Module 3.1A: Organizational Development

Question 1

What is Organizational Development (OD)?

Answer 1

A system for a change designed to identify and resolve challenges

Question 2

What is Attrition?

Answer 2

Reduction in staff and employees, often through retirement and resignation

Question 3

What is Bruce Tuckerman known for?

Answer 3

Theory of group development

Question 4

What are the most common frameworks for OD?

Answer 4

1. Informational Analysis
2. Discovery
3. Diagnosis
4. Interventions
5. Post-Evaluation

Question 5

What is Informational Analysis?

Answer 5

“Entry” stage is when the full scope of an OD project is outlined.

Question 6

What is Discovery?

Answer 6

During this stage, the project manager or consultant begins gathering data to assess the overall health of an organization. Variety of tools are used to collect information, surveys, focus groups, and interviews.

Question 7

What is Diagnosis?

Answer 7

Data gathered in Discovery about organization’s overall wellness and readiness to change is analyzed.

Question 8

What is Intervention?

Answer 8

Involves designing plan with specific actions to address root causes of problems and challenges identified in diagnosis stage.

Question 9

What is Evaluation?

Answer 9

Begins after proposed interventions are implemented. Metrics used will determine success of interventions. Time to assess if interventions require revisiting for adjustment or modification

Question 10

What are Organizational Interventions?

Answer 10

comprehensive strategies implemented to improve the organization’s health

Question 11

What are Organizational Interventions?

Answer 11

Comprehensive strategies implemented to improve the organization’s health

Question 12

What is Techno-Structural?

Answer 12

Tackle the structure and technology of an organization.

Designed to specifically address productivity without neglecting the need for employee fulfillment.

Ex) Downsizing, restructuring, quality management, and structural design changes

Question 13

What is HR Management?

Answer 13

Focus on employee development and satisfaction.

Interventions include encouraging employee growth through goal-setting and performance appraisals.

Also address workforce inclusion and diversity, as well as employee wellness.

Question 14

What are Strategic Interventions?

Answer 14

Focus on the organization as whole and how its policies and strategies impact its internal and external interactions.

Ex) initiatives to effect culture change within the organization

Question 15

To ensure the success of a team-building effort, organizers in the HR department need to:

Answer 15

solicit management’s support for the program

Question 16

An employee development plan that focuses on training is most important when an organization is:

Answer 16

expanding

Question 17

What is the goal of OD?

Answer 17

Strategically improve the efficiency and health of an organization so that it can grow and develop.

Considers the well-being of employees as essential to the well-being of the organization, but the organization takes precedence.

Question 18

How does HR contribute to OD?

Answer 18

Through relationship management. Relied upon to build bridges between key contributors, divisions, and departments.

Focused on balancing the well-being of employees with the well-being of the organization.

Question 19

What is Lewin’s Change Process Theory?

Answer 19

Outlines ways to analyze and then alter the driving and restraining forces at play within an organization to encourage change.

Question 20

What are the 3 steps of the Change Process Theory Model?

Answer 20

1. Unfreezing
2. Changing
3. Refreezing

Question 21

What is Unfreezing?

Answer 21

Solid state where equilibrium has been established. Driving and restraining forces balance one another and inhibit significant movement in any direction.

In order to effect change, the status quo must be disrupted. This disruption is called unfreezing.

Unfreezing can be achieved by increasing the driving forces, decreasing the restraining forces, or a combination of the two.

The process of preparing employees and the organization for change.
involves creating awareness of the need for change.

The informational analysis, discovery, and diagnosis stages of OD are all part of the unfreezing stage.

Unfreezing creates uncertainty
destabilizes the current structures and foundations.

Question 22

What is Changing?

Answer 22

The second stage is when shifts in behavior and structures happen.
people are most open to exploring new options and ways to do things.

Encourage movement away from the old status quo and towards the desired new equilibrium.

Restraining forces that may impede this movement can include fear of losing real or perceived benefits of the old system and lack of confidence in the proposed direction.

Encouraging employees to work together with the organization to new solutions with a fresh perspective can increase driving forces and instigate movement toward the desired change.

Question 23

What is Refreezing?

Answer 23

Refreezing involves integrating the new changes into the organization’s culture, values, and structure.

Both informal and formal methods can be used to ensure the changes solidify into a new equilibrium.

Formal approaches may include rewriting job descriptions, creating new or modified policies and procedures, or implementing a new rewards system.

Creates a new status quo that will inevitably need to undergo change and disruption in the future.

Question 24

What is Initiating Change?

Answer 24

Recognizing need for change.

HR is capable of identifying problems that may be overlooked by other change agents within the organization

HR is likely to become aware of productivity issues, employee satisfaction, attrition and retention concerns before other departments.

Question 25

What is Change Management?

Answer 25

Helping employees navigate changes

Change agent must be aware of the impetus for change as well as any resistance to change that arises.

HR is able to act as an intermediary between the two when necessary.

Effectively sharing employee concerns about changes with management is as important as helping employees understand how the change supports organizational goals.

Question 26

How to prepare for future change?

Answer 26

A comprehensive understanding of organizational goals and growth plans, both long and short term, should inform all aspects of HR.

Hiring decisions, training curricula, and employee development decisions made with a clear vision of the future.

Involving HR with every step of OD can lay the groundwork for future success.

Question 27

The best way to reduce anxiety related to an organizational change is to:

Answer 27

Increase employees’ sense of psychological well-being