The Department of Children and Family Services requires major changes in the management and organizational culture if it is to improve its operations. Major problems in the organization include high caseloads with employees regularly asking for better compensations and incentives such as medical leave. The management is very reluctant in providing the support needed by employees such that each manager has their own way of working instead of following an outlined set of policies. The organization is far from achieving a collaborative approach to management since every unit performs as a different entity hence limiting effectiveness of the entire organization. Employees lack the morale to deal with abuse and neglect cases such that they are often engaged in cliques with major discussions being on the poor conditions that leave them disgruntled.
Employees have restricted freedom since the supervisors are very strict and closely monitor every move made by employees. Close supervision denies employees an opportunity to interact with others at the work place since employees are subjected to a form of slavery. Employees have to be given the freedom to be responsible for their own actions instead of closely monitoring their movements at work. Communication is a complete failure in the organization since there are no clear guidelines on formal structures with information channeled through grapevines. With a stressed workforce, communication breakdown extends to the subordinates such that there are no warm greetings among them hence creating a very hostile environment to work in. The shortcomings experienced at the firm call for urgent reforms in the culture and management to ensure that the efficiency and effectiveness that were experienced in early years are restored. The classical management theories point out major issues that are neglected at the department such that employees and managers are left to act as parties with different ideologies. Caseloads at the firm are contributed by poor remuneration and other financial incentives as well as poor relations between employees and management.
Division of labor makes it possible for employees to achieve greater flexibility in serving children and families who report abuse cases since staff will be handling work that does not make them tired, bored and demotivated. Through division of labor, it is possible to promote team work such that employees at the department are aware of the need to help one another in performing tasks that could be too much if left to a single worker. Henry Fayol, one of the greatest contributors to the classical theory suggested various principles that could be depended upon to solve issues of inefficiencies and ineffectiveness. Remuneration of personnel, equity, centralization, order and stability of tenure are key to promoting long term growth and stability of the entire department.
There is need to prevent disgruntled employees from leaving the firm by providing adequate remuneration packages as well as enhancing job security for employees to motivate them. Employees need to be provided with interesting training and development programs unlike currently where there are complains of repetitive training that makes staff bored and with limited exposure. Interesting training programs make it possible to present new ideas to the management making workers are more innovative. The other key issue that presents itself at the department is the necessity for written policies with rules and conducts as suggested by Max Weber. Rules and conducts are necessary in making employees perform their task in accordance with uniform ethical standards expected by the management. There is need to ensure a clear chain of authority so that everyone is aware of the reporting structure. Currently, communication, reporting structure and issues of uniform rules are inapplicable at the department as managers and employees have designed their own way of performing tasks. A critical issue that presents itself at the department is the creation of a culture that appreciates the role of system approach to management.
The firm needs to function as a system such that individual’s interests do not prevail over the objectives of the whole organization. This is because among the factors that presently lead to inefficiencies is that each unit functions on its own and, as such, each manager has their own way of working. The workforce spirit of togetherness has to be restored by training on the interrelationships among the functional parts of the department since it is only through understanding operations of different parts that employees are brought together to achieve a common purpose.
Talcott Parsons, a leading contributor to the systems theory suggested the necessity for adaption, goal attainment, integration and latent pattern maintenance as key to contributing to overall functioning of the whole system. Adaptation makes everyone aware of the conditions in the entire department while integration brings together everyone to work towards achieving the overall goals set by the firm. Latent pattern maintenance ensures that everyone in the organization relies on shared norms as a way of dealing with the cases faster and hence reducing the work load at the firm. Human relations improve productivity according to human relations theorists who advocated for a democratic and favorable working environment. It is only through motivating employees by understanding their needs beside financial motives that workers are able to spot weak areas and develop critical ideas which are then brainstormed in teams come up with the most appropriate solutions for the problem. Abraham Maslow was clear on the needs of workers that are to be fulfilled in order to make them committed to improving overall efficiencies and effectiveness in organizations. To be able to fulfil the level of needs according to Maslow, employees have to fulfil those at the lower levels. Physiological needs are considered basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter which are key to enhancing mental strength of employees. Safety needs on the other hand are aimed at giving employees job security at the firm such that they are assured that the management is concerned with their long term success in life. Belonging needs are important for the firm since they focus on the need to develop effective interpersonal relationships as well as group employees in teams to improve the overall cohesion among the staff.
The cliques at the department and lack of warm greetings among workers imply that there is a deficiency in sense of belonging among staff. The cliques could be the cause of incidences of discrimination among the employees which then creates a hostile working environment. Managers need to be aware of the esteem needs such that every employees would want to feel appreciated by the organization through recognitions and giving them responsibility over their tasks. As the case stands now, there is low self-esteem among workers with workers reluctant to work on reducing caseloads due to esteem issues that limit their mental strength at the work place. Employees need to fulfil their self-actualization needs by being given the room to be creative and innovative thereby able to influence the actions of the organization.
Power and politics in the department are some of the pressing issues that call for the top management to address how leaders carry out their task as well as how employees group within the organization. The department lacks the appropriate leadership structure with every manager keen to perform their tasks according to their own ideologies. Instead of following the policies which are non-existent at the department, the managers are strict on their subordinates with a poor communication flow from the top managers to the subordinates. The communication breakdown has led to situations where official communications are made through grapevines instead of relying on channels such as memos and personal letters.
There is need for management change at the department to ensure an organization where the culture is based on collective norms and values necessary to eliminate resistance to change. Unhealthy politics in the organization as well as use of destructive power could be a major contributor to resistance to change. Resistance to change is among the most significant issues that if left unsolved, may completely disrupt quality services at the department. The department, therefore, has to look into ways through which it can restore the faith of employees by making them engage in positive politics as well as influencing the managers to adopt an expert approach to management.
Conclusion
The Department of Children and Family Services requires a major revolution that would see it improve the way it offers service delivery to the abused and neglected children. The increased caseloads and the atmosphere at the hostile environment at the firm imply that there is a lot to be done by both management and employees pertaining change implementation. Employees and managers have to recognize the idea that for a long term success, team work and collaboration are imperative in improving interpersonal relationships among everyone at the work place. A conducive working environment is imperative in reducing inefficiencies and ineffectiveness in organizations. Relying on expert power to give employees freedom to participate in decision-making processes reduces conflicts that may arise when the department wants to effect changes in the organizational culture. To ensure minimal resistance to change, managers at the department acknowledge the impact of employee grouping at the work place. Negative attitudes and behavior caused by cliques are destructive to the goals and objectives of an organization.
References
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