It is a field of research, theory and practice dedicated to expand the knowledge and effectiveness of people within an organization, with a focus on achieving change and successful organizational performance.
The purpose of Organizational Development is to improve the organization's ability to deal with internal and external functioning and relationships.
In addition, it also helps to improve the group dynamics, the organizational structure and, above all, provide a more effective and collaborative management in the organizational culture.
Situational awareness is the first result based on the presentation and discussions of the diagnosis. Organizational Development is focused on people, the roles they assume and the systems and culture they operate.
Origin of Organizational Development Theory
The Organizational Development Theory emerged through Human Resources studies during the 1930s.
At that time, psychologists realized that organizational structures and processes influenced the behavior and motivation of employees in an organization.
The work of psychologist Kurt Lewin in the 1940s and 1950s also helped to show that feedback it was a valuable tool in addressing social processes within the organization.
More recently, work on organizational development has shifted to a focus on aligning organizations with their complex and rapidly changing environments.
This alignment started to be accomplished through organizational learning, knowledge management and mainly in the transformation of the organization's norms and values.
The main concepts of Organizational Development
Within Organizational Development there are important points for the analysis and planning of new actions within an organization. The main concepts evaluated according to the theory are:
organizational climate
Organizational climate is known as the "mood" or personality of an organization. These are the organization's attitudes and beliefs that create the organizational climate and, consequently, influence the collective behavior of employees.
The characteristics of the climate can be associated with employee satisfaction, stress, quality of service, results and even can assume whether the implementation of new programs can be successful.
The main characteristics analyzed in the organizational climate are:
- Leadership: support to leaders and control of their actions;
- Communication;
- Participatory management;
- paper clarity;
- Conflict resolution.
Organizational culture
Organizational culture is the set of norms, values and behaviors shared among the employees of an organization.
The five basic elements analyzed in an organization's culture are:
- Assumptions;
- Values;
- Behavioral norms;
- Behavioral patterns;
- Mechanisms.
Subjective characteristics, such as assumptions, values and norms, reflect thoughts and unconscious interpretations of employees of the organization and shape behaviors and mechanisms assumed.
Organizational Strategies
Diagnosis
This point is essential to help the organization identify problems that may interfere with its effectiveness and help find strategies to improve the causes.
Diagnosis is usually carried out by an expert who helps identify problems through research and observations.
This professional examines the organization's mission, objectives, policies, structures and technologies to initiate practices.
Climate and culture are also fundamental factors throughout this diagnosis, especially for the organization to achieve the desired results and act quickly and effectively.
Action plan
The action plan is the elaboration of a set of strategic interventions that address the diagnosed problems.
The organization becomes involved in an action planning process to assess the feasibility of implementing different change strategies that lead to action and improvement.
Intervention
Throughout the intervention, change steps are specified and sequenced so progress can be monitored and stakeholder commitment cultivated.
Assessment
At this stage, planned change efforts are evaluated. Thus, the professional is able to monitor the organization's progress in implementing the change, documenting the advances and problems suffered by the organization throughout the process.
When and why should an organization use Organizational Development?
Organizational Development can be used in several situations such as:
- Develop or enhance an organization's mission or vision;
- Helping to align the organization's functional structures to understand what the common purpose they are working toward;
- Create a strategic plan for making the organization's decisions about its future;
- Manage conflicts that exist between individuals, groups, roles, and so on, when such conflicts interrupt the organization's ability to function healthily;
- Implement processes that help improve the progress of the organization's operations on an ongoing basis;
- Create a collaborative environment that helps the organization to be more effective and efficient;
- Create reward systems compatible with the organization's objectives;
- Assist in the development of policies and procedures that can improve the continued functioning of the organization;
- Assess the work environment, identify the strengths that constitute the areas where change and improvement are needed;
- Offer help and support to employees, especially those in senior positions, who need an opportunity to be trained in how to do their jobs more efficiently;
- Assist in creating systems to provide feedback on individual performance and occasionally carry out studies to give feedback and training individuals, helping them to develop individually.
See too:
- Organizational culture;
- organizational psychology;
- Mentoring;
- rightsizing;
- People management;
- Feedback.
