Research Paper on Organizational Description and Issue to Resolve

Introduction

Prism Inc. is one of the most leading company that deals with telecommunications. The company connects people globally through the use of phones, internet access and televisions. Prism Inc. focus on impacting communities through exceptional technology and telecommunication products to both business and residential consumers. At present, the company is hiring over 80,000 employees who are expected to provide services in more than 40 states. Prism aims at providing better services to its prospective customers, clients and shareholders beyond their expectations.

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As a result, the company has managed to achieve an outstanding performance and success despite the prevailing stiff competition because of its steadfast quality in services. Even though the company has experienced an incredible growth, it continues to suffer from high turnover rate in one of their call centers. The high turnover rate affects the overall business operations preventing the business from efficiently meeting the expanding customers' demands. Prism Inc. end up spending a lot of money to hire competent employees to fill the gaps. In addition, the company's leadership has identified another challenge which is lack of employee engagement, this has negatively affected the employee attrition rate.

Current Corporate Culture

Company culture plays a vital role in the growth of employees and their desire to remain with the company. The beliefs and attitude of the employees should be a direct reflection of the ideologies that govern the organization. Prism's corporate culture is very diverse. The leadership team is comprised of individuals with different backgrounds and various walks of life. They operate with great rigor and show no concern or compassion for colleagues. This attitude has transferred to the consumer employee relationships and has begun to affect the profit margins consecutively for the past 2 fiscal quarters. The work environment is very uptight and at time hostile as a result of the lack of comradery amongst its leadership, which trickled down to employees. Unfortunately, Colleagues are envious and do underhanded things such as steal sales, and spread rumors to prevent advancement. Some might better understand it as the "crabs in the bucket" mentality. This has plagued the sales department heavily.

Team members isolate themselves from one another to protect their secrets of best practices to prevent other from gaining the upper hand on the commission ladder. Top performers are regularly tardy and come and go as they please. Additionally, they abuse sales polices to gain on commission structure that is built to only reward top performers. Supervisors and trainers are very casual and inappropriate towards subordinates. This projects unprofessionalism and stems from harassment to backbiting and distrust which has created a hostile work environment ("Work Culture- Meaning, Importance & Characteristics of a Healthy Culture", 2017). Prism's cooperate leadership has controlled the employees with strict policies set for attendance and day-to-day operations, which further weakened the culture.

Areas of Weakness

The managerial staff has created an environment of gossip, nasty rumors, and work politics. As a result employees and managers have found themselves dealing as opposing forces and victims of friendly fire instead working as a cohesive unit. Managerial decisions are heavily influenced by reports, which put further distance between management and agent. The leadership rules with rigor and iron fist authority, which has been to the centers detriment. The center is weak in absenteeism, agent engagement, and high turnover. The attendance policy does not allow for an agent to miss days because of a sick child without risk being terminated. This allow has cause many agents to walk of the job.

Proposed Solutions

After carefully assessment and analysis some solutions have been suggested to be implemented immediately. The intent will be to create a more upbeat, warm environment. Also to foster a positive, confidential environment absent from work politics, that encourages all employees to share concerns without fear of retaliation or unjust treatment ("Work Culture- Meaning, Importance & Characteristics Of A Healthy Culture", 2018).

In order to address the divide amongst sales agents, focus groups should be established. Encourage frontline employees from different teams to meet once a month to discuss how to improve logistics and operations. While addressing the challenges, employees will find a common ground and work together to find solutions on how to best manage or alleviate frustrations while providing quality experience to the consumer.

Additionally, the center should adjust the commission scale, scale back payouts for top performers, and boost payout for those who are struggling or still developing. Additionally to ensure the quality of a sale, commission should only be paid out on sales that were installed and kept for at least 30 days. This will minimize agents from being tempted to sneak in extra products without consent of the customer, knowing it will be caught. Monthly audit should be performed as well to track and monitor trends outside of sales compliance.

Establish a budget to offer more incentives to have weekly competitions with prizes and giveaways for various performance matrixes. This is a great use of the reinforcement method and will allow for those that have strength in selling other units or packages or low handle time to also be recognized and praised for the strong suits and gives everyone and overall fair shot to gain a reward. The top performs can still be gratified without leaving under achievers feeling hopeless. A company is only as strong as its weakest link. Leave no man behind.

Another recommendation is to have monthly agent supervisor and manager coaching. Having coaching's and allowing other leaders to sit in will neutralize a hostile worker be it employee or supervisor. This is a check and balance to ensure effective feedback is given and it is balanced. This should leave everyone feeling empowered while keeping accountability and confidentiality ("Work Culture- Meaning, Importance & Characteristics Of A Healthy Culture", 2018).

During coaching, have a two way dialogue should be encouraged. This will build the leader as a mentor and shed light on how to provide guidance. The EQ should be sharpened during these sessions. This will present yet another opportunity for management and agent to be transparent and develop healthy habits of communication. This will strengthen relationships and make it easier to address future concerns.

Encourage Team building Exercises: Ice breakers at the beginning of meetings, team outings, and potlucks all help unify individuals and tear down barriers. Have quarterly trainings on EQ, have speakers come do a presentation on various work related matters that will raise awareness and hone skills on how reach resolution.

Executive Summary

Sirota's theory speaks to how when begin a new position strong and energetic with every intent to make a good impression. However as time goes on this zeal is eroded by poor working environments, and unpractical rules procedures and regulations ("McClelland's Human Motivation Theory", 2018). This is exactly what has transpired at Prism. The key issue Prism faces, are high turnover and absenteeism, unprofessionalism and lack of confidentiality in management.

These issues have created hostile work conditions, lack of engagement and overall withdrawal from employees. This has severely affected the ability to staff according to customer needs and overall productivity. In effort to remedy these critical matters, we are implementing managerial training to address harassment and work place ethics, focus groups, team building activities and more flexible attendance policy with a lot meant for family emergencies. In doing so the work environment can become on that is positive and welcoming to the agents. This should cure and drastically reduce attrition rate and absenteeism.

To boost morale and motive the agents, a more balanced commission scale and 30 day install payout for all appointments booked, along with weekly incentives and giveaways. This will cater to all agents and allow them all to shine and be celebrated. It should also eliminate the need for ridiculous sales policies that work against the agent. In today's marketplace it is important to capitalize on all of our resource, but especially the manpower. It is the most valuable asset to the company, as it allows the company to connect individuals we could not otherwise reach. It is imperative to revamp the culture in order to have longevity in the industry and remain competitive in the marketplace.

References

McClelland's Human Motivation Theory. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/human-motivation-theory.htm

Work Culture- Meaning, Importance & Characteristics of a Healthy Culture. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/work-culture.htm