Assessment Item 3 - Critical Reflective Blogs ✓ Solved

Assessment Item 3 - Critical Reflective Blogs

The purpose of this assignment is to complete critical reflective blogs for four OB topics covered in the subject. The aim of this assignment is to enable you to highlight thoughts on each topic as well as demonstrate your understanding of the topics covered in this subject. In this assessment, you have to reflect on four OB topics of your choice. You can choose from the following topics:

• Topic 4: Getting the right people
• Topic 5: Work and job performance and conditions
• Topic 6: Assessing, influencing and rewarding performance
• Topic 7: Grouping individuals and behaviour; Organisational change; Organisational culture
• Topic 8: Organisational processes and behaviour
• Topic 9: Leadership
• Topic 10: Organisational justice and employee wellbeing

The reflection should start with the question: What is the applicability and relevance of OB theory/model/concepts covered in the specific OB topic for me as a practitioner in my workplace? Discrepancies between theory and practice should be explored, and implications for your workplace identified.

If you lack work experience, you may use media or academic articles discussing OB issues in organizations, or do research on an organization of your choice, focusing your reflection on how this organizational context influences you in relation to the OB topic.

The structure of each reflection should follow these four steps:

1. Reflect on a meaningful workplace experience that contributed to your growth, based on personal observations, experiences, assumptions, and emotions.
2. Analyze this situation by applying relevant OB concepts, theories, or models from the selected topic.
3. Develop a strategy for managing your own or others’ behavior to address the workplace situation effectively.
4. Explain what you have learned about the OB topic, yourself, and others.

Each reflection should be presented in the first person and include three recent scholarly articles for support. Focus on deep critical analysis to show understanding and insights into workplace practices and OB theories.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Organizational behavior (OB) provides a vital foundation for understanding and managing human behavior within organizations. Reflecting on workplace experiences through OB lenses allows practitioners to critically assess the alignment between theory and practice, and to develop strategies for improved organizational effectiveness. This paper explores my experience with organizational justice and employee wellbeing, analyzing the situation through relevant OB theories and developing practical responses to enhance organizational health and personal growth.

Workplace Experience: Facing Organizational Injustice and Employee Disengagement

During my three years working with a mid-sized organization, I observed several instances of organizational injustice, which culminated in a toxic environment and employee disengagement. Notably, a situation arose when a manager promoted her daughter over other qualified team leaders without transparent procedures. This favoritism created feelings of unfairness among staff, leading to increased stress, demotivation, and ultimately, resignations among key personnel. The organization lacked formal HR policies and employee support systems during this period, leaving affected employees with little recourse.

Analysis of the Situation Using OB Theories

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007) offers an effective lens for understanding this scenario. The model emphasizes the balance between job demands and resources as critical to employee wellbeing and engagement. The manager’s favoritism and lack of support increased job demands—emotional strain and perceptions of unfair treatment—while resources such as fair procedures and support systems were missing. This imbalance led to burnout and disengagement among staff.

Goldman’s (2008) concept of toxic leadership further illuminates the manager’s behavior as a form of toxic management that erodes trust and morale. Her favoritism and demeaning comments showcased incompetency and a lack of organizational justice, undermining self-esteem and organizational commitment. Singh and Choudhary’s (2018) research underscores that perceived injustice diminishes employee engagement and heightens conflict, corroborating the negative outcomes observed in this context.

Developing Strategies to Address the Situation

To mitigate the adverse effects, I propose instituting formal HR policies emphasizing transparency in promotion processes, including clear criteria and procedures. Establishing an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and training managers in conflict resolution and organizational justice principles would foster a healthier environment. A dedicated HR manager should oversee these initiatives, ensuring that toxic behaviors are addressed proactively and fostering fairness and trust.

Personally, I would advocate for promoting a culture of openness where employees can voice concerns without fear of retaliation. Regular feedback sessions and anonymous surveys can help monitor organizational climate. Implementing peer recognition programs could also reinforce positive behaviors and enhance morale. As a practitioner, developing emotional intelligence and conflict management skills will better equip me to navigate disputes and support organizational justice.

Lessons Learned and Personal Development

This reflection has deepened my understanding of the critical role that organizational justice plays in employee wellbeing and organizational health. I now recognize that leadership behaviors and organizational policies must align to foster trust, fairness, and engagement. Managing perceptions of injustice is essential to reducing toxicity and promoting a positive workplace culture. Personally, I have become more aware of the importance of ethical leadership and transparency in decision-making processes, which I aim to uphold in my future roles.

Conclusion

In conclusion, applying OB theories such as the JD-R model and organizational justice concepts provides valuable insights into managing workplace challenges. Reflective practice enhances organizational effectiveness by aligning theory with real-world scenarios and developing targeted strategies. As practitioners, ongoing reflection and critical analysis are essential to cultivating healthy, productive workplaces.

References

• Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2007). The Job Demands-Resources model: State of the art. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22(3), 309–328. doi:10.1108/02683940710733115
• Goldman, A. (2008). Company on the Couch: Unveiling Toxic Behavior in Dysfunctional Organizations. Journal of Management Inquiry, 17(3), 273-287. doi:10.1177/1056492608318741
• Singh, T., & Choudhary, S. (2018). Organisational Justice, Experiencing Interpersonal Conflict and Employee Engagement: A Moderated Mediation Analysis. Journal of Organisation and Human Behaviour, 7(1), 1–10. doi:10.5958/2321-5763.2018.00001.7
• McShane, S., Olekalns, M., Newman, A., & Martin, A. (2019). Organisational Behaviour, Sixth Edition: Emerging Knowledge. North Ryde, Australia: McGraw-Hill Education Australia.
• Additional scholarly articles supporting these concepts should be included here to meet the required number and provide comprehensive analysis.