Small Team Management
PART A: Domestic and Commercial Building Company
In the present day work environment, expectations exceed regarding the workloads and task requirements among employers and employees. Multi-tasking defines the current situation in most of business organizations as advances in technology especially in the use of the computer and the Internet continues. (1992) claimed “the systems theory of management is built upon the tenet that ‘the whole is more than the sum of its parts.” For a quality improvement effort to truly succeed, such a whole must evolve.” According to (1995), teams with “substantive” participation outperform teams where subordinate input is limited to “consultative” participation. A less direct control and new risk for the leader is called substantive participation. Hence, social acuity and interpersonal astuteness are factors needed to ensure leader effectiveness and subsequent group success.
In the article, the building and construction company is mainly composed of five (5) people who function for the internal and external operations of the business organization. Such functions include the administrative management of the firm as a business entity and the project-based accounts and responsibilities of the company as a member of the construction industry. Figure 1 below illustrates the (1) Organizational Chart for the company:
Figure 1. Organizational Chart for the Building and Construction Company
The (1) Owner/Builder initiates responsibilities such as (a) the holistic administrative management of the construction firm, (b) site supervision of the construction projects being handled, and (c) supplier relations management for the needed construction raw materials. In order for the Owner/Builder to undertake these tasks responsibly, he should have appropriate leadership skills to pilot each and every construction project, decision-making skills to efficiently carry out the responsibilities of the entire business organization and meet its goals and objectives, effective communication with all the members of the company for the dissemination of information and work loads, and competent business administration and management strategies and values.
The (2) Part-time Office Worker is tasked with (a) accounting management for the settlement of payable procurements of the company, and (b) customer relations management for inquiries, quotations, project scheduling, and possible clienteles. Hence, as the person mainly responsible for all the administrative work of the business organization, the Office Worker should be competent enough to meet clients and customers who may need inquiries regarding the performance and operations of the company as well as background in accounting and business management in order to effectively function his responsibilities. Good customer service training and auditing skills are needed along with effective communication skills for both the internal and external operations of the company.
The (3) Full-time Carpenters are responsible for the (s) completion of the projects on time, (b) raw materials inventory management, (c) project planning considerations, (d) selection of casual carpenters depending on the demand of the projects being handled, and (e) training of the apprentice carpenter. With these enumerated responsibilities, the Full-time Carpenters should be expert in the building and construction business particularly in the site duties they are required to undertake since their output sets the profit of the company. In line with their responsibilities at the site, they should be able to manage preparations to finish projects on time along with proper monitoring of the needed supply of raw materials including selection of additional manpower as dictated by the demands of the business. Moreover, since the training of the Apprentice Carpenter is likewise included in their responsibilities, they should have the experience and expertise to teach and lead the Apprentice to good project handling practices.
The (4) Apprentice Carpenter is tasked with (a) assistance for the full-time carpenters, (b) along with other responsibilities and duties expected as a project site worker. More than having the skills of a good and dependable carpenter, as a trainee, he should be open to new knowledge and skills that can be provided by the full-time and more experienced carpenters in the company to be able to exhaust all the possible training that he may need for future responsibilities in the company.
However, there are (2) tasks and skills that the current staff lacks. According to (2002), credibility is the foundation of leadership. In addition, a leader should possess honesty, competence, aspiration, and a forward-looking approach. In the business point of view, good leadership proves to be quite beneficial. As the team leader in the building and construction company, the Owner/Builder should aid in effectively meeting job-related demands, in creating higher-performing teams, in fostering renewed loyalty and commitment, and in increasing motivational level of employees since effective leadership comprises the aptitude and ability to inspire and influence the thinking, attitudes, and behavior of other people (1997). But although this specification seems relatively simple, the reality of leadership is very complex. Intrapersonal factors such as ideas and emotions interact with interpersonal processes to have effects on a dynamic external environment and bring complexity to the leadership process.
Meanwhile, the most important asset of a business is the people in order to achieve sustained business success. Realizing this leads to a strategic management of people within the organization. It has been argued that through the workplace culture, management can have control in the hearts and minds of its employees towards making them more committed to the organization. One way of manipulating the workplace culture is implementing a “shared value” (1995). Through shared value, each and every member of the organization will work towards adhering to it, thus inappropriate behavior can be lessened. In the case of the Part-time Office Worker, higher morale will reflect in their work attitude and will gradually become more committed to the aims of the organization and to the organization as a whole.
The same is true for the Full-timer Carpenters with regards to higher work morale. Its philosophy is based on the simple belief that human resources are the most important asset in achieving and sustaining business success. (2001) highlighted the importance of high work life quality through good supervision, working conditions, pay and benefits as well as challenging and rewarding jobs. She said that these conditions will provide opportunities for employees to contribute in the overall effectiveness of the organization as they become more motivated and productive members of the company’s work force with positive self-esteem and improved morale. Moreover, there are various training and development methods as part of training menus that are all accessible to utilize and relate according to individual training and organizational training needs. They should realize that training is also on hand far beyond and outside the classroom. Training and learning development includes facets such as morals and principles; stance and behavior; skills and knowledge and as well as leadership and willpower (1987).
On the other hand, the Apprentice Carpenter should be able to identify his position and functions along with the hierarchies that the work environment should follow since development isn’t constrained to training. Rather it’s anything that aids a person to nurture in aptitude, expertise, poise, broadmindedness, dedication, inventiveness, inter-personal skills, understanding, self-control, enthusiasm and some more (1992; 2002). More prominently, it should be realized that training or learning, at the trainee’s view is anything offering learning and developmental experience.
If the Owner decided to replace the part-time Office Worker with a (3) Full-time Receptionist/Bookkeeper, the following should be considered and compiled for the new position: (1) Job Description and Person Specification, (2) recruitment alternatives, and (3) induction and training program.
Job Description
Title:
Receptionist/Bookkeeper
Scope:
The Receptionist/Bookkeeper will be responsible for the operation of the company office, implementing customer service standards, and administrative assistant to the Owner/Builder.
Responsible to:
The Owner/Builder
Main Responsibilities:
Manage the operations of the company office including:
Ø Procurement of construction raw materials
Ø General accounting responsibilities
Performance criteria: Minimal stock wastage and balance of account.
Customer related duties such as:
Ø Customer inquiries
Ø Project quotations
Ø Project schedules
Performance criteria: Increase customer base and customer satisfaction.
As assistant to the Owner/Builder, work includes:
Ø General secretarial tasks
Ø Provision of supplier contacts
Ø Efficient schedule management thru appointments and meetings
Performance criteria: Effective work-related time management for the Owner/Builder for efficient attendance to responsibilities.
Conditions of Employment:
Award wages and superannuation.
Annual performance bonus.
Saturday work and some evening work required.
Person Specification
Title:
Receptionist/Bookkeeper
Essential Skills and Experience:
Experience in general office management and bookkeeping.
Experience in customer service roles.
Demonstrated ability in secretarial duties.
Desirable Skills and Experience:
Experience in construction industry.
Formal qualifications in office management and bookkeeping.
Personal Qualities:
Ability to work as part of an administrative team.
Loyalty and integrity.
Excellent customer relations skills.
Accuracy and good organization skills.
With initiative, a self-starter.
Enthusiastic and energetic personality.
Decisive.
Ability to handle pressure.
Personal Circumstances:
Able to late and on weekends if the work demands.
Able to attend to management meetings and consultations after office hours.
Selection is a critical process for the organization because good selection decisions ensure the company of their financial investments in their employees (1993). The wrong selection process can lead to frustration, repetitive training, documentation, low morale and a waste of time and financial resources. For the recruitment of the receptionist/Bookkeeper, several choices are available in order for the management to select and hire the most ideal person for the position. These include the traditional job hiring process, the use of agency to look for the needed person, and promotion or appointment of the most qualified member of the organization.
First, the management can follow the traditional recruitment and selection procedures among business organizations. This includes advertising for the job vacancy along with the preferences of the management for the specific person they need. Once the applications come, the management could start the preliminary selection through the submitted curriculum vitae. Interviews will be scheduled to know the applicants more fully, thus narrowing the selection process and the eventual hiring of the best applicant for the job.
Second option is for the management to consult agencies that can provide the right person for the vacancy. This will minimize concerns on job vacancy advertisements of the management and could be the most efficient way to hire the needed Receptionist/Bookkeeper. Moreover, referrals from friends and acquaintances could also work as a means to identify and hire a new person for the administrative operations of the company.
A third option is for the management to review the performances of the very members of the business organizations who can be promoted for the needed administrative position. Among the advantages of this particular option include the personal knowledge of the person and his/her capacity to do the needed responsibilities as well as the lesser time needed to fill in the position.
Once the person is hired as the new Receptionist/Bookkeeper of the company, an induction and training program should be initiated by the office for the enumeration of expected work load and work output from the new person. The employers, in their goal to improve and develop aggressive and competitive business organization, may exhaust the potential of their human resources for the benefit of the company relative to total work output. This will also promote the positive working relationship and good communication channeling among the personnel in the establishment whether between the supervisor and the subordinates or employee to peers and colleagues.
The employee, on the other hand, should avail of the opportunities of developing their skills further and enriching their knowledge through the training programs and exercises. This will ensure their competitiveness in the fast-paced and ever-changing description and scope of their work and may also sustain their personal desire of improving themselves as productive individuals and will foster minimum stress level in the workplace.
Among the points needed for the effective induction and training program for the new Receptionist/Bookkeeper includes:
A. Meeting with the other members of the company and their respective roles and responsibilities.
B. Overview and briefing on the construction industry business and the industry sector the company belongs to.
C. Discussion on the history of the company and the goals, mission and values it upholds.
D. Explanation of the general operations of the company and the everyday routine of the members of the company.
E. Briefing on the tasks and responsibilities as the Receptionist/Bookkeeper of the company.
New issues about employment and management of people arise and the tasks and responsibilities of the human resources management of companies also increase. Hence, it is necessary to make the workforce of the company strong by making sure that they are talented, skilled, and bounded by effective regulations and organization policies. Aside from this, (4) unexpected situations should be handled with competence by the management through effective contingency plans since the adaptation and gradual acceptance of the company’s transformation posted difficulty among the employees and staff whose responsibilities, duties and positions in the organization were braved.
For those who were threatened by the changes, the transformation was, for them, immediate and unreasonable. The threats to their occupation in the company could be traced to their competence as quality work force of the said business organization. The new learning process that inevitably should take place within the company made the worries of lax employees to surface. But for the employees and staff who have the attitude of improving themselves with the changes that were being implemented in the organization, the transformations were faced as a challenge and opportunity for individual and personal evaluation improvement. Key staff absences can be resolved by (1) strict policies for attendance, and (2) incentives for highly responsible and performing members of the organization. Meanwhile, increased workload due to customer demand can be resolved by (1) consulting referrals and agencies for temporary or casual workers need, and (2) thorough project planning and preparations with regards to needed additional work force.
Information has always been a critical factor to a success of a business. For this reason, every company in this age must realize the importance of information technology. Not only does it play a role, but it must somehow, blend with the corporation’s business strategies and techniques. Among the (5) list of Staff Records that should be kept include (a) Personal Data Information of the Employees, (b) Benefits and Insurances, (c) Job Description and Responsibilities, (d) Contract Details, and (e) Attendance and Regular Performance Appraisal. The continuous advancement in technology gave way to inquisitive inquiries on the logic that governs information management, its importance and its drawbacks.
Information management is the administration of data with regards to its uses and transmission as well as the application of theories and techniques of information science to be able to create, modify, or improve information handling systems within a particular business organization. It is the function of managing the organization’s information resources which includes the creating, capturing, registering, classifying, indexing, storing, retrieving and disposing of records and developing strategies to manage records. It also includes the acquisition, control and disposal of library and other information products, items kept for reference purposes, and the provision of services to internal and external customers, based on information resources.
The modern age of digital electronics made it possible for business and corporate organizations to keep up with the demands of their industries. At present, most business organizations are equipped with the latest information technology (IT) systems that enable them to function fully and effectively in the efficient delivery of their products and services. It has provided every person with the ability to communicate and perform tasks which were impossible to do before the arrival of the 21st century. As such, modern information technology has been considered the result of a crucial connection between digital and communication technologies. It has been declared as the fundamental core of an information system, which involves various interactions between data, the users, software, hardware, business corporations and their environment.
PART B: Business Situation Analysis
It is known that every organization’s primary purpose is to stay in business, so that it can promote the stability of the community, generate products and services that are useful to customers, and provide setting for the satisfaction and growth of organization members ( 1969; 1985;1986). The trend towards internationalization and increased global competition among huge and successful business corporations directed business executives to find ways and means to improve their products and services to clients and consumers. Every existing business company in this era of modernization have invested resources to enable them be successful in the local as well as in the international market competition. Quality and productivity are the common goals among business individuals.
In this regard, quality strategy if executed appropriately can make the company prosper not only through increased number of customers and the greater possibility eventual gained customer loyalty but also in fostering ideal working environment within the business organization. There had been a number of strategies implemented by various companies in order to practice quality customer service. From customer studies to the application of information technology, several international businesses have confirmed that putting quality into customer service results to positive outcomes (1997). While the benefits of quality customer service have already been recognized, it is important to consider that quality customer service is not dependent on the quantity of trainings or seminars an organization undergoes but on the level of collaborative effort exerted.
According to (1997) (1) motivation is “the set of processes that arouse, direct and maintain human behavior toward attaining some goal”. This definition contains three key essential aspects: arousal, direction and maintaining. Arousal is to do with the drive/energy behind people’s actions such as their interests to do the things or they do it just want making a good impression on others or to feel successful at what they do. Direction means the choices people make to meet the person’s goal. Maintaining behavior could keep people persisting at attempting to meet their goal hence to satisfy the need that stimulated behavior in the first place (1997). In this regard, business organizations are aware of the importance and significance of employee motivation In order to meet the set goals through the human resources of the company.
Motivation can be assumed as the reason or the force behind why a person does what he or she does. Sometimes, it is also a means to make the person perform better and more efficiently. Basically there are three assumptions in human motivation established in research: (1) motivation is inferred from a systematic analysis of how personal, task and environmental characteristics influence behavior and job performance; (2) motivation is not a fixed trait; but rather it refers to a dynamic internal state resulting from the influence of personal and situational factors; and (3) motivation may change with changes in personal, social or other factors (1997). Moreover, motivation affects behavior, rather than performance (1995). As what Wiley explained, “Initiatives designed to enhance job performance by increasing employee motivation may not be successful if there is a weak link between job performance and an employee’s efforts” ().
Performance appraisal is a process of assessing whether organizational objectives are met. It would evaluate how the employee’s performance has fared to satisfy the organization (2003). Evaluation seeks to monitor and improve effectiveness by giving the employee feedback on his/her performance. This process should be carried out at regular intervals and should follow specific protocols to maintain objectivity in the evaluation process. The company should have a clear set of evaluation or assessment tools that will be used in all levels of the organization. The process should either be carried out as an individual consultation or a face-to-face evaluation. Lastly, a standard review mechanism conducted by a third party should be commissioned for the reassurance of fair play and objectivity in the evaluation ( 2004).
This concept has its strengths as defined by (1997) for it helps the manager to be able to identify individual present performance along with the employee’s future potential. Evaluation also assesses the weaknesses and the accompanying disciplinary actions. The third strength is that it can determine which training aspect should be developed for the particular employee. It also increases the communication line between the employer and the employee because of the feedback and evaluation process. According to (2004), evaluation is also a way for the organization to assess the role of the manager as well for evaluation and supervision are interdependent because evaluation is a tool for measuring supervision. Moreover, another advantage is that evaluation aims to establish trust among the entire organization because objectivity and fair play are called into this task. Lastly, the evaluation process is a good way of providing employee satisfaction and maturation which will improve the performance in the future.
Conflict simply means lack of agreement in terms of beliefs, practices and in other human activities. It has different levels, which are: intrapersonal or intrapsychic conflict; interpersonal conflict; intragroup conflict; and intergroup conflict (1999). The four types of conflict are: intrapersonal conflict; interpersonal conflict; intragroup conflict; and intergroup conflict. Conflict resolution is important because of the fact that conflict is unavoidable. Conflict is inevitable in every organization because the business environment, both external and internal, experience changes constantly. When business processes are affected and an organization is forced to change its ways, the problem with human factors would then take place. Staff and employees are not passive individuals, but rather show reactions to such changes. Change affects many working processes that might have a direct or indirect impact on an employee. The impact might affect the way they work or might determine their attitude in adapting with the changes that took place. Furthermore, most likely there will also be problems on the capabilities of the employees to adapt with the change.
These are just some of the factors that should be considered from organizational change. Other human factors can also be considered as roots of conflict such as diversity, because employees have differing values and experience differing situations (2001). Through interaction, such characteristics are responsible for the development of tension among employees (2001). Changes intensify this reality, as employees are obliged to cope with them. Like the others, coping styles differ, making the need for a good management and leadership more essential. However, it can also be said that change could root from conflict. Proper management of conflict fosters understanding and the appreciation of difference ( 2001). Thus, conflict and change should be managed effectively, instead of being eliminated or halted.
Along with the roles and responsibilities of each and every employee and employer are the (2) rules, regulations as well as policies that govern the business organization in order to identify and enumerate the obligations of all the people in the company. According to (1987) governments uphold employee rights as either mandatory or voluntary in which mandatory rights include the right to a safe and healthy working environment guaranteed by the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, the right to compensation for work-related disease or injury granted by state workers’ compensation laws, and the right to equal opportunity of employment set out in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In line with these government provisions, (1981), (1980), and other academic researches have provided framework that set the guidelines rules and policies concerning the business environment. Their framework incorporated fixed costs so that worker preferences and budget parameters directly relate to the packaged work hours. Others have emphasized the role of technological considerations, including startup costs, fatigue, and hiring and training costs that are fixed per along with nonlinearities in compensation that are induced by fringe benefits, payroll taxes, and overtime pay, as well as the costs of coordinating workers who work different hours employee (1971; 1969; 1969; 1976). This resulted to the average output per hour and the average full cost per hour of employing someone depending on hours worked per week and weeks worked per year.
PART C: Work Group Evaluation
Toyota Motors is an established company known for two supreme values: kaizen and respect for people. Our company prides itself for being one of the market leaders in every aspect of the business. Thus, it is only right that the Human Resources side of the company is continually developed to uphold these values which embody the Toyota Way. Toyota tries to preserve its home-grown economic model such as the values it practices in its business practices to be able to retain their competitive advantage. Indeed, it is a hard task for the company to preserve its locally conceptualized model while maintaining linkages with the global economy. However, because critical success factors are established as key aspects needed by a company, this has become easier in dealing with the issue of globalization. The latest developments in the company proved that it is stronger than ever, emerging victorious from otherwise discouraging situations.
Strengths. The Annual Report for 2004 has introduced the new management system which concentrates on making operations and decision making faster and easier globally (2005). The organisation also has a set of established in-house committees and councils which monitor all aspects of management and corporate activities using the perspective of several of the company’s stakeholders. This would ascertain the transparency of the organisation and the fulfilment of their social obligations. The unique quality of this system is that the managing directors would not solely focus on management because they would also act as the link between management and on-site operations. The result is a less-vertical decision making because the managing directors and officers will have the complete responsibility for the operations performed by their divisions. In addition as the highest authority, they would participate in companywide management processes as well as ensure that their “division-level decision making is firmly rooted in operational conditions on the ground” ( 2005).
Weaknesses. Even though there are strategic choice models that are available to base the company’s strategy in, it was deemed appropriate to incorporate the new system of Toyota with the traditional management model which focuses on increasing competitive advantage through development of human resources (2005). According to the model, the traditional ways of management focus on imposing strategies on the workforce without considering potential contribution which results to an underutilization of human resources while the new model focus on three key business enablers: people, knowledge and coherence ( 2005). Developing these three aspects together would also influence the financial performance of the company.
Strategies in addressing weaknesses. As the relationship between stress and performance is complex, several tried to quantify how stress affects an employee and his/her work performance. However, the rising cost of overstressed employees prompted investigation of the relationship as the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and other state laws hold employed liable for “all diseases arising out of and in the course of many employment” which means that it includes stress-related sicknesses (1985). It can result in physical, psychological and behavioural responses.
As such, the management need to enroll their staff in annual or quarterly training courses to upgrade their skills and enrich their knowledge so as to foster individual and personal development and improvement. Possibilities of promotion through their acquired knowledge and improved skills as competitive employees should always be reminded to the staff as a form of motivation to encourage productive outputs. Incentives in the form of financial aids like bonuses and other material compensations as well as intrapersonal rewards such as positive critical feedbacks and recognition should be endorse by the company to boost confidence and motivate the employees. This in turn will also be profitable to the organization itself due to increased output of the work force.
Communication within the group. It is also apparent that equal relations between the employer and the employees should be practiced to encourage productivity in the business organization. Enhancing good working relations among all the employees and preserving a good working environment and atmosphere ideally, will provide harmonious relationship inside the business organization. Maintaining such condition within the office will elicit productivity from the employees as they enjoy their duties of accomplishing their tasks and will help in reducing stress and eventual burnout in the workplace. Team building exercises wherein work peers as well as the supervisors will be participating should be regularly held. Bonding activities like out of town trips can be psychologically helpful to all the employees that will elicit bond among the people inside the company as well as for the employers to know their work team.
Team performance evaluation. Under Toyota, the pressure is exerted from within the team through three different ways. The first source of stress is the virtual absence of stock parts which the workers have to cope with because it is not easy to change the assembly line to suit the situation. The second source is that management does not provide enough resources to teams so the members work to minimise dead time. The last source of stress is the group pressure because if one member of the team is not up to par, the whole group is penalised. However, this situation has changed as there is a new report which speaks of the newly established Associate Support and Assistance Program. It is devoted to resolve personal and work-related issues which ensure confidentiality and trust. Employees are given assistance and counselling services which the company pays for. There is also a service wherein Toyota employees can avail of anger management services where an outside company which Toyota contracts with will design one-on-one training program for employees and managers.
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