As a consultant in organisational development, Batho Pele Dot Com has tasked you to provide advice for changes and intervention. Batho Pele Dot Com is currently characterized by a bureaucratic management style and rigid structures, and its managers are mostly male. Following the new labour legislation, quite a number of employees were suddenly retrenched, the reason for the retrenchment is said to be finances. Following retrenchments, a number of employees from previously disadvantaged groups have been selected and placed in the production-line vacancies. However, there are still a number of positions vacant. Older employees have complained about discrimination and selection strategies.

Question

According to supervisors, production deadlines and targets are not achieved, and new employees are expected to work without having the minimum qualifications and required training. The Human Resource manager indicates that the mood amongst employees is negative, and lateness, illness, complaints, and personnel turnover are increasing. Some employees have already had meetings and threatened to take further action if management does not resign or listen.

Questions:

.1. Identify five problems experienced by Batho Pele Dot Com. (5)

2.2 Describe five I-O Psychology specialist that will be applicable for any five problems as identified in 2.1. Indicate which specialist will be responsible for specific problem. (20)

Answer 1

1. Identify five problems experienced by Batho Pele Dot Com. (5)

1. Bureaucratic Management Style: The organization operates under a rigid bureaucratic management system, which may hamper flexibility, creativity, and responsiveness to the employees' needs and market demands.

2. Negative Employee Morale: Following retrenchments and changes in employment status, employee moods are reportedly low, leading to an increase in lateness, absenteeism, and turnover.

3. Ineffective Selection and Training: There is a lack of proper selection criteria and required training for new employees, resulting in unqualified personnel filling open positions which leads to inefficiencies and unmet production targets.

4. Discrimination Complaints: Older employees have raised concerns about discriminatory practices in the selection process, which could affect company culture and employee relations.

5. Failure to Meet Production Targets: Supervisors are reporting challenges in achieving production deadlines and targets, likely exacerbated by the aforementioned issues of unqualified employees and low morale among staff.

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2.2 Describe five I-O Psychology specialists that will be applicable for any five problems as identified in 2.1. Indicate which specialist will be responsible for specific problems. (20)

1. Organizational Development Specialist:

   • Problem Addressed: Bureaucratic Management Style
   • Description: An organizational development (OD) specialist can facilitate the transformation of the management style towards a more participative and flexible approach. They can design interventions to encourage communication, collaboration, and empowerment within teams to reduce the rigidity of the current structure.

2. Workplace Psychologist:

   • Problem Addressed: Negative Employee Morale
   • Description: A workplace psychologist can assess the emotional climate of the organization and implement programs targeting employee well-being. They may conduct surveys, focus groups, and workshops to identify the root causes of negativity, and suggest interventions such as employee assistance programs or team-building activities.

3. Talent Management Specialist:

   • Problem Addressed: Ineffective Selection and Training
   • Description: A talent management specialist can help redesign the recruitment and selection process to ensure that suitable candidates are hired. They can also develop training programs tailored to the new employees' needs, ensuring they are equipped with the skills necessary to meet the production demands.

4. Diversity and Inclusion Specialist:

   • Problem Addressed: Discrimination Complaints
   • Description: A diversity and inclusion specialist can address the complaints regarding discrimination by assessing the current hiring processes and developing inclusive practices. They will ensure that the hiring strategies are equitable and promote a diverse workforce while also conducting workshops on unconscious bias for all employees.

5. Performance Management Specialist:

   • Problem Addressed: Failure to Meet Production Targets
   • Description: A performance management specialist can analyze the production processes and employee performance metrics to identify barriers to meeting targets. They can develop performance improvement plans, establish clearer goals, and design accountability frameworks to motivate employees towards achieving production deadlines.

Each of these specialists plays an important part in addressing the specific issues identified at Batho Pele Dot Com, creating both immediate and long-term strategies to improve organizational performance and employee satisfaction.