Organizational issues can be a challenge for some companies to overcome as they try to improve and manage their daily operations. The first step to resolving organizational issues is to acknowledge that there is a problem and identify the source. It takes time to determine where issues are coming from and create the appropriate solutions for each problem, but this is a necessary step for any organization that wants to grow and thrive in a healthy manner.
In this article, we learn about some common organizational issues, explain what may cause them and share possible solutions you can use to fix these problems.
Why is it important to resolve organizational issues?
Identifying and resolving organizational issues is highly beneficial to both the organization and its employees. The quicker you can resolve organizational issues, the sooner you can create a healthier workspace and focus your energy and resources on other business matters. Having good organizational practices promotes a sense of accomplishment and achievement within the company. Organizational improvements can also serve as motivation for an organization to keep pushing for new solutions or make proactive changes to avoid the same issues in the future.
7 common organizational issues (with causes and solutions)
Some organizational issues are more common than others, but they can all be challenging to overcome. There are ways to solve these issues with dedication and commitment to making positive outcomes. The following are 7 organizational issues, along with potential causes and solutions:
1. Turnover
High turnover refers to an organizational issue where employees leave their companies frequently and at high volumes. To compensate, an organization has to regularly hire new people to fill those roles. This can take up company resources and cause delays in company workflows. Some reasons for high turnover rates may include:
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Employees are discontent with management and their leadership officials.
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They feel dissatisfied with their work and do not find it fulfilling.
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Staff members are underpaid and want more compensation for their work.
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Employees don’t believe their employer hears their voices, ideas and concerns.
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Team members don’t see a path for growth within the company.
To overcome this challenge, it may help organizations if they reach out to their employees and receive feedback from them. It’s beneficial for managers to listen to their employee’s concerns and seriously consider where they can change or improve. Taking actionable steps to meet the concerns of your team members can help increase employee retention rates and improve productivity.
2. Productivity
Productivity refers to the volume of work employees complete successfully and according to schedule. Having high productivity means a company is meeting their production quotas, business operations are on track and the business is fulfilling all orders on time. An organization may suffer from productivity losses because:
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Teams are understaffed.
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Employees lose interest in the work or get distracted.
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Sudden structural and procedure changes can be jarring.
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Stress inducers like unrealistic deadlines and poor leadership can make working challenging.
To combat this organizational issue, managers may benefit from hiring additional staff or providing employees with breaks so they can relieve stress. Slowly ease your team members into upcoming changes so they can prepare accordingly and set deadlines that are realistic and achievable.
3. Process management
Managers use process management to ensure that their team is following the best processes for completing their work in an efficient and timely manner. The manager has to set the rules and guidelines and decide what practices to maintain and identify which ones don’t add value. Poor process management can occur because:
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Managers establish processes that are convoluted and complicated.
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Company leadership isn’t flexible and ignores feedback from employees.
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Managers lack an in-depth understanding of their team’s work and what they need to accomplish it.
To overcome process management problems, a manager should work closely with their team, understand their needs and take steps to implement processes that allow them to do their work simply and efficiently.
4. Role specification
Role specification means hiring the most qualified person for a job and assigning work to the most appropriate employee. A lack of quality role specification can disrupt workflows, reduce efficiency and decrease communication between team members. Role specification issues can occur because:
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Managers may show biased behavior towards or against particular individuals.
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A hiring manager doesn’t take the time to interview a candidate thoroughly.
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Leadership may not understand their team’s capabilities and particular strengths.
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Nepotism can sometimes lead to an unqualified new hire.
To overcome this organizational challenge, it’s important that managers learn about the skills and interests of their team members so they can assign work to the most qualified members or train members on how to succeed. It’s also essential that managers conduct a thorough hiring process for new candidates to hire people that suit company openings. They may enlist the help of recruiters who are more adept at finding qualified candidates for specific roles.
5. Customer satisfaction and relationships
One of the most important aspects of a successful organization is its relationship with its customers. Satisfied customers contribute to increased revenue and consistent purchases as a source of income. Customers may become unsatisfied with an organization due to poor customer service or poor quality of a company or service.
A solution to customer satisfaction as an organizational issue could be to retrain employees on how to provide the best customer service and engage with consumers through surveys, social media and market studies.
6. Innovation
Innovation is how companies develop new ideas and expand their products and services. An organization that is innovative opens itself up to new opportunities, integrates updated technology tools and becomes an industry leader. Organizations experience low innovation and grow stagnant because:
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They have a company culture that stifles employee creativity.
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The company uses outdated business practices that don’t facilitate innovation.
You can encourage innovation in your organization organizations by listening to the ideas of your team members and creating a culture where they feel comfortable being able to openly and freely express their ideas. It’s also helpful to thoroughly analyze current business practices and make necessary changes so new ideas and innovations can easily integrate into the company’s processes.
7. Teamwork
Teamwork involves employees working together to achieve a common goal. Effective teamwork increases productivity, and revenue and makes everyone’s job easier to complete. Teamwork within an organization can falter when:
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Team members have conflicting personality traits.
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Some individuals contribute more to projects than others.
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Managers show favoritism towards specific people.
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The organization has poor communication channels.
To resolve this organizational issue, try facilitating team meetings so everyone can share their concerns and craft solutions. Avoid showing favoritism so everyone feels valued and encouraged when they speak up about their ideas. You can also conduct individual meetings with each team member to assess the best way to improve the team based on each person’s feedback. If there are conflicting personalities, it’s important to have the involved parties discuss their issues civilly so they can determine a way to work together peacefully.
I hope you find this article helpful.
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