Introduction
The comprehensive model for diagnosing organization systems is a mechanism intended for addressing problems that may exist in different environments. The model is intended for “uncovering the causes of specific problems by focusing on understanding effective processes before assessing the overall functions of the organization or department” (Salem & Yusof, 2013, p. 620). In this assignment, the model will be used for assessing three levels of an organization: individual, group, and organizational in the context of discussing the previous occupation. These three levels will allow understanding which aspects of a previous job were positive and which brought more challenges than expected.
Main body
The previous occupation to be subjected to the analysis is a job in the retail industry as a sales associate. At the organization level, the design components include the following: strategy, technology, culture, human resource systems, and measurement systems. The following is the breakdown of the degrees of satisfaction with each design components:
- Strategy: 5;
- Technology: 4;
- Culture: 4;
- Human resource systems: 2;
- Measurement systems: 2.
The results presented above suggest that the work of a sales associate heavily relies on the strategy, about which the employees are instructed in the beginning. Following a strict corporate culture and using technologies to enhance everyday tasks was especially beneficial. However, employees were not managed fairly nor did their accomplishments were measured and rewarded appropriately.
At the group level, the design components include task structure, group composition, group norms, team functioning, and goal clarity. The breakdown for the satisfaction levels for each of the mentioned components is the following:
- Task structure: 4;
- Group composition: 2;
- Group norms: 2;
- Team functioning: 2;
- Goal clarity: 2.
The competition between employees in the retail setting was very high, that is why the levels of satisfaction with the design components at the group level are low. The task structure was the most appreciated component because it was clear what to do: help customers and make a set number of sales per week. However, the group composition was poor along with the other three components: each worker was only concerned with his or her success and was not interested in collaboration and working as a team.
At the individual level, design components include skill variety, task identity, autonomy, task significance, and feedback about results. The breakdown of satisfaction levels for the mentioned components is below:
- Skill variety: 5;
- Task identity: 3;
- Autonomy: 5;
- Task significance: 3;
- Feedback about results: 2.
The skills necessary to be an effective sales assistant varied significantly: it was required to be proficient in technologies, communicate with clients, and convince them to buy a product. In this work, autonomy was highly valued. Task identity and significance were on average levels due to the ambiguity of some of the assignments. However, in terms of feedback, there have often been misunderstandings and arguments with the management.
Conclusion
It was chosen to discuss team functioning as a subject for organizational improvement because without the collaboration between team members; it is impossible to reach organizational objectives (Campbell, 2017). The improvement of team functioning can be achieved by hiring a coach-specialist in employee relations (Tarallo, 2018). The participation of a coach can strengthen the connections between team members, teach them about the importance of trust and support, as well as point out any ineffective processes that have previously existed.
References
Campbell, S. (2017). 10 simple ways to build a collaborative, successful work environment. Entrepreneur. Web.
Salem, N. B. B. S., & Yusof, N. A. M. (2013). Diagnosing organization systems model for knowledge workers development in the Malaysian biotechnology industry. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 81, 618-623.
Tarallo, M. (2018). Coach to your team’s strengths to improve employee engagement. Web.