OD Therapeutics – A checklist for Positive Organizational Development

Sandeep Kulshrestha, PhD

Organization development is all about bringing in change in the way an organization functions, considering the fact that organizations are dynamic and synergistic. The changes are just not about redefining job roles or hiring an OD Consultant to assist in some brainstorming but it is also about whether there is a culture of participation, of empowerment, or of some sort of autonomy and flexibility which enable people to perform at optimum levels. Added to this, there are new tools like strengths-finder which help individuals ascertain their work related strengths and lead them to tide over their limitations. Now, there is a recent phenomena of Positive Psychology, recognized as "science of happiness, well-being and flourishing" and also being practiced in a beta mode in considerable organizations in the world and it talks about making workplaces positive and creating enabling structures which make people flourish. The logical consequence of this was embedding OD with positive psychology and the resultant philosophy has now been coined as "Positive Organizational Development" which signifies a paradigm shift in the way OD was looked at till recently. Of course OD as a process had majority of positive outcomes but in Positive organizational development the ideas and the processes incorporated are positive from the very beginning!

In the first step of determining the positive OD framework, the following is the suggested matrix or a checklist of Positive Organizational Development needs in an organization, which can be brainstormed by the participants in any internal in-company workshop

Here "Passive" signifies that there is no importance given to a particular function, "Active" signifies decent level of activity while "Functional" tells us about a process been implemented and working well and "Flourishing" signifies a very high level of activity, which is continuous and is enabling the stakeholders (especially the employees and the board) align themselves with the organization in a very positive way.

Human function	Passive	Active	Functional	Flourishing
Employee Achievement Recognition
Systematic approach to Applied Learning
Effective performance rather than peak performance
Social interaction of employees
Employee Benefits
Efficacy of Mentoring and Coaching systems
Employee contribution to society
Line Manager’s Feedback system
Support mechanisms in events of crisis
Happiness surveys

This is just one example in which an OD practitioner can assess one job role or multiple job roles, finally the whole organization, which can lead to an understanding of where the organization is in the current phase and where it is headed to if we want to develop happy employees in an flourishing organization. 

For more details, please send an email by clicking here

AutoMagical leader

The new Oxford Dictionary of English has a new word “automagically” (automatically and in a way that seems ingenious, inexplicable or magical). I have coined the word automagical leader for such business or political leaders who either by their own beliefs are automagical or those who become so and provide the magical direction to an organisation or a state. In brief, following are some of the traits of an automagical leader;

1. Ability and “soft patience” to listen
2. Create the “destiny” of an organization or of the country, as the case may be
3. Take independent decision on individual perception, but maintain equilibrium.
4. Be able to understand what is realistic magic verses impractical magic (magic here means magical touch of leadership)

According to Jack Welch, “The world of the 1990s and beyond will not belong to ‘managers’ or those who can make the numbers dance. The world will belong to passionate, driven leaders – people who not only have enormous amounts of energy but who can energize those whom they lead”

Ralph Waldo Emerson had said, ”If you would lift me up you must be on higher ground.”. It is true about leaders who are automagical and who bring a leadership magic in any organization.

Smartly re-packaging Compensation and Benefits

By Sandeep Kulshrestha

One of my friends recently got an job offer which he couldn't refuse and it was apt for his caliber and skills but the trouble was that the company was not giving him any relocation costs owing to “tight” budgets, although what he was offered was around 20 lakhs per annum (a hypothetical figure). For example sake, I would say the break-up of that salary package was as follows (as per Indian Standards – figures on per annum basis);

Basic Salary: 6,00,000

HRA: 3,00,000

Conveyance: 9,600

Medical Reimbursement: 15,000

LTA: 15,000

PF Contribution: 72,000 (on entire basic) 

Special Allowance: 5,88,400 

Variable Pay: 4,00,000 

Total: 20,000,00 

If we use a smart strategy, the same salary offer can be made attractive, as follows;

Basic Salary: 5,40,000

HRA: 2,70,000 

Joining Bonus: 60,000 (any other term can also be used)

Conveyance: 9,600

Birthday Allowance: 10,000

Medical Reimbursement: 15,000

LTA: 15,000 

PF Contribution: 64,800

Special Allowance: 6,00,600

Meal Vouchers: 15,000

Variable Pay: 4,00,000 

Total: 20,00000

In the case above, a similar salary package is made attractive by thinking out of the box. If the company cannot give relocation costs, fine! Give a joining bonus once a employee completes one month, say with a rider that if he/she leaves within six months, the same will be recovered from him/her will go a long way in creating a good image of the organization and will also help employee in settling down in another city. The quantum can be decided as per the job level. Birthday allowance is not tax free or something but again, it gives a positive impression. Some companies give additional leaves on birthdays and anniversaries. A little humane way of looking at the same thing goes a long way. In the case given above, once the employee completes one year of service, the joining bonus element can be added back to the salary, say in special allowance, as it was part of his CTC anyway. Of course there may be other options like meal vouchers which are tax-free to an extent. Best practices can be incorporated with simple thinking and it just needs a little different way of thinking!