achieving these goals conflict may arise. The organization should view conflict as an opportunity to improve and tackle the various hitches that may hamper a company’s growth. An organization comprises of different levels of management where each is faced with different sets of decisions.Different approaches and styles in decision making may result in conflict. The solution to this kind of problem is to align each department’s goals with those of the company and ensure communication between the different levels of management (Kondalkar, 2009).
Uncertainty about an organization’s new policy may be a source of conflict as neither the intentions nor the outcomes are known. Employees seeking to guard their interests such as job security may not embrace change, especially when they feel their interests are being threatened. The policies should therefore be explained clearly to the employees and the reasons for adapting the new policies (Daft, 2013). The achievement of these goals requires resources and since they all run concurrently the problem of conflicting resources and roles may arise. An instance where one department may want to spend more time in training employees while another department insists on employees spending more time in the production process; they are likely to disagree. Proper planning and prioritizing when allocating time and resources is important bearing in mind each department is vital for the company’s overall success (Daft, 2013).
Different perceptions and goals may also trigger conflict. Some employees may perceive change and innovation differently and may be prompted to act on fear of personal loss. The varying interests from different levels of management may also conflict. The organization should therefore set specific short term goals where each employee understands their contribution in achieving the long term goals of the business (Kondalkar, 2009).
An organization structure is a framework which outlines the hierarchy in decision making, the roles and duties of every employee in the organization. Smooth operations and effective communication are indicators of an efficient organization structure. The ease with each which an organization structure responds to change is also important. A very rigid structure may not welcome change and innovation as it lacks rooms to accommodate the various roles and responsibilities associated with change.
High employee morale is also a characteristic of an efficient organization structure. This motivation can be nurtured through various ways among them advancement opportunities and incentives which seek to reward employees’ efforts. Innovation and change which are often accompanied by learning may however demoralize the employees especially where there is uncertainty and it’s difficult to predict the outcome (Kondalkar, 2009). Proper communication and emphasizing the importance of change on a both personal and organization level can help resolve this problem.
The effects of an organization structure are felt in every part of the company. Management should therefore be able to gauge its efficiency in meeting the company’s goals. An organization’s ability to respond to change indicates its effectiveness. It should therefore be flexible to conform to a changing marketplace. Large companies which thrive in a dynamic world should be able to quickly adapt to change and be able to gain from the new exploits (Daft, 2013).
Effective communication between the various departments, smooth operations due to a simplified chain of command and easy decision making improves productivity and efficiency. These two factors are crucial if the company’s goals are to be met. An organization structure should therefore reflect productivity and efficiency. This is a certain way of assessing the suitability of the organization’s structure in meeting the company’s goals.
References
Daft, R.L., (2013). Organization Theory and Design, 11th Edition, Southwestern- Mason, Ohio: Cengage print.
Kondalkar, V.G., (2009). Organization Development. New Age International print.
McLean, G.N., (2005). Organization Development: Principles, Processes. Performance. Berrett-Koehler Publishers print.