A Challenge For Modern Workplaces

Due to the growing complexity and turbulence of the business environment and the related growth in research knowledge about behavior within organizations, managers of the 21st century have to take four themes as paramount: the necessity of managing the challenges of change; functioning within a global environment; being sensitive to the diversity among people; and behaving with ethical integrity. In addition, with the increasing complexity of operations, organizations are building in greater participation opportunities for non-managers. Groups ranging from quality circles to self-managing and cross-functional teams are involved in continuous improvement projects and running their own operations. Working in teams tends to improve the core job dimensions that affect people's psychological states and motivating potential at work. With high involvement, people are challenged to rethink systems and processes—to eliminate tasks that no longer add value.

Because of accelerated shifts in global competition and technology, there is a tendency for organizations to become less mechanistic and more organic (flexible). Bureaucracy, which for decades promoted efficiency and predictability through rules and control, is yielding to practices that create greater employee involvement and adaptation. With organic involvement come flatter structures and a wider span of control for managers. As firms will create a lean structure, they will become able to cope with its increasing size and respond to environmental conditions.

From the stand point of the individual, job satisfaction is an internal state that leads to the pursuit of objectives. From the standpoint of the manager, it is the mean though which subordinates will become motivated to do the job and pursue objectives. The purpose of attaining job satisfaction, is to get them achieve results. Job satisfaction is one important contributor to job performance, among others, such as motivation, reward systems and commitment. Furthermore, Maslow's need hierarchy theory, states that people strive to become self-actualized. However, before higher-level needs are activated, certain lower-level needs must be satisfied. In order for an employee to pursue to satisfy the next level, the first one has to be adequately served. So, as an example, safety in the working environment is prior to self-actualization through the job's nature. Managers have to take under consideration such facts and develop programs, methods that will ‘guide' the employees through the levels of importance. Businesses today have turned towards this direction, since the have invested greatly in improving the employees' feelings against their work, and contribute to the future goals of the organization.

Management can use goal setting, as it is an important part of most job satisfaction programs, and it is a valuable method of motivating employees. Another tool is considered today to be the flexible working hours' system. It allows the employer to control better his/her job and to gain valuable time that is needed for a healthier presence and an elevated morale. Also, telecommuting is gaining momentum, and can also be used for its motivational purposes. Both types of flexible work arrangements usually increase job satisfaction, and under some conditions, they improve productivity. Managing change is the challenge for today's business, and its success or failure, will judge the viability of the firm in the future.