Organization Development and Change Chapter Sixteen: Work Design Thomas G. Cummings Christopher G. Worley
Learning Objectives for Chapter Sixteen To explore work design as a central component of many EI interventions To approach work design from three different perspectives: engineering, motivational, and socio-technical To understand how different approaches align with different technical and social conditions Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Work Design Approaches Engineering: Traditional Jobs & Groups High specification and routinization Low task variety and autonomy Motivational: Enriched Jobs High task variety and autonomy Feedback of results Sociotechnical: Self-Managing Teams Control over total task Multi-skilled, flexible, and self-regulating Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Traditional Jobs & Workgroups Based on Scientific Management Highly specified behaviors Narrow range of skills Low levels of authority and discretion Highly repetitive Benefits Low selection and training costs High productivity High levels of control Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning Enriched Jobs Critical Psychological States Core Job Characteristics Outcomes Skill variety Task identity Task significance Experienced Meaningfulness of the Work Hi internal work motivation Hi growth satisfaction Hi job Hi work effectiveness Autonomy Experienced Responsibility Feedback from work Knowledge of Actual Results Moderators Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning Core Job Dimensions Skill Variety - extent to which multiple skills are used Task Identity - extent to which an individual works on a “whole” task Task Significance - impact of the work on others Autonomy - amount of discretion in the work Feedback from the Work Itself - extent to which work provides information on effectiveness Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Job Enrichment Application Stages Perform a thorough diagnosis Form natural work units Combine tasks Establish client relationships Vertical loading Opening feedback channels Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Sociotechnical Systems Approach Sociotechnical systems (STS) theory is based on two basic ideas: An organization or work unit is a combined, social-plus-technical system (sociotechnical) The system is open in relation to their environment and must interact with their environments to survive and develop Self-managed work teams is the most prevalent application of STS Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Sociotechnical Systems Diagnosis Define the Work System Conduct an Environmental Analysis Conduct a Technical Analysis Conduct a Social Analysis Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Sociotechnical Systems Design Can work system be designed to better fit with the environment? Can work system be designed to better operate conversion process and control variances? Can work system be designed to better satisfy members’ needs? Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Team Task Design & Development Whole and interdependent tasks Common mission and goals Requisite multi-skills Task and boundary control Feedback of results Minimum specification design Develop from narrow to broad boundaries for discretion Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Team Process Intervention Promoting healthy interpersonal relationships Coordinating efforts Weighting member inputs and sharing knowledge Making good decisions Confronting and resolving conflicts Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Organization Support Systems Performance management systems Training systems Information systems Selection systems Management systems Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Self Managed Teams Application Stages Sanction the design effort Diagnose the work system Generate appropriate designs Specify support systems Implement and evaluate the work design Continual change and improvement Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Designing Work for Technical and Personal Technical Factors Technical interdependence: the extent to which cooperation among workers is required Technical Uncertainty: the amount of information processing and decision making among workers necessary to do the work Personal Need Factors Social Needs: the desire for significant social relationships Growth Needs: the desire for personal accomplishment, learning, and development. Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Work Designs That Optimize Technology Traditional Work Groups Traditional Job Design High Technical Uncertainty Low Self-Regulating Work Groups Enriched Jobs Low Technical Interdependence High Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning
Optimize Personal Needs Work Designs that Optimize Personal Needs Traditional Job Design Traditional Work Groups High Growth Needs Low Enriched Jobs Self-Regulating Work Groups Low Social Needs High Cummings & Worley, 9e (c) 2008 South-Western/Cengage Learning