The study looks into how the views of an employee in an organization are established, maintained and the consequences associated with those views. This study followed the early careers of employees of Donaldson Family Foods insurance of United States of America. The conflict between the employees’ values and those of the organization is seen. Person-organization fit is indicated to be created. It is to happen in a small part by assessment of who the individual is, when the person joined the organization and socialization part of the organization which manipulates the individual values, outlooks and behaviors for the duration of membership.
The study further shows that initially, the workforce with values that go with those of the organization, when they enter this organization, they adjust to it quickly. It is further noted that workers who know how to socialize, fit the organization’s values better than those who do not. A final observation is that new employees with values directly related with the organization’s values, get fulfilled and stay with it longer. Businesses dedicate significant resources to set up and maintain a good fit between workers.
Essential understanding of Family Foods Company, its framework, the social business responsibility, business ownership, decision making are outlined here (King, 1989). Donaldson Family Food is a privately held family company for canning vegetables established in 1899. The family business is lead by a graduate of Duke University with an MBA from Michigan, Jeff Donaldson. This CEO and president of the company attained the position through struggle. He started as a shift supervisor, then plant manager before attaining the current position.
The composition of top management does not accommodate the views and aspirations of social proposals in policy formulation and running of the organization. This is witnessed when Kate Elliot, a new product development specialist’s proposal response is delayed forever. The company is committed to providing excellence and efficient service to their workers. The company provides social protection and social amenities to workers. This is evidenced through on- site workout facility and a juicy bar in the company vicinity.
The study notes that there is no internal democracy in this company to matters relating to decision making. The study discovers that lower levels of democratic political conduct are accredited to ethnic attitude and resistance to criticizing and challenging others within the staff meetings. The Family Foods Company’s culture differed with Kate’s expectations. No critism was allowed in staff meetings. Decision making followed a slow process and involved a centralized decision making approach. The company’s mission is to move in a new and high growth market yet the decisions do not follow the real time framework.
All ideas, initiatives and proposals of employees do not proceed unless they are approved by Senior Management Action Review Team (King, 1989). Workers are paid well, not pressurized to perform and they are never fired. The company’s top is flattened. Although this supposed to shorten decision making time, it does not apply to this company. The new recruit thought the company’s operations are carried out in an atmosphere of transparency, accountability and with a transformed dedication to fast marketing of products.
A cornerstone of most developing company paradigm is the embracing of employee views and the idea of time consciousness by Company workers. This universal agenda does not apply to Family Foods. The top management of this company argues that employee empowerment in the course of democratically organized welfare and development programs does not upshot in effective employees (King, 1989). For a smooth running of an organization, a good way of solving emerging issues among employees is crucial.
In Family Foods Company, conflicts are handled by one of Senior Management Action Team moving to the specific employee’s office and tell him or her to change. When conflict is among members of the same office the culprit is warned immediately without waiting for authority from above. These difficult recruits are seen in many forms; some talk a lot without listening to others, others make nonsense of team work, more others fail to honor their commitments but criticize what they are not involved in, while still others compete for power, privilege and the limelight.
The farthest extend is for those that change the boss’ perception of their colleagues. Self- esteem and professional courage plays a role dealing with these groups. When the behavior impinges on many workers, the person has to be replaced with a competent new recruit. Dealing with difficult colleagues can be managed though the following steps: Address the circumstances to your supervisor before it gets worse. Apply objectivity and self-control when reporting the difficult person. Scrutinize yourself to make certain other person is truly the problem.
Confiding in a trusted colleague whenever the boss comes out to supporting the actions of a co-worker aid as pieces of evidence. Follow up from the initial discussion to make peace with the person and stick to your current post. If things do not work out hold a face-to-face discussion. Rally other workers behind you if a group of employees persuades the manager that you are a problematic colleague (Mildner, 2007). Advancement in communication technologies facilitates quick interactivity whether participants are co-located or they are distributed.
Verbal communication is used frequently in physical proximity environment. On the other hand, nonverbal cues, auditory and visual, aid in distributed communication. The availability of the two influenced the communication process, social conclusion employees made about each other and job performance in Family Foods Company. The verbal and nonverbal systems are supposed to interact and substitute each other. This company’s research, recruitment and announcement have relied on various modalities of communications. The CEO used a phone call to contact the new recruit Kate.
The company’s vision was put on a company manual for employees to stick to it. Tom severally had a face to face conversation with Kate in her face. Audio and Video conferencing were used in staff meetings. The president made use of metaphors to convey his messages to employees. Kate presented her research proposal in diagrams and on papers. Virtual reality was used by the secretary to communicate with the president abroad. Most of the research carried out in the company failed because they relied so much on verbal and nonverbal communication.
Had the researchers relied on computer based virtual reality for communication and research, success would have been witnessed. Verbal and nonverbal communications make use of theoretical ways to supply social and contextual information. The extent to which communication hampers or helps an organization depends on environment of interaction, goals to be accomplished and the distance between the actors (Ruben & Budd, 1978). The recruitment of the company employees is full of confusion with no formal criterion.
The study reveals that the president of Family Foods Company has filled up the ranks of the top management with relatives. The reason he gives is that the company was started with his grandfather. The president should appoint qualified people identified under a competitive process by the board of the company. He should stop going for cronies, tribesmen and beautiful ladies who comply with his personal needs. My personal recommendation to the president would be to fire non productive workers and replace them with competent ones.
Instead of hiring new employees, the CEO should renew contract for retiring members of the company who had instigated expansion programmes of increasing the capacity of the company. The top management should advertise vacant position through the media to identify the qualified people for the same. The new recruits should face competitive interviews before being given the job. The department of information technology should be equipped with the current computer based forms of communication like audeoconferencing, videoconferencing and virtual reality to enhance effective communication within the company staff meetings (Ruben & Budd, 1978).
Conclusion The study indicates that the president of Family Foods Company makes use of artistic creations to promote social and psychological needs of the employees. With the current education structure, it is advisable for future leaders to be identified and nurtured along their lines of profession the way president Jeff Donaldson did. The study shows that the president should stop plucking out new employees from nowhere. These new recruits are criticized of having little managerial skills and knowledge about Family Foods and they end up turning around the company into tatters.
It is asserted that radical measures in management should be taken to restore the glory of Family Foods Company. Further, the research implies that workers of Family Food Company are impressed with the service we receive. They enjoy being taken to recreational places (Ruben & Budd, 1978).
References
King, S. (1989). Human communication as a field of study: selected contemporary views. New York: SUNY Press. Mildner, V. (2007). The cognitive neuroscience of human communication. London: CRC Press. Ruben, B. & Budd, R. (1978). Human communication handbook: simulations and games. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.