Assessment Front Sheet PGDBE

IMPORTANT : YOUR ASSIGNMENT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

FOR
ASSESSMENT WITHOUT THE COVERING SHEETS

PGDBE Programme : PCL – I -HR Integrated assignment

Assignment Title Indian Call center Assessor : Mr. Hitender
Journey Chimney
Student Name : Year 2009-2011

Given out Required Submission Actual Submission

on : Date : Date:

Submitted to :

Assessment Criteria – To achieve each outcome a

OUTCOMES student must demonstrate the ability to :

Explore various HRP processes Compare and contrast different ways to fulfill human
resource requirements.
Explore various training and Compare and contrast how employees can become
development processes efficient by proper training.

Explore various team processes. Compare and recommend activities to enhance

interpersonal team work.

Explore various avenues of the Compare, contrast and recommend organizational

organizational development. development by ethics and client relationship.

Explore various means of WPM Identify areas of WPM.

Higher Level Skills

Students studying PGDBE will be expected to develop the following skills

in this assignment.
Cognitive skills of critical thinking, analysis and synthesis.
Effective use of communication and information technology for business applications.
Effective self-management in terms of planning, motivation, initiative and enterprise.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT GRADING OPPORTUNITIES
GRADE

MERIT CRITERIA DISTINCTION CRITERIA

MET MET
M1 Y D1 Y
M2 Y D2 Y
M3 Y D3

Plagiarism is a serious college offence.

I certify this is my own work have referenced all relevant materials.
TUTORS COMMENTS

OUTLINE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

PASS

A pass grade is achieved by meeting all the requirements defined in the assessment
criteria for the unit.

MERIT

In order to achieve a merit the students must:

M1 Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions.
M2 Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques.
M3 Present and communicate appropriate findings.
In addition, students will also show your skills in selecting appropriate sources of finance
from a wide range and discussing in some detail the implications of making that
selection. Illustrative figures will be used but may not be based in research carried out.
Issues relating to financial planning will be raised but may not be covered in detail, or
may omit one of the four key areas.

DISTINCTION

In order to achieve a distinction the students must:

D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions.
D2 Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities.
D3 Demonstrate convergent, lateral and creative thinking.

In addition, to earn this grade the assignment must be meticulously planned and students
must be able to demonstrate an ability to anticipate and solve complex tasks in relation to
the case study. Students must demonstrate considerable research over and above class
materials and synthesis information accurately.

Name of Verifier :

Internal Verification Date :

The Indian Call Center Journey
"The call center business appears to be going the dot-com way with a lot of big names pumping in dough.
Ultimately, only the fittest will survive."

Call Centers Fare Badly

In the beginning of 1999, the teleporting industry had been hailed as 'the opportunity' for Indian corporate
in the new millennium. In late 2000, a NASSCOM1 study forecast that by 2008, the Indian IT enabled
services business was set to reach great heights. Noted Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
scholar, Michael Dertouzos remarked that India could boost its GDP by a trillion dollars through the IT-
enabled services sector. Call center (an integral part of IT-enabled services) revenues were projected to
grow from Rs 24 bn in 2000 to Rs 200 bn by 2010. During 2000-01, over a hundred call centers were
established in India ranging from 5000 sq. ft. to 100,000 sq. ft. in area involving investments of over Rs 12
bn.
The human resource exodus added to the industry's misery. Given the large number of unemployed young
people in the country, the attrition rate of over 50% (in some cases) was rather surprising. The industry,
which was supposed to generate substantial employment for the country, was literally down in the dumps -
much to the chagrin of industry experts, the Government, the media and above all, the players involved.
The future prospects of the call center business seemed to be rather bleak indeed.

Call Center Basics

In 2001, the global call center industry was worth $ 800 mn spread across around 100,000 units. It was
expected to touch the 300,000 level by 2002 employing approximately 18 mn people. Broadly speaking, a
call center was a facility handling large volumes of inbound and outbound telephone calls, manned by
'agents,' (the people working at the center). In certain setups, the caller and the call center shared costs,
while in certain other cases, the clients bore the call's cost. The call center could be situated anywhere in the
world, irrespective of the client company's customer base. Call centers date back to the 1970s, when the
travel/hospitality industry in the US began to centralize their reservation centers. With the rise of catalog
shopping and outbound telemarketing, call centers became necessary for many industries. Each industry
had its own way of operating these centers, with its own standards for quality, and its own preferred
technologies.
These centers were generally set up as large rooms, with workstations, interactive voice response systems,
an EPABX,3 headsets hooked into a large telecom switch and one or more supervisor stations. (Refer Table
II). The center was either an independent entity, or was linked with other centers or to a corporate data
network, including mainframes, microcomputers and LANs. Call centers could either be 'captive/in-house'
or in form of an 'outsourced bureau.' Captive call centers were typically used by various segments like
insurance, investments and securities, retail banking, other financial services, telecommunications,
technology, utilities, manufacturing, travel and tourism, transport, entertainment, healthcare and education
etc.
TABLE I
BENEFITS OF A CALL-CENTER
 • Enhances the customer base and business prospects;
• Offers an economical means of reaching diverse and widely distributed customer
group;
• Fine-tunes offerings to specific customer groups by specialized and focussed
assistance;
• Allows customers easy access to experts;
• Facilitates business round the clock and in any geographical region;
• Allows a company to reduce the overheads of brick and mortar branches.
Source: Compiled from various sources.
TABLE II
CALL CENTER CLASSIFICATION

• Voice call center with phones and computers.

• E-mail call center with leased lines and computers.
• Web-based call centers using internet chat facilities with customers.
• Regional call centers handling calls from local clients.
• Global call centers handling calls from across the world.
Source: Compiled from various sources.
Outsourcing bureaus were outfits with prior experience in running call centers. These helped the new
players in dealing with complex labor issues, assisted in using latest technologies, helped in lowering the
operating expenses and financial risks.

Outsourced bureau operators were utilized by companies at various stages viz. setting up of the center,
internal infrastructure revamps, excess traffic situations etc.

Indian Call Centers – Myths and Realities

There were many reasons why India was considered an attractive destination to set up call centers. The
boom in the Indian information technology sector in the mid 1990s led to the country's IT strengths being
recognized all over the world.

Moreover, India had the largest English-speaking population after the US and had a vast workforce of
educated, reasonably tech-savvy personnel.

In a call center, manpower typically accounted for 55-60% of the total costs in the US and European
markets - in India, the manpower cost was approximately one-tenth of this. While per agent cost in US
worked out to approximately $ 40,000, in India it was only $ 5,000.
After the projections of the NASSCOM-McKinsey report were made public, many people began thinking
of entering the call center business. (Refer Table III).
During this rush to make money from the call center 'wave,' NASSCOM received queries from many
people with spare cash and space, including lorry-fleet operators, garment exporters, leather merchants, tyre
distributors and plantation owners among others.
TABLE III
THE INDIAN CALL-CENTER MILESTONES

Mid 1990s GE, Swiss Air, British Airways set up captive call center units for their global needs.
Following increasing interest in the IT-enabled services sector, NASSCOM held the
May 1999 first IT-enabled services meet. Over 600 participant firms plan to set up medical
transcription outfits and call centers.
December A NASSCOM-McKinsey report says that remote services could generate $ 18
1999 billion of annual revenues by 2008.
May 2000 Venture Capitalists rush in. Make huge investments in call centers.
More than 1,000 participants flock to the NASSCOM meet to hear about new
September
opportunities in remote services. Though the medical transcription business is not
2000
flourishing, call centers seen as a big opportunity.
NASSCOM report, indicates that a center could be set up with $ 1 million. Gold rush
Quarter 4
begins. Everyone, from plantation owners to lorry-fleet operators, wanted to set up
2000
centers.
Most of the call centers are waiting for customers. New ventures still coming up:
capacity of between 25 seats and 10,000 seats per company. Small operators
Quarter 1,
discover that the business is a black hole where investments just disappear. They
2001
look for buyers, strategic partnerships and joint ventures. Brokers and middlemen
make an entry to fix such deals.
However, most of these people entered the field, without having any idea as to what the business was all
about. Their knowledge regarding the technology involved, the marketing aspects, client servicing issues
etc was very poor. They assumed that by offering cheaper rates, they would be able to attract clients easily.
They did not realize that more than easy access to capital and real estate, the field required experience and a
sound business background. Once they decided to enter the field, they found that most of the capital
expenditure (in form of building up the infrastructure) occurred even before the first client was bagged.
These players seemed to have neglected the fact that most successful call centers were quite large and had
either some experience in the form of promoters having worked abroad in similar ventures or previous
experience with such ventures or were subsidiaries of foreign companies.
The real trouble started when these companies began soliciting clients. As call centers were a new line of
business in India, the lack of track record forced the clients to go for much detailed and prolonged studies
of the Indian partners. Many US clients insisted on a strict inspection of the facilities offered, such as work-
areas, cafeterias and even the restrooms. The clients expected to be shown detailed Service Level
Agreements (SLAs), which a majority of the Indian firms could not manage. Under these circumstances, no
US company was willing to risk giving business to amateurs at the cost of losing their customers. Because
of the inadequate investments in technology, lack of processes to scale the business7 and the lack of
management capabilities, most of the Indian players were unable to get international customers.
The reasons were not very hard to understand. In a eight-and-a-half hour shift, the agents had to attend calls
for seven-and-a-half hours. The work was highly stressful and monotonous with frequent night shifts. A
typical call center agent could be described as being 'overworked, underpaid, stressed-out and thoroughly
bored.'

The agents were frequently reported to develop an identity crisis because of the 'dual personality' they had
to adopt. They had to take on European/US names or abbreviate their own names and acquire foreign
accents in order to pose as 'locals.' The odd timings took a toll on their health with many agents
complaining of their biological clocks being disturbed. (Especially the ones in night shifts).
Job security was another major problem, with agents being fired frequently for not being able to adhere to
the strict accuracy standards. (Not more than one mistake per 100 computer lines.) The industry did not
offer any creative work or growth opportunities to keep the workers motivated. The scope for growth was
very limited. For instance, in a 426-seat center, there were 400 agents, 20 team leaders, four service
delivery leaders, one head of department and one head of business. Thus, going up the hierarchy was
almost impossible for the agents. Analysts remarked that the fault was mainly in the recruitment, training,
and career progression policies of the call centers. Organizations that first set up call centers in India were
able to pick and choose the best talent available.
A consistently high attrition rate affected not only a center's profits but also customer service and
satisfaction. This was because a new agent normally took a few months before becoming as proficient as an
experienced one. This meant that opportunities for providing higher levels of customer service were lost on
account of high staff turnover.

Future Prospects
The Indian call center majors were trying to handle the labor exodus through various measures. Foremost
amongst these was the move to employ people from social and academic backgrounds different from the
norms set earlier. Young people passing out of English medium high schools and universities and
housewives and back-to-work mothers looking for suitable opportunities were identified as two of the
biggest possible recruitment pools for the industry. Such students with a good basic level of English could
be trained easily to improve their accents, pronunciation, grammar, spelling and diction. They could be
trained to become familiar with western culture and traditions. The housewives and back-to-work mothers'
pool could also be developed into excellent resources. This had been successfully tried out in the US and
European markets, where call centers employed a large number of housewives and back-to-work mothers.
Another solution being thought about was to recruit people from non-metros, as people from these places
were deemed to be more likely to stay with the organization, though being more difficult to recruit and
expensive to train. Even as the people and infrastructure problems were being tackled, a host of other issues
had cropped up, posing threats for the Indian call centers.
The promise of cheap, English speaking and technically aware labor from India was suddenly not as
lucrative in the international markets. A survey of Fortune 1,000 companies on their outsourcing concerns
showed that cost-reduction was not the most important criterion for selecting an outsourcing partner. This
did not augur well for a country banking on its cost competitiveness
Also, China was fast emerging as a major threat to India, as it had embarked on a massive plan to train
people in English to overcome its handicap in the language. In February 2001, Niels Kjellerup, editor and
publisher of 'Call Center Managers Forum' came out strongly against India being promoted as an ideal
place to set up call centers. He said: "The English spoken by Indians is a very heavy dialect – in fact, in
face to face conversations, I found it very difficult to understand what was said. How will this play out over
the telephone with people much less educated that my conversation partners? The non-existent customer
service culture in India will make training of reps mandatory and difficult, since such a luxury as service is
not part of everyday life in India.
The infrastructure is bad, no, make that antiquated: The attempts by a major US corporation to set up a
satellite link has so far been expensive and not very successful. Electricity infrastructure is going from bad
to worse – in fact during my stay at a 5 star hotel and at the corporate HQ of a big MNC, we had on
average 7 black-outs a day where the generators would kick in after 2-3 seconds.

The telephony system is analog and inadequate. It took on average three attempts just to get a line of out
my hotel. The telecom market is not deregulated, and international calls are very expensive. The business
culture and the mix of Government intervention will be a cultural shock for Western business people with
no previous experience. Add to this a lack of a call center industry and very few people with call center
experience which makes it very hard to recruit call center managers with a proven track record."

Despite the mounting criticisms and worries, hope still existed for the Indian call center industry. Analysts
remarked that the call center business was in the midst of a transition, wherein only the fundamentally
strong players would remain in the fray after an inevitable 'shakeout.'

Unlike other industries, the shakeout in this industry was not only because of an over supply of call center
providers, but also because of the quality of supply offered. In spite of the downturn, the call center
business was considered to hold a lot of potential by many corporates
With the US economy facing a slowdown, the need for US companies to outsource was expected to be even
higher. The Reliance group was planning to open call centers in 10 cities across the country. Other
companies including Spectramind and Global Telesystems planned to either enter or enhance their presence
in the business. Whether the dream of call centers contributing to substantial economic growth for India
would turn into reality was something only time would reveal.

You are HR and training manager of Reliance’s proposed new call center. You are required to make
a report of 5000 words covering the following points to be presented to VP(HR). Please use Harvard
referencing system and a detailed bibliography.
 1. Call center is a high employee turnover industry. How would you detail HRP process?
2. Training and development is a constant feature in a call center. Prepare a 40 PPT presentation
covering all aspects of T&D specific to call center.

3. Call center job is highly monotonous and a dual personality job. Suggest at least
ten activities to establish interpersonal team work and processes.
4. Recommend ways and means for organizational development with specific
reference to ethical standard and client relationship.
5. Would you recommend WPM for your call center? Reason out with benefits
derived for yes or no.

Ques.1) Call center is a high employee turnover industry. How would you detail HRP process?

Answer1: The term human resource implies human capital that operates an
organization. The word planning suggests a course of action. And lastly,
process is the method of operation. Thus, the human resource planning
process is defined as, 'a course of action that the human capital takes up
for a methodical achievement of predetermined goals'. The definition of
human resource does not end here. The term includes, its management,
which primarily involves issues related to the workforce. Human
resource management (HRM) is the strategic and coherent approaches
to the management of an organization’s most valued assets - the people
working there who individually and collectively contribute to the
achievement of the objectives of the business.

A company may have all the financial resources it may need. But what if the
manpower employed to manage the finances isn't well trained? Well,
nothing more than your finances going down the drain. The recent
'Satyam' fraud was due to poor control of the management board.
Improper human capital may gain the output, but not the desired one in
terms of quality. As the earlier mentioned definition suggests, the human
resource management means managing your valued assets.

The term human resource management has replaced personnel

management. However, the meaning is still the same. It involves,
employing, developing, utilizing, managing and understanding the staff
in an organization.
The word resources" refers to the productive power of natural goods. HR is therefore the
productive power in human beings. HRPIs defined as the systematic and
continuing process of analyzing an organizations HR needs under the changing
conditions and develop personnel policies. (Armstrong Michael)

It is the process of getting the right number of qualified people into the right job at the right time.

It is the process of matching the internal (existing employee) and external (those to be hired or
searched for).

It is the integral part of the council’s strategic plan and budgeting procedures

Strategic plan is the determination of overall organizational purposes

and objectives and how they are to be achieved.

Its when the organization strategic plan have been formulated, HRP can equally be undertaken.

Aim of HRP

It focuses to ensure that the organization obtain and retain the quantity and quality of people it
needs.

Focuses to make the best use of HR’s.

Is able to anticipate the problems of potential surpluses or deficits of people

It is an attempt to address the potential and developmental needs of employees In order to foster
quality, commitment and productivity in the workforce at the work place.

Help to develop a well trained and flexible workforce thus contributing to the orgs ability to adapt
to an uncertain and changing environment.

It assists to reduce the dependence on the external recruitment when key skills are in short supply
by formulating retention as well as HR dev strategies.

HRP Process

There are factors that affect the whole process of HRP, which includes; the goals of controlling
the organization interest. Government policies. E.g. the Tanzania public service
employment policy of 1999. Types of people to be employed and the tasks they
perform also determine the kind of planning.

Most of those factors are in the internal and external environment that influencing the org’s HR
plans.

All org’s HRP share certain features or distinct phases;

•Situation analysis, i.e. environmental scanning and strategic planning.

•Forecasting HR demands.

•HR supply forecasting.

•Action decisions in HRP

OPRAS

HRP can be supplemented by the application of Open Performance Review and Appraisal System
–OPRAS. In the past recruitment was not Meritocratic, unethical conduct was the
order of the day. Hence working morale was low. OPRAS is a system within the mgt
systems; it is a result oriented, initiating commitment, empowering workers
participation and decision making. It’s transparent and measures the value for
money.

Importance of Human Resource Management

Since the industrial revolution, the world has progressed tremendously. Be it the
steel industry, IT, fashion houses or housing sectors, development in all
of these is evident. However, over the ages man has indiscriminately used
and abused the natural resources available to him. It has resulted in a
global energy crises and depletion of resources in general.

In this backdrop, what remains is an abundance of human resource, or

let's say human capital. To achieve any more goals, tapping the right
kind of human resource is the key. You may have a business house worth
millions of dollars. But what if there isn't the manpower that suits the
nature of the business? Hence, developing the manpower is of utmost
importance.

The Process of Human Resource Management Planning

The human resource planning process, demands the HR manager to first

understand the business requirement. Only if he comprehends the
 nature and scope of the business, will he be able to employ those who will
deliver the required performance. When it comes to engaging the
manpower, the manager should have a keen eye for spotting the talent. It
ensures that the workforce is competent enough the meet the targets.

Additionally, the existing 'talent pool' in the workplace should be taken

into consideration, so that people with complimentary skills can be
employed. The functions of the HR manager are varied, he has to assess
the currently employed workforce and their shortcomings. Identifying
these shortcomings goes a long way in choosing an efficient workforce.

While recruiting the new employees, the HR manager must calculate the
expected workload. This way the HR department can design an accurate
job profile and job expectations. Once you have the decided job
descriptions, looking for candidates who fit the job will be easy. Don't be
fooled by their qualifications, it is only the relevant experience that
matters more. A good HR manager is one who has the zeal and passion
to motivate his prospective employees to perform to their potential.

Human resource planning process, thus, can be considered as one of the

strategic steps for building the strong foundation of an efficient
workforce in an organization!

Steps in the Human Resource Planning Process

Designing the Management System

A crosscutting issue in human resource planning is to ensure that a proper system is in place to
handle the process. The overall aim of this system is to manage human resources in
line with organizational goals. The system is in charge of human resource plans,
policies, procedures and best practices. For example, the system should track
emerging human resource management trends, such as outsourcing certain non-core
functions, adopting flexible work practices and the increased use of information
technology, and, if appropriate, implement them.

Environmental Analysis

The first step in the human resource planning process is to understand the context of human
resource management. Human resource managers should understand both internal
and external environments. Data on external environments includes the following:
the general status of the economy, industry, technology and competition; labor
 market regulations and trends; unemployment rate; skills available; and the age and
sex distribution of the labor force. Internal data required include short- and long-
term organizational plans and strategies and the current status of the organization's
human resources.

Forecasting Human Resource Demand

The aim of forecasting is to determine the number and type of employees needed in the future.
Forecasting should consider the past and the present requirements as well as future
organizational directions. Bottom-up forecasting is one of the methods used to
estimate future human resource needs by gathering human resource needs of various
organizational units.

Analyzing Supply

Organizations can hire personnel from internal and external sources. The skill inventories method
is one of the techniques used to keep track of internal supply. Skill inventories are
manual or computerized systems that keep records of employee
experience, education and special skills. A forecast of the supply of employees
projected to join the organization from outside sources, given current recruitment
activities, is also necessary.

Reconciliation and Planning

The final step in human resource planning is developing action plans based on the gathered data,
analysis and available alternatives. The key issue is that the plans should be
acceptable to both top management and employees. Plans should be prioritized and
their key players and barriers to success identified. Some of these plans include
employee utilization plan, appraisal plan, training and management development
plan and human resource supply plan.

HRP: The Process

Manpower Planning or Human Resource Planning (HRP) can be defined as the

process of ensuring the right number of qualified people, into the right
job at the right time to deliver the results in an efficient and effective
manner. It is the system of matching the available resources, either
internally or externally, with the demand that the organization expects to
have over a period of time.
It has gained a lot of importance in recent times. A well-designed and
comprehensive HRP process is invaluable to the management in an
organization. It helps in the following ways:-

It helps to maintain the required quantity and quality of human resources required
for a smooth & efficient functioning of the organization. It helps to
identify shortages, surpluses or imbalances of manpower.

It helps to forecast the turnover/attrition rates.

It helps the management in making optimum use of the available skills and provides
a platform for employee development.

It leads to improvement in the overall business planning process.

It helps the management to foresee the effects of technological changes on the

requirement for human resources.

It facilitates the identification of corrective training requirements and thus makes

the training and development programmes more effective.

It helps to develop contingent plans to handle sudden requirements and situations of

shortfall.

It helps estimate the value of human resources and their contribution to the
organization.

It helps to evaluate the effect of alternative manpower actions and policies.

It aides in developing Human Resource plans and strategies aligned to the

organization’s strategic direction. and business strategy. Provide tools
and tactics to enhance execution of these strategies.

It helps to manage people related issues accompanying mergers, alliances and

acquisitions.

It expresses the philosophy and values regarding people management in the

organization.

Ques.2) Training and development is a constant feature in a call center. Prepare a 40 PPT presentation
covering all aspects of T&D specific to call center.

Answer.2) Presentation is attached separately in the folder.

Ques.3) Call center job is highly monotonous and a dual personality job. Suggest at least
ten activities to establish interpersonal team work and processes.
Answer 3: In today’s economy, every organisation seeks to ensure that their processes, products,
or services are of the highest quality. Furthermore, such products and services are delivered in the
right quantity, at the right time to customers and that such quality and delivery is done cost
efficiently.
To achieve quality, delivery and cost goals, organisations both public and private deploy some
form of process improvement. Many organisations use sophisticated methodologies, techniques
and terms that become the domains of the few (specialists, middle and senior management.) In
doing so, the methodology and specialist practitioners ignore the very real and invaluable
contribution of the many to the success of their organisations. Indeed, some of ‘the many’ may
even become antagonistic to improvement initiatives.
This workshop equips employees at all levels with simple easy to learn / apply tools, techniques
and methodology to understand, measure, innovate, improve and manage a process or part thereof
inorder to achieve quality, cost and delivery goals.
The workshop builds on the key team skills and themes developed in the Team Building
Foundation Workshop that emphasised the need to break down inter‐departmental barriers, deal
with forceful personalities, overbearing experts and ‘speak with data’. It encourages and trains
people in team‐work and problem solving by including simple tools of quality improvement and
an easy to implement (in any workplace,) uncomplicated methodology. The effect is a
commitment to quality improvement, the promotion of open decision making, and a material
impact on productivity.

Key Steps for Generating an Organizational Development and Team-building (OD-TB)

Process:

1. Establish Management Buy-In. Forgive me for beginning with the obvious: If management
hires a consultant to effect organizational change and team building, but the executive leadership
quickly gets out of the development kitchen when things start getting a bit warm, then positive
systemic evolution is remote. Too often I've seen a center director or division head unwilling to
confront the dysfunctional behavior of a division or branch manager for fear of the inevitable
conflict. Another destructive variation, for example, is when an executive's rigid micromanaging
style is pointed out and the exec axes the bearer of truthful yet painful feedback, i.e., the
consultant. Of course, if engaging with a union shop, having labor in the initial buy-in process is
essential. And with a major OD effort, Human Resources also needs to be involved in this startup
phase.

2. Initial Climate Assessment. Depending on the hazardous nature of the work environment, the
time urgency, the size of targeted systems, and project budget, organizational assessment can
occur through a survey, one-on-one interviews, a team meeting, or through a large group
workshop. While anonymous surveys may be necessary in a fearful workforce, if possible, during
this beginning phase, my preference is for face-to-face interviews. I want as much honest
reflection as possible regarding any authoritarian managers or interpersonal tensions, as well as
dysfunctional or nonexistent team structures (such as lack of team meetings). Interviews provide
such benefits as:

(a) questioning and clarifying immediately a person's response

(b) processing verbal and nonverbal data
(c) allowing individuals to vent frustrations and fears
(d) making both an intellectual and emotional connection with individuals, and
(e) determining whether there are any large scale burnout-inducing or hazardous environment
and/or diversity issues; if the system is undergoing significant change, are there issues of loss
affecting individual behavior and organizational relations?

The most dramatic example of this last item occurred during a reorganization when a division of
skilled crafts professionals were let go by one federal agency and were temporarily assigned to
the dark cavernous belly of the beast…the basement of the Department of Commerce. At the
same time, these professionals, mostly senior and white male, were being threatened on two other
fronts: (a) the possible loss of jobs through computerization and privatization (that is, allowing
private industry to bid for federal contracts), and (b) the recent influx of women and racial
minorities into the shop (who were more savvy with computers than the old-timers). Not
surprisingly, during this vulnerable period, racial tension was rising and tempers were flaring.
Some folks started pulling up KKK websites; other began bringing Louis Farrakhan tapes to
work. And upper management didn't know how to handle this transitional tempest…. So they
employed the ostrich defense, burying their heads in the operational sands. It wasn't until an EEO
analyst realized the government was hemorrhaging thousands of dollars in formal grievance
procedures that I was brought in to stop the bleeding and prevent full-scale escalation. (In this
critical situation, one-on-one interviews were bypassed; we moved quickly into a full-day stress
and anger management workshop with all parties. After the workshops came a series of team
building interventions. More shortly.)
Getting back to the one-on-one assessment, a final benefit is that individuals get a chance to
eyeball me, the consultant. While I won't claim a sense of trust is realized, the interview at least
leaves employees with an impression of my skills, style, and, hopefully, substance. The surprise
factor is reduced.

3. Create a Safe Workshop Atmosphere. For people to open up, occasionally, it's necessary to
hold separate employee and management meetings or workshops. Whenever possible, though, I
have all levels involved in the problem-identification and problem-solving process. Ultimately,
this interaction helps expose inaccurate assumptions and begins to transform communication
barriers into collaborative bridges. There are several keys to making this opening stress and team-
building workshop successful: it has to be thought provoking yet fun; it must be very interactive,
allowing for much audience participation. (My two favorite exercises involve an innovative,
slightly outrageous yet wildly popular drawing and discussion activity, as well as traditional role-
playing.)

While laughter is vital, especially when a department or entire organization has experienced
profound loss due to major change, the program must set the stage for group grieving. As that
comic genius, Charlie Chaplin, observed: The paradoxical thing about making comedy is that it is
precisely the tragic which arouses the funny. We have to laugh due to our helplessness in the face
of natural forces and in order not to go crazy. With one organization, for example, we instituted a
"forms funeral." This allowed employees to acknowledge and vent their frustration with a
topdown change process. Employees were given the chance to bemoan the loss of the old ways of
operating, to criticize management's exclusionary decision-making, a process that bypassed
employee input, and to question the functionality of new operational procedures. Not
surprisingly, with such management-backed creative and communal problem solving, group
resistance to change dissolved fairly quickly.

Also, over the years, I've learned that you can't let management or a workshop planning
committee set the workshop/program agenda. The heart of the agenda needs to emerge through
the spontaneous engagement of all attendees. In this way, the real barriers and potential bridges to
organizational change have a chance to be identified and further defined, along with developing
objectives, action plans, and time lines.

4. Reduce Pre-Workshop Decision-Maker Anxiety. When management and employees are

attending a workshop together, both groups may be on edge. With all parties, but especially with
management, it's important to establish that the workshop will not become an encounter group or
blatant blame session. A vital balance of structure and real sharing combined with solid
leadership skills and group laughter comprises the performance and support mix for safe yet
genuine interacting and learning.

At the same time, if employees are not participating in a meaningful way, and there's
acknowledgment that mixed company is dampening discussion, you may need to ask
management to temporarily leave the room. Now employees will likely articulate at least some of
their concerns. And once management is allowed back in the room, the facilitator can
confidentially summarize key employee issues. This procedure usually reduces antagonistic
tensions enough that we can find or construct a pass in the impasse.

5. "Save the Retreat" Matrix Group. As mentioned previously, a successful workshop will
generate some goals and objectives that have implications for organizational development and
team building. To preserve the newfound energy, the credibility of the change process, and the
forward momentum, there must be some systematic follow-up. I suggest a "save the retreat"
matrix team. This group is a cross-section of employees and management, as well as
representatives from different departments or teams. Limit this entity to five to eight members.
To strengthen a participatory atmosphere, consider an employee for meeting facilitator. The
matrix will further clarify the problems designated in the workshop, establish or refine goals and
objectives, or enlist a specific task group to do the same. The matrix team must be effective and
efficient. To sustain post-workshop enthusiasm, timely feedback on the matrix team's progress
and on any remaining barriers to "save the retreat" efforts is vital. Ideally this report back will not
simply be for management's eyes and ears. Feedback must involve all workshop participants,
allowing for open exchange between the large group and the matrix team.

6. Reassess Management Commitment. Now comes a critical moment for any potential post-
workshop OD-team building efforts. You must meet with top management and determine if they
are still on board with the change process. And even if they use the right words, will they walk
the talk…. And for how long. Let's return to the reorganized division of skilled crafts
professionals that was on the workplace violence edge. Two one-day stress and team building
workshops were held, thirty people in each program. Management and labor leaders attended
both sessions. The drawing exercise and role-plays gave both the senior and junior folks a chance
to talk about and literally act out their anger and fears. There was a new sense of begrudging
understanding, if not harmony, amongst the various segments. And, almost defying credulity, all
the grievance proceedings stopped.
Next step involved my meeting with the various work teams. However, there was a troubling
sign. In a total staff meeting, management seemed uncomfortable allowing people to emote
during a discussion about privatization. Understandably, many of the skilled mapmakers were
worried about future contracts and job stability. The division director, alas, seemed to need an
infusion of "emotional intelligence." The final straw occurred when a female employee accused
one of the supervisors of harassing behavior. When management did not take the accusation
seriously, the union was enraged. (The director was a close friend of the accused.) Not
surprisingly, the team building process was interrupted and adversarial actions began replacing
union-management collaboration.

In disgust, the female manager who initially had advocated for bringing in an outside stress and
violence prevention consultant, transferred out of this once again sinking ship. The irony, of
course, is that this dysfunctional turn of events would in the long run likely contribute to the
demise of this division. Was their a higher level power source pulling the strings or, at least, not
too unhappy with this cycle of regression and possible extinction? Who knows.… I no longer was
a player on the scene.

7. Three Key Structures and Dynamics for Participatory Teaming. The philosophical and
operational perspectives are dualistic and basic: create a team structure and process that is both
task- and relationship-focused. Many leaders and teams are comfortable with the "time- and task-
driven" part of the formula. However, when there’s a serious imbalance between task-driven and
team support, that is, the opportunity for open discussion about conflict and cooperation, then
"time" and "task" truly can become a "T ‘n’ T" process. Relentless pressure can blow up both
productivity and morale. Consider these relationship builders:

a) Peer Facilitation and Rotation. This dynamic recognizes that employees are likely to be more
invested in a team building process when they feel ownership and play some part in the
leadership. Toward this end, consider having employees chair the team meeting. To enhance
further participation, rotate the leadership, e.g., every one or two months (assuming a frequency
of one or two team meetings per month).

Stepping out of the formal leadership role frees a supervisor or manager to soak up the group
process, to be attuned to the unspoken ambiance of the group, including the body language of
team members. This "stepping back" position will help a manager get a better sense of the "big
picture." This wider lens perspective often provides a clearer and more reliable perspective
regarding team member motivation and morale.

b) Two Hats. The "stepping back" position means the manager more overtly plays two roles or
wears two hats, that is, he or she is both manager and team member. In this participatory model,
the team member hat should be the manager’s default headwear. There will be times, of course,
that the more formal hat emerges, e.g., when sharing mission critical data from up high. Or a
manager may have to reassert his formal status and role if the group, for example, out of
frustration, wants to unilaterally encroach upon the decision-making authority of another
department.

In fact, when it comes to the issue of control, this "two hats" structure challenges all parties. As
described above, management needs to loosen the team leadership reins while employees must be
willing to view the manager as more than just the "all powerful" authority figure. The manager
must also be seen as a team member. One implication of this shift in perspective is that
employees need to assume more responsibility and direction for the team meeting agenda and
process. And surely, this transition may take several meetings for a manager to practice "sitting
back" and for (some) employees to practice "speaking up."

c) Wavelength Segment. To facilitate this participatory, multi-hat process, for a 45-60 minute
meeting set aside ten-fifteen minutes to discuss how effectively team members are
communicating, coordinating and relating overall with each other on a day-to-day basis. This
opportunity for collegial tuning in is called the "Wavelength" part of the meeting. It’s a time for
noting any ego bumps or bruises, for clearing the air and also for recognizing in more personal
detail examples of strong teamwork, such as what or who made task or project success possible.
Constructively recognizing and resolving conflict combined with meaningful peer recognition are
pillars of any team-building process.

8. Updating Job Descriptions, Roles and Responsibilities. In today’s constantly upgrading and
downsizing work world, why not go with the flow? When attempting to generate or rejuvenate a
team building process, a good place to start is having members discuss and reevaluate their job
descriptions. More specifically, are roles and responsibilities (R & R) congruent with individual,
team and organizational resources, goals and objectives? Naturally, this exercise may be
especially relevant during a time of reorganization. Collective "R & R" brainstorming should
reveal whether there is redundancy or operational gaps. It also allows team members to better
envision how the individual parts relate and interact; it helps all better grasp or imagine the "big
picture." Creating a tangible, challenging and achievable task or project is always a good way to
build group identity and vital cohesiveness. And this process will strengthen the likelihood of
generating participatory decision-making and goal achievement.

9. Take Control of Disruptive or Problematic Team Members. Three of the most common
and aggravating worksite complaints arise when: a) peers believe a team member is not pulling
his or her fair share of the workload, b) a member’s verbal or nonverbal communication is so
passively or aggressively hostile that dark and menacing rain cloud tension threatens to erupt in
the office or work floor, and c) there is harassment through gossip and ostracism through
innuendo. In addition, there’s the loss of respect for and credibility of the supervisor, manager
and/or HR leader for not firmly setting limits or for not disciplining this group "stress carrier."

Here’s an example based on work with an IT division in a large federal agency. A woman in her
late 30’s, I’ll call her Teri, transferred into the division from the Defense Department.
Unfortunately, Teri’s new assignment demanded she process data more rapidly than in her
previous position (where she had been reasonably successful for several years.) Despite
individual coaching sessions with her supervisor, this employee’s work did not improve. A
formal performance improvement plan also did not help her get up to speed. Teri, a minority
member, instead of trying to transfer back to Defense began criticizing the supervisor for showing
prejudicial attitude and behavior. There really was no basis in fact for the charge. (However, this
example should not be construed as implying that discrimination issues in the workplace are
mostly a fabrication or manipulation.)

In her aggrieved and agitated state, Teri was also attempting to enlist allies in her fight with the
supervisor. She was spending considerable time with some colleagues behind closed doors and
lobbying the remaining team members. Before this career crisis she was seen as a fairly quiet and
pleasant individual.

Four key interventions occurred:

a) I met with Teri and her female supervisor to both observe the interaction and to help the
supervisor provide clear performance goals. The employee rejected my offer of some individual
consulting sessions. Subsequently, my role involved helping the supervisor provide clear and
constructive ground rules and consequences for unacceptable job performance.

b) A meeting was held with the supervisor and her branch manager to apprise him of the
situation. (The supervisor requested my presence as the branch manager had some history of
downplaying the seriousness of disruptive behavior; he was not comfortable with conflict or
confrontation.) After the branch manager met with the Teri, another meeting with the supervisor
and her manager affirmed that these two were on the same page regarding the nature of the
personnel performance issue.

c) I hypothesized correctly that most team members were quite uncomfortable with this troubled
employee’s recruiting efforts to oppose the supervisor. I met individually with the team members
and suggested they give their agitated colleague the following message: Teri could stay and talk
about work issues for five minutes (on matters other than criticizing the supervisor). The
employees were to affirm their need to get back to work. (I was trying to strike a balance between
setting appropriate boundaries and outright rejection.)

d) HR and EEO were informed of the situation and the woman’s charges by the supervisor, the
branch manager, the antagonistic employee and by me. To shorten this tale, within a few months
Teri took a leave of absence and, shortly thereafter, resigned.

Morale of the story. This vignette affirms how a leader and team often need to coordinate with
outside problem-solving resources and supports for constructively engaging a troubled or
troublesome employee at work. And it reveals how a team can come together, without creating a
scapegoat, to confront effectively a challenge to group cohesiveness.

When Top Management Chaos Breeds Discontent

Without going into great detail, I recall another troubled individual, more frightening than the
aforementioned woman. He displayed an actively harassing manner – from being loud and
argumentative to scratching on a colleague’s cubicle. Not surprisingly, a disintegration of branch
and division leadership as well as this field division being disconnected from headquarters
leadership allowed this "stress carrier" employee to experience minimal supervision and little
consequences for his frighteningly unpredictable behavior. (This individual may well have had
some manic-depressive tendencies.)

Fortunately, a new division head was brought in to set limits both on the individual and on the
systemic disorganization, if not chaos. Interventions included:
a) Meetings with the supervisor of this employee to ensure his commitment to supervise.

b) This troubled employee now had to report to the new division head twice a week. The latter
would listen to employee grievances but this leader also set clear limits (with consequences) for
any acting out behavior by the employee.

c) A heated meeting and confrontation were held between the supervisor and the employee to iron
out mutual resentments and rejections. These two had once been close; now the employee felt
abandoned by the supervisor. In turn, the supervisor placed some of the blame for fulfilling his
supervisory role to employee defiance. The supervisor also complained about a lack of top
management support when he did report the employee. (This troubled employee had been a
favorite of the equally troubled former division head.)

d) Once again I held individual interviews with all team members. Some of the males were
buddies of this employee, having worked with him for a number of years. These colleagues
eventually admitted this problematic individual could get loud and become disruptive. However,
a woman team member admitted being quite afraid of this employee’s behavior and mannerisms.
(She had been reluctant to go public for fear of retribution.) By challenging the male colleagues
and supporting the female all were able to speak frankly of their concerns when we finally held a
team meeting.

Not surprisingly, the employee had denied the disruptive nature of his actions or cited others as
provocateurs. The break in his armor of denial finally occurred at the team meeting when the
female colleague, with some trepidation, admitted how frightened she was. At times she felt
terrified that this employee might become violent and "lose it."

With the new division head’s active support, the various interventions helped the employee and
the supervisor regain more professional role behaviors and relationships. And our work began to
resurrect a team building process in a once dangerously disorganized work environment.

10. Confront Potential or Actual Scapegoating or Harassment. Let’s use another scenario
involving four postal service team members – two carriers and two mail sorters. The in-house
sorters believe the two carriers are "slackers" who are not carrying their load, as it were. While I
don’t know how objective the slacker label, I do know the remedy was much worse than the
alleged problematic behavior. In this scenario, getting even didn’t stop with incessant ragging.
(Because of the repetitive nature and close quarters of much postal processing facilities, a fairly
high degree of razzing to break the monotony is often the norm in this locker room-like ambiance
and culture. Clearly, this yields a potentially combustible set and setting.) One of the angry mail
sorters, an ex-Green Beret, told his psychiatrist that one day he was going to "blow away" (i.e.,
shoot) the lazy carriers. He was reported and placed on administrative leave while police were
stationed around the postal facility. And I was called in to deal with the aftermath: confusion and
heightened tension among all employees.

Now one might ask where was the supervisor or manager during all these escalating
antagonisms? My sense was that he too had issues with the "slackers," but was not confronting
them directly. He seemed to allow the in-house aggressors to act out some of his frustration with
the carriers. In an individual interview, the manager revealed having made half-hearted attempts
at a performance review. And he rationalized not involving the EAP because of previous
experience with an Employee Assistance Program that "didn’t accomplish anything." (I’ll simply
note that this so-called ineffective experience occurred more than six years before this recent
crisis, and was played out in another state.)

While advocating participatory involvement, the various case examples clearly demonstrate that a
dysfunctional, if not dangerous, team environment may emerge when a manager abandons his
roles and responsibilities. But even when a formal authority has solid intentions and skills, there
are still environments and workplace scenarios that may prove daunting. Let’s move to #5.

11. Survival Strategies for New Managers. As you’ve read, a supervisor or manager plays a
critical role in determining whether the work environment will build up or break down a cohesive
and participatory team process. Not surprisingly, this critical juncture often emerges when a new
manager comes on board. Many are familiar with the scenario of a manager being promoted from
within the ranks. Here conflict may arise from divided loyalty and a former identity: the new
manager may feel more connected to his former frontline buddies than with his new supervisory
or management colleagues. Conversely, employees may have some difficulty acknowledging the
manager and his new hat. And, of course, if someone believes he or she was unfairly passed over
for this promotion, then tension-filled seeds of jealousy are often strewn about the workplace.

The Former Regime and Post-Traumatic Reactions

Another key dynamic involves the former leadership regime: who is the new manager replacing?
With a popular manager, not only may there be some individual or team sadness, but there’s the
pressure of filling the big hat. However, my experience suggests that if the new manager has solid
leadership skills and sufficient emotional intelligence, the transitional hump typically will be
negotiated in due course. Ironically, it’s when the former manager and team dynamic has been
stormy, if not hostile and hurtful, that leadership change proves most grueling and drawn out.
Instead of transitional relief there’s often a mountain of new leader mistrust to overcome. It’s as if
the team is reeling from a form of post-traumatic transition disorder. Under an authoritarian
regime, most criticism goes underground; people may shut down or become numb. With a
transition to a more participatory administration, initial reactions may range from exhaustion to
emotional outpouring. Unexpressed anger from the past can get unconsciously displaced onto a
new leader. Also, dysfunctional authorities have a tendency to pit one segment of employees
against another, as if there are "good" and "bad" children. Favoritism (actual and perceived) and
divisiveness often are rampant in such dysfunctional environments. A new manager may need to
be a motivational healer.

The last couple of points evoke memories of working with a group of managers who had
experienced a rash of top leadership turnover. Recent CEOs ranged from the inadequate to the
sociopathic – a leader who was cruelly playing people and departments against one another. The
current CEO was competent and was in fact working hard to improve both bottom line operations
and morale. Yet a survey revealed a good deal of managerial discontent. The CEO was taken
aback and was upset by the feedback. Two key dynamics emerged during a retreat with the CEO
and the managers: 1) that the managers were willing to risk giving some negative feedback was
less a sign of the actual current working conditions and more that these managers were beginning
to feel safe enough with this new CEO to open up; not surprisingly, much of the anger belonged
to the former regimes and 2) that the managers were actually afraid that this new CEO would
quickly jump ship like her predecessors.

Knowing When to Reach Out for Help

Even when immersed in such a tension-filled team or organizational tempest, if a new leader
possesses sufficient maturity and ego strength then this transitional crisis provides not just
"danger" but also "opportunity." Let me illustrate. In the mid-90s, I received a call from an
experienced manager. He had transitioned from a major federal government agency to the private
sector. After six weeks in charge he realized that serious interpersonal issues and conflicts were
consuming his team of senior analysts. This manager, I’ll call him Rich, had replaced a long-time
manager. Upper management believed the previous leader had been cruising more than providing
active leadership. Considering that the division was also moving from a non-profit to a for-profit
mode of operation, cruising would not cut it. Also, the former head had allowed his female
administrative assistant to assume an inappropriate number of his roles and responsibilities, along
with his mantle of power.

Some in the senior analyst group had perceived this assistant as demanding; but they also felt she
wanted to get people up to speed with the company’s new philosophy and direction. However,
many in this team had been intimidated, experiencing this "dragon lady" as manipulative, power-
driven and vindictive.

Adding to this complex mix was the recent arrival of a new female analyst. A number of her
colleagues were beginning to see her as a threatening figure: she was ambitious and was getting
close to Rich, the new manager. (Not surprisingly, some analysts were comparing her to the
former administrative assistant who had finally been reassigned because of her modus operandi.)

Here’s a list of the interventions:

a. Managerial Wisdom. As indicated, I was impressed that Rich chose not to play the role of the
Lone Ranger or Lone Manager during this transitional tempest. His ego didn’t interfere with
seeking counsel. He also recognized that some people might need to be firmly confronted.
Having a "crisis" consultant didn’t create a "good cop/bad cop" division of labor, but it did allow
me to start a process that would challenge some erroneous or self-defeating attitudes and
behaviors. Rich did not have to carry around the burden of being both new leader on the block
and of playing the heavy.

b. Individual Interviews. One-on-one meetings were held with each of the analysts. First, this
process yields important history and contextual information, for example, how others are
diagnosing the problems. And equally important, people have a chance to question my role and
assess my intentions, skills and style. This kind of interview process enables me to glean a
composite assessment, detect any patterns of perceptions, assumptions and misperceptions. I’m
also beginning to build alliances and preparing for the full team problem-solving powwow.

c. Individual Support. I spent extra time with the new senior analyst, trying to help her understand
(and not personalize) some of her colleague’s subjective perceptions. Having been burned by the
former female administrative aide, a number of analysts were transferring their hurt, anxiety and
anger onto their new colleague.

d. Feedback and Coaching Session. Sharing my observations and subjective beliefs with Rich (the
department head and supervisor of the analyst team) and collaborating on strategy was vital. We
both needed to know we were on the same page. I also shared my assessment and strategy with
the head of HR. Again, teams do not operate in glorious (or dysfunctional) isolation within an
organization.
e. Team Meeting. In addition to sharing my findings, the team meeting had several purposes and
processes, including:

1) enabling those with unfinished issues around the change of leadership to vent concerns and
fears. Consider my "Six ‘F’ Model of Loss and Change" in light of this team’s recent history: a)
loss of a "familiar" past, including a leader, a mission and an operational philosophy, b) grappling
with an uncertain "future" regarding goodness of new task-existing skill fit, professional identity,
etc., c) dealing with some reorganizational loss of "face," two potentially diminishing sources
being the cruising attitude of the former division head and the "stepmother’s" psychological
abuse, d) needing to regain productive individual and team "focus," e) considering new
"feedback" that may challenge working assumptions or assumptions about a new colleague, and
f) having "faith" that if you follow these change management and mastery steps, you will emerge
stronger, better capable of vital adaptation.

2) especially focusing on the unfinished hurt and anger with the former intimidating assistant,

3) clarifying the transference reactions with the new analyst, that is, mistaking Sue’s ambition
and involvement with Rich as portending her becoming a manipulative or power-driven favorite,

4) allowing Sue to share her frustration and hurt from the unspoken tension directed her way, and

5) having Rich affirm his belief in my role and our problem-solving process. He also asked the
group to provide him a list of recommendations regarding procedures, roles and responsibilities
in light of the upcoming shift in mission focus. This would be addressed at a follow-up meeting.

As a postscript, the group did not write the report for the scheduled follow-up. This however, was
not a sign of resistance, more an assertion of their readiness for real engagement. The analysts
had called an informal meeting, without Rich or me present. The analysts went over the charged
issues raised in the previous meeting; they had a more open and gritty exchange, finally reaching
understanding and closure. Now the group atmosphere reflected a spirit of inclusion: cohesion
was replacing divisiveness, and there was a growing sense of trust.

By quickly calling on outside support, by management backing up the intervention strategies, by

using face-to-face interviews to lay carefully a solid foundation for engagement, this leader and
team were able to work through conflicts and let go of a troubled past. And most important, these
individuals were ready to come together as a team demonstrating both high productivity and
meaningful support. Surely this manager made a worthwhile startup investment.

12. Macro and Micro, Formal and Informal Meetings. Hopefully, it is clear that a productive
team building process involves fortifying both individual parts (or replacing ones that cannot be
supervised or rehabilitated) and strengthening the whole system. In similar fashion, integrating
formal and informal systems functioning is vital to an Organizational Development-Team
Building process. Let’s examine three perspectives:

a. Macro and Formal. Using the outlined structures and strategies as a foundation, the team
building process is now ready to expand into an OD process through interaction among the
various teams or departments. This occurs when various teams of a branch or division meet on a
regular basis, for example, at a monthly staff meeting. Even if having employees run these larger
macro meetings is not practical (though department heads might rotate as facilitators) you can
still have a wavelength section. Here the primary focus are the obstacles to coordination and
negotiation among the teams or departments. Is their mutual support or more in-house
territoriality and cutthroat competition? Finally, a Q & A town hall meeting is also a macro
structure that can disseminate key information. Such an event also allows employees to scrutinize
the knowledge and integrity of top leadership.

b. Matrix Teaming. In between macro and micro, formal and informal is the matrix concept.
Representative individuals from various teams or departments meet to discuss crosscutting issues.
These meetings can range from small task groups to larger gatherings. For example, one US
Postal Service Plant Manager running a processing and distribution center with 6,000 employees,
would have monthly meetings with 30-50 rotating employees and front-line supervisors across all
operational sections. (Managers were not invited.) The Plant Manager wanted an open and frank
exchange; he wanted to know what problems were occurring on the frontlines. And he wanted to
know what actual or potential, formal or informal productivity innovations were in practice or
just waiting for someone to give the green light on experimentation. The latter, when verified,
readily lend themselves to "on the spot" rewards. Clearly, in an open system, outside
organizational problem-solving structures and teams can be mutually reinforcing in a very
positive manner.

c. Micro and Informal. The prototypic example is a brief, often light-hearted yet task-focused
morning huddle. (A cup of Starbucks isn’t the only way to get people going. A contest for best
funny story of the week is a great icebreaker or mood igniter.) Team members gather and check
in with each other. Unfinished business or anticipated roadblocks are identified. Some short-term
and spontaneous problem solving may occur. Five or ten minutes of this informal morning or
opening shift roundup will increase people’s sense of the team picture. This collective ritual will
enhance cohesiveness, morale and productivity.

Ques. 4)Recommend ways and means for organizational development with specific reference to ethical
standard and client relationship?
Answer4) what is organizational development?
Organization development is a planned, organization-wide effort to increase an organization's effectiveness
and viability. Warren Bennis has referred to OD as a response to change, a complex educational strategy
intended to change the beliefs, attitudes, values, and structure of organization so that they can better adapt
to new technologies, marketing and challenges, and the dizzying rate of change itself. OD is neither
"anything done to better an organization" nor is it "the training function of the organization"; it is a
particular kind of change process designed to bring about a particular kind of end result. OD can involve
interventions in the organization's "processes," using behavioral knowledge as well as organizational
reflection, system improvement, planning, and self-analysis.

What is organizational change?

Organizational change means any change that occurs in the work environment. The change could be minor of major.
Usually Organizational change re-aligns organizational systems and deal with the factors prevailing in the external
environment of an organization. Sometimes, a change is effected to revamp the internal systems of the organization.
Organizational change can be described as a situation which emerge due to some management decisions that have an
effect on employees.
What are the forces prompting change?

The forces prompting change can be categorized as,

• EXTERNAL CHANGE FORCES and
• INTERNAL CHANGE FORCES

EXTERNAL CHANGE FORCES

The forces compels from outside the organization, (on which organization normally have no or minimal control) are
termed as External Change Forces. The external forces effecting change are:

Technological developments:
Nowadays most of the organizations use technology as a means to improve productivity and market competitiveness.
Hence, to retain and advance in competitive market, it is very important for organizations to keep themselves update
according to the technological advancements, which are taking place at very fast rate.

Competitive environment:
The emerging global economy has the changed the style of business. Now the market competitors are not from only
contiguous area but from throughout the world. This compels every business house to retain quality, lower prices, client
satisfaction, etc; to sustain.

Social and political pressure

The needs, values and priorities of customers and political circumstances are unstable. Managers need to adjust their
management styles to meet these values and needs.

INTERNAL CHANGE FORCES

The forces compels from inside the organization, (basically under the organization control) are called Internal Change
Forces. The Internal forces effecting change are:

Inter-relationship:
Any organization cannot progress without the commitment and dedication of its employees. Hence their perceptions,
about individual and organizational needs should be considered important. Dissatisfaction among employees regarding
about the working conditions and individual and organizational needs may lead to conflict between management and
employees. Excessive interpersonal conflict is often a clear sign that change is needed.

Organizational change can be thought of as stretching the goals and managing improving
the way an organization thinks about and does its work.
Typically, the concept of organizational change is in regard to organization-wide change,
as opposed to smaller changes such as adding a new person, modifying a program, etc.
Examples of organization-wide change might include a change in mission, restructuring
operations (e.g., restructuring to self-managed teams, layoffs, etc.), new technologies,
mergers, major collaborations, "rightsizing", new programs
such as Total Quality Management, re-engineering, etc .Organizational change is defines
as change that has an impact on the way work is performed with significant effect like
termination of employment. The elimination and diminution of job opportunities and job
tenure etc.
Nowadays its recession thus organizations are greatly focusing on their change programs
and have become increasingly demanding with regard to performance outcomes.
However stressful, to employ and effect their works and quality of life, although
beneficial to the organization. The key feathers are change in technology change in
marketing condition social change and political change and legal change
and to see how to involve people in change rather imposing on them. In context of
present scenario of tough business competition there is always a need felt for star
performers and outstanding personnel who have the vision to fetch the best result for
organization.
Thus these key features help to tackle the problem related to organization. As the
competition among companies is at all time high companies are bracing themselves to
changing situation by meeting customer demands in order to survive they have to deal
with change in all its dimensions technological personal an organization to ensure success
in the long run.
Change is inevitable in every aspect of life an organization are no exception to this.
Business environment is changing fast as a response to evolving conditions manager need
to be tactful and resistance and push ahead. When business environment is changing
human resources functionaries can ill afford to lag behind or remain static. Their role is
getting increasingly complex, dynamics, and challenging to say the least.
"People want change, they don't want to be changed."
A common definition used for change management is a set of processes that is employed
to ensure that significant changes are implemented in an orderly, controlled and
systematic fashion to effect organizational change. One of the goals of change
management is with regards to the human aspects of overcoming resistance to change in
order for organizational members to buy into change and achieve the organization's goal
of an orderly and effective transformation.
The ADKAR Model
Change management has been developed over a period of time and one of the models that
have played an influence in change management is the ADKAR model. ADKAR was a
model developed by Prosci. In this model, there are five specific stages that must be
realized in order for an organization or an individual to successfully change. They
include:
• Awareness - An individual or organization must know why a specific change or series
of changes are needed.
•Desire - Either the individual or organizational members must have the motivation and
desire to participate in the called for change or changes.
•Knowledge - Knowing why one must change is not enough; an individual or
organization must know how to change.
•Ability - Every individual and organization that truly wants to change must implement
new skills and behaviors to make the necessary changes happen.
•Reinforcement - Individuals and organizations must be reinforced to sustain any
changes making them the new behavior, if not; an individual or organization will
probably revert back to their old behavior.

10 PRINCIPLES TO MANAGE CHANGE

1. Address the “human side” systematically. Any significant transformation creates
“people issues.” New leaders will be asked to step up, jobs will be changed, new skills
and capabilities must be developed, and employees will be uncertain and resistant.
Dealing with these issues on a reactive, case-by-case basis puts speed, morale, and results
at risk.

2. Start at the top. Because change is inherently unsettling for people at all levels of an
organization, when it is on the horizon, all eyes will turn to the CEO and the leadership
team for strength, support, and direction. The leaders themselves must embrace the new
approaches first, both to challenge and to motivate the rest of the institution.
3. Involve every layer. As transformation programs progress from defining strategy and
setting targets to design and implementation, they affect different levels of the
organization. Change efforts must include plans for identifying leaders throughout the
company and pushing responsibility for design and implementation down, sothat change
“cascades” through the organization.
4. Make the formal case. Individuals are inherently rational and will question to what
extent change is needed, whether the company is headed in the right direction, and
whether they want to commit personally to making change happen.
5. Create ownership. Leaders of large change programs must over perform during the
transformation and be the zealots who create a critical mass among the work force in
favor of change. This requires more than mere buy-in or passive agreement that the
direction of change is acceptable.
6. Communicate the message. Too often, change leaders make the mistake of believing
that others understand the issues, feel the need to change, and see the new direction as
clearly as they do. The best change programs reinforce core messages through regular,
timely advice that is both inspirational and practicable.
7. Assess the cultural landscape. Successful change programs pick up speed and
intensity as they cascade down, making it critically important that leaders understand and
account for culture and behaviors at each level of the organization.
8. Address culture explicitly. Once the culture is understood, it should be addressed as
thoroughly as any other area in a change program. Leaders should be explicit about the
culture and underlying behaviors that will best support the new way of doing business,
and find opportunities to model and reward those behaviors.
9. Prepare for the unexpected. No change program goes completely according to plan.
People react in unexpected ways; areas of anticipated resistance fall away; and the
external environment shifts. Effectively managing change requires continual
reassessment of its impact and the organization's willingness and ability to adopt the next
wave of transformation.
10. Speak to the individual. Change is both an institutional journey and a very personal
one. People spend many hours each week at work; many think of their colleagues as a
second family. Individuals (or teams of individuals) need to know how their work will
change, what is expected of them during and after the change program, how they will be
measured, and what success or failure will mean for them and those around them.

DEALING WITH ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

Individuals can reduce the impact of change and resulting stress by focusing on the value
to be gained. The following are some ways to help approach change with a positive
attitude:
Keep an open mind. Do not assume that the results of change will be negative. Chang
may be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Stay flexible. Be ready to let go of the old and try the new. Talking with colleagues can
help allay stress and foster a supportive environment.
Be supportive of colleagues. It is important that people recognize each other's
contributions on a regular basis and show appreciation for one another.
Take an active role in the change process. Learn new skills, offer suggestions, set goals
for yourself.
Give change a chance to work. Be patient; change takes time.
Ignore rumors. Instead, focus on gathering as many facts as you can about change. Talk
with your supervisor when you have questions.
Pay attention to yourself. It is important to learn to manage stress. People who feel good
mentally and physically are better able to handle change. Eat a nutritious diet, get enough
sleep, exercise, limit alcohol use and utilize relaxation/stress management techniques
(e.g., deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation), so your body and mind are able to
deal with change.

CHANGE STRATEGIES
These can be considered as the different strategies and procedures that are used to
categories the change environment. The relevance of different change strategies is that
they build upon different assumptions about human motivation and hence willingness to
engage in change at a particular point in time. Four differing views are presented
below. These strategies are not intended to be mutually exclusive. Rather they may each
be appropriate at a different stage of a particular change process. Once the environment is
identified, an effective implementation plan can be composed.
This approach believes that changing the norms, attitudes and values of individuals will
lead to changes in their behaviors. (As such this strategy is the reverse of the model Beer
et al propose above.) It is based upon core beliefs, values and attitudes. So change will
occur as individuals change their attitudes and this leads them to want to behave
differently.
Rational-empirical strategy
This strategy is based on persuasion, and assumes that individuals are rational and as
such they will follow their own self-interest once this is made clear to them. The benefits
of a change therefore need to be highlighted and sold to the individual’s as being of
personal benefit to them.
Power-coercive strategy
This strategy is based on the application of power, with the belief that most people are
compliant to those who have greater power. A potential issue with this process is that
once the power is removed, individuals may revert to previous behaviors.
Action-centered strategy
This focuses on problem solving, looking at problems and focusing on remedial actions.

WHY IS CHANGE MANAGEMENT RELEVANT

Change management is relevant as though the research finds that change is taking place
at an ever-increasing pace, the evidence suggests that most change initiatives fail. For
example, recent CIPD research suggested that less than 60% of re- organizations met
their stated objectives which are usually bottom line improvement. This is consistent with
other published research.
The impact of failures to introduce effective change can also be high: loss of market
position, removal of senior management, loss of stakeholder credibility, loss of key
employees.
Finally, one organizational response to change is that organizational forms are themselves
evolving. Therefore, the change management response will have to be adaptive. For
example, the increased competitive challenges and the need to be responsive to the
changing environment are resulting in emerging organizational models. Traditional
organizational models following functional or matrix lines are being supplemented by
new models. These might rely on project teams, on networks and on virtual structures.
In theory, certain of these newer models, for example virtual and project-based structures,
allow increased flexibility to respond to change. However much models are not always
introduced uniformly, and in practice often introduce other issues that also impact upon
change management, for example ability to share knowledge and to operate efficiently.
These may also impact effectiveness of communication or employee commitment, which
themselves have implications for change effectiveness.
Recent CIPD research managing across boundaries highlights how the move towards
network-based organizations means that HR managers must now consider issues that
exist across and outside the boundaries of the firm: they need to address the concerns of
cross-boundary human resource management. This requires the development of a series
of boundary spanning HRM practices which involve the extension of practices which are
traditionally used only for employees (that is, individuals contracted to the organization)
to these important people who are outside the boundaries of the organization (that is,
individuals contracted to a different organization or self-employed but who deliver
services within the organization). Some CHANGE STYLES that may be appropriate:
•Collaborative - The target population are engaged in the change process, typically
through cascading workshops or meetings. They will be kept up to date on the issues.
Their views will be actively sought and acted upon. Feedback will demonstrate how their
input has been acted upon.
•Consultative - The target population is informed about the changes and their views are
sought.
•Directive - The workforce is informed about the changes and why those changes are
important.
•Coercive - The workforce is told that they must obey the new instructions.

Steps of tackle change:-

• Communicating the vision-Using every vehicle possible to convey the vision to all
people.
• Empowering others to act on the vision-Getting rid of obstacles to change like the
structure.
• Planning for and creating short term wins-Rewarding employees and recognizing them.
• Consolidating improvements
• Institutionalizing new approaches

CHANGE MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY

MANAGEMENT’S ROLE IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
In most cases, management's first responsibility is to identify processes or behaviors that
are not proficient and come up with new behaviors, processes, etc that are more effective
within an organization. Once changes are identified, it is important for managers to
estimate the impact that they will have to the organization and individual employee on
many levels including technology, employee behavior, work processes, etc.
At this point management should assess the employee's reaction to an implemented
change and try to understand the reaction to it. In many cases, change can be extremely
beneficial with lots of positives; however certain changes do sometimes produce a
tremendous amount of resistance. It is the job of management to help support workers
through the process of these changes, which are at times very difficult. The end result is
that management must help employees accept change and help them become well
adjusted and effective once these changes have been implemented.

HR’s role in change management

People management and development professionals have significant role to play in any
change management process. Arising from CIPD research, HR’s involvement in certain
areas was identified as sometimes being the difference between successful and less
successful projects:
• Involvement at the initial stage in the project team.
• Advising project leaders in skills available within the organization- identifying any
skills gaps, training needs, new posts, new working practices etc.
• Balancing out the narrow/short-term goals with broader strategic needs.
• Assessing the impact of change in one area/department/site on another part of the
organization.
• Being used to negotiating and engaging across various stakeholders.
• Understanding stakeholder concerns to anticipate problems.
• Understanding the appropriate medium of communication to reach various groups.
• Helping people cope with change, performance management and motivation.

Ques.5) Would you recommend WPM for your call center? Reason out with benefits derived for yes or no
Answer.5) The basic technique stands in contrast to hunt and peck typing as the typist keeps their eyes on
the source copy at all times. Touch typing also involves the use of the home row method, where typists
keep their wrists up, rather than resting them on a desk or keyboard as this can cause carpal tunnel
syndrome. To avoid this, typists using this method should sit up tall leaning slightly forward from the
waist, place their feet flat on the floor in front of them with one foot slightly in front of the other, keeping
their elbows close to their sides with forearms slanted slightly upward to the keyboard, fingers should be
curved slightly resting on the home row (asdfjkl;).Many touch typists also use keyboard shortcuts or
hotkeys when typing on a computer. This allows them to edit their document without having to take their
hands off the keyboard to use a mouse. An example of a keyboard shortcut is touching the Control key plus
the S key to save a copy as you type, or the Control key plus the Z key to undo a mistake. Many
experienced typists can feel or sense when they've made an error and can hit the backspace key and make
the correction without missing a beat.

Yes I would recommend WPM (Words per Minute) for the call center. As call centers have different
processes like voice and non – voice processes. However both the processes require a lot of typing. So
WPM is recommended but not mandatory, however it is an additional benefit. And in a call center the time
is of great value, as there will be lots of calls coming in one after the other and there is hardly any time in
between the calls. So if a person is good with typing and have a good WPM it is very good for the
employees and after every call the employees has to log there call. Logging a call means that the employee
has to save the notes what all they did on the call.
Logging a call is very important as if the same customer calls again the agents who will answers the call
he/she must know what has been done or what suggestion the previous agent has given to the customer. So
as soon as the call comes the agent spends few seconds in reading what notes has the previous agent has
left. And if the previous agent has not logged in notes properly it is very difficult for the new agent to help
the customer further. WPM also helps in giving a satisfied customer as well.