Human Relations : Part # 10

Teamwork!

Teamwork is the cooperative effort(s) by the members of a team, or group to achieve a common goal.

The four C's to be an effective team member are :

1. Conformity to all, and every decision made with the other team members.
2. Cooperation with the other team members without unnecessary conflicts.
3. Contributing talents, and skills.
4. Collaborating with the other team members.

A team of people from different cultures will have greater perspectives about work than a team of people who are all from the same background.

A team of people from different cultures may present many diverse challenges to both management, and  team members, especially in a culturally "sensitive" workplace.

One must learn to be effective!

With a proper understanding of people, and the Mutual Reward Theory (M. R. T.) - please read Human Relations : Part # 8 - the successes of a work team may be excellent!

The five attitude factors that need to be present among team members to make the team successful are :

1. Acceptance of the team concept.
2. Accepting the four C's to be an effective team member.
3. Employees must be responsible for their own actions at the workplace!
4. Employees must keep their attitude good.
5. Employees must be self - disciplined.

Also, anyone who has played out a season on a formally organized sports team would have some very valuable insights into what makes a work team successful.

The more insights, the better!

Human Relations : Part # 9

The three working environments in which managers operate are :

• The structured environment
• The permissive environment
• The democratic environment

1. The structured environment - The managers are usually fairly strict, and use many restrictive controls.
In this type of environment, the manager(s) always expects the employees to be precisely "on - time" for their shifts, orderly, accurate, and highly efficient, and effective.

Also, the manager in this type of environment may appear unfeeling to a new employee at first, but the manager is most likely very interested, and very willing to help the new employee more than he / she does initially reckon!

2. The permissive environment - This is the direct opposite of the structured environment. 

The manager(s) in this type of environment are "easy - going", use a free - reign style to manage, and there are few restrictions.

This type of environment is acceptable in the world as well, but is the most risky of the three for the manager to create, and most dangerous for a new employee to work in, because of his / her great need for supervision initially.

3.  The democratic environment - This is the preferred environment for most managers operating in modern - day organizations, but is the most difficult, and challenging of the three to create!

In this environment, the manager works very closely with, and for the team, and is a great leader as well.

Each employee should feel as though they are a good part of the team, and also should feel personally satisfied with their works accomplishments.

Greater workplace, and team productivity should also be a result of this type of environment.

The manager's roles in all three of these environments should be :

Teacher - He / she should teach the new employee the proper routines of the job, and should also greatly influence their attitude toward the "good". 

Counselor - He / she should be a good counselor / coach.

His / her job is to make certain that the employees achieve their maximum potential at the workplace!

To correct the employee's errors.

To give employees good, and proper tips on improving their team, and workplace performance.

Leader - The manager must provide the proper leadership the team, and department does require.

He / she must continuously motivate all of the employees.

He / she must help the employees to develop a long - term career with the organization.

The employee's role in all three of these environments should be : 

To simply be a good employee!

• Practice good, and ethical behaviors at the workplace!
• Maintain open, and honest communications with your manager(s).
• Don't discuss your manager(s) negatively with your co - workers.
• Avoid transferring the negative attitudes you may have developed of previous managers, to your current manager.
• Expect some of the work days to be very challenging under your new / current manager.
• Don't make minor workplace issues major workplace issues!
• Don't let your manager intimidate you!
• If you make a mistake at your workplace, correct it quickly!
• Remember - not every manager likes their job.
• If needed, simply ask your manager to personally mentor you.

Managers are humans too!

     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Human Relations : Part # 8

The six employment human relationship characteristics.

1. Mutual Reward Theory - The Mutual Reward Theory (M. R. T.) states that a relationship between two people is enhanced when there is a satisfactory "balance" of rewards between them.

In a good M. R. T. relationship, both parties prosper, but the M. R. T. is biased toward a "win - win" outcome.

If the relationship is to remain healthy, and prosperous for a long period of time, it must contribute something  valuable to both persons.

If, and when one of the persons does discover that she / he has been contributing substantially more than the other, the relationship may quickly weaken!

However, if, and when there are "balanced" rewards between the persons, the relationship may prosper very healthily!

A sincere relationship may also occur, if the relationship is close, emotional, and important enough.

     2. Value Conflicts - Everyone has her / his own personal values. 

To impose one's own personal values on another, especially at the workplace, will create a negative relationship between the employees who are "forced" to work together closely.

    3. Ethnic Implications - Diversity at the workplace is promoted when there are relationships that do include employees from differing ethnic backgrounds.

     4. Sexual Overtones & Harassment - Sexual Overtones = Sexual Tension (not dangerous!)

Sexual Harassment at the workplace is any, and every sexual harassing that does cause a co - worker to be uncomfortable, and has a negative effect on workplace productivity.

In most cases, sexual harassing is done in a deliberate way over a lengthy period of time.

There are also three other types of harassment which are :

• verbal
• visual
• physical

    5. Age Differences - Employee generation age gaps!

Many employees between the ages of 18 - 30 years reckon their young age a "handicap" versus the elder employees at the workplace, and they often get discriminated at the workplace because of their young ages.

    6. Irritation Threshold - Working relationships are frequently endangered of weakening because one of the employees does have an irritating habit / mannerism that bothers an other. 

Whether or not a habit, or mannerism of one employee irritates an other employee does depend upon the threshold, and tolerance acceptability of the other employee.

The irritation threshold is the tolerance acceptability for a habit / mannerism of an employee.

If, and when an employee does have a high tolerance acceptability , she (or he) has a good human relations skill!

If, and when an employee does have a low tolerance acceptability for another employee's habits / mannerisms, the relationship may quickly weaken.

An example of something someone else does that sometimes gets close to, or passes my threshold is an irritating laugh!

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Human Relations : Part # 7

Increase your personal productivity!

     Just do it! Increase your personal productivity to the point of it surpassing your co - worker's.
     Also, concentrate on building good horizontal relations with your co - workers to increase their productivity, as well as your own.

Be a leader!

In increasing your personal productivity, the advantages of giving attention to creating good horizontal working relations with your co - workers are:

• your job would become easier, and simpler
• you would be valued more, and greater by your supervisor / boss / manager
• you would get the support of your co - workers
• you would contribute more, and greater to your group's productivity
• your would be better able to demonstrate more, and greater insight, and sensitivity too!

The four primary "factors" that managers seek in their employees are:

1. an employee who strives to work close to their personal potential
2. an employee who is never completely satisfied with their personal potential
3. an employee who believes humanly relating @ the workplace is important
4. an employee who makes it their priority being loyal their company / organization

Although you may not have direct customer contact, you can still benefit from having a good service attitude.
A good service attitude is a desire to satisfy the company's / organization's customers so they'll continue to use its services, and products also!

All employees should make the time to identify who their true customers are, and to then try to serve them in the best ways possible with a good service attitude.
Everyone in the company / organization will benefit from a good customer service strategy, because it will create a "win - win" outcome for everyone in the company / organization, and of course its customers!

Your career advancement will also be better facilitated!

A good service attitude will help you learn more about yourself, and how you can improve your own personal productivity levels, and works quality too!

Be a leader!

The five stages of career development!

1. Preparation for the works - ages 0 to 25 years.
2. Organizational entry - ages 18 to 25 years.
3. Early career - ages 25 to 40 years.
4. Middle career - ages 40 to 55 years.
5. Late career - ages 55 to final retirement.
   
   

   
   

In the first stage - Preparation for the works, it begins for the person prior to him / her entering the works force, and the organization(s). In this priming stage, the person continues until he / she becomes approximately the age of 25 years. Also, in this first stage, the "young" person with no experience / no job does naturally begin to attain the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to continue developing their career, and eventually be in their own chosen occupation.

The "young" person in this stage did most likely use the time, and did use care in planning, getting the correct information(s), and developing their own occupational self - image, and initial choice of occupation. The "young" person also most likely began to assess alternative occupations, and pursue any / every necessary educations (formally, informally, or both).

In the second stage - Organizational entry, it begins for the person during, or after the first stage of the career developing. (approx. between the ages of 18 to 25 years).

If the "young" person does reckon that they are already prepared to enter the works force, they will begin to solicit, and obtain formal job offers from their organizations of choice. Also, according to the basis of complete, and accurate informations, the "young" person will select an appropriate organization, job, and position for themself. e.g. at the city's public library - the position may be in reference works, as a reference librarian!

3. Early career - ages 25 to 40 years.

He / she begins to learn the job, and its position, the organization, the organization's rules, and norms, begins to fit into their occupation of choice, increase their own competencies, and pursue their own chosen career goal(s).

4. Middle career - ages 40 to 55 years.

In this stage, he / she begins to assess, and modify their early career goal(s), make more appropriate choices in accordance with their elder years of age, and continue to remain productive in their works.

5. Late career - ages 55 - final retirement.

In this final stage, he / she continues to remain productive in their works, whilst maintaining their own personal self - esteem, and image. Also, he / she most likely begins to prepare for their permanent final retirement from the organization, job, position, and works force.

Human Relations : Part # 6

Individual Productivity Levels

    Each employee at your workplace has a current level of individual productivity that mainly remains constant throughout the course of his / her employment term. Although, it does often fluctuate eventually greater, or lesser, due to these five primary causes that make - up an employee's individual productivity level.

 

1. Mental ability - An increase, or decrease of an employee's I. Q. (Intelligence Quotient).
2. Stamina, and endurance - An increase, or decrease of an employee's ability to endure physical / moral strains, disease, fatigue, and personal hardships.
3. Manual dexterity -  An increase, or decrease of an employee's manipulative skills i . e. The ability to operate, or manage by skillt use of their hands.
4. Creativity - An increase, or decrease of an employee's ability to be innovative i. e. To begin, or introduce something new / make any necessary changes at the workplace.
5. Motivation - The employee's "inner - drive" that spurs them to take good action(s) at the workplace.

The difference between an employee's current individual productivity level, and their future potential individual productivity level is what they call the Productivity gap - How much an employee currently produces, and how much an employee is able to truly produce.

 

If an employee's productivity gap is small, the employee is working the job near to their future potential individual productivity level.

If an employee's productivity gap is large, something is wrong. The employee may need additional training, a special incentive, a change in job duties, or perhaps counseling for personal hardships. 

 

The group productivity gap is the difference between a group's current level of productivity, and their future potential level of productivity. A group is a branch, division, or department @ your workplace!

 

The best way for a supervisor, boss, manager, shift leader etc. to make the group productivity gap smaller is to make each employee's individual productivity gap smaller.

 

The primary responsibility of the group's leader is to help each employee achieve their maximum productivity, thus the group's productivity will improve, and be better for the business as well!

 

 

 

 

Human Relations : Part # 5

     The most vital part of good working relationships is verbally communicating - freely, frequently, and honestly.

There are two types of working relationships - vertical, and horizontal.

A vertical working relationship is the relationship with you, and your immediate supervisor.

Horizontal working relationships are those that are with you, and your fellow workers in the same department i. e. the people you work aside on an hour - to - hour, day - to - day basis.

In building good working relationships, there are two evils you should definitely avoid.

1. Avoid concentrating on building a good relationship with your supervisor whilst neglecting building good relationships with your fellow workers.
2. Avoid concentrating on building only one, or two good horizontal working relationships, and intentionally neglecting the relations with the rest of your fellow workers in the department.

Improving horizontal working relationships may also improve the vertical ones because:

Giving your attention to building equality in your working relationships is important!

All men are created equal.

The mistake is often made of concentrating on only one, or two horizontal relationships.

The remaining horizontal relationships you are in will weaken, and your vertical relationship with your supervisor will also weaken.

Giving your attention to building good horizontal working relationships with all of your fellow workers, you'll definitely build a good working relationship with your supervisor.

A good supervisor will definitely, and greatly appreciate the employee that builds a good team "spirit" in the workplace!

Remember, money talks!