People and Organizations: Principles and Practice in Global Contexts – MN7181 – HRM and the Design of Work – Blog # 5

People and Organizations: Principles and Practice in Global Contexts – MN7181 – HRM and the Design of Work

  Blog # 5

What is Work Design?

‘Work design is the creation of systems of work and a working environment that enhance organizational effectiveness and productivity, ensure the organization becomes a “great place in which to work” and are conductive to the health, safety and wellbeing of employees’ (Armstrong , 2014).

Whenever you go to work, you have a number of tasks, activities and responsibilities that you need to carry out, usually in collaboration with others. Work design is basically how these tasks, activities, responsibilities and interactions with other people are organized and structured. Good work design is crucial, as it affects both individual employees and organizational outcomes. For employees, work design can affect their motivation, their well-being and their development. Increased employee motivation, well-being and accelerated development can in turn improve organizational outcomes such as safety, performance, and innovation (Author developed, 2018).

7 Elements of Work Design

There are seven core elements to think about when creating a motivating job. The seven elements of work design can be combined in different ways to create work that is ideal not only for productivity, but also employee well-being. Keep in mind though that there is no ‘one fits all’ formula of work design. Good work design is often tailored to fit the organization, individuals and situation.

 GOOD WORK DESIGN

1.     Job Autonomy

2.     Job Demands

3.     Social Support

4.     Role Clarity

5.     Job Variety

6.     Job Feedback

7.     Skill Utilization

What is Job Design?

‘Job design specifies the contexts of jobs in order to satisfy work requirements and meet the personal needs of the job holder, thus increasing levels of employee engagement’ (Armstrong , 2014).

Definition: The Job Design means outlining the task, duties, responsibilities, qualifications, methods and relationships required to perform the given set of a job. In other words, job design encompasses the components of the task and the interaction pattern among the employees, with the intent to satisfy both the organizational needs and the social needs of the jobholder.

 The objective of a job design is to arrange the work in such a manner so as to reduce the boredom and dissatisfaction among the employees, arising due to the repetitive nature of the task.

There are several important methods and techniques that the management uses while designing the jobs.

Maslow (1943) initially stated that individuals must satisfy lower level deficit needs before progressing on to meet higher level growth needs. However, he later clarified that satisfaction of a needs is not an “all-or-none” phenomenon, admitting that his earlier statements may have given “the false impression that a need must be satisfied 100 percent before the next need emerges” (1987, p. 69).

 Maslow (1943, 1954) stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs and that some needs take precedence over others. Our most basic need is for physical survival, and this will be the first thing that motivates our behavior. Once that level is fulfilled the next level up is what motivates us, and so on.

1. Physiological needs - these are biological requirements for human survival, e.g. air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sex, sleep.

If these needs are not satisfied the human body cannot function optimally. Maslow considered physiological needs the most important as all the other needs become secondary until these needs are met.

2. Safety needs - protection from elements, security, order, law, stability, freedom from fear.

3. Love and belongingness needs - after physiological and safety needs have been fulfilled, the third level of human needs is social and involves feelings of belongingness. The need for interpersonal relationships motivates behavior

Examples include friendship, intimacy, trust, and acceptance, receiving and giving affection and love. Affiliating, being part of a group (family, friends, work).

4. Esteem needs - which Maslow classified into two categories: (i) esteem for oneself (dignity, achievement, mastery, independence) and (ii) the desire for reputation or respect from others (e.g., status, prestige).

Maslow indicated that the need for respect or reputation is most important for children and adolescents and precedes real self-esteem or dignity.

5. Self-actualization needs - realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences. A desire “to become everything one is capable of becoming”(Maslow, 1987, p. 64).

SMART GOALS.

The acronym SMART has several slightly different variations, which can be used to provide a more comprehensive definition of goal setting: S - specific, significant, And Stretching. M - Measurable, meaningful, motivational. A - Agreed upon, attainable, achievable, acceptable, and action-oriented.

Stages in Team building.

                   ( Source : www.google.com )

Flexibility of Employment.

Employers as well as Employees seek flexibility when it comes to work hours , duties etc. It helps both parties in terms of cost, demand, functions, time commitments etc.

Henderson 2017, has elaborated new forms of employment which states how few employers could jointly hire employees as in employee sharing. Further he states of Interim management where highly skilled employees are hires to do a specific job for a very short period. He further states about voucher based work, portfolio work etc.

 ( Henderson , 2017).

Current context in global work force you could further find the following trends of work with regard to flexibility.

1.     Temporary working.

2.     Part –time working.

3.     Job Sharing.

4.     Home – working.

References

Armstrong, 2014. Human Resource management.

Henderson, 2017. team building.

Maslow, 1943. Hierarchy of needs.

Maslow, 1954. Goal setting.

Maslow, 1987. Hierarchy of needs theory.

 www.google.com