Organizational Behavior themes

1. Think of a present/past work environment you have been on (or use and example from your course materials), and then assess organizational behavior practices you observed that fostered the effect of positive changes(s) within the organization. Cite relevant examples from your personal experience and utilize additional relevant examples from outside sources and/or the course materials to complete this question.As stated by Robbins and Judge (2011), “organizational behavior is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations, for the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organization’s effectiveness” (p. 9).

It was the first time that I ever work in a hospital (1992), when I was pretty nervous I had never experience working with patient before and working for Johns Hopkins Hospital would play a very important role in my future.This was the number one hospital in the world with great medical benefits, educational benefits, and many opportunities and organizational behavior aspect is very important. When I was first hired there was a group leader in the department who was not very effective when she dispatching the work to us the (transporter), she lack communication skills and came off as arrogant. She was move to a late shift because she was creating a negative work environment and the other group leader from the late was brought on the earlier shift. This made every happy because this person had better people and communication skills, this was a much happier work environment.

The only problem was that this person could not make a decision without asking the manager, for example if she needed to assign a worker to a specialty area she would need to consult the manager first. This is part of the group leader job to be able to place us in different areas the required a transporter. On the positive side she was able to open communication between employees and management, we were all able to communicate better and boost employee moral within the department.My most recent job that I have with the organization is a (Patient Transport supervisor), for the last three years they have emphasis on organizational behavior. The training consists of leadership and how to keep employees engage to become effective workers.

There are many classes once a month on how to interact with employees, customers, and co-workers. Therefore, this is a very positive effect for the organization and the leadership. We are in the business of patient care and we want to make a different and how we treat out employees, customer, and patients.2.

Demonstrate how theories of motivation from this course, if applied in an organization, could increase employee performance. Cite relevant examples form outside sources and /or your course materials to complete this question.According to Robbins, and Judge (2011), “motivation is the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal” (p. 204).

The theories of motivation that was covered could have a positive effect on employees if used correctly. I believed that the theory of self concordance, which considers how strongly peoples’ reasons for pursuing goals are consistent with their interests and cores, values (Robbins & Judges, 2011). I think the when people pursing their goals in life they are happier and effective in their work. To make this theory work for employees is to give recognition and praise for a job well done, employees like to feel that they means something to the organization.

Employees like to achieve their goals and will become more happy and satisfied with their jobs. They will perform better and feel like they are apart of the organization. It would be a great idea if the employer is to reward individuals for their work, and it would be good if the reward is could be tailored to the individual. A good example would be if an individual was given a project with a deadline and they finish it before the deadline they should be given the choice of a reward, whether it would be a choice between getting a day off with pay, causal Friday, dinner for them and spouse, or leaving work early one day, extra vacation days, or mail a thank you letter to their homes thanking them for a job well done.

3. Think of your current/former workplace. Evaluate an ethical dilemma(s) that is currently challenging or has in the past challenged your workplace in the context of what the social responsibilities are of management and employees for resolving that ethical challenge. If there are no ethical dilemmas in your workplace you may choose a current event. Cite relevant examples from your personal experiences, outside sources, and /or your course materials to complete this question.

I would like to define workplace ethics. According to wiseGeek (2003-2012), “workplace ethics are codes of conduct that influence the development of an ethical culture within the workplace (para.1). Workplace Ethic is where the organization ethics sits between the law and business operations.

It inspires communication between employees and allows respect to each person within the organization, which promotes customer relationships that are based on honesty and integrity. However, work experiences and business practices don’t follow ethic and code of conduct rules all the time. An ethical dilemma that I experience in (2010) is when the night shift supervisor in our department recorded our conversation that related to employees.She had no control over shift, and allowed her customer service representative to take control. I was sitting at my desk when she came into the office and asked me for my advice. She wanted to know about when employee has Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), because one of her employees would call out FMLA, each time it was her weekend to work, and this would mean that she had to work her weekends, if she did not get someone to cover this employee weekend.

I explained that it all depends on what is stated in the approval letter, which is in the employee file. We began to review the letter and I explained that to her what she came do. That she can ask for the employee to be recertified, meaning call someone in the Medical Advisor office and explained her consider and they will guide though the process. Then we began to speak about the employee and how she abuse her FMLA, and that if she follow the information in the approval letter that she should not have any problems.I had no idea that this person was recording our entire conversation.

According to the First Amendment Coalition (2009), “if using hidden microphones and/or camera to tape without consent is unlawful under the circumstances, you would be unable to use the tape as evidence and you could be charged with a crime and sued” (para. 4). Meaning that Maryland required all parties consent to record a conversation between two or more persons. When her employee became upset with her she told the manager and the that is when I was informed about this matter, when the supervisor was ask had she done this, she gave no rely. I felt like my rights had been violated and there was no trust among the supervisors in the department.I inform my manager that I was going to speak with the director and file and complain against her because she did not have my consent to record our conversation.

Because it was just hear say and no actually heard the recording, but the employee who was angry with her supervisor, I ask not to go too Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to file and complain. The supervisor was put on suspension and the employee was giving counseling. Even though she tried to apology I knew my rights and never trust her again. I was never alone with her again, and other co-worker did not trust her and eventually she left the organization because she no longer felt comfortable around us.

4. Summarize a situation when a miscommunication led to a decrease in employee effectiveness in your present/former workplace. Cite relevant examples from your personal experiences, outside sources, and /or your course materials to complete this question.Communication has been misconstrued, or it’s lacking, which can cause people to assume things instead of asking questions. As stated by Robbins and Judge (2011), “communication the transfer and understanding of meaning” (p. 343).

It is the imparting exchange of information, ideas, or feelings. An incident where miscommunication led to a decrease in effectiveness in my present workplace was when our manager put in for her retirement. I was supposed to consider for her position, so I thought. I submitted a promotion letter to the director who would be hiring and interviewing for her position. To inform him that would like to be consider for the manager position and informed him of all of my experience, accomplishment, and achieved.

I was scheduled for an interview and I answer all the questions, this was my job and I had claimed it.However, I was giving a second interview and an offer was made, and I accept. I was promoted in June 2011. I was in the position for three weeks, before I had no idea what I was doing.

The only training that I received was one week about four hours each day, I know that I am a good supervisor but, a manager is a different job. I could not believe that this would be all the training that I was going to received. I spoke with the manager in my department and another manager that work in another department. I ask them both if there were a training class that I could take to help me understand the job duties of a manager, they both said no. I unhappy to hear that and, made appointment with the director and explained the situation.I told him that I was very dissatisfied with the position and told him that wanted to back being a supervisor.

I felt unproductive because I had no idea what I was doing and no one was willing to train me properly and explain the job functions. He explained to me that this was a miscommunication, because I should be in a training class that is offer by the organization for new manager. This miscommunication led to decrease in my effectiveness within the department, because the director did not communicate to the other manager about the training. On the positive side once it was communicated to all parties involved the manager was very effective in the training, and I was very please with the end result.

Communication is a key in any organization, whether it is large or small, and when the communication is lacking other aspects of the business will suffer. This taught me that communication is not only the process we all must conduct in our workplace and business for better communication, but also we must pay attention to the context of how we communicate.