Importance of Workplace Decorum

Discuss about the Employee Motivation and Job Performance.

The employees are instructed to follow the workplace decorum for exposing appropriate behaviour. This is in terms of enhancing the professionalism. The kind of behaviour exposed by the employees is one of an important determinant for appraising their performance (Cascio, 2018). Maturity, alertness and consciousness are important attributes towards workplace professionalism. Along with this, using ornamental language while communicating with the colleagues and the bosses creates positive image about the employees within the minds of the bosses.

In our workplace, we are instructed to wear formals from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays, we can wear business casuals. This excludes the skintight dresses. The HR Manager, under the instructions of the CEO, imposed this rule.  Upon implementation of this rule, the female employees revolted, as they felt business casuals mean anything that is comfortable. This type of attitude is common within the workplace (Wirtz & Lovelock, 2017). This is in terms of the differing opinions due to the different socio-cultural backgrounds in which the employees belong.

Dress reveals an individual’s personality. This is also applicable in terms of the workplace. Shabby dresses create negatives vibes against an individual. This type of dressing sense reveals the mentality of the individuals regarding the environment in which they are placed. On the other hand, proper attire provides positive feelings to the employees in terms of working in an efficient and effective manner. This positivity adds value to their professionalism.

The workplace situations can be better understood with the help of theories. This is because theories enliven the preconceived skills, knowledge and expertise of the employees. Job demand resource theory can be selected for analysing the protests against the workplace attire (Woerkom, Bakker & Nishii, 2016). The main attribute of this theory is stress, which reveals the incapability of the personnel to maintain the balance between the demands of the employees and the resources available for catering to the needs of the employees. In terms of the case scenario, the demand relates to the demands of the employees regarding the restrictions on the dress code. The stress is the incapability of the managers to convince the employees to follow the workplace decorum. This incapability results in the conflicts, discriminations and harassments. Revolts of the employees also reflect the conflicts between the male and the female employees. This conflict reflects the issue of gender biasness, destroying the productivity (Stokes, 2016).

Dress Code Regulations and Conflicts

The job demand resource model emerged as a result of demand control model and effort reward imbalance model. The founders of these models are of the view that the scopes of these models are limited and exempt certain designations. Countering this, every personnel is entitled to follow the workplace decorum. Partiality is against the workplace decorum and gives rise to biasness, conflicts and discriminations. After the revolts, the managers called the female employees in their cabin and threatened them. This attitude reflects the misutilization of the power and authority, distorting the aspect of incapability in terms of utilizing the resources (Epstein & Buhovac, 2014).

One of the other factors of this model is the working conditions, which reflects the approach of the employees towards the environment in which they are to perform the allocated duties and responsibilities. The revolting conditions of the workplace distract the employees from working with concentration. The working condition also analyzes the organization and its internal environment. Conflicts regarding restrictions on attire relate to the poor management. Along with this, it also reveals the incapability of the management in terms of regulating employee performance (Mayo, 2016).

The focus of the theory is on the positive and the negative outcomes- burnout, ill health and stress. The stress of the managers and the employees can be cited as an example in this context. Breakout of revolt upon the restrictions related to dress code increases the stress level of the female employees. Positive factors relate to the attempts of the managers to restore workplace normalcy. Private counselling session with the female employees cannot be considered a positive step towards ensuring the wellbeing of the employees. On the contrary, it is a conspiracy in terms of securing the position in the workplace (Schaufeli & Taris, 2014).

The aspects in the previous paragraph can be related with the behavioural theories-theory of reasoned behaviour and theory of planned action. Counselling sessions are effective in terms of gaining an insight into the issues, which the employees are facing while working in the workplace. However, private counselling sessions is against the workplace norms, as it is without the permission of the managerial authorities. Here, the organizational structure is distorted as the higher authorities are not involved within the workplace activities (Bolino et al., 2015). This nullifies the aspect of teamwork in the case of our organization.

Planned action means the managers and the employees indulge in meetings and conferences for taking decisions for the betterment of the organization. However, this cannot be applied in the case scenario, in terms of the illegal means, adopted by the managers, for convincing the employees. Herein, planning attains a negative connotation, in terms of efficient execution of the business activities. This negativity is not at all prospective for the achievement of positive outcomes. Lack of consciousness towards planning reflects the lack of maturity, adding interrogative parameter to the professionalism of the managers. Here, questions can also be raised on the behaviour of the employees, in terms of revolting against the rules, which they dislike (Bratton & Gold, 2017). Revolting reflects a disobedient attitude, contradicting the mentality needed to coping with the workplace decorum.

Job Demands and Behavioral Attitudes

Therefore, planning is needed in terms of achieving positive outcomes. This planning needs to involve the managers and the employees, which would result in effective decisions. In this planning process, unity and coordination is essential, otherwise the entire purpose of planning would be lost. Group discussions can be organized between the employees and the managers. This would enhance the awareness towards the approaches towards the workplace issues. Conflicts are bound to occur within the workplace (Sonnentag & Fritz, 2015). The managers need to plan effective negotiation means for reducing the intensity levels of these conflicts. Self-experiments in this direction can prove harmful in terms of fulfilling the identified aims and objectives. Taking help from the external agencies can be beneficial in terms of enhancing the stability in the relationship between the employees and the management.

Communication is one of the areas, which needs improvement. In order to convince the employees, the managers need to expose caring and understanding approach towards the employees. Liberal attitude might lead to misutilization of the provided freedom (Lazaroiu, 2015). Therefore, the managers need to be strict but not harsh in their commands. Rationality and consciousness in this direction would be praiseworthy in case of the managers. Tactfulness would be a lesson for the employees regarding setting a respectable position in the workplace.

Evaluation is also needed in terms of assessing the effectiveness, appropriateness and feasibility of the exposed performance. This evaluation needs to be from both the employees and manager’s end. Consciousness towards the execution of evaluation is crucial in terms of altering the workplace scenario (Direnzo, Greenhaus & Weer, 2015).  

Strictness needs to be developed in developing workplace rules and regulations. The employees are to be trained about complying with the workplace norms. Herein, the managers need to take the initiative. If the managers are correct from their end, they can easily teach the employees to adhere to the rules and regulations. Cooperation and unity needs to be present from both the sides, without which the foundation of the organization would be vulnerable.

The employees can be involved within the planning processes. This would act as valuation for the efforts they are putting for helping the organization to achieve the identified and the specified objectives. This does not mean that the management need to listen to all of their demands. However, understanding needs to be their regarding supporting the employees in adjusting with the workplace environment. This assistance would strengthen the bondage between the employees and the managers.

Training can be organized, which would enhance the preconceived skills, expertise and knowledge of the employees. Inclusion of the workplace norms in the training sessions would make the employees disciplined, which would be beneficial for their personal development. Counselling sessions can be organized for the employees, employers and managers. This would make the higher authorities aware of the issues, which the employees are facing while executing the allocated duties and responsibilities.

Strong and flexible policies need to be developed for the regulating the performance of the employees. Assistance from the statutory body of law would seem fruitful in terms of averting the illegal instances. Typical example of this can be deduction in salary, restricting the usage of certain facilities among others. CCTV surveillance is mandatory in terms of keeping a track on the activities of the employees. The employees needs to be made aware of the fact that they are under CCTV surveillance. This would make them conscious about their approach in the workplace.

References

Bolino, M. C., Hsiung, H. H., Harvey, J., & LePine, J. A. (2015). “Well, I’m tired of tryin’!” Organizational citizenship behavior and citizenship fatigue. Journal of Applied Psychology, 100(1), 56.

Bratton, J., & Gold, J. (2017). Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave.

Cascio, W. (2018). Managing human resources. McGraw-Hill Education.

Direnzo, M. S., Greenhaus, J. H., & Weer, C. H. (2015). Relationship between protean career orientation and work–life balance: A resource perspective. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(4), 538-560.

Epstein, M. J., & Buhovac, A. R. (2014). Making sustainability work: Best practices in managing and measuring corporate social, environmental, and economic impacts. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Lazaroiu, G. (2015). Employee motivation and job performance. Linguistic and Philosophical Investigations, 14, 97.

Mayo, A. (2016). Human resources or human capital?: Managing people as assets. Routledge.

Schaufeli, W. B., & Taris, T. W. (2014). A critical review of the Job Demands-Resources Model: Implications for improving work and health. In Bridging occupational, organizational and public health (pp. 43-68). Springer Netherlands.

Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2015). Recovery from job stress: The stressor?detachment model as an integrative framework. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(S1).

Stokes, P. (2016). Using critical approaches in managing people and organizations. Kogan Page.

van Woerkom, M., Bakker, A. B., & Nishii, L. H. (2016). Accumulative job demands and support for strength use: Fine-tuning the job demands-resources model using conservation of resources theory. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(1), 141.

Wirtz, J., & Lovelock, C. (2017). Managing People for Service Advantage. World Scientific.