Organisational development by managers themselves
KATHMANDU
Organisation development (OD) is difficult to do consciously. However, many people are doing it without being aware of the fact that they are doing it. Still most people in total ignorance are turning the clock backwards in the OD timeline. We know it is easier to destroy than build. Let us look at various OD initiatives taken by companies. Then we will see how weeds take over. Finally we will show how managers be it from HR or other departments can save the deteriorating situation.
- Solving the late coming problem
Because customers came early in the morning, sharp on time, and the staff did not, the company’s CEO started to put biometric devices to enforce timely arrival.
Initial outcome: Employees feared being tracked as chronic latecomers, so they came on time.
After two months: Some employees always came on time even though in the pre-biometric-times they never did.
However, some did not think the system would work so they did not change their habits. The machine was recording data but it seemed the CEO forgot that data without analysis and action was useless. Soon everyone figured this out.
After three months: It was back to square one. Everyone came as late as the pre-biometric-times. Soon the machine was broken. No one tried to maintain it. The end.
The manager’s possible OD consultant role: The CEO sanctioned the purchase of the biometric system. Now the manager should have had enough brains to know that data needs to be processed. If you have ever tried to analyse data from a biometric you will know it is not a piece of cake. You need to use excel functions and brains to get a comprehensible report upon which action can be taken. If he could not analyse the data, he should have got someone in the team do it or call the supplier to get the desired format. Then he should have designed a penalty mechanism for later comers. Had he done that, this OD initiative would have succeeded.
- Solving pending accounts problem
The office was always in a rush and there was no time to complete various entries in accounts. The owner said that no one in accounts could go home without closing the day.
Initial outcome: The accountants stayed late till 8 pm and completed all entries.
After two months: The accountants started to complain about having to stay late always.
After three months: The old practice of not closing accounts on the same day re-emerged.
The manager’s possible OD consultant role: First of all the manager should have recommended and provided OT (overtime) to the accountants as a form of motivation. Then he should have known that the cause of delay must have been due to the lack of cooperation from other departments. He should have gone back in the chain of events and tried to motivate them to finish on time. The abnormal situation of having to stay late would have been done over with. Then in case the problem still persisted, he should have explored adding staffs.
- Daily meeting culture
It was found that problems in a company were on the rise because of the lack of coordination between departments. The CEO deduced that the solution was to conduct a daily meeting with all departments present.
After one week: No meetings took place.
After two weeks: No meetings took place
After two months: No meetings took place
After three months: The initial problems due to lack of coordination grew even bigger and departments became even more hostile towards one another. But they were so used to this discomfort, life went on and it was business as usual.
The manager’s possible OD consultant role: Here a manager from any of the departments could have taken the lead. By that we mean he could have forcefully gone to each of the other manager’s desk and dragged them to the meeting. But this was not done. Without someone taking this seriously, such new positive culture dies without even seeing the light of day.
The authors are associated with Growth Sellers Pvt Ltd, which offers services in the areas of HR Management, Business Processes and Organizational Systems. they can be reached at info @growthsellers.com