Improving Organizational

Improving Organizational Performance Simulation Summary

The Improving Organizational Performance simulation presented students with four scenarios in which students were required to choose options that would affect organizational performance. Airdevils, a stunt company recently began showing signs the organization was heading for trouble; customer satisfaction is declining, and so job satisfaction among employees. Students act as the organizational psychology-consulting firm hired to address Airdevils problems. The consultant has to determine the cause for the drop in performance levels, suggest appropriate interventions to increase job satisfaction, recommend three employees for the performance group, and develop interventions for decreasing stress. Acting as the consultant, I will provide a brief description of the situation, recommend a solution, and provide the results for each of the four major phases in the simulation.

Major Phases Simulation

Phase I

Situation - The consultant must determine the primary cause to low job satisfaction among the stunt performers. Reading the blog provided some insight to how employees feel about their employer.

* The company's salaries are below the industry norms.

* The stunts are routine and outdated, and suggestions for improvements are unwelcomed.

* Management does not listen to employee concerns.

* Management shows partiality.

* Schedule prevents employees from spending time with their families.

Recommended Solution - Of these five possible causes I selected the stunts were routine and outdated, and there are no takers for suggestions for improvement. This option seems to be the most plausible because employees no longer feel excited about the stunts they are doing, and believe some changes should be made to keep them from becoming boring. One employee complained he or she could not find any takers for suggestions made, suggesting the employee feels powerless. Allowing employees to provide input will help employees feel appreciated and valued in their organization, and this increases job satisfaction.

Results - Understanding the cause of the problem leads to taking action, and in this case will be to make interventions that increase job satisfaction, which is Phase II of the simulation.

Phase II

Situation - In Phase II, the consultant has a budget of $150,000 to incorporate interventions into the program that will increase job satisfaction.

Recommended Solution - The organization allotted a budget of $150,000 to implement interventions that will increase job satisfaction among employees. My duty was to evaluate the benefits of each of the interventions and determine which of these interventions collectively will produce the most benefits. I was able to stay within the budget provided; the total of my selections totaled $142,390, my choices are listed below.

* Training in other stunts

* Allow participation in other competitions

* Rotation in industry meets

* Improve job design

The reason I selected these interventions is that each of these individually address the concerns voiced in the company blog. The training in other stunts and improving job design addresses the boredom discussed in the blogs, and provides diversity. Allowing employees to participate in external competition may provide two benefits to employees; employee morale is boosted, and the opportunity increase revenues through prizes. Additionally, rotation in industry meets allows employees the opportunity to show off their skills, and learn new stunts.

Results - The goal is to shift the attitudes of employees from viewing the company as inflexible, and rigid. Changing up the routine, cross-training employees, and allowing employees to participate in competitions and industry meets will provide employees with the diversity desired in the workplace.

Phase III

Situation - The organization has decided to look forward and comprise a team of three employees tasked with developing new stunts for the regular customers.

Recommended Solution - I selected Alverta, Charlie, Marty because I believed the three individuals had a low level of interpersonal conflict, and I believe the three would work well together.

Results - My decision to select these three individuals resulted in the group that would not work well together because they did not share the same attitudes and personalities. A better selection would have been Alverta, Charlie, and Cari because they share similar attitudes and personalities.

Phase IV

Situation - In the final phase, the organization has allotted a budget of $45, 000 to implement measures to reduce employee stress.

Recommended Solution - I chose the following measures because I believe these measures would reduce stress. I tried to select as many options as possible while staying under the budget because the more measures implemented the less likely employees will suffer work related stress.

* Allow flexible work schedule

* Biofeedback training

* Relaxation training

* Modify team structure