Module 1.2B: OD & Growth: HR's Role

Question 1

What is Organizational Development (OD)?

Answer 1

A systematic process for effecting change within an organization.

Question 2

What are the 5 distinct aspects of OD?

Answer 2

1. Organizational development is planned.
   Data is collected, analyzed in current and desired situation, and action steps are determined and executed. Outcomes are evaluated.
2. Organizational development applies to the entire organization. Impacts every level of an organization in every department.
3. Organizational development begins at the top.

Organization’s executives, leadership, and management are not on board with the OD effort, it will not be successful.

4. Organizational development aims to increase overall health and effectiveness of the organization.

Measurable outcomes should be clearly tied to the efficacy of an organization’s service, product or people.

5. Organizational development action steps are informed by behavioral science.

It is essential to anticipate reactions to intervention to predict and direct OD outcomes.

Question 3

What are Divestitures?

Answer 3

A form of organizational restructuring where a large organization sells off or otherwise disposes of subsidiaries, business units, or other investments.

Can be done when mergers resulted in redundancies or
when business units no longer align with organizational values, or as a result of poor profitability.

Question 4

What is Downsizing?

Answer 4

The most well-known form organizational restructuring, downsizing refers to the constriction of an organization through the elimination of staff positions.

May be accomplished through early retirement buyouts or layoffs.

Question 5

What is Outsourcing?

Answer 5

Outsourcing and offshoring involve reducing in-house staffing and hiring a third party to fulfill the same functions.

Outsourcing involves transferring the fulfillment of specific services to an organization with that expertise. Ex) Bookkeeping, Payroll, IT.

Question 6

What is Offshoring?

Answer 6

Offshoring specifically refers to the practices of moving production and/or manufacturing outside of the U.S., usually as a cost-saving initiative.

Question 7

What is a Service Consolidation?

Answer 7

Aka shared services, the consolidation of administrative services into a central hub is done to eliminate redundancies. It lowers organizational overhead through cost sharing.

Common shared services include IT, accounting, and HR.

Question 8

What is a Organizational Restricting?

Answer 8

A common organizational development intervention that involves altering the fundamental structure of an organization.

Restructuring may occur to meet the demands of organizational growth

Question 9

What are the common forms of organizational restructuring?

Answer 9

1. Contract Manufacturing
2. Global Expansion
3. Mergers & Acquisitions

Question 10

What is Contract Manufacturing?

Answer 10

Private label manufacturing, occurs when an organization produces goods which are then sold under the brand or label of another organization.

Question 11

What is Global Expansion?

Answer 11

Organizational structure is immediately affected by entrance into a new global market.

Influencing factors include:
organization’s existing international presence,
cross-border coordination needed, political and socio-economic influences, and complexity of existing structure, goods, and services.

Question 12

What are Mergers & Acquisitions?

Answer 12

When two organizations combine, either through merger or acquisition, restructuring must occur to streamline processes and remove redundancies.

An acquisition occurs when one organization gains control over another.

Question 13

Aetna’s sale of their Medicare prescription drug plan when they combined with CVS Health in 2015 is an example of:

Answer 13

Divestiture

Question 14

Organizational development is all of the following except:

Answer 14

Employee-driven

Question 15

What is an Organizational Culture?

Answer 15

The values and behaviors that make up the unique environment of an organization.

Question 16

How do you Acknowledge Difference?

Answer 16

Acknowledging the differences in communication styles due to age, gender, and culture can help HR adapt their message

Question 17

What is Method of Communication?

Answer 17

HR uses both written and verbal communication methods. Verbal communications, including phone calls and in-person meetings, allow for immediate feedback and clarifications.

Written communications, such as emails and flyers, edited or revised for clarity.

Question 18

What is Communication Planning?

Answer 18

Ask yourself W questions:

• What is the message?
• Who is receiving it?
• Where is it going? Internal or external?
• When is the ideal time to share it?
• Why is it important?

Question 19

What is the role of an HR Professional?

Answer 19

Many complaints can be investigated by HR personnel, especially if the complaint does not include allegations of illegal behavior. HR may also be asked to cooperate with another central organizational role.

Question 20

What is the role of an Internal Legal Counsel?

Answer 20

If the organization has an internal attorney, they can clarify issues of legality and provide legal advice to the organization throughout the organization. However, when internal legal counsel acts as an investigator, documentation they create may not be protected under attorney-client privilege.

Question 21

What is the role of an Outside Expert?

Answer 21

Occasionally an organization will hire an outside consultant with expertise in a specific type of concern or an attorney to investigate. Communications and files created by an outside attorney as part of the investigation may remain protected under attorney-client privilege.

Question 22

What are the steps to an investigation?

Answer 22

1. Remain neutral until all relevant information has been gathered.
2. Identify who is involved and what information is needed from each of them. Document the investigation plan.
3. Know the regulations, laws, and organizational policies relevant to the complaint. Document them as part of the investigation plan.
4. Interview the complainant and gather as much information as possible. The complaint should include specific details, including names, and must be documented in writing. Document the interview.
5. Interview witnesses to determine if they can corroborate or offer supporting documentation for the claim. Document all interviews.
6. Determine the facts based on what can be corroborated by witnesses, documentation, or emails.
7. Interview the individual(s) accused. Clearly explain the complaint, include relevant documentation as well as witness accounts, and ask the accused to respond to the accusation and supporting data. Document the interview.
8. Conduct follow-up interviews with relevant employees if necessitated by the accused’s responses. Document any follow-up interviews.
9. Conclude the investigation and make a determination. Explain the determination to the complainant and the accused. Document follow-up with the complainant and the accused.
10. Identify ways to solve the causes of the complaint to prevent future occurrences. Document plans and implementation of solutions.

Question 23

During a sexual harrasment investigation, the accused individual acknowledges that they did behave the way reported by the complaint but they “didn’t mean it that way.”

How should this affect the proposed resolution?

Answer 23

It shouldn’t affect the resolution because intent does not determine impact?

Question 24

What are the proper sequence/steps to a compliant investigation?

Answer 24

1. Identify all involved parties
2. Interview complainant
3. Interview accused party
4. Make a determination
5. Implement solutions to prevent recurrence