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Enjoying Your Work Richard Brislin |
Effective decision making
depends upon worker
participationAn old image of managers, perhaps more myth than reality, is that they could do any job in the organization. If an employee was sick, for instance, the manager could pitch in and perform the duties of the absent worker. This image is no longer useful. Today's organizations are so complex that no one person can possibly have the skills needed for multiple jobs. In a large department store, for instance, different people must have detailed knowledge about sales, various product lines, information technology, accounting, personnel policies, finance, and marketing to previously untapped demographic groups.
These multiple needs of the modern organization require managers who can supervise employees who have more knowledge and skills about specific aspects of the organization.
If employees have relevant knowledge of use to the organization, today's managers should be able to encourage workers to share their insights and to participate in company decision making.
There are many benefits when employees participate. They share their knowledge both with managers and with co-workers. Many times, workers discover effective work techniques through everyday trial and error, and these insights should be shared with others. Participation in company decision making also encourages a feeling that employees share company goals and the paths to achieving these goals. If employees buy into a company vision through their active participation, they are likely to work hard toward achieving the vision.
Companies sometimes have difficulties moving from a centralized and authoritarian decision-making process to one that is more participative. If workers are not accustomed to speaking up and sharing their ideas, time is needed to make them more comfortable with these tasks. Executives cannot enter a room, announce the change to participative decision making, and then expect workers to suggest lots of new ideas. Employees must learn to be comfortable speaking up in front of others
In my experience, outside consultants are often brought in to introduce various public speaking and team-building skills. If a company's decision making has been highly centralized, the change to a more open and democratic style can take a year or longer.
Employees also must trust that management will use the products of their participation in a just and ethical manner. Often, workers feel that if they speak up with suggestions, thin-skinned managers will take these as criticisms of the status quo.
Further, employees feel that managers may retaliate if they do not approve of the suggestions. If a company has a history of difficult management- labor relations, trust can take a long time to develop. Employees may make a few "trial suggestions" to see how manage- ment reacts.
If leaders demonstrate that they are using the suggestions and that they are sincere about worker participation, employees will note this and make more contributions to decision making in the future.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
The purpose of this column is to increase understanding of
human behavior as it has an impact on the workplace. Given the amount
of time people spend at work, job satisfaction should ideally be high and
it should contribute to general life happiness. Enjoyment can increase as
people learn more about workplace psychology, communication, and group influences.
Richard Brislin is a professor in the College of Business Administration,
University of Hawaii. He can be reached through the
College Relations Office: cro@cba.hawaii.edu