Name: Rocel I.

Navaja GS-248
MBA 604 -Organizational behavior
1. Why is Organizational Behavior important?

Organizational behavior is the study of both group and individual performance and
activity within an organization. This area of study examines human behavior in a work
environment and determines its impact on job structure, performance, communication,
motivation, leadership, etc. It is the systematic study and application of knowledge about how
individuals and groups act within the organizations where they work. The core concept behind
the study and application of organizational behavior is the certainty that a happy and
productive workforce results in a successful organization. Drawing heavily on behavioral/social
sciences and psychology, organizational behavior takes a human-centric approach to facilitating
a performance-oriented workforce. As such, a deep understanding of organizational behavior
and why it’s important can help business leaders increase the effectiveness of their workforce.
It helps in making effective decisions, understanding people in a better way, resolving
workplace conflicts, improve performance and creating a healthy and progressive workplace
environment.

By studying organizational behavior, both employees and managers come to understand

what makes people behave the way they do. Employees can use this knowledge to increase
their own job satisfaction and improve work performance. Managers can use organizational
behavior to accomplish goals and help employees achieve optimal performance. More
importantly, learning about organizational behavior will help you to understand your own
behaviors, attitudes, ethical views, and performance, as well as those of the people with whom
you'll be working. This type of knowledge will assist you in working effectively with managers,
colleagues, and subordinates.

Organizational Behavior is the study and application of knowledge about how people,
individuals, and groups act in organizations. Studying organizational behavior helps to
understand and predict organizational life. One of the main goals of organizational behavior is
to revitalize organizational theory and develop a better conceptualization of organizational life.
Its purpose is to build better relationships by achieving human objectives, organizational
objectives, and social objectives. The study of organizational behavior gives insight on how
employees behave and perform in the workplace. It helps us develop an understanding of the
aspects that can motivate employees, increase their performance, and help organizations
establish a strong and trusting relationship with their employees.

Organizational Behavior is important because it help managers in understanding basis

of motivation. It improves goodwill of the organization. It is multidisciplinary, in the sense that
applies different techniques, methods and theories to evaluate the performances. It helps to
predict behavior of others. It enhance the productivity, efficiency and effectiveness. It covers a
wide array of human resource like behavior, training and development, change management
and leadership.
 Organizational behavior is an essential part of people management in today’s work
culture. The synergy and behavior between your people will determine their efficiency. In-
depth learning provides an understanding of how employees communicate with one another.
Their compatibility is vital so that work goes on without hiccups. Without your people’s unity, it
is difficult to achieve long-term success.

Importance of Organizational Behavior includes building meaningful workplace

relationships, employee motivation, it builds a psychologically safe workplace and higher
efficiency in teams. The study of behavior in an organization is vital for team collaboration. It
gives you insights into the similarities and differences that people share. Understanding the
dynamics will assist a leader in facilitating better team unity. A team with good chemistry will
builds good morale and confidence among team members. Thus, increasing team bonding
which is crucial in meeting the company objectives. As a result, leaders can achieve greater
success in the long term.

Organizational Behavior is the study of learning how to predict human behavior and,
then, apply it in some useful way to make the organization more effective. It helps in the
effective utilization of people working in the organization guarantees the success of the
organization.

Organizational Behavior helps the managers to understand the basis of motivation and
what he should do to motivate his subordinates. Organizational Behavior helps to maintain
cordial industrial relations which help to increase the overall productivity of the industry. It
helps greatly in improving inter-personal relations in the organizations. It helps managers apply
appropriate motivational techniques in accordance with the nature of individual employees
who exhibit a learning difference in many respects.

The importance of Organizational Behavior includes responding to globalization,

managing workforce diversity, improving quality and productivity, responding to labor
shortage, improving customer service, improving people skill and empowering people.

2. As the manager, how would you react to an employee saying “I love my work, it’s the
people I can’t stand”?
As a manager, upon hearing it from my employee I would asked what is the reason
behind it. In managing negative personal conflict among my coworkers, I will get involved
sooner, rather than later. Time alone seldom, if ever, solves the problem. I will respond to the
conflict early on and set clear expectations for each employee. I will meet together with both
employees. Separate meetings will only create more distrust. Trust is the foundation for
constructive conflict resolution where team members can disagree and have passionate
debates that result in creative solutions. I will upend expectations by starting the meeting on a
positive note. The two angry employees were asked at the initial session to share something
they valued about the other person. I will keep relax, breathe and reduce tension. I will listen
to them very carefully. Trust that a solution will come from the employees. Often the solution
comes when each employee discovers that their assumptions were totally wrong. I will remain
objective rather than finding fault. Most often both parties are at fault and there is no simple
right and wrong answer. My goal is for them to solve the problem so they are able to work
together. I will follow up with more meetings. The initial meeting is only a first step in resolving
the conflict. Schedule a follow up meeting at the end of the first meeting.

I will also make a conflict resolution plan. Dissatisfied employees can negatively affect a
company because they typically lack motivation, perform poorly and possess negative attitudes.
These symptoms have a way of spreading to other employees, infecting entire departments and
the company's bottom line. Any business will have employees who don’t get along from time to
time. Whether it’s because of differences in their personalities, lifestyles, opinions or some
other factor, sometimes employees just don’t get along with others. The resulting tension not
only makes the office environment uncomfortable – it can also negatively impact the business’s
productivity. Handled constructively, employee conflict can lead to healthy competition,
process improvements, innovation and enhanced creativity.

I will understand the nature of the conflict. It’s often tempting to make assumptions
about conflict, especially if rumors are circulating. I will not assume anything. Instead, figure out
what’s fueling the disagreement between my employees. I will encourage employees to work it
out themselves. I will provide guidance or talking points, if needed, to help each employee
approach the other person in a positive manner. I will not set the expectation that I will fix the
problem for them. I will facilitate the discussion between them. I will use my best judgment
when it comes to addressing employee complaints. I will determine whether the situation is
emotionally charged and define the severity of the conflict. Once I assessed the issue, I will talk
to each employee individually to let them know that I am aware of the situation.

I will encourage open communication and resolution among the employees involved.
Ask them if they feel comfortable going to the other employee and handling it one-on-one.
Conflict resolution doesn’t necessarily have to end in agreement. Sometimes, it’s best to agree
to disagree, respectfully. When that happens, employees should acknowledge there is a
difference of opinion or approach, and come up with a solution together on how to move
forward. Keep the focus on behavior and problems rather than people. I will get to the root of
the problem. I will make sure the message is clear that all employees, regardless of position and
tenure, will be held accountable for their behavior. I will let them know that if established
standards aren’t met, it could lead to disciplinary action.

I will listen to both sides. I will deal with the two individuals or groups of people who are
directly involved in the incident. Most employees want to feel listened to or acknowledged, so I
will ask each person responsible to explain their side of the story. Before deciding whether to
meet with the disagreeing parties together or separately, I will evaluate the degree of hostility
between them. I will provide each with uninterrupted time to give their (fact-based) side of the
story. Once all employees have had this opportunity, I will ask each of them to offer ideas on
how the situation could be resolved and how all parties could move forward. I will determine
the real issue together and encourage the employee to articulate the issue in a calm way.
Treating emotional symptoms alone only puts a temporary Band-Aid over the issue. Get to the
crux of the matter, so you can find a permanent solution that won’t be as susceptible to future
flare-ups. I will find a solution and help employees learn their difference. I will improve
employee focus and the workplace dynamic by reorganizing teams. It may be helpful to give the
employees involved time to “cool off” before they work together again. Recognize when it’s
time to re-evaluate your staff.

I will document all workplace incidents. Recording these events will help me monitor
behavior over time and notice repeat offenders that may be negatively impacting my office. I
will write down factual information from each employee-related incident. I will include the
counseling or written memorandum concerning the employees’ conduct in their HR file. I will
include the who, what, when, where and how, as well as the resolution that all parties agreed
on and committed to uphold. I will teach them how to communicate. For some troubled
employees, talking out a situation isn’t enough. Typically, people who have these types of
problems likely have communication issues already. If there’s a lot of discord among staff, it’s
probably time to teach them some basic communication and problem-solving techniques.
Personality and training will help employees communicate more effectively as a team. These
courses teach employees how to articulate their thoughts and emotions in a nonthreatening
way. The techniques they learn can help those diffuse conflicts before they blow up. I will lead
by example. Set the standard for employees who don’t get along – and employees in general.
Building a culture of engaged employees, who respect each other and work well together, is a
top-down proposition. By speaking to my employees in an honest and respectful manner, I
create an environment that fosters integrity and communication. When I’m open and honest,
employees are more likely to follow. Leading by example becomes almost automatic when
simply reinforce and uphold the company’s values, policies and guidelines in an objective way.

I will provide lots of training. Basic conflict resolution training is an absolute must.
All new employees should receive this training as part of their new hire orientation. Define
acceptable and unacceptable behavior, and provide a step-by-step process on how to assess
and address conflicts when they arise. Add these definitions and processes to your employee
handbook so employees can refer to them as needed. Conflict resolution is a valuable skill,
within and outside of the workplace, so this type of training is a great development tool. While
it’s not possible to predict every scenario, basic conflict resolution skills – such as listening,
emotional intelligence, empathy, collaboration and compromise – will lay the groundwork for
successful communication between employees.

I will teach, practice and repeat. Giving employees a foundation of conflict resolution
training is just the beginning. Some people lack the emotional intelligence to understand how
their concerns would sound to the offender. When a conflict arises, coach the employees
through the communication process and help them practice what they’re going to say.
Emphasize the person exhibiting the annoying behavior likely does not realize they are being
obnoxious or disruptive to their co-workers. Ask a series of guiding questions and fine-tune the
tone or words as needed. I will follow up. Hold my employees accountable. After practicing
what they’re going to say, get a commitment from them in the moment about when they will
address the offender. Then follow up and ask for feedback so you know it has been addressed.
If it didn’t go well or someone was offended, pull both employees in and help them work
through it together. Try to temper the emotions and help them understand each other’s
perspective. My role is to be a facilitator and guide to help them work through it on their own,
not to solve the issue for them.

I will intervene when necessary. Most grievances should be able to be resolved between
employees. However, certain workplace complaints – those that concern issues of privacy or
safety, for example – should be addressed by the business leader. I will need to take the lead
for particularly sensitive issues, such as body odor, medical issues or any potential workplace
violence situations. While these can sometimes be difficult conversations, it is important to
address them promptly and from a neutral perspective.
I will take everything seriously. Be prepared to have some people come for the smallest
of complaints. Even if it seems minor to you, keep in mind that it is a big deal to the person who
is complaining. If dismiss their concerns, you risk damaging your relationship and breaking the
trust they place in you as their leader. Let employees know that I am there to help them learn
how to work it out on their own. No matter the complaint, always offer guidance and talk
through any issues. Reinforce my role as a coach, and with enough practice employees will
learn to work through these issues themselves.
3. How can you encourage collaboration in the workplace to gain competitive advantage?
Gone are the days of a lone genius tapping away in the corner to generate the next big
Ideas and solution. Nowadays, the focus is on team effort. There are a multitude of benefits to
be reaped from a collaborative workplace, from greater employee satisfaction to generation.
One of the most important outcomes of a collaborative workplace is the positive effect it has on
an organization’s innovation output. A cohesive environment is the perfect vehicle for creative
thinking and idea generation.
I will encourage collaboration in the workplace by sharing the company's mission over
and over again. I will communicate my expectation for collaboration. I will define and
communicate my team's goals. I will highlight individuals' strengths. I will promote a community
working environment. I will foster honest and open communication. I will encourage creativity.
I will share knowledge, insight and resources, I will lead by example. I will get out of the office. I
will invest in collaboration tools. I will celebrate and reward successful teamwork.
I will communicate company expectations. Make it clear that collaboration is the
minimum standard. Define roles and responsibilities within the team. Every team member
should understand their position and what is required of them. In a collaborative environment
every team member takes responsibility for good outcomes.
I will set team goals. Ensure concise, measurable goals are set on a quarterly basis.
Getting the team to focus on goals will keep individual efforts aligned with desired outcomes.
Be willing to re-evaluate goals as needed. All our quarterly goals are published. Each quarter
the outcome of each goal is also published. This keeps us focused and transparent.
 I will foster a creative atmosphere. Allow team members to question and brainstorm in
a non-judgmental framework. Encourage the team to look at obstacles as being conquerable.
Nurture a “can do” company attitude. Ask why, or why not, on a regular basis. One way we
cultivate a creative atmosphere at my company is by providing leadership training that
encourages character development. I will purposefully hire employees who aspire to be and
produce their very best.

I will build cohesion. Include every person on the team in as many large decisions as
possible. Create a means of communicating current work flows to avoid duplication of effort.
Initiate daily team huddles where each member shares what they will be accomplishing that
day. This keeps everyone on the same playbook and enables team members to re-direct their
efforts as needed.

I will leverage team member strengths. Position each team member for success by
assigning tasks that play to their respective strengths. Reward both individual and team
accomplishments regularly. Establishing a collaboration policy is just the beginning.
Collaboration must be consistent and purposeful, with resources dedicated to its success. There
may be many superheroes in the office already; build productivity exponentially by getting
them to work as a collaborative team.

There are steps in creating a collaborative workplace. I will cultivate openness and
transparency. There is no need to divulge every snippet of confidential information but keeping
employees in the loop is essential to inspire loyalty and productivity. Be open about the issues
and challenges your organization is facing and present incentives for employees to offer
solutions. Accordingly, all staff can be kept in line with the strategic objectives of the company,
meaning that everyone can work collectively towards the same business goals.

I will establish a judgement-free idea-sharing culture. One obstacle that often prevents
employees from active participation and putting forward their ideas is a fear of judgement or
rejection. Particularly prevalent in companies with a top-down organization structure,
intimidation can be a frustrating barrier that gets in the way of the best ideas bubbling to the
surface. Overcome by establishing a creative and judgement-free workplace culture where new
ideas and discussions are consistently welcome, whether they are small and strange or
ambitious and dramatic. Refrain from setting too many guidelines, as these can stifle creativity.
Place an emphasis on creative freedom and valuable workplace collaborations will follow.
I will encourage collaboration across departments. Working with the same team’s day
in, day out, can become routine and hence slow the innovation process. Encourage
engagement between teams – even better if this includes collaboration across different
departments. The combination of differing objectives, people types and skillsets can lead to the
most effective idea generation. By pushing communication between employees who may not
usually be in contact, you will be motivating your staff to step outside of their comfort zones,
hence keeping them on their toes.
 I will lead from the top down. There is nothing less motivational than a leader who
remains cooped up in an office, separated from the team and therefore in a kind of superior
bubble. Adopt an open-door policy where communication between the different hierarchies of
an organization is frequent and fluid. Managers should roll up their sleeves and get stuck in
alongside employees. It is important to remember that collaboration is not only reserved for
part of the organization. It should be adopted by every member of staff, no matter their level or
job role. Visibility is key – If employees can see their managers and directors effectively
collaborating then they will feel inspired to replicate this behavior, hence improving their own
productivity.

I will offer positivity and rewards. Ultimately, we are only human and even the most
dedicated employee’s need an appropriate reward if they have achieved success. Reward
individuals where necessary but do not forget to reward team efforts too. This is crucial in
encouraging future collaborations, as employees will realize the benefits of working together.
Of course, not all ideas will be good ones but it is nevertheless important to be persistent in
providing feedback, whilst remaining positive. Offering constructive criticism is key to
improvement but ensure you convey an appreciation of their effort. Responding to each idea
can be time consuming so encourage peer-to-peer discussions of ideas to further increase
collaborative efforts.

I will have the right technology in place. If pushing to create a fully cohesive workplace
culture then need to ensure to have the appropriate technology in place to facilitate
collaboration. This will help employees do their jobs faster so they can invest more time in
teamwork and innovation. Stay ahead of technological advances in order to keep the
employees engaged and motivated.
4. Covid 19 pandemic is not only a disruptor, but also an accelerator. What is the impact of
this pandemic to people in particular and the organization in general?
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major disruptor and accelerator of change in
business, consumer, and societal trends. Dealing with the unforeseen challenges caused by the
COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on people all across the world. As the
coronavirus pandemic rapidly sweeps across the world, it is inducing a considerable degree of
fear, worry and concern in the population at large and among certain groups in particular, such
as older adults, care providers and people with underlying health conditions. In public mental
health terms, the main psychological impact to date is elevated rates of stress or anxiety. But as
new measures and impacts are introduced – especially quarantine and its effects on many
people’s usual activities, routines or livelihoods – levels of loneliness, depression, harmful
alcohol and drug use, and self-harm or suicidal behavior are also expected to rise. In
populations already heavily affected, issues of service access and continuity for people with
developing or existing mental health conditions are also now a major concern, along with the
mental health and well-being of frontline workers. As part of its public health response, WHO
has worked with partners to develop a set of new materials on the mental health and
psychosocial support aspects of COVID-19.The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is drastically
changing the lives of people, including the lives of young people. Schools and universities have
closed, exams and events postponed, the usual health information services are limited,
socializing with friends and wider family is highly discouraged and in some places even
punishable. Living in these circumstances can be tough for young people for their social,
physical and mental wellbeing.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and
presents an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems and the world of work. The
economic and social disruption caused by the pandemic is devastating: millions of people are at
risk of falling into extreme poverty, while the number of undernourished people could increase.

Millions of enterprises face an existential threat. Nearly half of the world’s 3.3 billion
global workforce are at risk of losing their livelihoods. Informal economy workers are
particularly vulnerable because the majority lack social protection and access to quality health
care and have lost access to productive assets. Without the means to earn an income during
lockdowns, many are unable to feed themselves and their families. For most, no income means
no food, or, at best, less food and less nutritious food.

In the COVID-19 crisis food security, public health, and employment and labor issues, in
particular workers’ health and safety, converge. Adhering to workplace safety and health
practices and ensuring access to decent work and the protection of labor rights in all industries
will be crucial in addressing the human dimension of the crisis. The COVID-19 outbreak affects
all segments of the population and is particularly detrimental to members of those social
groups in the most vulnerable situations, continues to affect populations, including people
living in poverty situations, older persons, persons with disabilities, youth, and indigenous
peoples. Early evidence indicates that that the health and economic impacts of the virus are
being borne disproportionately by poor people.

Local and international restrictions meant to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the
coronavirus that causes COVID-19, have included stay at home orders, travel bans, restrictions
on meeting people from other households, and the closure of nonessential stores, as well as
gyms, cinemas, museums, art galleries, and even places of worship.

Because of the pandemic, millions of people worldwide have started working from
home. As businesses adapt and learn from this remote work experiment, many are altering
their long-term plans to accommodate this way of working. Working from home can certainly
have both positive and negative effects on employees’ well-being. Working from home was
sometimes associated with more emotional exhaustion, especially in people who felt isolated
from their colleagues and thus had less social support. Others, however, reported feeling more
content because they did not have to face a stressful workplace on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, not everyone has been able to retain their jobs. Some of the workers was
laid off or lost their job as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Small independent businesses
have also taken major hits throughout this pandemic year. Some businesses were “temporarily
closed because of COVID-19,” while others had closed their doors for good. This atmosphere of
occupational and financial insecurity is likely to have had a deep impact, both on people’s
mental health and whether they can access primary healthcare.

Research into the extent of the pandemic’s impact on depression and anxiety in various
populations worldwide is ongoing. So far, both data and personal anecdotes suggest that the
negative effect is one to be reckoned with. People all over the world have reported increases in
anxiety related to fears about contracting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

As business close to help prevent transmission of COVID-19, financial concerns and job
losses are one of the first human impacts of the virus. Not knowing how this pandemic will play
out also affects our economic, physical and mental well-being. Despite this fear, businesses and
communities in many regions have shown a more altruistic response in the face of crisis –
actions which could help countries preparing for COVID-19.

There was significant economic impact of the coronavirus on financial markets and
vulnerable industries such as manufacturing, tourism, hospitality and travel. Travel and tourism
account for 10% of the global GDP and 50 million jobs are at risk worldwide. Global tourism,
travel and hospitality companies closing down affects SMEs globally. This, in turn, affects many
people, typically the least well-paid and those self-employed or working in informal
environments in the gig economy or in part-time work with zero-hours contracts. Some
governments have announced economic measures to safeguard jobs, guarantee wages and
support the self-employed, but there is a lack of clarity in many countries about how these
measures will be implemented and how people will manage a loss of income in the short-term.

The economic disruption induced by the Covid-19 was caused by governments reacting
to the health threat by locking down parts of the economy, as well as by individuals reacting
cautiously to the threat by, for example, cutting back on services from restaurants, bars,
cinemas, and the like.

The Short-Run Consequences of the Pandemic on Organization Designs.

This had a number of immediate organizational design implications, caused by physical

distance becoming an important contingency. First, much on-site work was transformed to
work mediated by tools like Zoom and in general electronic platforms substituted for direct
coordination under conditions of co-presence in the coordination of work efforts. Second, this
seems to have been accompanied by a higher level of real delegation as companies were
compelled to transfer decision competence to local managers.

Economics-based organization design theory indicates that these changes are

accompanied by changes in reward systems towards more performance-dependent salaries,
more reliance on output rather than input measures of efforts, and a higher degree of
formalization as organizations seeks to maintain control under conditions of distance, virtual
work and reduce the moral hazard problems from a higher level of informational asymmetry. In
fact, the latter challenges may lead firms to substitute independent contractors (e.g.,
freelancers) for employees. Alternatively, firms may invest more in building employee relations,
possibly backed up by giving them more incentives in the form of ownership stakes in the
enterprise. Clearly, the implications for rewards and ownership arrangements are different
here, and which predictions are confirmed by the data remains to be seen.

Long-Run Consequences of the Pandemic on Organization Designs

Concerning the longer-run consequences of the pandemic, one possibility is that the
pandemic will turn out to have been just a temporary disturbance. Thus, the economy,
including the organization of transactions across the economy (which of course would also
include the world economy) will return to its pre-pandemic configuration, as supply chains are
restored, international mobility patterns revert back, resources flow back into the experience
economy, and so on. This could happen with the quick development of a successful vaccine,
and/or the widespread use of effective testing and tracing routines. If on the other hand no
vaccine is found and the virus doesn’t mutate towards less harmful variants, constant
precautions in the form of continuing social distancing, reduced international labor mobility and
business travel, and semi-closed borders will be permanent features of the business landscape.
However, this will not be identical to the situation at the onset of the pandemic as innovations
and changed work routines will emerge to compensate. For example, virtual meetings are likely
to improve in quality.

However, even if the situation relatively quickly returns to ‘normal’, the pandemic is
likely to leave a permanent mark on organization design. The reason is that major disruptions
imply major changes to the so-called ‘economic fundamentals’, namely technology, scarcities
and preferences, which do not revert back to pre-disruption levels.

Pandemic is likely to leave permanent traces on the organization of tasks in terms of

specialization, bundling of tasks and sequencing of tasks. Organizational theory suggests that
interdependencies may be thought of as pooled, sequential and reciprocal (While this is often
linked to the underlying technology, to some extent interdependencies are choice variables; for
instance, some tasks that naturally involve reciprocal interdependencies can be made more
sequential, given sufficient advance planning.

Moreover, firms can decide on the intensity with which they use certain technology-
interdependence pairs. Because the pandemic makes reciprocal interdependencies more
difficult to organize (as these often involve, direct and potentially lengthy face-to-face
interaction), task interdependencies will tend to migrate more towards the pooled or
sequential category, and firms will invest more in pre-planning task execution as there may be
less scope for real time coordination. This will also tend to support modularization of tasks and
task sequences so that highly interdependent tasks will tend to become more concentrated in
technological and organizational modules (small rather than large work teams), which will
necessitate a careful rethinking of the interfaces between work activities. The increased use of
automation brought about by the pandemic may reinforce these tendencies.

The proportion between on-site and remote work will likely not bounce back to former
proportions because of preference changes (many employees have discovered the possibility of
remote work and have come to like it), technological change (tools that facilitates remote work
will rapidly improve, including the use of hologram-assisted communication and sophisticated
means of monitoring employee productivity at a distance), and politics (remote work better
supports a green transformation agenda). The increased use of remote work may imply a
decreasing use of teamwork (which is easier to manage on-site), smaller teams (that are easier
to coordinate remotely), and an increasing use of management by individual objectives and
rewards.

Many forces set in motion by the pandemic impact organizational boundaries by

impacting labor transactions and transactions involving intermediate inputs and capital assets.
On the one hand the use of remote work may decrease organizational loyalties and
investments in firm-specific human capital and reduce the need for input monitoring. This will
tend to increase the use of freelance, part-time work rather than permanent full employment,
thereby shrinking firm boundaries. The increased use of automation – which many observers
argue will be a permanent legacy of the pandemic – will reinforce this shrinkage. On the other
hand, to the extent that the pandemic leads to a permanent decline in the extent of
globalization that implies, for example, fewer suppliers, it may be a force pulling in the direction
of more vertical integration, as international competition is less likely to alleviate the hold-

Businesses must navigate the financial and operational challenges of coronavirus while
rapidly addressing the needs of their people, customers and suppliers. Organizations globally
are experiencing unprecedented workforce disruption. Virtually all companies are still
determining how we will work in the short- and long-term, as workforces and communities try
to function and perform, while struggling to cope with what is happening in their daily lives.

CHROs across industries are rising to the challenge, helping people and organizations
navigate massive workforce shifts, such as the urgent need to shift to a remote workforce to
protect and empower employees, serve customers and to establish business continuity. For
example, the now critical need for virtual care messaging and visits in healthcare.

CHROs’ expertise in developing agile workforce strategies is critical to keeping the global
economy viable and helping people and their families survive financially now and in the future.
Opportunities are emerging as companies and industries work together to keep people
working. People, organizations and communities need fit-for-purpose plans today that can
evolve as the global health and economic environment changes. Businesses, governments,
citizens, and non-profits all play critical roles in establishing a human-centered, systems-minded
approach that promotes shared workforce resilience.

All industries have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, with varying degrees of
severity. Some have stronger defenses, while others will struggle to return to a constantly
shifting “normal. “Consumer demand patterns are shifting, global supply chains are disrupted
and remain under pressure, and different regions, markets and governments are responding
uniquely to the COVID-19 crisis. Companies must continuously adapt to new and uncertain
market conditions. Informed by daily conversations with our clients, we offer industry-specific
advice on what leaders should consider doing now and next.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had tremendous and swift effects on workplace culture. The
global lockdown and travel bans have upended assumptions about the nature of work and
corporate interactions. People have discovered that they don’t have to be in an office, that they
can get most things done remotely. They do not need to commute to work. Others have gone
from jet-set to home-bound with little effect on their business. As they adjust to operating
during a pandemic and prepare for the recovery, organizational leaders need to consider which
culture changes they want to retain and which they must counteract.

The rapidity of these changes is a problem. Organizational culture is defined by the

collective norms of behavior exhibited by the individuals within an organization. Generally,
workplace culture does not change very much or very fast. Rather it adjusts slowly, over a long
period of time in response to an accumulation of multiple small encouragements and the
occasional epiphany. This year, however, organizations globally have abandoned their
fundamental working premise, “how things get done around here,” sometimes in a matter of
days.

5. Why do some people unethically in organization?

There are number of reasons why people act unethically at workplace. Unethical
behavior is defined as behavior that contradicts with the rules designed to maintain the justice,
integrity and decency in the organization. An example of unethical behavior is employees
providing fake bills for money redemption against approved funds. Behavior like this is
motivated by various things such as:

Resentment feeling: When employees feel that they are not being treated fairly and are
not being rewarded substantially for the amount of effort they are placing into their work they
tend to cheat the company they are working for. Their most common perception is that they
should not worry about the organization and its wellbeing when the organization is not
worrying about them.

Misguided loyalty: It is another reason for unethical conduct on the job. People
sometimes lie because they think in doing so they are being loyal to the organization or to their
bosses. Examples of this type of behavior are not hard to find. For example, managers at
automobile companies who hide or falsify information about defects that later cause accidents
and kill people or managers at pharmaceutical companies who hide information about
dangerous side effects of their drugs. No doubt these managers believed they were protecting
their employers. They may well have seen themselves as good, loyal employees.

Environment: Sometimes, employee acts unethically in business because his employer

condones the behavior. For example, in the stock market traders are supposed to cheat a little
to create the market hype necessary for its efficient working. This is unethical, but the behavior
is so common on the trading floor that it is never questioned.

Individual factor: Employees who obey authority figures’ unethical directives or act
merely to avoid punishment. They manipulate others for their own personal gain, fail to see the
connection between their actions and outcomes, and believe that ethical choices are driven by
circumstance.

Pressure: It can drive people to do things they wouldn’t normally do. Pressure to
succeed, pressure to get ahead, pressure to meet deadlines and expectations, pressure from
co-workers, bosses, customers, or vendors to engage in unethical activities or at least look the
other way.

Career Advancement: A person acts unethically because she believes it helps her career.
An unethical act is used as a means of impressing a superior or hurting the career of a
competitor. For example, a person sabotages a co-worker’s project as a means of making
him/herself to look better in comparison.

Issue-specific: Issues can vary in the degree of harm they impose on the victim, and on
the degree of agreement among peers. Sometimes, a particular issue requires unethical
behavior from the employee and there is no other option they can utilize.

Greed: Of course, some people do not just do something wrong in a weak moment or
because they are not sure about what is the right thing to do. Some people know exactly what
they are doing and why. Self-interest, personal gain, ambition, and downright greed are at the
bottom of a lot of unethical activity in business.

Ignorance: Ethical conflicts or violations are not always transparent, and it’s easy for an
employee to perform an unethical act without knowing it. For this reason, it is important for
companies to make employees aware both of the company’s general ethics policy, and specific
examples of ethical and unethical behavior.

Insensitivity towards others: Unethical behavior also increases when employees feel
that their actions will not harm a potential victim and that their peers will not condemn their
actions. They will engage in more unethical behavior when the company promotes an
“everyone for him or herself” atmosphere instead of an environment that focuses employee
attention on the company’s stakeholders.