Human behavior has been studied from many perspectives, and one of them has to do with organizations. What is organizational behavior and why is it important?
What is organizational behavior?
Organizational behavior is the systematic study of the behavior of people in the context of organizations , being able to establish three levels of study depending on the point of view we take. The most concrete would be the micro level, and would focus on the behavior of the individual himself within the company or administration. The second would be the meso level, which would refer to the conduct of a work team. Finally, there would be the macro level, which would study the behavior of the entire organization.
The objective of studying the behavior of people within organizations is to acquire valuable information that allows us to make changes in order to improve efficiency in all organizational processes. This science arises in contrast to decisions based on intuition , and that is, human behavior is capable of being studied and therefore predictions can be made with a high percentage of success, based on the data that organizational behavior provides us .
In addition to the level system that we mentioned at the beginning, we can also make a distinction of studies in this discipline based on the position on the concrete-abstract axis that we find ourselves. In this sense, we would have a level with maximum precision, relative to the behavior that we can observe and measure. Secondly, we would have attitudes, which give us clues to be able to predict the ways to act. And finally there would be the values, more difficult to measure but equally important. What is organizational behavior and why is it important?
Main characteristics of organizational behavior
There are two premises that guide organizational behavior, that is, they must be present in the behavior and in the day-to-day of the employee and the company as a whole, contributing to the activities and processes being carried out in a satisfactory manner by all.
ethic
Each and every type of company has a code of ethics, which must be followed by all its professionals. In this sense, having an ethical organizational behavior is following what this code preaches, that is, complying with the rules, norms and standards determined by the organization, so that everyone understands what their main rights and duties are within the organizational processes.
Ethics is present in all environments through which we transit, and it is what guarantees that we have a good coexistence in society, as it defines the values and attitudes that we must socially follow in order for this to happen.
Thus, in the business context, respecting co-workers, as well as not disclosing confidential information, which only concern organization processes, are good examples of how to have an ethical organizational behavior.
Responsibility
From the biggest to the simplest attitudes, taking responsibility in the organizational environment is when the employee has a well-developed awareness of what should and need to be done within the company.
Whether turning off the light when leaving an environment, delivering your demand on time, or taking care of the organization’s assets and assets as a whole, having social and environmental responsibility, business, among many others, makes all the difference for business and, above all, for all those who are part of it. What is organizational behavior and why is it important?
The levels of organizational behavior
individual level
Here, the individual is evaluated based on their goals, their current income, what hinders their growth and what are the company’s guidelines or customs that make their work climate unfavorable. In addition, the expectations, motivations, skills and competences that each employee demonstrate individually through their work are studied, in order to delegate the activities most compatible with their capabilities and, in this way, fully enjoy their talents and potential.
group level
Unlike the individual level, here the company is studied as a whole among one or more groups. The evaluation includes the formation of teams or groups, the functions performed by them, the quality of communication and interaction with each other, in addition to the influence and power of the leader in this context.
The intention of this assessment is precisely to be able to connect teams and make people work together and effectively, thus bringing more happiness and motivation to employees and more positive results for the company, since motivated people produce more and with more quality for being happy and being rewarded.
organizational system level
At this level, what is analyzed is how the different dimensions of the organization end up influencing and impacting organizational behavior.
Among the examples, it is possible to say that the analyzes and topics covered are corporate policies and practices in the human resources area. In this sense, the studies carried out are to understand how these points influence the components of the organization and how the organizational culture also influences the behavior of employees who are part of the company. What is organizational behavior and why is it important?
Types of organizational behavior
Every organization has its own culture. This is formed by a set of attitudes, beliefs, goals, values and organizational behaviors.
Now that you know what organizational behavior is and where it comes from, it’s time to check out the main types of organizational behavior.
Focused on ethics
In this type of organizational behavior, the focus is on developing activities based on previously established rules of conduct and rules. There is a strong concern to follow the values cultivated by the organization.
In addition, this type of behavior values the transparency of actions and respect for others.
Focused on responsibility
Organizational behavior with a focus on responsibility is concerned with ensuring full compliance with all obligations and work demands.
In this type of behavior, it is understood that the employee’s attitudes have an impact on the collective.
Focused on management control
The type of organizational behavior focused on the management control of processes deals with the monitoring of activities and individual and collective performance.
There is a greater demand for results. It has a lot to do with the way leaders behave with their followers. What is organizational behavior and why is it important?
Focused on competitiveness
It is common to find companies that encourage competitive behavior in their employees. The goal is to make them do their best in the search for better results.
But it is necessary to be cautious when adopting this type of behavior, as it can contribute to the creation of a toxic and harmful environment for productivity.
Focusing on autocracy
Autocratic organizational behavior is observed in cases where leaders do not make room for employees to express their opinions and contribute with suggestions about the work.
The verticalization of decisions is very evident in companies that adopt this type of behavior. There is a clear centralization of power.
Focused on the chase
This is a type of organizational behavior that should be abolished from your company. It’s not beneficial when leaders chase down a few subordinates.
This can lead to serious legal problems and also compromise the good performance of employees. So do your best to avoid this type of behavior. What is organizational behavior and why is it important?
How important is organizational behavior?
Nowadays, companies realize that it is not enough to guarantee a good customer experience. All individuals who relate to the organization need to be satisfied with these interactions, including suppliers, buyers, partners and, of course, employees !
Thus, the company guarantees that it will be a relationship reference for the various actors that contribute to its existence. As a result, business is maintained, processes are facilitated, and the company’s image improves. Being recommended is always good, including by employees.
In this sense, understanding organizational behavior is fundamental for the assessment of the environment and for the adoption of effective people management practices that help ensure a good work experience for the employee. The result is a healthier and more productive environment.
Organizational behavior must be in line with the organization’s values. Furthermore, studying it helps guide the performance of managers and leaders in order to create favorable conditions for better individual and collective performance.
The results of the study of organizational behavior allow for a more comprehensive view of available human capital. The Administration Institute Foundation (FIA) listed some topics on the benefits of managing organizational behavior:
- Assists in various aspects of people management;
- Helps in understanding all the complexities common to interpersonal relationships;
- It makes the manager better prepared to deal with individualities and their reflexes in the group;
- Allows him to analyze the dynamics of relationships in groups of different sizes;
- It works in favor of the development of emotional intelligence on an individual and collective scale;
- Enables better understanding and management of intergroup relationships between different departments of the same company;
- Makes communication easier , regardless of the level of hierarchy involved;
- Allows a more comprehensive view of available human capital;
- It makes it possible to work on the group’s resilience in order to adapt to the most varied situations in the corporate daily life.
