Individual Interventions in an Organization

Individual Interventions in an Organization

BUS 370

Organizational Development

Individual Interventions in an Organization

Businesses that require improvement at the individual, group, and organizational levels sometimes struggle to identify the problem and implement the changes effectively. Therefore, clients typically hire an Organizational Development (OD) consultant to help identify which level and method of intervention to use. When employee behavior or job-related issues are the cause of the problem, individual-level intervention is best. This paper will explore two different intervention methods at the individual level and compare and contrast how organizations effectively use them.

Intervention by Assessment

           According to Bierema (2014), assessments measure the aspects of individual attributes and behaviors. When organizations require employees to change their behaviors, OD consultants rely on assessments to gather and report timely and relevant information about employee conduct. Assessments are particularly useful for helping employees understand their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them the opportunity to decide which avenue of personal or professional growth is necessary.

One assessment model that OD consultants use for intervention is 360-degree feedback. More than 85% of the Fortune 500 companies enhance their leadership development by using the 360-degree feedback process (Zenger, 2016). This assessment is not only used to measure an employee’s job performance, but it also solicits feedback beyond their rater, to include their managers, peers, subordinates, and even customers. When used as a development tool, the 360-degree feedback offers improved evaluation from multiple sources, which minimizes rater bias and discrimination, and supplies critical insight on potential training opportunities (Heathfield, 2019). 

Intervention by Job Development

           Individual attributes are not always the problem that needs changing within an organization. Job development is another type of intervention at the individual level used to make changes to job design, job description, or policy. Clear, and current job descriptions are crucial for job development. They should comprise the following: job title, start date, job location, number of work hours per week, required years of experience or education, starting salary, and benefits (Bierema, 2014). As businesses evolve, employers must work with Human Resources and managers to modify and rewrite job descriptions to ensure they recruit and select the right employees for the right job.

Intervention Comparison

Despite the different aspects they focus on, assessments and job development intervention models work together to resolve organizational issues at the individual level. Consultants conduct assessments to gather data on how employees behave. Job descriptions are often used as a baseline to gauge how well the behavior matched and to determine if corrections are necessary. Inversely, the results from a 360-degree assessment can help accurately determine the best skills and qualifications requirements for a job, which may lead to a job description change.

           Furthermore, as interventions occur at the individual level, their implementation influences the upper tiers of the organization as well. By improving personal and professional growth and developing stronger job descriptions, employees can be more aware and prepared to work along with teammates. As those teams improve, the overall organization becomes more efficient and effective.

Conclusion

           Individual-level intervention is a valuable tool for addressing the issues related to employee behavior and job duties and responsibilities. Consultants use assessments to evaluate several aspects of employee attributes. The 360-degree feedback model provides a comprehensive look at employee performance, which improves change validation. Consultants also use job development to modify the specific requirements needed to accomplish a job effectively. A job description is a tool that provides employees and supervisors a baseline of performance expectations. Despite their differences, assessments and job development are used together to enhance each tier of the organization.

References

Bierema, L. (2014). An introduction to organizational development. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Heathfield, S. M. (2019, October 17). Is 360 Degree Employee Feedback Always Bad? Retrieved from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/360-degree-feedback-information-1917537

Zenger, J. (2016, March 10). How Effective Are Your 360-Degree Feedback Assessments? Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackzenger/2016/03/10/how-effective-are-your-360-degree-feedback-assessments/#6cfe594da690