MASTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

ACADEMIC YEAR: 2016/2017

YEAR 1 SEMESTER 1

COURSE NAME: ORGANIZATION BEHAVIOR

TOPIC: POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND

ORGANIZATIONS

FACILITATORS: PROF: J.C. MUNENE

DR. FRANCIS KASEKENDE

GROUP MEMBERS: GROUP 1

NO NAME REG. NUMBER SIGNATURE

1 WEMBABAZI MOUREEN 2016/HD10/2944U

2 ASIIMWE SHILAR 2016/HD10/28…U

3 NABAKKA ELIZABETH 2016/HD10/29…U

4 AGABA JOAN 2016/HD10/2…..U

5 APARO JACKIE 2016/HD10/2…..U

6 NAMUGGOLO BRENDA 2016/HD10/2…..U

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

1.0 Introduction………………………………………………………………….…………….3
1.1 Background………………………………………………………………….………….....3
1.2 Statement of opportunity…………………………………………………….…………….5
1.3 Purpose of the study ……..………………………………………………….………….....5
1.4 Conceptual framework…………………………………………………….…………........6
2.0 Relationships between the variables in the conceptual framework ……….…………........6
2.1 Relationship between Psychological Safety and well being and Engagement…….………6
2.1.1 Relationship between Job performance and Employee Engagement …….……………..10
2.1.2 Relationship between job retention and employee engagement …….…………………..10
2.2 Relationships between positive leadership and employee engagement…….………………11
2.2.1 Relationship between management style and employee engagement…….………………14
2.3 Relationship between appreciation and employee engagement…….………………………16
2.4 Relationship between employee engagement and positive work environment…….……….17
3.0 Conclusions…….……………………………………………………………………………20
3.1 Case study for coursework…….…………………………………………………………….21
4.0 References …….…………………………………………………………………………….23

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

This paper is based on a tool “Positive work environment for individuals and organizations”. The

tool focus on positive work environment which lead to increased individual and organization

performance. This paper consists of 3 sections. Section one that covers the background to the

study, statement of opportunity, purpose of the study and the conceptual framework. Section

Two discusses the variable in the conceptual framework. Finally section three looks at the

conclusion of the study and a case study.

1.1 BACKGROUND

Companies seek to maximize productivity of their employees by adopting strategies that attract

and retain best talent. This competitive quest for high-potential talent is redefining how

organizations look at their people assets and in particular how they can harness the power of that

talent to thrive. Attracting, retaining, developing and promoting outstanding talent is one of the

critical capabilities that will distinguish a successful organization now and in the future. A case

in point is for Real Estate and Construction Company:-

Thomas worked with a real Estate and Construction company which he joined in 2010, straight

to the Human Resource department, as a HR officer reporting to the HR manager (Richard).

Three weeks in to his job, Thomas realized Richard stood apart from the rest of the managers, a

very practical and down-to-earth person. Right from the onset Richard made it clear that the

company culture does not encourage calling superiors ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’.

Thomas appreciated the way Richard interacted with his subordinates in that it was hard for an

outsider to notice Richard was their supervisor because of the way the HR unit was always

3
happy. Richard encouraged jokes as a way of managing stress given the hectic schedule of the

HR section. Richard went ahead always to mentor his team through a one to one training , he

always cared about his employees family status by asking about them, he always offered

counseling guidance incase his employees seemed troubled and was always forgiving instead of

being a critic in case his employees did mistakes. This increased the employees self esteem, they

felt a sense of belonging and largely never missed coming to office unless otherwise.

On the other hand, Richard was clear about his expectations of Thomas and the HR team at

large, such as accountability for their work at all times. He also gave praise to jobs well done,

both verbally and in writing (email).

Thomas was encouraged by the Manager (Richard) to be free and creative in his work

environment which gave him a sense of belonging and independence. The supervisor’s ability to

hold everyone accountable for their actions allowed Thomas to do his job without resentment or

question on whether it would be handled. He was also given lots of room to manage his own

errors; self regulate his needs at work and learn for his own mistakes. Thomas’ manager was

always supportive and helped him transform his challenges into strengths daily. He was also a

good listener to staff challenges

During staff meeting held on 1 September 2016, the HR section was praised for the efficient

services provided to all staff in the organization. In that meeting, Richard as the head of

Department appreciated the recognition of the good work done by the HR unit and commended

Thomas for the extra effort he had been put into job. He requested other staff to borrow a leaf

from him; for example getting to work on time, prioritizing work, and having a collaborative

approach when dealing with the Project Engineer, Quantity Surveyor, Architect and other key
4
staff on the project. Richard also commended him for his calm attitude when pressure from

‘above’ takes its toll on the procurement team.

The supervisor's praise made Thomas feel valued and appreciated. It empowered him to feel

more confident and encouraged him to pursue the highest level of performance. Thomas

attributes all of his success at work to his supervisor understands, openness, and perceptiveness. .

For organizations to stay relevant and competitive, setting an atmosphere for employees to learn

and adapt easily creates creativity and togetherness which leads to employees feeling satisfied

and always being highly productive.

1.2 STATEMENT OF OPPORTUNITY

For Organizations to attract, retain and derive a high level of performance from their employees

they need to implement management practices like good leadership, reward systems, training and

development as in the case of Thomas developed his skills because of the good leadership

Richard portrayed.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

To examine the relationship between employee engagement, positive leadership, appreciation,

psychological wellbeing and a positive work environment

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1.4 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Psychological Safety
and well being
Job performance
Job retention

Employee
Positive leadership Engagement
Management style Dedication Positive work
Quality of manager Absorption Environment
Ethical behavior Vigor

Appreciation
Rewards and
Recognition
Constructive feedback

2.0 RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE VARIABLES IN THE CONCEPTUAL

FRAMEWORK

2.1 Relationship between Psychological Safety and well being and Engagement

Robinson et al. (2004, p. 9) give a definition of engagement as, “A positive attitude held by the

employee towards the organization and its values. An engaged employee is aware of business

context, and works with colleagues to improve performance within the job for the benefit of the

organization. The Gallup Workplace Audit (see Harter et al., 2002) focuses on factors such as

clarity – knowing what’s expected and control (input and opportunity). By and large practitioners

and researchers views of engagement embody the three core concepts of Attachment,
6
Commitment and Organizational Citizenship. These concepts reflect a focus on the aspects of

engagement that are likely to be most directly involved in driving positive employee behavior.

Employee engagement is a psychological state in which employees feel a vested interest in the

company’s success and are willing and motivated to perform to levels that exceed the stated job

requirements. Engagement fosters and drives discretionary behavior, eliciting employee

productivity, their best ideas and genuine commitment to the success of the organization.

Additionally, higher levels of engagement are associated with reduced absenteeism, greater

employee retention, and reduced error rates.

High levels of psychological well-being and employee engagement play a central role in

delivering some of the important outcomes that are associated with success, high performing

organizations. Research has established that psychological well-being is directly correlated with

performance. Wright and Cropanzano (2000) report two field studies which both demonstrate

positive relationships between levels of psychological well-being and job performance, (see also

Cropanzano and Wright, 2004, for an longitudinal examination of the relationship between well-

being and performance over a five year period) These studies show that people with higher levels

of psychological well-being perform better at work than those with lower psychological well-

being; indeed.

For employees, psychological well-being is linked to important individual outcomes, including a

range of mental and physical health issues, with lower levels of psychological well-being linked

to poorer health. (Ferrie et al., 2005; Griffin et al., 2007) have explored the relationships between

job conditions, individual health and other outcomes in a study of government employees So,

low psychological well-being caused by workplace factors is a major health risk for employees.
7
Studies elsewhere (e.g. Cohen et al., 2006) have shown links with minor physical illnesses, such

as the common cold. Employee engagement In fact, although there is some broad agreement

about the type of factors included in “employee engagement”, there is a lack of clarity about its

definition and measurement.

The key to business success psychological well-being of employees which leads to employee

engagement: engaged employees produce results because when they are in a thriving

environment, they are motivated to achieve. Employee engagement is a strategic and

collaborative initiative, but will be less effective without a cohesive bond between team

members.

psychological well-being leads to engaged employees are emotionally attached to their

organization and highly involved in their job with a great enthusiasm for the success of their

employer, going extra mile beyond the employment contractual agreement.

Kahn (1990:694) defines employee engagement as “the harnessing of organization members’

selves to their work roles; in engagement, people employ and express themselves physically,

cognitively, and emotionally during role performances”. The cognitive aspect of employee

engagement concerns employees’ beliefs about the organization, its leaders and working

conditions. The emotional aspect concerns how employees feel about each of those three factors

and whether they have positive or negative attitudes toward the organization and its leaders. The

physical aspect of employee engagement concerns the physical energies exerted by individuals to

accomplish their roles. Thus, according to Kahn (1990), engagement means to be

psychologically as well as physically present when occupying and performing an organizational

role.
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Employee engagement can also be defined as “the extent to which people enjoy and believe in

what they do and feel valued for doing it.” Enjoyment—People tend to receive more pleasure

and satisfaction from what they do if they are in jobs or roles that match both their interests and

their skills. Belief—If people feel they are making meaningful contributions to their jobs, their

organizations, and society as a whole, they tend to be more engaged. Value— People want to be

recognized and rewarded for their contributions. Rewards and recognition come in many forms,

including competitive compensation packages, a healthy work/life balance, and V.I.P. sales trips.

Each employee has unique skills and perspectives that add to the organization’s ability to

generate and analyze ideas. These ideas, in turn, yield a positive benefit for the organization’s

bottom line. Employees who feel they are listened to, supported, and recognized for their

contributions are likely to be more engaged. People like to be recognized for their unique

contributions. This in return ensures team work because members are willing to share their ideas

so as to empower fellow employees to work towards greater achievements. The Support and

recognition in an engaging environment is viewed as an occurrence that builds employee self-

esteem and creates strong partnerships.

Psychological well-being begins with employees’ clear understanding what they should be doing

on the job. Each employee needs a solid job description and a clear set of performance

expectations. Even more critical is their understanding that their individual goals are connected

directly to the organization’s goals. When employees have the support and cooperation from

management, they are able to accomplish more and share ideas to come up with creative

solutions which will lead to engaged employees. Employees who are engaged in their work and

9
committed to their organizations give companies crucial competitive advantages—including

higher productivity and lower employee turnover.

2.1.1 Relationship between Job performance and Employee Engagement

Studies have found positive relationship between employee engagement and organizational

performance outcomes: employee retention, productivity, profitability, customer loyalty and

safety. Researches also indicate that the more engaged employees are, the more likely their

employer is to exceed the industry average in its revenue growth.

Studies indicated that solution to employee engagement for enterprises performance is to provide

employees with opening to share their ideas and feelings. Also that managers and leaders are to

accommodate employees concerns to maintain job performance. Employee attitude is a positive

factor for their engagement to organization performance. The recognition of employee attitude is

an important element for competition to contribute to organization profitability. Others reported

that employee engagement and job performance, there is a need to share with them and

demonstrate ideas for strategic plan of the organization.

2.1.2 Relationship between Job retention and Employee Engagement

Most organizations do have clear new talent acquisition strategies. However, they lack employee

retention strategies. Effective recruitment and orientation programs are the first building blocks

to be laid on the first day of the new employee. Managers should be careful in pooling out the

potential talent of the new employee through effective recruitment. The newly hired employee

should be given both general orientation which is related to the company mission, vision, values,
10
policies and procedures and job-specific orientation such as his/her job duties, and

responsibilities, goals and current priorities of the department to which the employee belongs in

order to enable him/her to develop realistic job expectations and reduce role conflict that might

arise in the future.

Managers who accelerate the careers of their employees have the highest retention rates. Those

who look out for the best interests of their employees also tend to build the best brand as the

great manager and have little trouble finding and keeping talented employees. The manager has

the potential to influence each employee in a unique way, from setting clear expectations, to

making minor modifications to resources, to find tuning to jobs, to cater to the idiosyncrasies of

each person to holding each personal accountable for quality work, to providing opportunities for

growth.

2.2 Relationship between positive leadership and Employee Engagement

Organizations that embrace positive leadership thrive with high employee morale and an ever-

expanding customer base (Deal, 2006). According to Naumann and Bennettt (2000), leaders and

what they convey through their personality, values, beliefs, preferences and behavior have a

strong impact on the image of the organizations that they lead. ISR (2004) also agrees that

positive leadership creates an employee relationship which positively impacts on job satisfaction

and productivity. The greatest attribute of a positive leader is enhancing employee engagement

and recognizing the strengths of employee members. Such leaders delegate tasks to their

employees, a fact that brings out the untapped capabilities of employees. A positive leader strives

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to achieve every employee buy-in into organization goals and objectives which creates shared

ownership of responsibilities of overall performance of the employees.

For employees to be more effective there is need for a dedicated leader who works towards

harmonizing the employee activities with the corporate mission, and objectives. The quality of

coordination and interpersonal relationship between employees and their leaders are factors

which have significantly visible implications on levels of motivation, and effectiveness. Positive

leadership in its traditional form was conceived as being a personified attribute, and effective

positive leadership was reflected in terms of inspiring speeches, brilliant tactics, plans and

strategies and a solution to fix every problem encountered which the rest of the team could never

have conceived to be able to fix. According to West (2003) in the modern corporation, this

model of positive leadership has undergone a change, and has moved away from being person-

specific. Positive leadership is now reflected in the vision, planning and effective application of

resources by the leader to ensure a smooth operating environment with internal control systems

and work flow protocols which address crises and enable a higher level of productivity. A

positive leader plugs in his/her genius and devises a “help, configure and plan” key to regular

work flow procedures, and thus ensures that he/she is not required to be present in person to

address any demanding situation.

Employees often encounter complex operational situations and lack the initiative within them to

identify the inherent potential or threat which the situation requires. Despite the abundance of

brain-ware and other infrastructures, several employees stumble because of their “fear of the

unknown”, or the immediate response “we have never done it before”. The issue here is not the

clarity of the direction that the team ought to take, but rather the team members' unwillingness to

12
enter into unexplored domains. A litmus test here is the ability of the leader and his/her

employees to step forward and to initiate action and undertake well conceived efforts to open the

door and invite or exploit opportunity, even with the perceived risks.

According to Stefanyszyn (2007), organizations with a diverse population, similarities in the

ethnic and cultural backgrounds of members can produce effective team cohesiveness through

positive leadership. The formation of subgroups within a parent group in an organization is

common. This creates an impression of cohesiveness and can assume several forms, ranging

from the formation of zones of dissidence to an arena for the healthy exchange of ideas,

emotions and feelings with colleagues of similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds. This is a

delicate issue which is important to a team. In this situation, the positive leader can create and

sustain openness with broad-based thinking, thereby creating a sense of confidence among all

members of the group. Thus a positive leader could put his/her ethnic and cultural qualifications

to constructive and positive use. This often takes place in an unofficial manner, outside work

premises or after office hours in one-on-one communication.

Success, the ability to deliver the expected results, is derived from and dependent on effective

team leadership. Traditional theories of positive leadership focused on the profiles of individuals

who manifested a “quality” which emanated from within them. Further, the characteristics of

successful group leaders were often analyzed in isolation, as the surrounding group and its

dynamics were assumed to be constant. However, there has been an increasing awareness that

stewardship of the group and the extent of its success is driven and influenced by the mutual

interaction of several factors, which include the composition of the group to which the leader is

affiliated, the specific objectives and goals of the group, and the level in the managerial

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hierarchy where individuals play the role of leader. The extent to which the objectives of a group

have been achieved is a litmus test to determine the success of a leader. Since the objectives and

goals of organizations are different, so is the nature of activities undertaken by teams within an

organization. Therefore the traits required by a leader to secure authority and deliver the

expected results in each of these organizations need to be positive.

To help the organization or any group within an organization achieve its distinct objectives the

leader needs to possess certain specific qualifications, skills and personality traits. The

application of these specific qualifications and skills in a distinct manner in turn requires the

leader to embrace and display a selected set of mannerisms or a pattern of behavior, which could

collectively be termed as her/his personality. To begin with, leaders have a common set of

minimal characteristics and personality traits. Beyond the set of minimal personality traits there

are other personality traits which are not equally visible at any given point in time which vary

from being dormant, moderate or significantly active. It is the proportion of elements of these

traits which make a cohesive mix and come into visible play in the leader's day to day work. The

group's composition and character, the leader's position in the managerial hierarchy, and the

nature of group's primary objectives drive them to achieve team goals, targets and objectives.

2.2.1 Relationship between management style and employee engagement

Leaders impact organizational effectiveness through their followers. Leadership can have a great

impact on engaging employees within the organization. In today’s competitive work

environment, it is time for organizations to move beyond just motivating their employees and

towards creating an environment of engagement. In our review of leadership styles,

transformational leaders seem to be more self-confident to lead the way toward a culture of
14
engagement. While Bass, Avolio, Jung, and Berson (2003) found that both transactional and

transformational leadership are related to increased unit performance, transactional leaders

needed to set structure where transformational leaders built on the structure that was already

there and developed a more cohesive unit better prepared to face the challenges of a turbulent

global market.

Northouse (2004) defines leadership as a process whereby one individual influences a group of

individuals to achieve a common goal. An effective leader is able to influence his or her

followers to reach the goals of the organization. There is a clear distinction between managers

and leaders. While managers create order and consistency, leaders produce change and motivate

their employees. Building the relationship between a leader and his/her followers requires an

appreciation from the leader for the personal values of those who would be willing to give their

energy and talents to accomplish shared objectives (Bass, 1985).

Burns (1978) defines transformational leadership as a process that occurs when one or more

persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher

levels of motivation and morality. The four dimensions of transformational leadership are: 17 (a)

idealized influence, which deals with building confidence and trust; (b) inspirational motivation,

which deals with motivating the entire organization; (c) intellectual stimulation, which involves

arousing and changing followers’ awareness of problems and their capacity to solve those

problems; and (d) individualized consideration, which involves responding to the specific,

unique needs of followers to ensure they are included in the transformation process of the

organization. These four dimensions enable leaders to behave as strong role models fostering

followers’ transformation into more successful and productive individuals (Hay, 1995).

15
Transformational leadership changes the way followers see themselves-from isolated individuals

to members of a larger group…When followers see themselves as members of a collective, they

tend to endore group values and goals, and this enhances their motivation to contribute to the

greater good. (p. 104) Transformational leaders provide an inspiring vision of goals that can help

overcome self-interest and narrow factionalism in organizations. They summon new and broader

energies among followers. Bakker and Schaufeli (2008) found that employees who have positive

interactions with their managers have increased levels of engagement. Additionally, Walumbwa,

Orwa, Wang, and Lawler (2005) found that using a transformational leadership style leads to

increased organizational commitment and job satisfaction, and still Cartwright and Holmes

(2006) found that leaders who focus on relationship building and trust development increase

engagement levels.

2.3 Relationship between Appreciation and Employee Engagement

Dave Ulrich states that too many organizations have failed to help people find happiness in work

settings. Leaders have not appreciated that employee engagement relates to organization success

and have not fully understood the ways that ensure individual well-being. Appreciation takes on

many forms but one of the most important is that it motivates the employee and creates good and

positive emotions in them. It can either be in the form of one of the following attributes.

Employee engagement has been shown to be a significant factor in improving a variety of

organizational outcomes such as customer loyalty, profitability, employee productivity, and

retention. Employee recognition, in turn, has been found to positively relate to employee

engagement, with one study suggesting that 41% of the variation in employee engagement is

attributable to the strength of recognition an employee receives. Recognition programs, on their

16
own, can help instill and reinforce corporate values, help with retention, and positively impact

financial results. They also boost productivity, engagement, profit margins, customer retention,

and employee retention

Recognition creates a feeling of positive emotions as the employees feel that they are a part of

the organizations that they work for and it helps to create the sense of belonging. These feelings

of positive emotions have been shown to have a wide range of beneficial implications. Barbara

Fredrickson (2001) has described how positive emotions to help us to broaden our attention and

thinking, build our resilience and skills and trigger an upward spiral toward better wellbeing.

2.4 Relationship between Employee Engagement and positive work environment

Truss et al 2006 express employee engagement as having a positive feeling about your wok/ job

as well as being prepared to go an extra mile to make sure you do your job the best of one’s

ability while Robinson et al. (2004) define employee engagement as “a positive attitude held by

the employee towards the organization and its value. An engaged employee is aware of business

context, and works with colleagues to improve performance within the job for the benefit of the

organization. The organization must work to develop and nurture engagement, which requires a

two-way relationship between employer and employee.”

When an employee is engaged within their organization, everyone benefits. Engaged employees

are builders. Employees use their talents, develop productive relationships, and multiply their

effectiveness through those relationships. They perform at consistently high levels. They drive

innovation and move their organization forward (Van Allen, 2013). Surveys conducted by

Gallup and reported in the Harvard Business Review found that at any point in time about 30
17
percent of any company’s staff are actively engaged while 20 percent are actively disengaged

(Sanford, 2002). It is interesting to think of the organizational outcomes that could be achieved

with a 100% actively engaged workforce.

While there are many ways to define and operationalize employee engagement, for the purposes

of this analysis engagement is separated into two broad areas: job engagement and organization

engagement. Job engagement is related to one’s job-related roles/tasks and can be conceptualized

as a psychological presence with two components – attention to one’s tasks (cognitive ability and

the amount of time one spends thinking about a role) and absorption in one’s task (the intensity

of one’s focus on a role) (Saks, 2006). Organization Engagement is having energy, involvement,

and efficacy surrounding one’s company (Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001) and thus is

focused on one’s fit with their organization

Job engagement is an individual’s emotional and cognitive (rational) focus on work-related

goals. It is an emotional involvement in, commitment to, and satisfaction with work. It can be

thought of as "getting carried away” at work. Job engagement is independent from job resources

and positive organizational outcomes, and focuses on a positive, fulfilling, affective-motivational

state of work-related well-being (Maslach, et al., 2001). Based on this conceptualization, a job

engagement definition was developed and tested which consisted of three interrelated

dimensions: vigor, dedication, and absorption (Schaufeli, Bakker, & Salanova, 2006).

Gallup organization defines employee engagement as the involvement with and enthusiasm for

work. Gallup as cited by Dernovsek (2008) likens employee engagement to a positive

employees’ emotional attachment and employees’ commitment. Robinson et al. (2004) define

employee engagement as “a positive attitude held by the employee towards the organization and
18
its value. An engaged employee is aware of business context, and works with colleagues to

improve performance within the job for the benefit of the organization. The organization must

work to develop and nurture engagement, which requires a two-way relationship between

employer and employee.” This verdict and definition forwarded by Institute of Employment

Studies gives a clear insight that employee engagement is the result of two-way relationship

between employer and employee pointing out that there are things to be done by both sides.

Successful organizations adapt to change better than the unsuccessful ones. Importantly, the key

to successfully managing change starts with the organization’s members. Indeed, an engaged,

positive workforce can “make or break” an organization (Lockwood, 2007). However, it is often

difficult for employees and employers to maintain a positive connection at work during turbulent

times. Engaged employee attitudes and a positive organization climate can lead to effective

organizational change

Organizations are forever changing the way they do business in response to growing

international competition, a diversifying workforce, increasingly complex work environments,

and shareholder pressures (Lawler, 1986; Pettigrew, Woodman, & Cameron, 2001; Robinson

and Griffiths, 2005). Although these change strategies should accelerate an organization’s

strategic and financial goals by streamlining organizational processes and offering cost saving

solutions, this is often not the case because individuals find these transitions difficult to

experience (Marks, 2006). Engaged employees will adopted to organization processes

Both Carver (1998) and O’Leary and Icovics (1995) assert that there are four potential responses

to change. These four responses to change are to succumb, to survive, to be resilient, and to

thrive. To dive (or succumb) is the lowest level of functioning after a change. An individual will
19
not be able to perform his/her duties and may exit the organization. To survive (with impairment)

is when an individual survives the change but functions at a lower level than s/he did prior to the

change. A “reviver” is someone who is resilient; that is, after a period of adjustment, the

individual performs at the same level as before the change—no ultimate harm has been done and

no real gain has occurred. Finally, a “thriver” is someone who thrives and grows through change.

The thriving individual emerges from the change event with newly developed skills and abilities.

These individuals go beyond the original level of psychological functioning to grow vigorously

and to flourish. In the organizational change process, managers are ultimately aiming for

employee thrivers.

3.0 CONCLUSIONS

With increasing demands in the workplace, and a greater need for knowledge work, innovation,

and creativity, organizations will need to find ways to enable their employees to do and be their

best. Because of positive psychology’s unique focus on flourishing, and its transform-good-into-

great angle on many of the factors that contribute to solid organizational performance, it will

become an essential contributor to success in the business world. Organizations therefore need to

embrace the practices presented in this report in combination with other tools of positive

psychology so as to create an environment where the employees’ safety and wellbeing is

nurtured so as to drive enhanced performance. This is expected to help retain their best talent and

enhance performance; which is increasingly becoming necessary in such a competitive

environment as opposed to the traditional management theories like theory X that view

employees in a negative light

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3.1 CASE STUDY FOR COURSEWORK

Thomas worked with a real Estate and Construction company which he joined in 2010, straight

to the Human Resource department, as a HR officer reporting to the HR manger Richard. Three

weeks in to his job, Thomas realized Richard stood apart from the rest of the managers, a very

practical and down-to-earth person. Right from the onset he made it clear that the company

culture does not encourage calling superiors ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’.

Thomas appreciated the way Richard interacted with his subordinates in that it was hard for an

outsider to notice Richard was their supervisor because of the way the HR unit was always

happy. Richard encouraged jokes as a way of managing stress given the hectic schedule of the

HR section. Richard went ahead always to mentor his team through a one to one training , he

always cared about his employees family status by asking about them, he always offered

counseling guidance incase his employees seemed troubled and was always forgiving instead of

being a critic in case his employees did mistakes. This increased the employees self esteem, they

felt a sense of belonging and largely never missed coming to office unless otherwise.

On the other hand, Richard was clear about his expectations of Thomas and the HR team at

large, such as accountability for their work at all times. He also gave praise to jobs well done,

both verbally and in writing (email).This was done especially every time the team went above

and beyond their job expectations or bringing in new ideas to the team which in return made

everyone work harder for the company.

Thomas was encouraged by the Manager (Richard) to be free and creative in his work

environment which gave him a sense of belonging and independence. The supervisor’s ability to

21
hold everyone accountable for their actions allowed Thomas to do his job without resentment or

question on whether it would be handled. He was also given lots of room to manage his own

errors; self regulate his needs at work and learn for his own mistakes. Thomas’ manager was

always supportive and helped him transform his challenges into strengths daily. He was also a

good listener to staff challenges

Despite being the most experienced and valuable person on their team, Richard strays from

micro-managing, he is also willing to listen to Thomas’ challenges but also his ideas. As far as

Thomas can remember, his supervisor never said "no" to a new idea before.

Thomas’ supervisor not only applauds his performance but also has higher expectations each

day. During staff meeting held on 1 September 2016, the HR section was praised for the efficient

services provided to all staff in the organization. In that meeting, Richard as the head of

Department appreciated the recognition of the good work done by the HR unit and commended

Thomas for the extra effort he had been put into job. He requested other staff to borrow a leaf

from him; for example getting to work on time, prioritizing work, and having a collaborative

approach when dealing with the Project Engineer, Quantity Surveyor, Architect and other key

staff on the project. Richard also commended him for his calm attitude when pressure from

‘above’ takes its toll on the procurement team.

The supervisor's praise made Thomas feel valued and appreciated. It empowered him to feel

more confident and encouraged him to pursue the highest level of performance. Thomas

attributes all of his success at work to his supervisor understands, openness, and perceptiveness.

In fact, Thomas says it was quite forthcoming of his supervisor to have identified his skills and

personality as a good fit for his team when he was not sure of himself.
22
REFERENCES

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