Integrated Assignment PCL I HR

8/6/2019 Integrated Assignment PCL I HR

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Assessment Front Sheet PGDBEIMPORTANT : YOUR ASSIGNMENT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTEDFOR ASSESSMENT WITHOUT THE COVERING SHEETS

PGDBE Programme : PCL – I -HR Integrated assignmentAssignment Title Indian Call center

JourneyAssessor : Mr. Hitender

ChimneyStudent Name : Year 2009-2011

Given outon :

Required SubmissionDate :

Actual SubmissionDate:

Submitted to :

OUTCOMESAssessment Criteria – To achieve each outcome astudent must demonstrate the ability to :

Explore various HRP processes Compare and contrast different ways to fulfill humanresource requirements.

Explore various training anddevelopment processes

Compare and contrast how employees can becomeefficient by proper training.

Explore various team processes. Compare and recommend activities to enhanceinterpersonal team work.

Explore various avenues of theorganizational development.

Compare, contrast and recommend organizationaldevelopment by ethics and client relationship.

Explore various means of WPM Identify areas of WPM.

Higher Level Skills

Students studying PGDBE will be expected to develop the following skillsin this assignment.Cognitive skills of critical thinking, analysis and synthesis.Effective use of communication and information technology for business applications.Effective self-management in terms of planning, motivation, initiative and enterprise.



OVERALL ASSESSMENTGRADE

GRADING OPPORTUNITIES

MERIT CRITERIAMET

DISTINCTION CRITERIAMET

M1 Y D1 YM2 Y D2 YM3 Y D3

Plagiarism is a serious college offence.I certify this is my own work have referenced all relevant materials.TUTORS COMMENTS

OUTLINE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

PASS

A pass grade is achieved by meeting all the requirements defined in the assessmentcriteria for the unit.

MERIT

In order to achieve a merit the students must:M1 Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions.M2 Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques.M3 Present and communicate appropriate findings.



In addition, students will also show your skills in selecting appropriate sources of financefrom a wide range and discussing in some detail the implications of making thatselection. Illustrative figures will be used but may not be based in research carried out.Issues relating to financial planning will be raised but may not be covered in detail, or may omit one of the four key areas.

DISTINCTION

In order to achieve a distinction the students must:D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions.D2 Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities.D3 Demonstrate convergent, lateral and creative thinking.

In addition, to earn this grade the assignment must be meticulously planned and studentsmust be able to demonstrate an ability to anticipate and solve complex tasks in relation tothe case study. Students must demonstrate considerable research over and above classmaterials and synthesis information accurately.

Name of Verifier :

Internal Verification Date :



The Indian Call Center Journey"The call center business appears to be going the dot-com way with a lot of big names pumping in dough.

Ultimately, only the fittest will survive."

Call Centers Fare Badly

In the beginning of 1999, the teleporting industry had been hailed as 'the opportunity' for Indian corporate

in the new millennium. In late 2000, a NASSCOM 1 study forecast that by 2008, the Indian IT enabled

services business was set to reach great heights. Noted Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

scholar, Michael Dertouzos remarked that India could boost its GDP by a trillion dollars through the IT-

enabled services sector. Call center (an integral part of IT-enabled services) revenues were projected to

grow from Rs 24 bn in 2000 to Rs 200 bn by 2010. During 2000-01, over a hundred call centers were

established in India ranging from 5000 sq. ft. to 100,000 sq. ft. in area involving investments of over Rs 12

bn.

The human resource exodus added to the industry's misery. Given the large number of unemployed young

people in the country, the attrition rate of over 50% (in some cases) was rather surprising. The industry,which was supposed to generate substantial employment for the country, was literally down in the dumps -

much to the chagrin of industry experts, the Government, the media and above all, the players involved.

The future prospects of the call center business seemed to be rather bleak indeed.

Call Center Basics

In 2001, the global call center industry was worth $ 800 mn spread across around 100,000 units. It was

expected to touch the 300,000 level by 2002 employing approximately 18 mn people. Broadly speaking, a

call center was a facility handling large volumes of inbound and outbound telephone calls, manned by

'agents,' (the people working at the center). In certain setups, the caller and the call center shared costs,

while in certain other cases, the clients bore the call's cost. The call center could be situated anywhere in theworld, irrespective of the client company's customer base. Call centers date back to the 1970s, when the

travel/hospitality industry in the US began to centralize their reservation centers. With the rise of catalog

shopping and outbound telemarketing, call centers became necessary for many industries. Each industry

had its own way of operating these centers, with its own standards for quality, and its own preferred

technologies.

These centers were generally set up as large rooms, with workstations, interactive voice response systems,

an EPABX ,3 headsets hooked into a large telecom switch and one or more supervisor stations. (Refer Table

II). The center was either an independent entity, or was linked with other centers or to a corporate data

network, including mainframes, microcomputers and LANs. Call centers could either be 'captive/in-house'or in form of an 'outsourced bureau.' Captive call centers were typically used by various segments like

insurance, investments and securities, retail banking, other financial services, telecommunications,

technology, utilities, manufacturing, travel and tourism, transport, entertainment, healthcare and education

etc.

TABLE I

BENEFITS OF A CALL-CENTER

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• Enhances the customer base and business prospects;

• Offers an economical means of reaching diverse and widely distributed customer

group;

• Fine-tunes offerings to specific customer groups by specialized and focussed

assistance;

• Allows customers easy access to experts;

• Facilitates business round the clock and in any geographical region;

• Allows a company to reduce the overheads of brick and mortar branches.

Source: Compiled from various sources.

TABLE II

CALL CENTER CLASSIFICATION

• Voice call center with phones and computers.

• E-mail call center with leased lines and computers.

• Web-based call centers using internet chat facilities with customers.

• Regional call centers handling calls from local clients.

• Global call centers handling calls from across the world.

Source: Compiled from various sources.

Outsourcing bureaus were outfits with prior experience in running call centers. These helped the new

players in dealing with complex labor issues, assisted in using latest technologies, helped in lowering the

operating expenses and financial risks.

Outsourced bureau operators were utilized by companies at various stages viz. setting up of the center,

internal infrastructure revamps, excess traffic situations etc.

Indian Call Centers – Myths and Realities

There were many reasons why India was considered an attractive destination to set up call centers. The

boom in the Indian information technology sector in the mid 1990s led to the country's IT strengths being

recognized all over the world.

Moreover, India had the largest English-speaking population after the US and had a vast workforce of

educated, reasonably tech-savvy personnel.

In a call center, manpower typically accounted for 55-60% of the total costs in the US and European

markets - in India, the manpower cost was approximately one-tenth of this. While per agent cost in US

worked out to approximately $ 40,000, in India it was only $ 5,000.

After the projections of the NASSCOM-McKinsey report were made public, many people began thinking

of entering the call center business. (Refer Table III).



During this rush to make money from the call center 'wave,' NASSCOM received queries from many

people with spare cash and space, including lorry-fleet operators, garment exporters, leather merchants, tyre

distributors and plantation owners among others.

TABLE III

THE INDIAN CALL-CENTER MILESTONES

Mid 1990s GE, Swiss Air, British Airways set up captive call center units for their global needs.

May 1999

Following increasing interest in the IT-enabled services sector, NASSCOM held the

first IT-enabled services meet. Over 600 participant firms plan to set up medical

transcription outfits and call centers.

December

1999

A NASSCOM-McKinsey report says that remote services could generate $ 18

billion of annual revenues by 2008.

May 2000 Venture Capitalists rush in. Make huge investments in call centers.

September

2000

More than 1,000 participants flock to the NASSCOM meet to hear about new

opportunities in remote services. Though the medical transcription business is not

flourishing, call centers seen as a big opportunity.

Quarter 4

2000

NASSCOM report, indicates that a center could be set up with $ 1 million. Gold rush

begins. Everyone, from plantation owners to lorry-fleet operators, wanted to set up

centers.

Quarter 1,

2001

Most of the call centers are waiting for customers. New ventures still coming up:

capacity of between 25 seats and 10,000 seats per company. Small operators

discover that the business is a black hole where investments just disappear. They

look for buyers, strategic partnerships and joint ventures. Brokers and middlemen

make an entry to fix such deals.

However, most of these people entered the field, without having any idea as to what the business was all

about. Their knowledge regarding the technology involved, the marketing aspects, client servicing issues

etc was very poor. They assumed that by offering cheaper rates, they would be able to attract clients easily.

They did not realize that more than easy access to capital and real estate, the field required experience and a

sound business background. Once they decided to enter the field, they found that most of the capital

expenditure (in form of building up the infrastructure) occurred even before the first client was bagged.

These players seemed to have neglected the fact that most successful call centers were quite large and had

either some experience in the form of promoters having worked abroad in similar ventures or previousexperience with such ventures or were subsidiaries of foreign companies.

The real trouble started when these companies began soliciting clients. As call centers were a new line of

business in India, the lack of track record forced the clients to go for much detailed and prolonged studies

of the Indian partners. Many US clients insisted on a strict inspection of the facilities offered, such as work-

areas, cafeterias and even the restrooms. The clients expected to be shown detailed Service Level

Agreements (SLAs), which a majority of the Indian firms could not manage. Under these circumstances, no



US company was willing to risk giving business to amateurs at the cost of losing their customers. Because

of the inadequate investments in technology, lack of processes to scale the business 7 and the lack of

management capabilities, most of the Indian players were unable to get international customers.

The reasons were not very hard to understand. In a eight-and-a-half hour shift, the agents had to attend calls

for seven-and-a-half hours. The work was highly stressful and monotonous with frequent night shifts. A

typical call center agent could be described as being 'overworked, underpaid, stressed-out and thoroughly

bored.'

The agents were frequently reported to develop an identity crisis because of the 'dual personality' they had

to adopt. They had to take on European/US names or abbreviate their own names and acquire foreign

accents in order to pose as 'locals.' The odd timings took a toll on their health with many agents

complaining of their biological clocks being disturbed. (Especially the ones in night shifts).

Job security was another major problem, with agents being fired frequently for not being able to adhere to

the strict accuracy standards. (Not more than one mistake per 100 computer lines.) The industry did not

offer any creative work or growth opportunities to keep the workers motivated. The scope for growth was

very limited. For instance, in a 426-seat center, there were 400 agents, 20 team leaders, four service

delivery leaders, one head of department and one head of business. Thus, going up the hierarchy was

almost impossible for the agents. Analysts remarked that the fault was mainly in the recruitment, training,

and career progression policies of the call centers. Organizations that first set up call centers in India were

able to pick and choose the best talent available.

A consistently high attrition rate affected not only a center's profits but also customer service and

satisfaction. This was because a new agent normally took a few months before becoming as proficient as an

experienced one. This meant that opportunities for providing higher levels of customer service were lost on

account of high staff turnover.

Future Prospects

The Indian call center majors were trying to handle the labor exodus through various measures. Foremost

amongst these was the move to employ people from social and academic backgrounds different from the

norms set earlier. Young people passing out of English medium high schools and universities and

housewives and back-to-work mothers looking for suitable opportunities were identified as two of the

biggest possible recruitment pools for the industry. Such students with a good basic level of English could

be trained easily to improve their accents, pronunciation, grammar, spelling and diction. They could be

trained to become familiar with western culture and traditions. The housewives and back-to-work mothers'

pool could also be developed into excellent resources. This had been successfully tried out in the US andEuropean markets, where call centers employed a large number of housewives and back-to-work mothers.

Another solution being thought about was to recruit people from non-metros, as people from these places

were deemed to be more likely to stay with the organization, though being more difficult to recruit and

expensive to train. Even as the people and infrastructure problems were being tackled, a host of other issues

had cropped up, posing threats for the Indian call centers.

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The promise of cheap, English speaking and technically aware labor from India was suddenly not as

lucrative in the international markets. A survey of Fortune 1,000 companies on their outsourcing concerns

showed that cost-reduction was not the most important criterion for selecting an outsourcing partner. This

did not augur well for a country banking on its cost competitiveness

Also, China was fast emerging as a major threat to India, as it had embarked on a massive plan to train

people in English to overcome its handicap in the language. In February 2001, Niels Kjellerup, editor and

publisher of 'Call Center Managers Forum' came out strongly against India being promoted as an ideal

place to set up call centers. He said: "The English spoken by Indians is a very heavy dialect – in fact, in

face to face conversations, I found it very difficult to understand what was said. How will this play out over

the telephone with people much less educated that my conversation partners? The non-existent customer

service culture in India will make training of reps mandatory and difficult, since such a luxury as service is

not part of everyday life in India.

The infrastructure is bad, no, make that antiquated: The attempts by a major US corporation to set up a

satellite link has so far been expensive and not very successful. Electricity infrastructure is going from bad

to worse – in fact during my stay at a 5 star hotel and at the corporate HQ of a big MNC, we had on

average 7 black-outs a day where the generators would kick in after 2-3 seconds.

The telephony system is analog and inadequate. It took on average three attempts just to get a line of out

my hotel. The telecom market is not deregulated, and international calls are very expensive. The business

culture and the mix of Government intervention will be a cultural shock for Western business people with

no previous experience. Add to this a lack of a call center industry and very few people with call center

experience which makes it very hard to recruit call center managers with a proven track record."

Despite the mounting criticisms and worries, hope still existed for the Indian call center industry. Analystsremarked that the call center business was in the midst of a transition, wherein only the fundamentally

strong players would remain in the fray after an inevitable 'shakeout.'

Unlike other industries, the shakeout in this industry was not only because of an over supply of call center

providers, but also because of the quality of supply offered. In spite of the downturn, the call center

business was considered to hold a lot of potential by many corporates

With the US economy facing a slowdown, the need for US companies to outsource was expected to be even

higher. The Reliance group was planning to open call centers in 10 cities across the country. Other

companies including Spectramind and Global Telesystems planned to either enter or enhance their presencein the business. Whether the dream of call centers contributing to substantial economic growth for India

would turn into reality was something only time would reveal.

You are HR and training manager of Reliance’s proposed new call center. You are required to make

a report of 5000 words covering the following points to be presented to VP(HR). Please use Harvard

referencing system and a detailed bibliography.



1. Call center is a high employee turnover industry. How would you detail HRP process?

2. Training and development is a constant feature in a call center. Prepare a 40 PPT presentation

covering all aspects of T&D specific to call center.

3. Call center job is highly monotonous and a dual personality job. Suggest at least

ten activities to establish interpersonal team work and processes.

4. Recommend ways and means for organizational development with specific

reference to ethical standard and client relationship.

5. Would you recommend WPM for your call center? Reason out with benefits

derived for yes or no.

Ques.1) Call center is a high employee turnover industry. How would you detail HRP process?

Answer1: The term human resource implies human capital that operates anorganization. The word planning suggests a course of action. And lastly,process is the method of operation. Thus, the human resource planningprocess is defined as, 'a course of action that the human capital takes upfor a methodical achievement of predetermined goals'. The definition of human resource does not end here. The term includes, its management,which primarily involves issues related to the workforce. Humanresource management (HRM) is the strategic and coherent approachesto the management of an organization’s most valued assets - the peopleworking there who individually and collectively contribute to theachievement of the objectives of the business.

A company may have all the financial resources it may need. But what if themanpower employed to manage the finances isn't well trained? Well,nothing more than your finances going down the drain. The recent'Satyam' fraud was due to poor control of the management board.

Improper human capital may gain the output, but not the desired one interms of quality. As the earlier mentioned definition suggests, the humanresource management means managing your valued assets.

The term human resource management has replaced personnelmanagement . However, the meaning is still the same. It involves,employing, developing, utilizing, managing and understanding the staff in an organization.

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The word resources" refers to the productive power of natural goods. HR is therefore theproductive power in human beings. HRPIs defined as the systematic andcontinuing process of analyzing an organizations HR needs under the changingconditions and develop personnel policies. (Armstrong Michael)

It is the process of getting the right number of qualified people into the right job at the right time.

It is the process of matching the internal (existing employee) and external (those to be hired or searched for).

It is the integral part of the council’s strategic plan and budgeting procedures

Strategic plan is the determination of overall organizational purposes

and objectives and how they are to be achieved.

Its when the organization strategic plan have been formulated, HRP can equally be undertaken.

Aim of HRP

It focuses to ensure that the organization obtain and retain the quantity and quality of people itneeds.

Focuses to make the best use of HR’s.

Is able to anticipate the problems of potential surpluses or deficits of people

It is an attempt to address the potential and developmental needs of employees In order to foster

quality, commitment and productivity in the workforce at the work place.Help to develop a well trained and flexible workforce thus contributing to the orgs ability to adapt

to an uncertain and changing environment.

It assists to reduce the dependence on the external recruitment when key skills are in short supply by formulating retention as well as HR dev strategies.

HRP Process

There are factors that affect the whole process of HRP, which includes; the goals of controllingthe organization interest. Government policies. E.g. the Tanzania public serviceemployment policy of 1999. Types of people to be employed and the tasks they

perform also determine the kind of planning.

Most of those factors are in the internal and external environment that influencing the org’s HR plans.

All org’s HRP share certain features or distinct phases;



•Situation analysis, i.e. environmental scanning and strategic planning.

•Forecasting HR demands.

•HR supply forecasting.

•Action decisions in HRP

OPRAS

HRP can be supplemented by the application of Open Performance Review and Appraisal System –OPRAS. In the past recruitment was not Meritocratic, unethical conduct was theorder of the day. Hence working morale was low. OPRAS is a system within the mgtsystems; it is a result oriented, initiating commitment, empowering workers

participation and decision making. It’s transparent and measures the value for money.

Importance of Human Resource Management

Since the industrial revolution, the world has progressed tremendously. Be it thesteel industry, IT, fashion houses or housing sectors, development in all

of these is evident. However, over the ages man has indiscriminately usedand abused the natural resources available to him. It has resulted in aglobal energy crises and depletion of resources in general.

In this backdrop, what remains is an abundance of human resource, orlet's say human capital. To achieve any more goals, tapping the rightkind of human resource is the key. You may have a business house worthmillions of dollars. But what if there isn't the manpower that suits thenature of the business? Hence, developing the manpower is of utmostimportance.

The Process of Human Resource Management Planning

The human resource planning process, demands the HR manager to firstunderstand the business requirement. Only if he comprehends the



nature and scope of the business, will he be able to employ those who willdeliver the required performance . When it comes to engaging themanpower, the manager should have a keen eye for spotting the talent. Itensures that the workforce is competent enough the meet the targets.

Additionally, the existing 'talent pool' in the workplace should be takeninto consideration, so that people with complimentary skills can beemployed. The functions of the HR manager are varied, he has to assessthe currently employed workforce and their shortcomings. Identifyingthese shortcomings goes a long way in choosing an efficient workforce.

While recruiting the new employees, the HR manager must calculate theexpected workload. This way the HR department can design an accurate

job profile and job expectations. Once you have the decided jobdescriptions, looking for candidates who fit the job will be easy. Don't befooled by their qualifications, it is only the relevant experience thatmatters more. A good HR manager is one who has the zeal and passionto motivate his prospective employees to perform to their potential.

Human resource planning process, thus, can be considered as one of thestrategic steps for building the strong foundation of an efficientworkforce in an organization!

Steps in the Human Resource Planning Process

Designing the Management System

A crosscutting issue in human resource planning is to ensure that a proper system is in place tohandle the process. The overall aim of this system is to manage human resources inline with organizational goals. The system is in charge of human resource plans,

policies, procedures and best practices. For example, the system should track emerging human resource management trends, such as outsourcing certain non-corefunctions, adopting flexible work practices and the increased use of informationtechnology, and, if appropriate, implement them.

Environmental Analysis

The first step in the human resource planning process is to understand the context of humanresource management. Human resource managers should understand both internaland external environments. Data on external environments includes the following:the general status of the economy, industry, technology and competition; labor

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market regulations and trends; unemployment rate; skills available; and the age andsex distribution of the labor force. Internal data required include short- and long-term organizational plans and strategies and the current status of the organization'shuman resources.

Forecasting Human Resource Demand

The aim of forecasting is to determine the number and type of employees needed in the future.Forecasting should consider the past and the present requirements as well as futureorganizational directions. Bottom-up forecasting is one of the methods used toestimate future human resource needs by gathering human resource needs of variousorganizational units .

Analyzing Supply

Organizations can hire personnel from internal and external sources. The skill inventories methodis one of the techniques used to keep track of internal supply. Skill inventories aremanual or computerized systems that keep records of employeeexperience, education and special skills. A forecast of the supply of employees

projected to join the organization from outside sources, given current recruitmentactivities, is also necessary.

Reconciliation and Planning

The final step in human resource planning is developing action plans based on the gathered data,analysis and available alternatives. The key issue is that the plans should beacceptable to both top management and employees. Plans should be prioritized andtheir key players and barriers to success identified. Some of these plans includeemployee utilization plan, appraisal plan, training and management development

plan and human resource supply plan .

HR P: The Process

Manpower Planning or Human Resource Planning (HRP) can be defined as the

process of ensuring the right number of qualified people, into the right job at the right time to deliver the results in an efficient and effectivemanner. It is the system of matching the available resources, eitherinternally or externally, with the demand that the organization expects to have over a period of time.

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It has gained a lot of importance in recent times. A well-designed andcomprehensive HRP process is invaluable to the management in anorganization. It helps in the following ways:-

It helps to maintain the required quantity and quality of human resources required

for a smooth & efficient functioning of the organization. It helps toidentify shortages, surpluses or imbalances of manpower.

It helps to forecast the turnover/attrition rates.

It helps the management in making optimum use of the available skills and providesa platform for employee development.

It leads to improvement in the overall business planning process.

It helps the management to foresee the effects of technological changes on therequirement for human resources.

It facilitates the identification of corrective training requirements and thus makesthe training and development programmes more effective.

It helps to develop contingent plans to handle sudden requirements and situations of shortfall.

It helps estimate the value of human resources and their contribution to theorganization.

It helps to evaluate the effect of alternative manpower actions and policies.

It aides in developing Human Resource plans and strategies aligned to theorganization’s strategic direction. and business strategy. Provide toolsand tactics to enhance execution of these strategies.

It helps to manage people related issues accompanying mergers, alliances andacquisitions.

It expresses the philosophy and values regarding people management in theorganization.

Ques.2) Training and development is a constant feature in a call center. Prepare a 40 PPT presentation

covering all aspects of T&D specific to call center.

Answer.2) Presentation is attached separately in the folder.

























































Ques.3) Call center job is highly monotonous and a dual personality job. Suggest at least

ten activities to establish interpersonal team work and processes.

Answer 3: In today’s economy, every organisation seeks to ensure that their processes, products,

or services are of the highest quality. Furthermore, such products and services are delivered in the

right quantity, at the right time to customers and that such quality and delivery is done cost

efficiently.

To achieve quality, delivery and cost goals, organisations both public and private deploy some

form of process improvement. Many organisations use sophisticated methodologies, techniques

and terms that become the domains of the few (specialists, middle and senior management.) In

doing so, the methodology and specialist practitioners ignore the very real and invaluable

contribution of the many to the success of their organisations. Indeed, some of ‘the many’ may

even become antagonistic to improvement initiatives.

This workshop equips employees at all levels with simple easy to learn / apply tools, techniquesand methodology to understand, measure, innovate, improve and manage a process or part thereof

inorder to achieve quality, cost and delivery goals.

The workshop builds on the key team skills and themes developed in the Team Building

Foundation Workshop that emphasised the need to break down inter ‐departmental barriers, deal

with forceful personalities, overbearing experts and ‘speak with data’. It encourages and trains

people in team ‐work and problem solving by including simple tools of quality improvement and

an easy to implement (in any workplace,) uncomplicated methodology. The effect is a

commitment to quality improvement, the promotion of open decision making, and a material

impact on productivity.

Key Steps for Generating an Organizational Development and Team-building (OD-TB)

Process:

1. Establish Management Buy-In. Forgive me for beginning with the obvious: If management

hires a consultant to effect organizational change and team building, but the executive leadership

quickly gets out of the development kitchen when things start getting a bit warm, then positive

systemic evolution is remote. Too often I've seen a center director or division head unwilling to

confront the dysfunctional behavior of a division or branch manager for fear of the inevitable

conflict. Another destructive variation, for example, is when an executive's rigid micromanaging

style is pointed out and the exec axes the bearer of truthful yet painful feedback, i.e., the

consultant. Of course, if engaging with a union shop, having labor in the initial buy-in process is

essential. And with a major OD effort, Human Resources also needs to be involved in this startup



phase.

2. Initial Climate Assessment. Depending on the hazardous nature of the work environment, the

time urgency, the size of targeted systems, and project budget, organizational assessment can

occur through a survey, one-on-one interviews, a team meeting, or through a large groupworkshop. While anonymous surveys may be necessary in a fearful workforce, if possible, during

this beginning phase, my preference is for face-to-face interviews. I want as much honest

reflection as possible regarding any authoritarian managers or interpersonal tensions, as well as

dysfunctional or nonexistent team structures (such as lack of team meetings). Interviews provide

such benefits as:

(a) questioning and clarifying immediately a person's response

(b) processing verbal and nonverbal data

(c) allowing individuals to vent frustrations and fears(d) making both an intellectual and emotional connection with individuals, and

(e) determining whether there are any large scale burnout-inducing or hazardous environment

and/or diversity issues; if the system is undergoing significant change, are there issues of loss

affecting individual behavior and organizational relations?

The most dramatic example of this last item occurred during a reorganization when a division of

skilled crafts professionals were let go by one federal agency and were temporarily assigned to

the dark cavernous belly of the beast…the basement of the Department of Commerce. At the

same time, these professionals, mostly senior and white male, were being threatened on two other

fronts: (a) the possible loss of jobs through computerization and privatization (that is, allowing

private industry to bid for federal contracts), and (b) the recent influx of women and racial

minorities into the shop (who were more savvy with computers than the old-timers). Not

surprisingly, during this vulnerable period, racial tension was rising and tempers were flaring.

Some folks started pulling up KKK websites; other began bringing Louis Farrakhan tapes to

work. And upper management didn't know how to handle this transitional tempest…. So they

employed the ostrich defense, burying their heads in the operational sands. It wasn't until an EEO

analyst realized the government was hemorrhaging thousands of dollars in formal grievance procedures that I was brought in to stop the bleeding and prevent full-scale escalation. (In this

critical situation, one-on-one interviews were bypassed; we moved quickly into a full-day stress

and anger management workshop with all parties. After the workshops came a series of team

building interventions. More shortly.)



Getting back to the one-on-one assessment, a final benefit is that individuals get a chance to

eyeball me, the consultant. While I won't claim a sense of trust is realized, the interview at least

leaves employees with an impression of my skills, style, and, hopefully, substance. The surprise

factor is reduced.

3. Create a Safe Workshop Atmosphere. For people to open up, occasionally, it's necessary to

hold separate employee and management meetings or workshops. Whenever possible, though, I

have all levels involved in the problem-identification and problem-solving process. Ultimately,

this interaction helps expose inaccurate assumptions and begins to transform communication

barriers into collaborative bridges. There are several keys to making this opening stress and team-

building workshop successful: it has to be thought provoking yet fun; it must be very interactive,

allowing for much audience participation. (My two favorite exercises involve an innovative,

slightly outrageous yet wildly popular drawing and discussion activity, as well as traditional role-

playing.)

While laughter is vital, especially when a department or entire organization has experienced

profound loss due to major change, the program must set the stage for group grieving. As that

comic genius, Charlie Chaplin, observed: The paradoxical thing about making comedy is that it is

precisely the tragic which arouses the funny. We have to laugh due to our helplessness in the face

of natural forces and in order not to go crazy. With one organization, for example, we instituted a

"forms funeral." This allowed employees to acknowledge and vent their frustration with a

topdown change process. Employees were given the chance to bemoan the loss of the old ways of

operating, to criticize management's exclusionary decision-making, a process that bypassed

employee input, and to question the functionality of new operational procedures. Not

surprisingly, with such management-backed creative and communal problem solving, group

resistance to change dissolved fairly quickly.

Also, over the years, I've learned that you can't let management or a workshop planning

committee set the workshop/program agenda. The heart of the agenda needs to emerge through

the spontaneous engagement of all attendees. In this way, the real barriers and potential bridges to

organizational change have a chance to be identified and further defined, along with developingobjectives, action plans, and time lines.

4. Reduce Pre-Workshop Decision-Maker Anxiety. When management and employees are

attending a workshop together, both groups may be on edge. With all parties, but especially with

management, it's important to establish that the workshop will not become an encounter group or





Next step involved my meeting with the various work teams. However, there was a troubling

sign. In a total staff meeting, management seemed uncomfortable allowing people to emote

during a discussion about privatization. Understandably, many of the skilled mapmakers were

worried about future contracts and job stability. The division director, alas, seemed to need an

infusion of "emotional intelligence." The final straw occurred when a female employee accusedone of the supervisors of harassing behavior. When management did not take the accusation

seriously, the union was enraged. (The director was a close friend of the accused.) Not

surprisingly, the team building process was interrupted and adversarial actions began replacing

union-management collaboration.

In disgust, the female manager who initially had advocated for bringing in an outside stress and

violence prevention consultant, transferred out of this once again sinking ship. The irony, of

course, is that this dysfunctional turn of events would in the long run likely contribute to the

demise of this division. Was their a higher level power source pulling the strings or, at least, nottoo unhappy with this cycle of regression and possible extinction? Who knows.… I no longer was

a player on the scene.

7. Three Key Structures and Dynamics for Participatory Teaming. The philosophical andoperational perspectives are dualistic and basic: create a team structure and process that is bothtask- and relationship-focused. Many leaders and teams are comfortable with the "time- and task-driven" part of the formula. However, when there’s a serious imbalance between task-driven andteam support, that is, the opportunity for open discussion about conflict and cooperation, then"time" and "task" truly can become a "T ‘n’ T" process. Relentless pressure can blow up both

productivity and morale. Consider these relationship builders:

a) Peer Facilitation and Rotation. This dynamic recognizes that employees are likely to be moreinvested in a team building process when they feel ownership and play some part in theleadership. Toward this end, consider having employees chair the team meeting. To enhancefurther participation, rotate the leadership, e.g., every one or two months (assuming a frequencyof one or two team meetings per month).

Stepping out of the formal leadership role frees a supervisor or manager to soak up the group

process, to be attuned to the unspoken ambiance of the group, including the body language of team members. This "stepping back" position will help a manager get a better sense of the "big picture." This wider lens perspective often provides a clearer and more reliable perspectiveregarding team member motivation and morale.

b) Two Hats. The "stepping back" position means the manager more overtly plays two roles or wears two hats, that is, he or she is both manager and team member. In this participatory model,the team member hat should be the manager’s default headwear. There will be times, of course,that the more formal hat emerges, e.g., when sharing mission critical data from up high. Or a



manager may have to reassert his formal status and role if the group, for example, out of frustration, wants to unilaterally encroach upon the decision-making authority of another department.

In fact, when it comes to the issue of control, this "two hats" structure challenges all parties. Asdescribed above, management needs to loosen the team leadership reins while employees must bewilling to view the manager as more than just the "all powerful" authority figure. The manager must also be seen as a team member. One implication of this shift in perspective is thatemployees need to assume more responsibility and direction for the team meeting agenda and

process. And surely, this transition may take several meetings for a manager to practice "sitting back" and for (some) employees to practice "speaking up."

c) Wavelength Segment. To facilitate this participatory, multi-hat process, for a 45-60 minutemeeting set aside ten-fifteen minutes to discuss how effectively team members arecommunicating, coordinating and relating overall with each other on a day-to-day basis. Thisopportunity for collegial tuning in is called the "Wavelength" part of the meeting. It’s a time for noting any ego bumps or bruises, for clearing the air and also for recognizing in more personaldetail examples of strong teamwork, such as what or who made task or project success possible.Constructively recognizing and resolving conflict combined with meaningful peer recognition are

pillars of any team-building process.

8. Updating Job Descriptions, Roles and Responsibilities. In today’s constantly upgrading anddownsizing work world, why not go with the flow? When attempting to generate or rejuvenate ateam building process, a good place to start is having members discuss and reevaluate their jobdescriptions. More specifically, are roles and responsibilities (R & R) congruent with individual,team and organizational resources, goals and objectives? Naturally, this exercise may beespecially relevant during a time of reorganization. Collective "R & R" brainstorming shouldreveal whether there is redundancy or operational gaps. It also allows team members to better envision how the individual parts relate and interact; it helps all better grasp or imagine the "big

picture." Creating a tangible, challenging and achievable task or project is always a good way to build group identity and vital cohesiveness. And this process will strengthen the likelihood of generating participatory decision-making and goal achievement.

9. Take Control of Disruptive or Problematic Team Members. Three of the most commonand aggravating worksite complaints arise when: a) peers believe a team member is not pullinghis or her fair share of the workload, b) a member’s verbal or nonverbal communication is so

passively or aggressively hostile that dark and menacing rain cloud tension threatens to erupt inthe office or work floor, and c) there is harassment through gossip and ostracism throughinnuendo. In addition, there’s the loss of respect for and credibility of the supervisor, manager and/or HR leader for not firmly setting limits or for not disciplining this group "stress carrier."

Here’s an example based on work with an IT division in a large federal agency. A woman in her late 30’s, I’ll call her Teri, transferred into the division from the Defense Department.Unfortunately, Teri’s new assignment demanded she process data more rapidly than in her

previous position (where she had been reasonably successful for several years.) Despiteindividual coaching sessions with her supervisor, this employee’s work did not improve. Aformal performance improvement plan also did not help her get up to speed. Teri, a minoritymember, instead of trying to transfer back to Defense began criticizing the supervisor for showing

prejudicial attitude and behavior. There really was no basis in fact for the charge. (However, this



example should not be construed as implying that discrimination issues in the workplace aremostly a fabrication or manipulation.)

In her aggrieved and agitated state, Teri was also attempting to enlist allies in her fight with thesupervisor. She was spending considerable time with some colleagues behind closed doors andlobbying the remaining team members. Before this career crisis she was seen as a fairly quiet and

pleasant individual.

Four key interventions occurred:

a) I met with Teri and her female supervisor to both observe the interaction and to help thesupervisor provide clear performance goals. The employee rejected my offer of some individualconsulting sessions. Subsequently, my role involved helping the supervisor provide clear andconstructive ground rules and consequences for unacceptable job performance.

b) A meeting was held with the supervisor and her branch manager to apprise him of thesituation. (The supervisor requested my presence as the branch manager had some history of downplaying the seriousness of disruptive behavior; he was not comfortable with conflict or confrontation.) After the branch manager met with the Teri, another meeting with the supervisor and her manager affirmed that these two were on the same page regarding the nature of the

personnel performance issue.

c) I hypothesized correctly that most team members were quite uncomfortable with this troubledemployee’s recruiting efforts to oppose the supervisor. I met individually with the team membersand suggested they give their agitated colleague the following message: Teri could stay and talk about work issues for five minutes (on matters other than criticizing the supervisor). Theemployees were to affirm their need to get back to work. (I was trying to strike a balance betweensetting appropriate boundaries and outright rejection.)

d) HR and EEO were informed of the situation and the woman’s charges by the supervisor, the branch manager, the antagonistic employee and by me. To shorten this tale, within a few monthsTeri took a leave of absence and, shortly thereafter, resigned.

Morale of the story. This vignette affirms how a leader and team often need to coordinate withoutside problem-solving resources and supports for constructively engaging a troubled or troublesome employee at work. And it reveals how a team can come together, without creating ascapegoat, to confront effectively a challenge to group cohesiveness.

When Top Management Chaos Breeds Discontent

Without going into great detail, I recall another troubled individual, more frightening than the

aforementioned woman. He displayed an actively harassing manner – from being loud andargumentative to scratching on a colleague’s cubicle. Not surprisingly, a disintegration of branchand division leadership as well as this field division being disconnected from headquartersleadership allowed this "stress carrier" employee to experience minimal supervision and littleconsequences for his frighteningly unpredictable behavior. (This individual may well have hadsome manic-depressive tendencies.)

Fortunately, a new division head was brought in to set limits both on the individual and on thesystemic disorganization, if not chaos. Interventions included:



a) Meetings with the supervisor of this employee to ensure his commitment to supervise.

b) This troubled employee now had to report to the new division head twice a week. The latter would listen to employee grievances but this leader also set clear limits (with consequences) for any acting out behavior by the employee.

c) A heated meeting and confrontation were held between the supervisor and the employee to ironout mutual resentments and rejections. These two had once been close; now the employee feltabandoned by the supervisor. In turn, the supervisor placed some of the blame for fulfilling hissupervisory role to employee defiance. The supervisor also complained about a lack of topmanagement support when he did report the employee. (This troubled employee had been afavorite of the equally troubled former division head.)

d) Once again I held individual interviews with all team members. Some of the males were buddies of this employee, having worked with him for a number of years. These colleagueseventually admitted this problematic individual could get loud and become disruptive. However,a woman team member admitted being quite afraid of this employee’s behavior and mannerisms.(She had been reluctant to go public for fear of retribution.) By challenging the male colleaguesand supporting the female all were able to speak frankly of their concerns when we finally held ateam meeting.

Not surprisingly, the employee had denied the disruptive nature of his actions or cited others as provocateurs. The break in his armor of denial finally occurred at the team meeting when thefemale colleague, with some trepidation, admitted how frightened she was. At times she feltterrified that this employee might become violent and "lose it."

With the new division head’s active support, the various interventions helped the employee andthe supervisor regain more professional role behaviors and relationships. And our work began toresurrect a team building process in a once dangerously disorganized work environment.

10. Confront Potential or Actual Scapegoating or Harassment. Let’s use another scenarioinvolving four postal service team members – two carriers and two mail sorters. The in-housesorters believe the two carriers are "slackers" who are not carrying their load, as it were. While Idon’t know how objective the slacker label, I do know the remedy was much worse than thealleged problematic behavior. In this scenario, getting even didn’t stop with incessant ragging.(Because of the repetitive nature and close quarters of much postal processing facilities, a fairlyhigh degree of razzing to break the monotony is often the norm in this locker room-like ambianceand culture. Clearly, this yields a potentially combustible set and setting.) One of the angry mailsorters, an ex-Green Beret, told his psychiatrist that one day he was going to "blow away" (i.e.,shoot) the lazy carriers. He was reported and placed on administrative leave while police werestationed around the postal facility. And I was called in to deal with the aftermath: confusion and

heightened tension among all employees. Now one might ask where was the supervisor or manager during all these escalatingantagonisms? My sense was that he too had issues with the "slackers," but was not confrontingthem directly. He seemed to allow the in-house aggressors to act out some of his frustration withthe carriers. In an individual interview, the manager revealed having made half-hearted attemptsat a performance review. And he rationalized not involving the EAP because of previousexperience with an Employee Assistance Program that "didn’t accomplish anything." (I’ll simply



note that this so-called ineffective experience occurred more than six years before this recentcrisis, and was played out in another state.)

While advocating participatory involvement, the various case examples clearly demonstrate that adysfunctional, if not dangerous, team environment may emerge when a manager abandons hisroles and responsibilities. But even when a formal authority has solid intentions and skills, thereare still environments and workplace scenarios that may prove daunting. Let’s move to #5.

11. Survival Strategies for New Managers. As you’ve read, a supervisor or manager plays acritical role in determining whether the work environment will build up or break down a cohesiveand participatory team process. Not surprisingly, this critical juncture often emerges when a newmanager comes on board. Many are familiar with the scenario of a manager being promoted fromwithin the ranks. Here conflict may arise from divided loyalty and a former identity: the newmanager may feel more connected to his former frontline buddies than with his new supervisoryor management colleagues. Conversely, employees may have some difficulty acknowledging themanager and his new hat. And, of course, if someone believes he or she was unfairly passed over for this promotion, then tension-filled seeds of jealousy are often strewn about the workplace.

The Former Regime and Post-Traumatic Reactions

Another key dynamic involves the former leadership regime: who is the new manager replacing?With a popular manager, not only may there be some individual or team sadness, but there’s the

pressure of filling the big hat. However, my experience suggests that if the new manager has solidleadership skills and sufficient emotional intelligence, the transitional hump typically will benegotiated in due course. Ironically, it’s when the former manager and team dynamic has beenstormy, if not hostile and hurtful, that leadership change proves most grueling and drawn out.Instead of transitional relief there’s often a mountain of new leader mistrust to overcome. It’s as if the team is reeling from a form of post-traumatic transition disorder. Under an authoritarianregime, most criticism goes underground; people may shut down or become numb. With atransition to a more participatory administration, initial reactions may range from exhaustion toemotional outpouring. Unexpressed anger from the past can get unconsciously displaced onto anew leader. Also, dysfunctional authorities have a tendency to pit one segment of employeesagainst another, as if there are "good" and "bad" children. Favoritism (actual and perceived) anddivisiveness often are rampant in such dysfunctional environments. A new manager may need to

be a motivational healer.

The last couple of points evoke memories of working with a group of managers who hadexperienced a rash of top leadership turnover. Recent CEOs ranged from the inadequate to thesociopathic – a leader who was cruelly playing people and departments against one another. Thecurrent CEO was competent and was in fact working hard to improve both bottom line operationsand morale. Yet a survey revealed a good deal of managerial discontent. The CEO was takenaback and was upset by the feedback. Two key dynamics emerged during a retreat with the CEOand the managers: 1) that the managers were willing to risk giving some negative feedback wasless a sign of the actual current working conditions and more that these managers were beginningto feel safe enough with this new CEO to open up; not surprisingly, much of the anger belongedto the former regimes and 2) that the managers were actually afraid that this new CEO wouldquickly jump ship like her predecessors.

Knowing When to Reach Out for Help



Even when immersed in such a tension-filled team or organizational tempest, if a new leader possesses sufficient maturity and ego strength then this transitional crisis provides not just"danger" but also "opportunity." Let me illustrate. In the mid-90s, I received a call from anexperienced manager. He had transitioned from a major federal government agency to the privatesector. After six weeks in charge he realized that serious interpersonal issues and conflicts wereconsuming his team of senior analysts. This manager, I’ll call him Rich, had replaced a long-timemanager. Upper management believed the previous leader had been cruising more than providingactive leadership. Considering that the division was also moving from a non-profit to a for-profitmode of operation, cruising would not cut it. Also, the former head had allowed his femaleadministrative assistant to assume an inappropriate number of his roles and responsibilities, alongwith his mantle of power.

Some in the senior analyst group had perceived this assistant as demanding; but they also felt shewanted to get people up to speed with the company’s new philosophy and direction. However,many in this team had been intimidated, experiencing this "dragon lady" as manipulative, power-driven and vindictive.

Adding to this complex mix was the recent arrival of a new female analyst. A number of her colleagues were beginning to see her as a threatening figure: she was ambitious and was gettingclose to Rich, the new manager. (Not surprisingly, some analysts were comparing her to theformer administrative assistant who had finally been reassigned because of her modus operandi .)

Here’s a list of the interventions:

a. Managerial Wisdom. As indicated, I was impressed that Rich chose not to play the role of theLone Ranger or Lone Manager during this transitional tempest. His ego didn’t interfere withseeking counsel. He also recognized that some people might need to be firmly confronted.Having a "crisis" consultant didn’t create a "good cop/bad cop" division of labor, but it did allowme to start a process that would challenge some erroneous or self-defeating attitudes and

behaviors. Rich did not have to carry around the burden of being both new leader on the block and of playing the heavy.

b. Individual Interviews. One-on-one meetings were held with each of the analysts. First, this process yields important history and contextual information, for example, how others arediagnosing the problems. And equally important, people have a chance to question my role andassess my intentions, skills and style. This kind of interview process enables me to glean acomposite assessment, detect any patterns of perceptions, assumptions and misperceptions. I’malso beginning to build alliances and preparing for the full team problem-solving powwow.

c. Individual Support. I spent extra time with the new senior analyst, trying to help her understand(and not personalize) some of her colleague’s subjective perceptions. Having been burned by the

former female administrative aide, a number of analysts were transferring their hurt, anxiety andanger onto their new colleague.

d. Feedback and Coaching Session. Sharing my observations and subjective beliefs with Rich (thedepartment head and supervisor of the analyst team) and collaborating on strategy was vital. We

both needed to know we were on the same page. I also shared my assessment and strategy withthe head of HR. Again, teams do not operate in glorious (or dysfunctional) isolation within anorganization.



e. Team Meeting. In addition to sharing my findings, the team meeting had several purposes and processes, including:

1) enabling those with unfinished issues around the change of leadership to vent concerns andfears. Consider my "Six ‘F’ Model of Loss and Change" in light of this team’s recent history: a)loss of a "familiar" past, including a leader, a mission and an operational philosophy, b) grapplingwith an uncertain "future" regarding goodness of new task-existing skill fit, professional identity,etc., c) dealing with some reorganizational loss of "face," two potentially diminishing sources

being the cruising attitude of the former division head and the "stepmother’s" psychologicalabuse, d) needing to regain productive individual and team "focus," e) considering new"feedback" that may challenge working assumptions or assumptions about a new colleague, andf) having "faith" that if you follow these change management and mastery steps, you will emergestronger, better capable of vital adaptation.

2) especially focusing on the unfinished hurt and anger with the former intimidating assistant,

3) clarifying the transference reactions with the new analyst, that is, mistaking Sue’s ambitionand involvement with Rich as portending her becoming a manipulative or power-driven favorite,

4) allowing Sue to share her frustration and hurt from the unspoken tension directed her way, and

5) having Rich affirm his belief in my role and our problem-solving process. He also asked thegroup to provide him a list of recommendations regarding procedures, roles and responsibilitiesin light of the upcoming shift in mission focus. This would be addressed at a follow-up meeting.

As a postscript, the group did not write the report for the scheduled follow-up. This however, wasnot a sign of resistance, more an assertion of their readiness for real engagement. The analystshad called an informal meeting, without Rich or me present. The analysts went over the chargedissues raised in the previous meeting; they had a more open and gritty exchange, finally reaching

understanding and closure. Now the group atmosphere reflected a spirit of inclusion: cohesionwas replacing divisiveness, and there was a growing sense of trust.

By quickly calling on outside support, by management backing up the intervention strategies, byusing face-to-face interviews to lay carefully a solid foundation for engagement, this leader andteam were able to work through conflicts and let go of a troubled past. And most important, theseindividuals were ready to come together as a team demonstrating both high productivity andmeaningful support. Surely this manager made a worthwhile startup investment.

12. Macro and Micro, Formal and Informal Meetings. Hopefully, it is clear that a productiveteam building process involves fortifying both individual parts (or replacing ones that cannot besupervised or rehabilitated) and strengthening the whole system. In similar fashion, integrating

formal and informal systems functioning is vital to an Organizational Development-TeamBuilding process. Let’s examine three perspectives:

a. Macro and Formal. Using the outlined structures and strategies as a foundation, the team building process is now ready to expand into an OD process through interaction among thevarious teams or departments. This occurs when various teams of a branch or division meet on aregular basis, for example, at a monthly staff meeting. Even if having employees run these larger macro meetings is not practical (though department heads might rotate as facilitators) you canstill have a wavelength section. Here the primary focus are the obstacles to coordination and



negotiation among the teams or departments. Is their mutual support or more in-houseterritoriality and cutthroat competition? Finally, a Q & A town hall meeting is also a macrostructure that can disseminate key information. Such an event also allows employees to scrutinizethe knowledge and integrity of top leadership.

b. Matrix Teaming. In between macro and micro, formal and informal is the matrix concept.Representative individuals from various teams or departments meet to discuss crosscutting issues.These meetings can range from small task groups to larger gatherings. For example, one USPostal Service Plant Manager running a processing and distribution center with 6,000 employees,would have monthly meetings with 30-50 rotating employees and front-line supervisors across alloperational sections. (Managers were not invited.) The Plant Manager wanted an open and frank exchange; he wanted to know what problems were occurring on the frontlines. And he wanted toknow what actual or potential, formal or informal productivity innovations were in practice or

just waiting for someone to give the green light on experimentation. The latter, when verified,readily lend themselves to "on the spot" rewards. Clearly, in an open system, outsideorganizational problem-solving structures and teams can be mutually reinforcing in a very

positive manner.

c. Micro and Informal. The prototypic example is a brief, often light-hearted yet task-focusedmorning huddle. (A cup of Starbucks isn’t the only way to get people going. A contest for bestfunny story of the week is a great icebreaker or mood igniter.) Team members gather and check in with each other. Unfinished business or anticipated roadblocks are identified. Some short-termand spontaneous problem solving may occur. Five or ten minutes of this informal morning or opening shift roundup will increase people’s sense of the team picture. This collective ritual willenhance cohesiveness, morale and productivity.

Ques. 4) Recommend ways and means for organizational development with specific reference to ethicalstandard and client relationship?

Answer4) what is organizational development?

Organization development is a planned, organization-wide effort to increase an organization's effectiveness

and viability. Warren Bennis has referred to OD as a response to change, a complex educational strategy

intended to change the beliefs, attitudes, values, and structure of organization so that they can better adapt

to new technologies, marketing and challenges, and the dizzying rate of change itself. OD is neither

"anything done to better an organization" nor is it "the training function of the organization"; it is a

particular kind of change process designed to bring about a particular kind of end result. OD can involve

interventions in the organization's "processes," using behavioral knowledge as well as organizationalreflection, system improvement, planning, and self-analysis.

What is organizational change?

Organizational change means any change that occurs in the work environment. The change could be minor of major.Usually Organizational change re-aligns organizational systems and deal with the factors prevailing in the external

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Bennis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Bennis



environment of an organization. Sometimes, a change is effected to revamp the internal systems of the organization.Organizational change can be described as a situation which emerge due to some management decisions that have aneffect on employees. What are the forces prompting change?

The forces prompting change can be categorized as,• EXTERNAL CHANGE FORCES and• INTERNAL CHANGE FORCES

EXTERNAL CHANGE FORCES

The forces compels from outside the organization, (on which organization normally have no or minimal control) aretermed as External Change Forces . The external forces effecting change are:

Technological developments: Nowadays most of the organizations use technology as a means to improve productivity and market competitiveness.Hence, to retain and advance in competitive market, it is very important for organizations to keep themselves updateaccording to the technological advancements, which are taking place at very fast rate.

Competitive environment:The emerging global economy has the changed the style of business. Now the market competitors are not from onlycontiguous area but from throughout the world. This compels every business house to retain quality, lower prices, clientsatisfaction, etc; to sustain.

Social and political pressureThe needs, values and priorities of customers and political circumstances are unstable. Managers need to adjust their management styles to meet these values and needs.

INTERNAL CHANGE FORCES

The forces compels from inside the organization, (basically under the organization control) are called Internal Change Forces . The Internal forces effecting change are:

Inter-relationship:Any organization cannot progress without the commitment and dedication of its employees. Hence their perceptions,about individual and organizational needs should be considered important. Dissatisfaction among employees regardingabout the working conditions and individual and organizational needs may lead to conflict between management andemployees. Excessive interpersonal conflict is often a clear sign that change is needed.

Organizational change can be thought of as stretching the goals and managing improvingthe way an organization thinks about and does its work.Typically, the concept of organizational change is in regard to organization-wide change,as opposed to smaller changes such as adding a new person, modifying a program, etc.Examples of organization-wide change might include a change in mission, restructuring

operations (e.g., restructuring to self-managed teams, layoffs, etc.), new technologies,mergers, major collaborations, "rightsizing", new programssuch as Total Quality Management, re-engineering, etc .Organizational change is definesas change that has an impact on the way work is performed with significant effect liketermination of employment. The elimination and diminution of job opportunities and jobtenure etc.

Nowadays its recession thus organizations are greatly focusing on their change programsand have become increasingly demanding with regard to performance outcomes.



However stressful, to employ and effect their works and quality of life, although beneficial to the organization. The key feathers are change in technology change inmarketing condition social change and political change and legal changeand to see how to involve people in change rather imposing on them. In context of

present scenario of tough business competition there is always a need felt for star

performers and outstanding personnel who have the vision to fetch the best result for organization.Thus these key features help to tackle the problem related to organization. As thecompetition among companies is at all time high companies are bracing themselves tochanging situation by meeting customer demands in order to survive they have to dealwith change in all its dimensions technological personal an organization to ensure successin the long run.Change is inevitable in every aspect of life an organization are no exception to this.Business environment is changing fast as a response to evolving conditions manager needto be tactful and resistance and push ahead. When business environment is changinghuman resources functionaries can ill afford to lag behind or remain static. Their role is

getting increasingly complex, dynamics, and challenging to say the least."People want change, they don't want to be changed."A common definition used for change management is a set of processes that is employedto ensure that significant changes are implemented in an orderly, controlled andsystematic fashion to effect organizational change. One of the goals of changemanagement is with regards to the human aspects of overcoming resistance to change inorder for organizational members to buy into change and achieve the organization's goalof an orderly and effective transformation.The ADKAR ModelChange management has been developed over a period of time and one of the models thathave played an influence in change management is the ADKAR model. ADKAR was a

model developed by Prosci. In this model, there are five specific stages that must berealized in order for an organization or an individual to successfully change. Theyinclude:• Awareness - An individual or organization must know why a specific change or seriesof changes are needed.•Desire - Either the individual or organizational members must have the motivation anddesire to participate in the called for change or changes.•Knowledge - Knowing why one must change is not enough; an individual or organization must know how to change.•Ability - Every individual and organization that truly wants to change must implementnew skills and behaviors to make the necessary changes happen.

•Reinforcement - Individuals and organizations must be reinforced to sustain anychanges making them the new behavior, if not; an individual or organization will probably revert back to their old behavior.

10 PRINCIPLES TO MANAGE CHANGE1 . Address the “human side” systematically . Any significant transformation creates“people issues.” New leaders will be asked to step up, jobs will be changed, new skillsand capabilities must be developed, and employees will be uncertain and resistant.



Dealing with these issues on a reactive, case-by-case basis puts speed, morale, and resultsat risk.

2. Start at the top . Because change is inherently unsettling for people at all levels of anorganization, when it is on the horizon, all eyes will turn to the CEO and the leadership

team for strength, support, and direction. The leaders themselves must embrace the newapproaches first, both to challenge and to motivate the rest of the institution.3. Involve every layer . As transformation programs progress from defining strategy andsetting targets to design and implementation, they affect different levels of theorganization. Change efforts must include plans for identifying leaders throughout thecompany and pushing responsibility for design and implementation down, sothat change“cascades” through the organization.4. Make the formal case . Individuals are inherently rational and will question to whatextent change is needed, whether the company is headed in the right direction, andwhether they want to commit personally to making change happen.5. Create ownership . Leaders of large change programs must over perform during the

transformation and be the zealots who create a critical mass among the work force infavor of change. This requires more than mere buy-in or passive agreement that thedirection of change is acceptable.6. Communicate the message . Too often, change leaders make the mistake of believingthat others understand the issues, feel the need to change, and see the new direction asclearly as they do. The best change programs reinforce core messages through regular,timely advice that is both inspirational and practicable.7. Assess the cultural landscape . Successful change programs pick up speed andintensity as they cascade down, making it critically important that leaders understand andaccount for culture and behaviors at each level of the organization.8. Address culture explicitly . Once the culture is understood, it should be addressed asthoroughly as any other area in a change program. Leaders should be explicit about theculture and underlying behaviors that will best support the new way of doing business,and find opportunities to model and reward those behaviors.9. Prepare for the unexpected . No change program goes completely according to plan.People react in unexpected ways; areas of anticipated resistance fall away; and theexternal environment shifts. Effectively managing change requires continualreassessment of its impact and the organization's willingness and ability to adopt the nextwave of transformation.10. Speak to the individual . Change is both an institutional journey and a very personalone. People spend many hours each week at work; many think of their colleagues as asecond family. Individuals (or teams of individuals) need to know how their work willchange, what is expected of them during and after the change program, how they will bemeasured, and what success or failure will mean for them and those around them.

DEALING WITH ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGEIndividuals can reduce the impact of change and resulting stress by focusing on the valueto be gained. The following are some ways to help approach change with a positiveattitude:



Keep an open mind. Do not assume that the results of change will be negative. Changmay be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Stay flexible . Be ready to let go of the old and try the new. Talking with colleagues canhelp allay stress and foster a supportive environment.

Be supportive of colleagues. It is important that people recognize each other's

contributions on a regular basis and show appreciation for one another.Take an active role in the change process. Learn new skills, offer suggestions, set goalsfor yourself.Give change a chance to work . Be patient; change takes time.

Ignore rumors. Instead, focus on gathering as many facts as you can about change. Talk with your supervisor when you have questions.

Pay attention to yourself . It is important to learn to manage stress. People who feel goodmentally and physically are better able to handle change. Eat a nutritious diet, get enoughsleep, exercise, limit alcohol use and utilize relaxation/stress management techniques(e.g., deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation), so your body and mind are able todeal with change.

CHANGE STRATEGIESThese can be considered as the different strategies and procedures that are used tocategories the change environment. The relevance of different change strategies is thatthey build upon different assumptions about human motivation and hence willingness toengage in change at a particular point in time. Four differing views are presented

below. These strategies are not intended to be mutually exclusive. Rather they may each be appropriate at a different stage of a particular change process. Once the environment isidentified, an effective implementation plan can be composed.This approach believes that changing the norms, attitudes and values of individuals willlead to changes in their behaviors. (As such this strategy is the reverse of the model Beer

et al propose above.) It is based upon core beliefs, values and attitudes. So change willoccur as individuals change their attitudes and this leads them to want to behavedifferently.

Rational-empirical strategyThis strategy is based on persuasion, and assumes that individuals are rational and assuch they will follow their own self-interest once this is made clear to them. The benefitsof a change therefore need to be highlighted and sold to the individual’s as being of

personal benefit to them. Power-coercive strategyThis strategy is based on the application of power, with the belief that most people arecompliant to those who have greater power. A potential issue with this process is that

once the power is removed, individuals may revert to previous behaviors. Action-centered strategyThis focuses on problem solving, looking at problems and focusing on remedial actions.

WHY IS CHANGE MANAGEMENT RELEVANTChange management is relevant as though the research finds that change is taking placeat an ever-increasing pace, the evidence suggests that most change initiatives fail. For example, recent CIPD research suggested that less than 60% of re- organizations met



their stated objectives which are usually bottom line improvement. This is consistent withother published research.The impact of failures to introduce effective change can also be high: loss of market

position, removal of senior management, loss of stakeholder credibility, loss of keyemployees.

Finally, one organizational response to change is that organizational forms are themselvesevolving. Therefore, the change management response will have to be adaptive. For example, the increased competitive challenges and the need to be responsive to thechanging environment are resulting in emerging organizational models. Traditionalorganizational models following functional or matrix lines are being supplemented bynew models. These might rely on project teams, on networks and on virtual structures.In theory, certain of these newer models, for example virtual and project-based structures,allow increased flexibility to respond to change. However much models are not alwaysintroduced uniformly, and in practice often introduce other issues that also impact uponchange management, for example ability to share knowledge and to operate efficiently.These may also impact effectiveness of communication or employee commitment, which

themselves have implications for change effectiveness.Recent CIPD research managing across boundaries highlights how the move towardsnetwork-based organizations means that HR managers must now consider issues thatexist across and outside the boundaries of the firm: they need to address the concerns of cross-boundary human resource management. This requires the development of a seriesof boundary spanning HRM practices which involve the extension of practices which aretraditionally used only for employees (that is, individuals contracted to the organization)to these important people who are outside the boundaries of the organization (that is,individuals contracted to a different organization or self-employed but who deliver services within the organization). Some CHANGE STYLES that may be appropriate:•Collaborative - The target population are engaged in the change process, typicallythrough cascading workshops or meetings. They will be kept up to date on the issues.Their views will be actively sought and acted upon. Feedback will demonstrate how their input has been acted upon.•Consultative - The target population is informed about the changes and their views aresought.•Directive - The workforce is informed about the changes and why those changes areimportant.•Coercive - The workforce is told that they must obey the new instructions.

Steps of tackle change:-• Communicating the vision-Using every vehicle possible to convey the vision to all

people.• Empowering others to act on the vision-Getting rid of obstacles to change like thestructure.• Planning for and creating short term wins-Rewarding employees and recognizing them.• Consolidating improvements• Institutionalizing new approaches

CHANGE MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY





areas was identified as sometimes being the difference between successful and lesssuccessful projects:• Involvement at the initial stage in the project team.• Advising project leaders in skills available within the organization- identifying anyskills gaps, training needs, new posts, new working practices etc.

• Balancing out the narrow/short-term goals with broader strategic needs.• Assessing the impact of change in one area/department/site on another part of theorganization.• Being used to negotiating and engaging across various stakeholders.• Understanding stakeholder concerns to anticipate problems.• Understanding the appropriate medium of communication to reach various groups.• Helping people cope with change, performance management and motivation.

Ques.5) Would you recommend WPM for your call center? Reason out with benefits derived for yes or no

Answer.5) The basic technique stands in contrast to hunt and peck typing as the typist keeps their eyes onthe source copy at all times. Touch typing also involves the use of the home row method, where typists

keep their wrists up, rather than resting them on a desk or keyboard as this can cause carpal tunnel

syndrome. To avoid this, typists using this method should sit up tall leaning slightly forward from the

waist, place their feet flat on the floor in front of them with one foot slightly in front of the other, keeping

their elbows close to their sides with forearms slanted slightly upward to the keyboard, fingers should be

curved slightly resting on the home row (asdfjkl;).Many touch typists also use keyboard shortcuts or

hotkeys when typing on a computer. This allows them to edit their document without having to take their

hands off the keyboard to use a mouse. An example of a keyboard shortcut is touching the Control key plus

the S key to save a copy as you type, or the Control key plus the Z key to undo a mistake. Many

experienced typists can feel or sense when they've made an error and can hit the backspace key and make

the correction without missing a beat.

Yes I would recommend WPM (Words per Minute) for the call center. As call centers have different

processes like voice and non – voice processes. However both the processes require a lot of typing. So

WPM is recommended but not mandatory, however it is an additional benefit. And in a call center the time

is of great value, as there will be lots of calls coming in one after the other and there is hardly any time in

between the calls. So if a person is good with typing and have a good WPM it is very good for the

employees and after every call the employees has to log there call. Logging a call means that the employee

has to save the notes what all they did on the call.

Logging a call is very important as if the same customer calls again the agents who will answers the call

he/she must know what has been done or what suggestion the previous agent has given to the customer. So

as soon as the call comes the agent spends few seconds in reading what notes has the previous agent has

left. And if the previous agent has not logged in notes properly it is very difficult for the new agent to help

the customer further. WPM also helps in giving a satisfied customer as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_row

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_keyboard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpal_tunnel_syndrome


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_shortcut

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backspace_key

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_row

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_keyboard



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_shortcut

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backspace_key



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