Written by Coursera • Updated on Dec 10, 2022 Show
Organizational behavior is the study of how people affect and are affected by organizations and systems. Find out what it takes to work in this exciting profession. Organizational behavior professionals observe employees to understand and provide insights into the workplace. They note the dynamics between team members, how they behave towards management, and the characteristics of the happiest and most effective members. Understanding these dynamics and their overall effect on an organization helps decision-makers make predictions and plan improvements. If you enjoy studying organizational behavior, consider a career path in this field. You can work in almost any industry and find a range of positions, from a trainer and human resources manager to consultant and executive. What is organizational behavior?Organizational behavior is the study of behavior dynamics between individuals and teams. Its theories and practices draw from related fields like anthropology, political science, and sociology and how they apply to a business environment. Researchers and practitioners in the field consider how team dynamics, organizational systems, and leadership styles affect the motivation, productivity, and satisfaction of the people who work there. Why is organizational behavior important?Organizational behavior is important because understanding the behavior of the individuals who are part of an organization is often key to making changes. Uncovering what motivates people, what makes them feel supported, and what causes them to be unhappy can be used to make organizational improvements, resulting in many benefits such as the following: 1. Improved work performanceJob satisfaction, team dynamics, leadership style, and motivation levels can affect work performance. An organization that has a positive work culture where they feel supported and appreciated is typically desirable for employees. Often this directly correlates to the people they work with, so understanding human dynamics can help businesses build strategies to foster positive relationships and a growth mindset. 2. Increased employee motivationEmployee motivation is important to ensure high-level productivity rates. This may be linked to management style, organizational structure, incentives, or other factors supervisors can leverage for improvement. 3. Higher job satisfactionBeing happy at work is important to employees but also to employers. Staff turnover rates are low, and sickness levels decrease when employees are satisfied. Factors such as salary, adding value to the company, feeling supported, feeling part of a team, and development opportunities may play a part. 4. Better customer serviceA better understanding of the workforce creates more productive workplaces which can filter down to customers. Analysts at Glassdoor compared employee satisfaction ratings reported on the American Customer Satisfaction Index and found that companies with higher employee satisfaction ratings tend to have higher reports of customer satisfaction [1]. 5. Cooperative teamsKnowledge of organizational behavior helps identify situations that cause team conflicts. Managers can use this information to prevent conflicts before they become a problem or lessen their consequences when it breaks out between team members or management. 6. Creative and innovative work environmentCreativity and innovation are key to business growth and development. Happy employees are more creative, and management plays a key role in ensuring employees feel safe and confident to flourish creatively. Organizational behavior can help understand the environment that employees feel free to express creativity so managers can create and maintain it. 7. More effective leadershipManagement style directly affects the work environment and company culture. Leaders who know how to empower employees by giving them the freedom they need to do the work that’s best for them tend to build stronger relationships and create productive work environments. Organizational behavior jobsYou can find organizational behavior jobs in almost any industry with more than one person working within an organization. The following list of organizational behavior jobs and their base average salaries highlights how various jobs in this field can be and how much you can earn.
Career outlookThe US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a 6 percent growth rate for industrial and organizational psychologists from 2021 to 2031, a rate as fast as the national average [8]. BLS also expects jobs for management analysts to grow by 11 percent by 2031 and for training and development managers to grow by 7 percent [9, 10]. These types of jobs also fall into the organizational behavior field. Key skills and knowledge for a career in organizational behaviorA career in organizational behavior requires a specific skill set based on transferable workplace skills and technical skills that are used to communicate, analyze and problem-solve. The following skills tend to be common among these professionals.
How to get a job in organizational behaviorTo get a job in organizational behavior, you need a combination of education and experience related to the field. Your career path may vary depending on the type of work you want to do and the industries you plan to work in. With this in mind, you can choose the majors and jobs that make the most sense for your career goals. Earn a degree.Many people who pursue a career in organizational behavior earn a degree in industrial and organizational psychology. Although you can earn a bachelor's degree in this major, you likely need at least a master's degree to qualify for an entry-level position. You may choose to earn a bachelor's degree in a complementary field, like business, education, or marketing before you begin working on a graduate degree. You also have the option to continue your education and earn a Ph.D. or PsyD in industrial and organizational psychology. Both degrees can boost your job opportunities and give you a competitive advantage when applying for positions. Get job experience.Your job experience in organizational behavior can come from a paid position or internship. You also may decide to transition to the field of organizational behavior after working for several years. This gives you a chance to work in multiple positions within a company or in different businesses, giving you first-hand experience with the systems and roles in place. You can acquire relevant job experience in multiple fields, including human resources, education, marketing, and sales. Develop key skills.You can develop many skills for a career in organizational behavior before you start working in the field. Volunteer work and internships can present opportunities to practice communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills. You also may consider taking courses to learn better ways to communicate, methods for analyzing data, or how to negotiate with others. Want to find out more about organizational behavior?To find out more about organizational behavior, you can explore the topic through a course like Organizational Behavior: How to Manage People from the University of Navarra. Or, you can begin building some of the skills you can use in the field with a course like Removing Barriers to Change from the University of Pennsylvania. If you’re ready to pursue a career in organizational behavior, you may consider building credentials through a certificate online such as the Organizational Behavior: Know Your People course, offered by Macquarie University. These programs and more are available on Coursera. course Organizational Behavior: How to Manage PeoplePeter Drucker, a pioneer in the field of management, once said that people have a perverse tendency to behave like human beings. Of course, we are not ... 4.7 (999 ratings) 40,282 already enrolled Average time: 1 month(s) Learn at your own pace Skills you'll build: Management Styles, Leadership, Management, Organizational Culture course Removing Barriers to ChangeWhat does it mean to truly change something? How does one persuade others to change? How do we reduce roadblocks to change? In this course, you’ll learn ... 4.8 (289 ratings) 17,565 already enrolled BEGINNER level Average time: 1 month(s) Learn at your own pace course Organisational behaviour: Know your peopleOrganisations have changed and now, more than ever, personnel management is crucial to organisational success. In this course you’ll explore a range of ... 4.8 (1,119 ratings) 28,603 already enrolled BEGINNER level Average time: 1 month(s) Learn at your own pace Skills you'll build: Motivation, Diversity and Inclusion, Communication, Human Resources (HR) Written by Coursera • Updated on Dec 10, 2022 This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals. What skills are critical at every level of the organization?Communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity are skills that will be critical for your workforce both now and in the future. Make sure that you continually train and develop these skills throughout your workforce to give your organization a competitive advantage.
What is work group in organizational behavior?A work group norm may be defined as a standard that is shared by group members and regulates member behavior within an organization. An example can be seen in a typical classroom situation when students develop a norm against speaking up in class too often.
What is of a system is useful in correcting and preventing deviations from the desired level of performance?Most systems have a control mechanism to correct and prevent deviation from the desired level in system performance. Control can be at the input, process, or output stage.
Which behaviorism theorist is known for presenting the worker as more than a machine?In her capacity as a management theorist, Mary Parker Follett pioneered the understanding of lateral processes within hierarchical organizations. Her contributions aided the beginning of the behaviorism movement of management by presenting the worker as more than just a machine.
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