Issues In The Workplace
Issues in the workplace - the situation analyzed from a behavorial point of view and discusses possible solutions to the problems or issues for PSY 200.
Thesis
In this paper we will briefly discuss some common issues in the workplace. We will touch on just a few of the everyday issues that most people face and are effected by. We will begin by discussing common difficulties we face with co-workers, we will explain how to identify a difficult person and then give pointers on possible techniques on dealing with that person. We will then discuss communication and effective listening skills in the work place. Communication is one of the most important qualities you can possess in the workplace because it allows you to communicate what needs to …show more content…
be done, also to express any concerns or attributes you may have to offer to the existing workflow. Also we will discuss effective listening and give a little insight to the four basic communication structures that are in place in most organizations and workplace. We will them finalize the paper with some insight to motivation in the workplace. How is motivation a positive experience in the workplace and how different types of motivation are used in the work environment not all of which are in a positive nature? We hope that you will take from this paper a little insight on what we deal with on a daily basis in our workplace and are able to use this in future experiences you have in your workplace.
A Difficult Person
What is a difficult person? A difficult person is someone who actively or passively prevents us from accomplishing a goal in a fashion that is well beyond the norm.
Personality Types
A Hostile/Aggressive Personality - This type of personality tends to attack the person, not the behavior. Hostile/Aggressive personalities also tend to keep the person off balance with a barrage of questions without allowing any time for response. They are driven by a need to demonstrate that they are right and someone else is wrong.
A Pessimist Personality - This type of personality tends to be a "one-way communicator"; they may appear to listen, but have already rejected the proposal. People with this type of personality take a standard position of "I am against it!" and are likely not to contribute solutions or alternatives. This personality can be severely harmful on a work group.
A Cynic Personality - This type of personality tends to be distrustful of human nature and motive. This personality tends to reduce the performance and expectations of a workgroup to its lowest common denominator.
A Complainer Personality - This type of personality tends to use terms like "Christina is much better than I am at that..", "How can I be expected to..", or "Okay if you insist, but don 't be surprised when.." While complainers do not cause the disruption of a hostile/aggressive personality, they can cause a serious drain on resources.
An Unresponsive Personality - This type of personality tends to not talk when you need conversation from them. When taken to an extreme, silence is calculated aggression. In some cases, it is difficult to understand what the silence or lack of response means.
An Egocentric Personality - This type of personality tends to have a strong need to be liked and accepted. They will try to avoid conflict, are often pleasant, polished and manipulative.
An Over Controlling Personality - This personality tends to slow progress, stifle creativity and weaken the strength of a group. A person with this an over controlling personality is motivated by fear of failure, or loss of power.
Learning to Deal With Difficult Co-workers
Everyone has someone in their life that they do not like and we can not just ignore these people. We all know the toll that these relationships can have on ourselves both mentally and sometimes even physical.
We can dread at some points having to be in the same room with these people. There are times when your heart rate will start to speed up at the simple thought of having a conversation with this certain person. You can even spend hours of precious time just dealing with the bad feelings when you could be working.
It does not have to be this way though. People do not have to like everyone they come into contact with any longer. They can make the relationship with this difficult co-worker easier on themselves by following a few basic communication tactics.
Communication Tactics
Try to begin any conversation in a friendly way. People will realize a huge difference when you make a conscious effort to smile at your co-worker and ask him or her a non-work related question, such as how the family is doing or what the person thought about the local football team 's latest game.
Show respect for the other person 's opinion. Never tell a person he or she is wrong. This can be especially difficult, especially if the person is antagonistic or poorly informed. However, it often does not take long for a difficult person to become a little easier going once he or she is truly being listened to.
Try honestly to see things from the other person 's point of view. This can be a challenge when you are convinced the other person is coming from a completely different mindset. With a little practice, you can begin giving people the benefit of the doubt and start see why they might feel that way.
Give honest and sincere appreciation. Remember: ' 'If you can 't say something nice, don 't say anything at all. ' ' It may seem quaint, but it works, especially when you are in a touchy relationship.
There will still be some tense moments, but you and your co-workers will be able to handle them as professionals, instead of letting your emotions get in the way. You can use the same tactics in your personal relationships also.
Communication
Communication is the interaction of people to transmit information between each other. Communication is essential to the work environment because it allows employees to interact and share information between each other. Communication allows subordinates to communicate and express themselves to other in management. It also allows for supervisors and managers to express themselves to their staff to accomplish a common goal, to give orders and to explain the company goals. The roles that people play and the power they have to influence their employees depend greatly on their ability to communicate.
Four Basic Communication Structures
There are four basic structures of communication. These four basic structures of communication are the circle structure, the wheel structure, the y structure and the chain structure. The way information is distributed is an important part of morale in the workplace. In the workplace there can be many ways information is received and distributed. Communication can be circulated downward, upward or horizontally. In the first structure of communication, the circle structure is the least centralized of the basic structures, information flows from one person to the next, no one person is in control of the situation all participants are equal. In the Y structure information starts with one person and is distributed to other people by branching out in a Y shape. This structure is most commonly used in large corporations or groups. This is also the most efficient. The vice president will report to the president and the vice president will also communicate with other supervisors of the different departments. This leaves all communication funneling though one person but able to speak to all supervisor employees in the workplace. The wheel structure is the most tightly centralized of the structures. In this pattern all communication is networked through one person, which would be called the hub of the wheel. Then information is then channel to other departments and back to the hub. This allows the hub to be involved in all aspects and have information to determine what is in need for improvement and what department is running fine. This is most efficient in small groups or companies. The chain structure is the least efficient of all the structures. This chain like communication link involves only one person to communicate with the next person and so forth. This does not allow for all people to know what is involved with different aspects of the task, they will only receive information with the person next to them on the chain.
Lack of Communication
Lack of communication happens in most work environments. Employees have fears in communicating with their supervisors or may be intimidated by other employees due to hostile nature of other employees. Some employees have a sense of being above other employees and may not communicate with them. Some employees have an inferior complex, which they feel that they are not as capable as the other employees in their department. When you have many different types of people in one workplace personality conflicts will arise. Some people are passive and some are dominant. Some employees have higher education than other employees. Employees also have to deal with cultural and religious backgrounds. All of these differences create lack of communication and understanding in the workplace. Learning how to communicate effectively will allow all of the individual personalities to work efficiently together and accomplish many of the goals that are set for them.
Effective Listening
The ability to listen effectively is one of the most important skills one person can have in the workplace. Effective listening is crucial in providing quality service, training other employees and improving work among the workplace. By employees understanding their listening habits can help them realize if they are effective listeners. Listening can help employees to understand their job responsibilities, understanding what is needed to do their job correctly and being able to express their understanding to others in the workplace. Some employees who do not listen effectively can be related to lack of education, not having the mental ability to comprehend what is being told to them, or they may simply just be bored with the environment or the person speaking to them. A person can improve their listening by concentration, observing those around them and respond to the person or persons speaking with them to make sure they have a clear and concise understanding of what is being told to them. All of the above in communicational do listening are essential to the workplace to insure a profitable and enjoyable work environment.
Motivation
Motivation is defined as the physiological and psychological factors that account for the arousal, direction and persistence of behavior. More simply put, "what moves us"?
Different Types of Motivation
Primary motives - which are biological in nature: hunger, thirst, sex. These types of motivation are pretty clear and easy to understand, we eat when hungry, drink when thirsty and have sex to pro-create, as well as the physical enjoyment and emotional fulfillment.
Affiliation motive - is the drive to relate to people on a social basis. People with affiliation usually perform better when they are complimented for their positive attitudes and cooperation with others.
Achievement motivation - is the drive to pursue and obtain goals.
An individual with this type of motivation have a drive to achieve their goals, and the accomplishment itself is important to that individual, not just the results he/she provide to others. For example, a student may feel great about getting the A on his paper because it makes him feel good about it personally doing well, not just for the G.P.A.
Intrinsic motivation - is the pursuit of activities when there is no external reward for doing so. Intrinsic motivation leads us to pursue activities for their own sake because the activities themselves give us pleasure. For example, we may go for a swim or read a good novel just because we enjoy doing it. Reading may be good for your vocabulary and swimming may be good for your body, but when done purely for enjoyment without being concerned with a result, we are using intrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic motivation - is defined as the activation of behavior because of a need for such things as money, praise from other people, grades, good health, and awards. The majority of people go to work, for example to receive money as their reward, not for the pleasure of being there. We also may watch the foods we eat more carefully because of the health benefits, not because we don 't enjoy a great desert, but we have an extrinsic motivation to take care of our
bodies.
Motivations Are
Motivations are extrinsic, intrinsic or biological. People have different motivations for why we do what we do every single day and are simply not consciously aware of the specific motive for each action. Some motivations are not as long lasting as others. For example fear motivation may provide instantaneous results, but that kind of motivation can only work for a short period of time.
Most of us long to be in the "Homeostasis" state, that is - the optimum, balanced range of physiological state. Not hungry, thirsty, or in emanate need for a basic want. Perhaps what motivates us is the constant strive to feel this way. If we are healthy in our body and happy in our mind, then surely there are still things that motivate us, but perhaps not with such intensity as if we are in need of a basic or even personally important need. Some of what motivates us is just a basic instinct to care for others or ourselves.
What can be Motivational
There are many different things that motivate us, and many different types of motivation itself. In the workplace, motivation can be positive or negative, and it may stem from an individuals personal desire to succeed, the fear of an individual losing their job, or perhaps just the money they receive for being there. The important thing is to learn what motivates us and those around us in order to create a positive work environment, and after all, we all basically want and or need the same things.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several issues that affect the workplace. The majority of these issues have to do with the varied personalities that people have. There are strategies that will improve communication as well as motivate people to be more happy and productive employees. The real key is to discover what "moves" people. When a situation is win-win for all sides rather than for one side each time, everyone is happier, therefore they perform better.
We feel that we have hopefully given you some insight regarding the different types of personalities, better ways to communicate, and how to recognize what motivation is and how to motivate those around you.
References:
Davis, Stephen F. and Palladino, Joseph (2002). Media and Research Updates Psychology Third Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ
Parham, A. Christine (1988). Psychology: Studying the Behavior of People. Pasadena, TX
Peterson, Christopher (1990). Introduction to Psychology. New York, New York
[Online] www.usatoday.com/careers/news/2001-02-08-co-workers.htm
[Online] www.userfirst.net/rob/diff_qref.html
Thesis
In this paper we will briefly discuss some common issues in the workplace. We will touch on just a few of the everyday issues that most people face and are effected by. We will begin by discussing common difficulties we face with co-workers, we will explain how to identify a difficult person and then give pointers on possible techniques on dealing with that person. We will then discuss communication and effective listening skills in the work place. Communication is one of the most important qualities you can possess in the workplace because it allows you to communicate what needs to …show more content…
be done, also to express any concerns or attributes you may have to offer to the existing workflow. Also we will discuss effective listening and give a little insight to the four basic communication structures that are in place in most organizations and workplace. We will them finalize the paper with some insight to motivation in the workplace. How is motivation a positive experience in the workplace and how different types of motivation are used in the work environment not all of which are in a positive nature? We hope that you will take from this paper a little insight on what we deal with on a daily basis in our workplace and are able to use this in future experiences you have in your workplace.
A Difficult Person
What is a difficult person? A difficult person is someone who actively or passively prevents us from accomplishing a goal in a fashion that is well beyond the norm.
Personality Types
A Hostile/Aggressive Personality - This type of personality tends to attack the person, not the behavior. Hostile/Aggressive personalities also tend to keep the person off balance with a barrage of questions without allowing any time for response. They are driven by a need to demonstrate that they are right and someone else is wrong.
A Pessimist Personality - This type of personality tends to be a "one-way communicator"; they may appear to listen, but have already rejected the proposal. People with this type of personality take a standard position of "I am against it!" and are likely not to contribute solutions or alternatives. This personality can be severely harmful on a work group.
A Cynic Personality - This type of personality tends to be distrustful of human nature and motive. This personality tends to reduce the performance and expectations of a workgroup to its lowest common denominator.
A Complainer Personality - This type of personality tends to use terms like "Christina is much better than I am at that..", "How can I be expected to..", or "Okay if you insist, but don 't be surprised when.." While complainers do not cause the disruption of a hostile/aggressive personality, they can cause a serious drain on resources.
An Unresponsive Personality - This type of personality tends to not talk when you need conversation from them. When taken to an extreme, silence is calculated aggression. In some cases, it is difficult to understand what the silence or lack of response means.
An Egocentric Personality - This type of personality tends to have a strong need to be liked and accepted. They will try to avoid conflict, are often pleasant, polished and manipulative.
An Over Controlling Personality - This personality tends to slow progress, stifle creativity and weaken the strength of a group. A person with this an over controlling personality is motivated by fear of failure, or loss of power.
Learning to Deal With Difficult Co-workers
Everyone has someone in their life that they do not like and we can not just ignore these people. We all know the toll that these relationships can have on ourselves both mentally and sometimes even physical.
We can dread at some points having to be in the same room with these people. There are times when your heart rate will start to speed up at the simple thought of having a conversation with this certain person. You can even spend hours of precious time just dealing with the bad feelings when you could be working.
It does not have to be this way though. People do not have to like everyone they come into contact with any longer. They can make the relationship with this difficult co-worker easier on themselves by following a few basic communication tactics.
Communication Tactics
Try to begin any conversation in a friendly way. People will realize a huge difference when you make a conscious effort to smile at your co-worker and ask him or her a non-work related question, such as how the family is doing or what the person thought about the local football team 's latest game.
Show respect for the other person 's opinion. Never tell a person he or she is wrong. This can be especially difficult, especially if the person is antagonistic or poorly informed. However, it often does not take long for a difficult person to become a little easier going once he or she is truly being listened to.
Try honestly to see things from the other person 's point of view. This can be a challenge when you are convinced the other person is coming from a completely different mindset. With a little practice, you can begin giving people the benefit of the doubt and start see why they might feel that way.
Give honest and sincere appreciation. Remember: ' 'If you can 't say something nice, don 't say anything at all. ' ' It may seem quaint, but it works, especially when you are in a touchy relationship.
There will still be some tense moments, but you and your co-workers will be able to handle them as professionals, instead of letting your emotions get in the way. You can use the same tactics in your personal relationships also.
Communication
Communication is the interaction of people to transmit information between each other. Communication is essential to the work environment because it allows employees to interact and share information between each other. Communication allows subordinates to communicate and express themselves to other in management. It also allows for supervisors and managers to express themselves to their staff to accomplish a common goal, to give orders and to explain the company goals. The roles that people play and the power they have to influence their employees depend greatly on their ability to communicate.
Four Basic Communication Structures
There are four basic structures of communication. These four basic structures of communication are the circle structure, the wheel structure, the y structure and the chain structure. The way information is distributed is an important part of morale in the workplace. In the workplace there can be many ways information is received and distributed. Communication can be circulated downward, upward or horizontally. In the first structure of communication, the circle structure is the least centralized of the basic structures, information flows from one person to the next, no one person is in control of the situation all participants are equal. In the Y structure information starts with one person and is distributed to other people by branching out in a Y shape. This structure is most commonly used in large corporations or groups. This is also the most efficient. The vice president will report to the president and the vice president will also communicate with other supervisors of the different departments. This leaves all communication funneling though one person but able to speak to all supervisor employees in the workplace. The wheel structure is the most tightly centralized of the structures. In this pattern all communication is networked through one person, which would be called the hub of the wheel. Then information is then channel to other departments and back to the hub. This allows the hub to be involved in all aspects and have information to determine what is in need for improvement and what department is running fine. This is most efficient in small groups or companies. The chain structure is the least efficient of all the structures. This chain like communication link involves only one person to communicate with the next person and so forth. This does not allow for all people to know what is involved with different aspects of the task, they will only receive information with the person next to them on the chain.
Lack of Communication
Lack of communication happens in most work environments. Employees have fears in communicating with their supervisors or may be intimidated by other employees due to hostile nature of other employees. Some employees have a sense of being above other employees and may not communicate with them. Some employees have an inferior complex, which they feel that they are not as capable as the other employees in their department. When you have many different types of people in one workplace personality conflicts will arise. Some people are passive and some are dominant. Some employees have higher education than other employees. Employees also have to deal with cultural and religious backgrounds. All of these differences create lack of communication and understanding in the workplace. Learning how to communicate effectively will allow all of the individual personalities to work efficiently together and accomplish many of the goals that are set for them.
Effective Listening
The ability to listen effectively is one of the most important skills one person can have in the workplace. Effective listening is crucial in providing quality service, training other employees and improving work among the workplace. By employees understanding their listening habits can help them realize if they are effective listeners. Listening can help employees to understand their job responsibilities, understanding what is needed to do their job correctly and being able to express their understanding to others in the workplace. Some employees who do not listen effectively can be related to lack of education, not having the mental ability to comprehend what is being told to them, or they may simply just be bored with the environment or the person speaking to them. A person can improve their listening by concentration, observing those around them and respond to the person or persons speaking with them to make sure they have a clear and concise understanding of what is being told to them. All of the above in communicational do listening are essential to the workplace to insure a profitable and enjoyable work environment.
Motivation
Motivation is defined as the physiological and psychological factors that account for the arousal, direction and persistence of behavior. More simply put, "what moves us"?
Different Types of Motivation
Primary motives - which are biological in nature: hunger, thirst, sex. These types of motivation are pretty clear and easy to understand, we eat when hungry, drink when thirsty and have sex to pro-create, as well as the physical enjoyment and emotional fulfillment.
Affiliation motive - is the drive to relate to people on a social basis. People with affiliation usually perform better when they are complimented for their positive attitudes and cooperation with others.
Achievement motivation - is the drive to pursue and obtain goals.
An individual with this type of motivation have a drive to achieve their goals, and the accomplishment itself is important to that individual, not just the results he/she provide to others. For example, a student may feel great about getting the A on his paper because it makes him feel good about it personally doing well, not just for the G.P.A.
Intrinsic motivation - is the pursuit of activities when there is no external reward for doing so. Intrinsic motivation leads us to pursue activities for their own sake because the activities themselves give us pleasure. For example, we may go for a swim or read a good novel just because we enjoy doing it. Reading may be good for your vocabulary and swimming may be good for your body, but when done purely for enjoyment without being concerned with a result, we are using intrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic motivation - is defined as the activation of behavior because of a need for such things as money, praise from other people, grades, good health, and awards. The majority of people go to work, for example to receive money as their reward, not for the pleasure of being there. We also may watch the foods we eat more carefully because of the health benefits, not because we don 't enjoy a great desert, but we have an extrinsic motivation to take care of our
bodies.
Motivations Are
Motivations are extrinsic, intrinsic or biological. People have different motivations for why we do what we do every single day and are simply not consciously aware of the specific motive for each action. Some motivations are not as long lasting as others. For example fear motivation may provide instantaneous results, but that kind of motivation can only work for a short period of time.
Most of us long to be in the "Homeostasis" state, that is - the optimum, balanced range of physiological state. Not hungry, thirsty, or in emanate need for a basic want. Perhaps what motivates us is the constant strive to feel this way. If we are healthy in our body and happy in our mind, then surely there are still things that motivate us, but perhaps not with such intensity as if we are in need of a basic or even personally important need. Some of what motivates us is just a basic instinct to care for others or ourselves.
What can be Motivational
There are many different things that motivate us, and many different types of motivation itself. In the workplace, motivation can be positive or negative, and it may stem from an individuals personal desire to succeed, the fear of an individual losing their job, or perhaps just the money they receive for being there. The important thing is to learn what motivates us and those around us in order to create a positive work environment, and after all, we all basically want and or need the same things.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several issues that affect the workplace. The majority of these issues have to do with the varied personalities that people have. There are strategies that will improve communication as well as motivate people to be more happy and productive employees. The real key is to discover what "moves" people. When a situation is win-win for all sides rather than for one side each time, everyone is happier, therefore they perform better.
We feel that we have hopefully given you some insight regarding the different types of personalities, better ways to communicate, and how to recognize what motivation is and how to motivate those around you.
References:
Davis, Stephen F. and Palladino, Joseph (2002). Media and Research Updates Psychology Third Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ
Parham, A. Christine (1988). Psychology: Studying the Behavior of People. Pasadena, TX
Peterson, Christopher (1990). Introduction to Psychology. New York, New York
[Online] www.usatoday.com/careers/news/2001-02-08-co-workers.htm
[Online] www.userfirst.net/rob/diff_qref.html