Organizational development (OD) is an integral part of any enterprises’ work wishing to remain successful and competitively capable. OD is a scientifically based process that focuses on various aspects and work processes to improve the organization’s effectiveness (van Vulpen, 2020). To make the necessary changes, interventions are carried out – several activities to implement the desired changes. Given the importance of such changes and the fact that they should be based on scientific evidence, OD interventions require careful preparation and thought-out planning and implementation.
Preparation for OD interventions includes developing a strategy, in particular, such steps as:
- diagnosis,
- determining the structure of interventions,
- choosing and establishing sequencing,
- taking into account the dynamics of intervention,
- considering the expected result.
If a problem is identified or the administration wants to make a change, it is necessary to find out whether the desired shift is suitable for the work of the organization. Moreover, it is crucial to determine employees’ readiness and calculate the necessary time, resources, and efforts. When defining the structure of interventions, it is essential to analyze such aspects as stakeholders, clarity of purpose, the realism of expectations, employees’ readiness to study and work together.
The sequencing of interventions also depends on several crucial factors. For example, it is affected by potential efficiency – if an organization needs to motivate employees to make changes, this OD intervention should be the first. The manager must also view what sequence will keep the resources, contribute to the rapid speed of changes, be more relevant to the organization and create minimal stress for employees. According to French and Bell (1999), interventions have different dynamics depending on their types, such as the dilemma intervention, respective intervention, and other kinds. It is critical to ensure that the selected type matches the desired change. Finally, intervention depends on the expected result – for example, the goal may be to educate employees or increase motivation and efficiency.
Thus, OD interventions are designed to improve and optimize the enterprise’s operation through a number of actions. In order for the intervention to be effective, many critical factors must be taken into account in its planning and implementation. In particular, it is crucial to consider the circumstances, goals, and dynamics. Careful preparation will determine the strategy, structure, time, and resources required, making intervention fast and beneficial.
References
French, W. L., & Bell, C. H. (1999). Organization development: Behavioral science interventions for organization improvement (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
van Vulpen, E. (2020). What is organizational development? A complete guide. Web.