Alumni Affairs work experience

Alumni Affairs work experience 

Henry   Fayol   established   several   principles   about   management.   He thought that management was not only a word, it was a science that should be studied. He believed in management was an important part in organizations.  Fayol’s recommendations   were   based   in   his   principles,   but   also he believed in motivation.

Throughout my internship experience, I’ve gotten to understand a lot about management as I adapted to a business environment. One of the most important principles that I have learned over these past two weeks is that the way an employee feels is the way they will develop their work. So motivation from subordinates is a big deal as this will make the employees more efficient and comfortable in their position and task. This idea is sort of like the principle that Fayol mentions, Remuneration. My subordinates at the Alumni Affairs have done nothing but motivate me whenever I would develop projects for them, which has given me a drive for productivity and creativity in my work.  

Another principle that I have come to understand at this internship is based off the principle ‘Unity of Command’. This principle came in effect when I had respond to two different bosses at work. In the beginning of my internship, I had different projects coming from two different superiors of mine and I came to realize that this increased risks of poor communication and conflicting directives. To eliminate the confusion in the workplace, by first communicating to the bosses and to see who really is my supervisor to clear the air. This has made me realize that with fewer communication issues to contend with, employees may perform their work more easily. When this issue got solved, questions were directed to one person and responsibility for mistakes was more easily identified.

I have come to understand that knowing about management is very important to the success of any company. When you learn about management then and only then can you run a respectable business. Some benefits of understanding management in an organization is how it can build learning organizations by making learning routine. Also, the knowledge of management also facilitates decision-making capabilities and the bigger picture is that it can stimulate cultural change and innovation.  

Fayol’s influence had been definitely appreciated for me and for all managers nowadays. His influence is not just related to business managers. It is important for all kind of managers, beginning from a group of 3 to 4 people to groups of employees up to 100.  Fayol has given me a great knowledgeable foundation about management it has been of good use to me throughout my internship experience at the Alumni Affairs.

Unity of Direction

Unity of Direction

Fayol advocates "One head and one plan" which means that group efforts on a particular plan be led and directed by a single person. This enables effective co-ordination of individual efforts and energy. This fulfils the principles of unity of command and brings uniformity in the work of same nature. In this way the principle of direction create dedication to purpose and loyalty. It emphasizes the attainment of common goal under one head.

Unity of Direction can be explained in this example, all marketing activities such as advertising, sales promotion, pricing policy, etc., must be directed by only one manager.

He must use only one plan for all the marketing activities. Unity of direction means activities aimed at the same objective should be organized so that there is one plan and one person in charge. Boss, subordinates, members; all in a same organization might have different responsibility and position but the motive behind only all their activities have to be single, which is to attain organizational goals. 

The principle of unity of command should not be confused with the principle of unity of direction as both do not mean the same thing. The principle of unity of command is concerned with functioning of people while unity of direction is related to the activities.

There are different divisions in the organization for different activities and thus the efforts of the employees of one division having the common objective must be directed towards the achievement of these objectives, taking into account the threats, opportunities for that division.

The application of this principle helps in establishing co-ordination and uniformity in the activities as well as in the organization. It also reduces the duplication of activities in the organization and thus helps in minimizing the wastage of resources.

Esprit de Corps

Esprit de Corps

This principle emphasized the need for team work and the maintenance of interpersonal relationships. Esprit de corps is a French phrase that translates into group spirit. The principle states that an organization must make every effort to maintain group cohesion in the organization. It notes that dividing your competition is a clever tactic, but dividing your own team is a serious error. The principle of unity of command should be observed and the dangers of divide and rule and the abuse of written communication should be avoided.

There are several ways to improving interpersonal relationships at the workplace which is vital to  understand for this principle to be in effect:

• Employees must communicate with each other effectively for a healthy relationship. Remember a problem shared is a problem halved.
• Interact with your co workers more often. Discussions must be on an open platform where every individual has the liberty to express his/her views and opinions. Written mode of communication is one of the effective ways of communicating at the workplace.. Avoid hiding things from your fellow workers. Even employees from a different team can be your friends. Talk to them. Greet them with a smile and a “Hi” whenever you meet them. An individual must not take things to heart at workplace.
• Team leaders and supervisors should conduct morning meetings with their team members. Do not make the meeting too formal. The employees should be allowed to bring their coffee mugs. Let them interact with each other. Morning meetings go a long way in breaking the ice among employees and improving interpersonal relationships at workplace.
• Do not favor any employee just because he is your relative or you know him personally. Favoritism spoils the relationship between superiors and subordinates.
• Take your team out for lunch, picnics or get together once in a while. Let the employees bring their families as well. Ask your team members to exchange contact numbers amongst themselves for them to interact with each other even after work.
• One needs to be a little more adjusting and compromising at the workplace. Don’t expect everything to be done just the way you like it. You will have all types of people around. Avoid fighting over petty things. Do not always look at the negative side of things. Accept people as they are. It is essential to look at the positive side of an individual. Being flexible at work always helps.

Initiative

Initiative

Initiative means the capacity to work while expressing one’s thoughts. According to Fayol, it is the duty of the manager to encourage the feeling of initiative among his employees for doing some work or taking some decision but within the limits of authority and discipline.

It will be possible only when the manager will welcome the thoughts of his/her subordinates. By doing so the subordinates will present new and useful ideas time and again and gradually they will become an integral part of the organisation. In order to make this process a success a manager will have to abandon his false sense of prestige.

Management must welcome the employees for taking initiatives in forwarding valuable suggestions before the plans are set up for them. When the plans are set up in consultation with the employees they will feel as if it is their own plan and they have to complete it, which will stimulate them to work whole heartedly. This will reduce wastage, absenteeism and maintain a cordial relation between employees and management.

This principle helps the management to know more ways of executing the predetermined plan as the employees give various suggestions. When the employees are involved in such a way in the management they feel satisfied and take each and every necessary step to accomplish the plan. This will make the working environment more interesting, more cooperative and more effective.

Stability of Tenure of Personnel

Stability of Tenure of Personnel

 

Principle of stability is linked with long tenure of personnel in the organization. This means production being teamwork, an efficient management always builds a team of good workers. If the members of the team go on changing the entire process of production, it will be disturbed. It is always in the interest of the enterprise that its trusted, experienced and trained employees do not leave the organization. Stability of job creates a sense of belongingness among workers who with this feeling are encouraged to improve the quality and quantity of work.

When one feels secure at his job, he/she contributes maximum of his capability towards the organizational objectives. Stability also helps the employee to know each and every aspect of the job with the passage of time which consequently helps in performing the job with greater efficiency and minimum wastage. It creates a sense of belonging-ness towards the job and the organization.

 

An organization following the principle of stability achieves its objectives effectively and efficiently with the maximum contribution from their employees. The employees of such organization always feel satisfied and thus are the productive factor for the organization. But if this principle is violated i.e. if the employees are frequently transferred from one position to another or employee turnover, they will feel dissatisfied and will not perform with their full potential leading to non-achievement of the organizational objectives or under utilization of resources as well as wastage.

 

 

Positive impacts of this principle:

•  Develops sense of belonging-ness towards the organization.
•  Improves the efficiency level of employees.
• Employees satisfaction.
• Better accountability.

Consequences of violation of this principle:

• Non-achievement of the organizational objectives
• Lack of employees participation.
• Wastage of resources and time.
• Adds to cost.

 

Equity

EQUITY

 

This principle tells that the managers should treat their subordinates in a just and kind manner so that they develop a feeling of dedication and attachment for their work. All the employees should be treated equally and impartially. Similar to the the subordination of individual interests to the common good, this principle proposes that organizations require employee commitment and compliance.

Fayol tells us in connection with this principle that there should not be any equality of treatment between a person whose work is really good and a person who is a shirker by nature. Rather, the latter should be treated sternly. Doing so would be equitable. It is because of this point of view that Taylor has presented his differential remuneration method.

“Equity and equality of treatment are aspirations to be taken into account in dealing with employees”, Fayol says. Clearly, this standard is not easily achieved, however, today’s work environment is arguably more equipped to tackle this issue than previous generations of corporations.

Now in society, to obtain high commitment, an organization must strongly consider the interests of its employees. In high commitment organizations, the relationship between labor and the organization is expanded well beyond the traditional arrangement. The employee becomes committed to the organization develops a sense of ownership among its employees. Today, US organizations are more committed to their employees’ welfare and to developing a greater sense of ownership among them than in the past.

Order

ORDER

 

According to Fayol there should be proper, systematic and orderly arrangement of physical and social factors, such as land, raw materials, tools and equipments and employees respectively. As per view, there should be safe, appropriate and specific place for every article and every place to be used effectively for a particular activity and commodity. There should be specific place for everyone and everyone should have specific place. This principle also stresses scientific selection and appointment of employees on every job.

 

One interpretation of this principle is that in organizations there should be a place for everything and everything should be in its place. Another interpretation is hat an organization’s materials should be in the right place at the right time and its employees should be assigned to the jobs best suited to them. Basically, the principle provides a form of formal organizational control.

Today’s organizations still need to have their materials in the right place at the right time. Organizations require formalized information gathering systems, which this classical principle also suggests. What seems to have changed, however, is the notion of control over internal activities. Today, US organizations are beginning to gather information about their internal activities not so much for the purpose of internal control as for the purpose of providing employees information needed about production and quality strategy. Today, US organizations, to a greater extent than in the past, gather and use internal information more for the purpose of efficient coordination and decision making than for the purpose of control.