Make employees good 'organisational citizens'

Today we frequently discuss about the rising attrition levels within companies, in various industry forums, business publications and management school class sessions.  Yes, because this has a huge impact on the bottom line as well as, a fear of loss of core skills that has been built up painstakingly in the company.

In this globalised era, with a flux of people from various geographical cultures and mental models coming in to meet the rapid scaling up and grand strategic plans of companies, an equally large number could leave either due to push factors within the company or the pull factors, the lure of better jobs by the competitors. Permanency or stability of the people within a company is never assured. Professional loyalty replaces organisational loyalty.

With companies offering lateral positions and the expectations of a meteoric career growth and stylish designations for the more ambitious, people move from one company to the other, a scene that reminds us of the trapeze in a circus.

Economists interpret it as dynamics of demand and supply. Whatever it be, is there something like stability or permanency for companies; of a set of happy and productive employees, to ‘grow and develop’ the organisation in a tumultuous change process?
What does it feel like at home, when one or the other is not there at home, virtually on tours, away on studies or work? Not great.  On the other hand, isn’t there a latent well being, when all others are at home, when there is the clang of vessels, the mixer zooms in the kitchen, the loud serials on TV, the buzz of the washing machine and the chatter at the dining table.  Does it not give you a strong and good feeling to be with everyone at home? 

Difference at work

You know it only when you miss the others. Why does it have to be different at work? How do you like it when some of your close companions announce that ‘they are moving’? Isn’t there a pang? Yes, not only you, if the soul of your company could, it would ‘sigh’.  Companies, who win their laurels in the best place to work surveys or the best employer surveys, are definitely doing something. With all the best practices, it is the ‘feel good’ and ‘work well’ factors that they are attending to. Does the feel good and work well factors also lead to the ‘stay long’ factor? Does the stay long factor mean the ‘feel deep’ factor?  Not necessarily, but there could be a correlation. At the base level, the percentage of loyal employees today is waning. This can affect company stability and consequently, sustenance, growth and development of the organisation.  Like how a family grows, the children grow up, reach out to the world, scale heights, so is it with the company.  When there is good support within, it is a great boost to the kids, so say the psychologists. How is it different in a workplace?  How can an organisation develop and sustain itself when people keep moving indiscriminately? What is required is the committed participation of a good majority of the people within to work out a process map to improve effectiveness and efficiency together in the long run, for the long run.  Don’t you do many things for your family, because you ‘care’? It is the same out there in the workplace.

How do organisations develop? The specific stream of study, Organisational Development & Change tries to see this as a systematic, planned effort to change the organisation driven from the top involving the complete system. It has a lot to do with Process. When it is process, it is about people. There has to be ownership among the employees; that the company is ‘mine’ and that I ‘care’.

This is what is termed as “organisational citizenship”. It means he or she will give one’s best. Organisational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB) are workplace behaviours that promote effective organisational functioning but are discretionary, not directly or explicitly recognised by the formal reward system.  OCB is about a strong need to do something for the organization and the people within. It is about not attempting equity between what I ‘get’ and what I ‘give’ in many transactions at work.

I give because I ‘feel’ for my organisation. It is a translation of commitment, a sensitivity to the needs of others at work and a strong identification with the company and its well being. Helping a co-worker could be an example of OCB. It is going ‘beyond’ what is required in terms of role descriptions or job specifications. Citizenship behaviours and organisation development are mutually related, one can lead to the other.

The organisation will be able to give more to the employees as it develops. This can have a positive impact back, to develop the organisation further. A lot of research is being done to understand organisation citizenship behaviour, on how it is created, and what environmental factors or company context contribute to it. So, let us heave a sigh of relief, try to understand, wait and watch. There is still hope.

(The writer is a professor at T A Pai Management Institute)