Week Four
Organizational structure influences the behavior of workers on an epic scale. Many can benefit from companies using work specializations and span of control. Work specialization is the dividing of a job into a number of small steps. A different individual completes each step in the job process. Workers behavior is affected by helping them feel important to the grand scheme of things. They are part of the overall task but not overwhelmed by the size of the whole job. This helps workers to focus on the task and create a better product, or service. Span of control is important to the quality of the work place environment and the quality of the product or service produced. Span of control is a positive as well as a negative outlook on a company. Managers who can handle supervising a large number of employees reflect well on a company. However if too many managers are needed to effectively maintain quality of work and production time it can raise costs, and create communication challenges with the chain of command. Span of control dictates how many individuals a manager can successfully direct, chain of command establishes to whom each individual receives and gives direction to or from. Workers report to their managers, while managers’ report to upper management and on up the chain or down the chain of command until the end is reached. It is important that everyone understand whom he or she need to report to in order for effective communication to take place. It is key to a companies success to have all three of the above processes in place to enjoy productive workers.
Organizational culture can influence worker behavior as well. Culture can be vision, values, beliefs, and habits. Organizational culture can affect people and the way they interact with others and or groups. A good example would be rules or guidelines stipulating directives enforced by policy with consequences. It would be bad politics and potentially damage the stakeholder’s trust to violate prior agreements. The culture of a company is directly affected by the chain of command, span of control and organizational structure. How people feel about their job directly affects the quality of their work product. Correction Institutions are engaged in one of the most disheartening jobs of all, that of imprisoning people who have committed crimes. Organizational culture from both a worker and inmate perspective can have either positive or devastating results in an institution. Correction officers who feel they are appreciated, respected, and valued create a culture of unity and strength that is without words conveyed to the inmates. Inmates then react in a less violent and disruptive
