Organization Development and Change

Chapter Eighteen:
Developing and
Assisting Members
Thomas G. Cummings
Christopher G. Worley

Learning Objectives
for Chapter Eighteen
To examine three human resource
management interventions: career planning
and development, workforce diversity, and
employee wellness
To understand how OD efforts enhance
human resource approaches to these issues
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Career Stages

Establishment Stage (ages 21-26)

Advancement Stage (ages 26-40)
Maintenance Stage (ages 40-60)
Withdrawal Stage (age 60 and above)

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Career Stages and Planning Issues

Establishment What are alternative occupations, firms, and jobs?
What are my interests and capabilities?
How do I get the work accomplished?
Am I performing as expected?
Advancement Am I advancing as expected?
What long-term options are available?
How do I become more effective and efficient?
Maintenance

How do I help others?

Should I reassess and redirect my career?

Withdrawal

What are my interests outside of work?

Will I be financially secure?
What retirement options are available to me?
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Career Planning Resources

Communication regarding career opportunities and
resources within the organization
Workshops to assess member interests, abilities, and
job situations and to formulate career plans
Career counseling by managers or human resource
department personnel
Self-development materials directed toward
identifying life and career issues
Assessment programs that test vocational interests,
aptitudes, and abilities relevant to career goals
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Career and Human Resource Planning

Individual Career Planning

Human Resources Planning

Personal objectives
and life plans

Business objectives
and plans

Occupational and
organizational choice

Ways to attract and

orient new talent

Job assignment choice

Development
planning and review

Retirement

Methods for matching

individuals and jobs

Ways to help people

perform and develop

Ways to prepare
for satisfying retirement

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Career Development Interventions

Role & Structure Interventions

Realistic job preview

Job rotation and challenging assignments
Consultative roles
Phased retirement

Individual Employee Development

Assessment centers
Mentoring
Developmental training

Performance Feedback and Coaching

Work Life Balance
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A Framework for Managing Diversity

External Pressures For & Against Diversity
Managements
Perspectives &
Priorities

Strategic
Responses

Implementation

Internal Pressures For & Against Diversity

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Age Diversity
Trends
Median age up
Distribution of ages changing
Implications
Health care
Mobility
Security
Interventions
Wellness programs
Job design
Career development and planning
Reward systems
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Gender Diversity
Trends
Percentage of women in work force increasing
Dual-income families increasing
Implications
Child care
Maternity/paternity leaves
Single parents
Interventions
Job design
Fringe benefit rewards
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Disability Diversity
Trends
The number of people with disabilities entering
the work force is increasing
Implications
Job skills and challenge issues
Physical space design
Respect and dignity
Interventions
Performance management
Job design
Career planning and development
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Culture and Values Diversity

Trends
Rising proportion of immigrant and minoritygroup workers
Shift in rewards
Implications
Flexible organizational policies
Autonomy
Affirmation and respect
Interventions
Career planning and development
Employee involvement
Reward systems
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Race/Ethnicity Diversity
Trends
Minorities represent large segments of workforce and a
small segment of top management/senior executives
Qualifications and experience of minority employees is
often overlooked
Implications
Discrimination
Interventions
Equal employment opportunities
Mentoring programs
Education and training
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Sexual Orientation Diversity

Trends
Number of single-sex households up
More liberal attitudes toward sexual orientation
Implications
Discrimination
Interventions
Equal employment opportunities
Fringe benefits
Education and training
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A Model of Stress and Work

Occupational Stressors
Physical Environment
Individual: role conflict and
ambiguity, lack of control
Group: poor peer,
subordinate or boss,
relationships

Stress
How the
individual
perceives
the
occupational
stressors

Organizational: poor
design, HR policies, politics

Individual Differences
Cognitive/Affectiv
e:

Biologic/Demograp
hic:

Type A or B,
hardiness, social
support, negative
affectivity

Age, gender,
occupation, race

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Consequences
Subjective:
anxiety, apathy
Behavioral:
drug and alcohol
abuse
Cognitive: poor
focus, burnout
Physiological:
high blood
pressure and
pulse
Organizational:
low productivity,
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absenteeism,

Stress and Wellness

Workplace Interventions
Role Clarification
A systematic process for determining expectations and
understanding work roles

Supportive relationships
Establish trust and positive relationships

Stress inoculation training

Programs to help employees acquire skills and
knowledge to cope positively with stressors

Health facilities
Employee Assistance Programs
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