CONCEPT OF WORK BEHAVIOUR

Work behavior encompasses the actions and attitudes individuals exhibit while performing their job
duties, including productivity, motivation, communication, and collaboration. Administrative behavior
specifically pertains to the actions and decisions made by individuals in managerial or administrative
roles within an organization. These behaviors often overlap, as administrative behavior influences work
behavior and vice versa. For example, effective administrative behavior, such as clear communication
and fair decision-making, can foster positive work behavior, such as increased productivity and job
satisfaction. Conversely, poor administrative behavior, such as micromanagement or lack of support, can
lead to negative work behavior, such as decreased motivation and job dissatisfaction. Overall, the nature
of work behavior is intricately linked to administrative behavior, as the latter sets the tone and
framework within which employees operate. Attitudes drive certain work behaviors, for better and
worse. For example, an employee with a positive work attitude may be more likely to invest more time
and energy into a project, leading to higher performance. They may create stronger friendships at work,
be more welcoming to new team members, and inspire others to perform as a result of their attitude.
Meanwhile, an employee with a negative work attitude, who feels unfulfilled, underappreciated, or
otherwise dissatisfied with their job, can exhibit behaviors like inattention to detail, harsh or excessive
criticism, absenteeism, and more, to the point that they may even drag performance down for an entire
department.

EXAMPLES OF WORK BEHAVIOUR

Work behavior encompasses a wide range of actions and attitudes displayed by individuals in the
workplace. These behaviors can include:

1. Productivity: The ability to efficiently complete tasks and meet deadlines.

2. Communication: Effective communication with colleagues, supervisors, and clients.

3. Collaboration: Working well with others in teams or groups to achieve common goals.

4. Adaptability: Being flexible and able to adjust to changes in tasks, procedures, or environments.

5. Initiative: Taking proactive steps to solve problems or improve processes without constant
supervision.

6. Accountability: Taking responsibility for one's actions and their outcomes.

7. Leadership: Demonstrating leadership qualities such as guiding, motivating, and inspiring others.

8. Professionalism: Maintaining appropriate conduct and demeanor in the workplace.

9. Time management: Prioritizing tasks and managing time effectively to maximize productivity.

10. Creativity: Thinking outside the box to generate innovative solutions or approaches to challenges.
These behaviors collectively contribute to the overall functioning and success of an individual within an
organization. Effective work behavior is crucial for achieving organizational objectives, fostering a
positive work culture, and promoting personal and professional growth.

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS IN ORGANISATIONS

In any organization, it's crucial to recognize that behind the functional structures and positions lies a
fundamental element: people. They are the driving force responsible for productivity, goal attainment,
and overall success.

Each individual brings their unique personality, knowledge, and experiences, making them vital
contributors to the organization. Similar to a family or team, an organization comprises individuals who
share spaces and objectives. While various factors can influence behaviors within an organization, one
of the significant drivers is the environment and the behaviors exhibited by others.

Let's explore three positive and three negative behaviors and their impact on individuals, groups, and
company performance.

Positive Behaviors:

1. Collaborating to promote the company's culture and values: When an employee embraces and
believes in the company's values, it creates an ideal symbiotic relationship. Feeling like an integral part
of the team significantly impacts motivation, and inspiration, and ultimately leads to better-than-
predicted results. This positive behavior translates into higher profitability for the company, benefiting
both individuals and the organization as a whole.

2. Cooperating with colleagues: Whether a task requires individual or teamwork, fostering a spirit of
cooperation and support is crucial. Embracing this behavior boosts enthusiasm within the group and
enhances the energy of the work environment. When recruiting candidates for my businesses, I always
sought individuals with a "giver attitude," as described by Adam Grant in his book "Give and Take: A
Revolutionary Approach to Success." Grant identifies motivation, ability, and opportunity as
fundamental success elements, but the way we interact with others plays a pivotal role. Recognizing the
giver's generosity trait helped me evaluate candidates better and foster a collaborative work
environment.

3. Welcoming new requests: A positive attitude and an open mind are key attributes that facilitate
embracing change. When facing new requests from managers, colleagues, or superiors, demonstrating a
collaborative and goal-oriented approach becomes crucial. By avoiding resistance to change, individuals
contribute to achieving the company's objectives and overall growth.

Negative Behaviors:

a. Hostility: Comparing oneself to others within the organization when assigned new tasks often leads to
a hostile climate. I once had an employee working as a social assistant for patients in a clinic. Whenever
she received a new assignment, her anger spilled over into her interactions with patients and colleagues.
This detrimental behavior resulted in negative evaluations, putting her in danger of being terminated.
Hostility arises from miscommunication and an inability to approach situations professionally. Its
immediate effects impact the employee's life, work environment, productivity, and the company's
reputation.

b. Lack of accountability: Accountability is a quality that grows with experience and is not necessarily
tied to age. Being accountable involves taking responsibility for reaching personal and team goals. In
many cases, the lack of accountability becomes apparent when working within a team. Missing meetings
without justification, failing to respond to messages, or neglecting contributions to shared tasks
exemplify a lack of accountability. The immediate consequences are the loss of credibility and trust
among teammates. Currently, I face considerable frustration while working with young professionals
who lack work experience. This frustration leads to broken trust, communication crises, and a high risk
of project failure. In unbalanced teams, achieving equilibrium becomes challenging, and eventually,
someone has to be accountable for everyone.

c. Resistance to change: The seven words I detest the most are, "We have always done it this way."
More than two decades ago, during my time in the consultancy industry focusing on quality standard
management, I encountered various companies, ranging from small to large, nonprofit to LTDs, with two
to a thousand employees. In many cases where companies struggled, these seven words were ingrained
in their culture. Change is the catalyst for organizational development and improvement.

FACTORS INFLUENCING WORK BEHAVIOUR

Work behavior is influenced by various factors, including:

1. Individual motivation: The intrinsic and extrinsic factors that drive individuals to perform their tasks
and achieve goals.

2. Personal values and beliefs: The individual's own principles and moral standards that guide their
behavior in the workplace.

3. Organizational culture: The values, norms, and expectations

established by the organization, which shape how employees behave and interact with each other.

4. Leadership style: The approach taken by managers and leaders in directing, motivating, and
influencing the behavior of their subordinates.

5. Job design and role clarity: The clarity and specificity of job roles, responsibilities, and expectations,
which can impact how individuals approach their work.

6. Work environment: The physical, social, and psychological conditions in the workplace, including
factors like workspace layout, team dynamics, and company policies.

7. Rewards and recognition: The systems in place for acknowledging and rewarding employees for their
contributions and achievements.
8. Training and development: The opportunities provided for employees to acquire new skills,
knowledge, and competencies, which can influence their behavior and performance.

9. Work-life balance: The extent to which employees are able to balance their professional
responsibilities with personal and family commitments, which can affect their engagement and behavior
at work.

10. External factors: Economic conditions, industry trends, technological advancements, and societal
changes can also impact work behavior by influencing job availability, job security, and career
aspirations.

These factors interact in complex ways to shape individuals' behavior in the workplace, and
understanding them can help organizations foster a positive work environment and maximize employee
engagement and performance.

IMPORTANT OF WORK BEHAVIOUR

Why Is Understanding Work Behavior Important?

Understanding your employees’ work behavior is essential to uncovering ways to elevate your business’s
operations, work culture, and employer brand. The way team members act and interact with one
another ultimately affects a company’s bottom line. In general, positive, professional behaviors fuel
productivity and a company’s status, while poor, unprofessional behaviors are hindrances to growth. A
successful organization requires employees who are not only skilled and well-trained, but also who are
in roles that align with their strengths and weaknesses. Every role requires unique traits; when the right
individuals are placed in the right roles where their work behaviors are beneficial, employees can more
easily and effectively engage with their work. Assessing work behaviors can help employers decipher the
types of people they should hire for unique positions.

TYPES OF WORK BEHAVIOUR

What Are the 4 Key Work Behaviors to Understand?

There are four main types of work behaviors to track. Each type plays a role in why an employee
behaves the way they do in the workplace. By understanding each, you can gain more insight into the
behaviors of your team members and more importantly, you can identify how and where to initiate
effective organizational changes.

1. Job Performance

Job performance focuses on how well an employee performs their job duties. Employers may assess the
quality and quantity of their work to evaluate an employee’s overall performance.

Predictors of Job Performance

What influences an employee’s performance?

b. Interpersonal relationships: When employees feel supported by their managers and teammates and
treated fairly, they’re empowered to perform better.

c. Stress: When paired with adequate support and resources, stress can propel projects to completion,
while unproductive stress, or pressure without support and direction, leads to burnout, poor output and
quality, and more.

d. Work attitudes: Positive or negative work attitudes affect behavior, and that goes for the attitudes
and behaviors of other employees as well. The feelings an employee has, or is exposed to, directly
impact their work output.

2. Organizational Citizenship

While job performance centers on execution, organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) focus on
behaviors that are voluntary. Employees execute these voluntary behaviors to help people and the
company.

Some Organizational Citizenship behaviour s an employee may display include:

• Helping a teammate understand an assignment

• Offering suggestions to management on how to improve workflow processes

• Participating in culture initiatives

Predictors of Organizational Citizenship

Organizational citizenship behaviors are rooted in motivation. Where do employees find the motivation
to engage with their work and proactively contribute to company wide growth? Some answers include:

a. Interpersonal relationships: A good relationship with managers and colleagues fosters a safe and
positive work environment where employees feel empowered to volunteer solutions and help those
around them.

b. Work attitudes: When employees feel inspired by the company mission and aligned with the values,
they are more likely to exhibit Organizational Citizenship behaviours.

c. Age and tenure: Depth of experience can predispose employees to demonstrate Organizational
Citizenship behaviours more frequently as they feel they have a lot to contribute.

d. Personality: The tendency to frequently display OCBs are also linked to outgoing or conscientious
personality traits.

3. Absenteeism
Absenteeism looks at the frequency of absences at work. An employee’s absenteeism may indicate the
types of changes an employer should make in a role. For example, if an employee is absent often due to
family obligations, you may want to offer flexible work options (i.e., remote/hybrid structure or varied
work hours) to help them adequately fulfill their job responsibilities.

Predictors of Absenteeism

a. Disengagement in their role, illness, family matters, and vacations are all possible reasons a team
member may be absent:

b. Health: Employees can fall ill, which will make them unable to work.

c. Work-life balance: Family responsibilities can create circumstances where an employee may need to
be absent from work.

d. Negative attitudes: If employees feel disengaged at work and do not like their jobs, they may be
absent more often than employees who feel engaged.

e. Age: Younger employees are more likely to have higher rates of absenteeism from work than older
employees.

4. Turnover

Turnover is how often employees leave a company and are replaced. Higher than expected turnover can
harm your organization’s overall performance and productivity, and put more pressure on those who
stay. Extremely low turnover can also be detrimental, as teams develop group-think attitudes and
become extremely resistant to change or new ideas.

Predictors of Turnover

The following factors can affect turnover rates:

a. Compensation: People who feel they are not being compensated fairly may be more inclined to leave
their organization, and excessively high compensation can keep unhappy, disengaged employees from
leaving.

b. Poor workplace wellbeing: Those who are unsatisfied or who feel uncared for at work will often look
elsewhere for opportunities.

c. Stress: Roles that cause high levels of stress will motivate people to seek other jobs. On the other
hand, a workplace that presents no challenges encourages complacency.

d. Age and tenure: Younger employees whose lives and careers are evolving rapidly have less practical
ties to one company as opposed to individuals with dependents to support. Additionally, without
effective onboarding, new hires are also prone to turnover due to stress caused by lack of direction and
support.
EFFECTS OF WORK BEHAVIOUR

How Does Personality Affect Work Behavior?

Personality can play a role in work behavior and career success. Personality is complex and encompasses
an individual’s thought, emotional, and behavioral patterns, and it may affect how we approach our
work.

Understanding an employee’s personality can help leaders better mentor their employees or shift roles
in ways that highlight and grow employees’ strengths.

Psychologists studying the differences between individuals’ personalities often divide a single
personality into five major traits, or the Big Five. Understanding where an employee falls on the
spectrum of each trait can help employers predict the most suitable roles and support structures for
employees:

a. Openness: Openness looks at how curious, creative, and appreciative an employee is toward new
ideas, versus how resistant they are to change.

b. Conscientiousness: This trait focuses on how likely a person is to be careful and thoughtful when it
comes to getting their work done.

c. Extroversion: Extroversion measures a person’s sociability and outgoingness.

d. Agreeableness: Agreeableness is the level at which a person has a tendency to get along with others
and show compassion, or to be calculating and critical.

e. Neuroticism: This trait looks at how likely someone is to be confident and unshakeable or sensitive
and anxious in the face of stress.

It’s also important to remember that personalities aren’t set in stone—for example, a person may seem
cautious in a particular situation, but that doesn’t mean they’re always going to be resistant to change
or that they even have a cautious personality. Additionally, any of these traits can be weaknesses,
strengths, or entirely neutral depending on the context of the situation.

CONCLUSION

Conclusively, understanding and fostering positive work behavior is paramount for organizational
success. By promoting a culture of respect, communication, and accountability, employers can cultivate
a productive and harmonious work environment. Additionally, providing opportunities for growth and
development, acknowledging achievements, and addressing conflicts constructively contribute to
overall employee satisfaction and engagement. Ultimately, prioritizing work behavior benefits both
individuals and the organization as a whole, leading to increased productivity, innovation, and success.

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