9. Unlocking Leadership Excellence: The Essential Traits of Effective Strategic Leaders and Managers

Leadership and Management are different thing, and it shouldn’t be used interchangeably. Both imply a unique set of skills, characteristics and functions that share few similarities.

Figure 1

EFFECTIVE TRAITS OF A LEADER 

Trait theory exposes the idea that people are born with inherited traits. The Trait Theory of leadership is based on specific characteristics of many leaders. This method is mainly considered when predicting leadership effectiveness. Many theorists who study leadership traits have identified characteristics include physiological, demographic, personality, intellectual, task related, and social. As an effective leader in any organization, the leader should have ,

• the ability to adapt to changing situations, 
• engaged with social environment and activities, an ambitious individual who aim to achieve high, self-confident. 

Because a leader should be, 

• assertive, cooperative, decisive dependable. 
• should have the ability to dominate and take responsibility, 
• full of energy, 
• persistence, and tolerant of stress which are consider as traits. 
• should have the skills like creativity, intelligence, conceptually skilled, 
• fluent in verbal and writing, 
• very much knowledgeable, 
• organized, 
• persuasive and socially skilled. 

As per “Von Clausewitz” reference, he calls strategy, "a system of thought more than anything else". 

Every organization is functioning with that constraint, limited resources. Therefore, essentially the strategy is making choices on how the organization deploy their limited resources for competitive advantage. (Clausewitz, et al., 2001) 

Figure 2

While implementing the change the organization's leaders of top management level identify what is the decisive point. Generally in companies, the decisive point is a central idea that directs the entire organization towards winning the conflict. Therefore, most of time organizations ensure to complete for advantage, which is creating greater value for their customers that the competitors can do. Companies emphasize the fact that everything an organization, needs to do is to focus the whole of its resources and the minds and hearts of its employee on that decisive point, which underlying thing that drives success. 

Strategic leadership is the process of providing the direction and inspiration necessary create a sustain an organization. In companies, while implementing the new changes, leader should have the ultimate management responsibilities regarding new change and directly reports to board of directors and appoints relevant managers those who requires running the change in the organization. 

In an organizations, to become a good communicator, middle level managers understand the criticality of all employees, which mean they value that each employee driving for the company, the niche skills sets that they possess which are critical to the organization regular functioning. Once they understood, they ensured to categorize each employee working in the respective organization's department from highly critical to not so critical. This analysis is extremely important.

The change agent in companies who identifies key members from the organization called as change managers, and they are the front line messengers of the change but before they do that, the change leaders in companies convinced the managers of their vision of the change. Change manager team in any company also ensured that they had communication to each employee teams to understand their fears. This part is where the analysis of critical to not so critical employee comes in play. Because by having conversation to a very critical employees, the manager ensured with them that they have the place in the future of company along with the clear career development path. 

A role of an Agile leader is takes on board the concerns, the questions raised suggestions from team members. Agile leader is about bringing together the world of project management and change management leading to the realization of benefits. In an organization project management is concerned is a key driver and change management is important for agile organizations. 

Figure 3

In recent times many organizations across the world implemented a digital platform to carryout their work very efficiently. When an organization implemented the technological platform , they ensure to monitor employee’s contribution regular basis. Prepared online tutorial to use the online tools like Microsoft Teams, zoom applications for virtual meetings, provides online teaching training program using tool kit to ensure that the employees of their company received deeper and wider knowledge about the new change, and the important for a new change. 

Organizations also believe that agility needs to invest in a strong change management capability with co-creative collaborative sense where it can build buy-in, help employees to understand, and manages the capacity of change so that employees of the organization are not overwhelmed and understand that this is a small continuous adaptation. Therefore, building internal capability is essential and investing in good human centric in change management, building expectations within the organization  important as well. 

ADVANTAGES OF HAVING LEADERSHIP IN ORGANIZATION

Figure 4

A person can work together with more people if he/she’s in leadership position. If he/she in cross-functional leadership position it gives insights to be lots of different departments and functions. Creative and innovation are encouraged. Leaders value the process of generating new ideas and appreciate what each team members brings to the table. Deliberate encouragement of idea sharing leads to climate of innovation in the whole organization. People think of increasing productivity simplifying the process, reducing errors, solving customers need better, new products to build etc.

Collaboration creates robust solutions for complicated problems by utilizing multiple perspectives, experiences, attitudes, and idea the team can most often find healthy ideas with limited downsides by working together.

Employee engagement is high. The participate nature of leadership creates more positive environment where team members are included. They work together to achieve the organization’s goals and feel that their opinion matter which build trust and respect among the members which make the work environment even better.

Common goals lead to high accountability. A leader involves others in setting the goals and targets of the organization. If people are part of defining the goals, they will feel greater ownership of reaching those goals. This intense feeling of accountability in combination with high empowerment improves productivity. 

OBSTACLES OF LEADERSHIP

Figure 5

Resent may creep in a positive work environment needs all team members to be respected and valued. However, some team members ideas and opinions may consistently be better or get more attention than others which may leads to some people believing that they aren’t valued leading to resentment and bitterness.

Collaborative decision – making is a time consuming. Deferring decisions to the team may cause unnecessary delays that increases the problem worsen the consequences or reduce productivity. A good leaders will know when to use collaborative decision making and when to use a quicker approach with fewer individuals or no discussion at all.

Team members can lose trust. After period of leadership team members expect participate leadership and might even consider it mandatory. Therefore, they become confused when the leader makes quick decisions without their input which can lead to uncertainty about when to expect participation.

8. Subculture Dynamics: Unveiling the Strength Within Organizational Culture

SUBCULTURE IN ORGANIZATIONS AND STRENGTH IN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

Figure 1

It is commonly acknowledged that few organizations across the world have efficient and consistent cultures. (Schein, 2010) According to Reason (1997), culture is not a single structure in an organizational context but a mixture and constant interaction 

between various organizational subcultures (Antonsen, 2009); (Schein, 2017)). 

In practice, particularly for big and international organizations, several elements can create subcultures, such as state, regional, sectors, and skilled cultures, political and financial situations, technology, and policies. In this concern, Pidgeon (Pidgeon, 1998) stated that this point of various subcultures may result in conflict in priorities and responsibilities. That leads, according to Pidgeon, to inconsistencies, uncertainty, and conflict of beliefs, approaches, and actions among organization employees, which hypothetically leads to negative effects on well being outcomes. 

Moreover, such sub-cultures in one business can overlap and conflict with each other. However, Pidgeon (Pidgeon, 1998) also suggested that various subcultures within an organization could develop in a helpful experience; in companies this may begin, for demand, diverse responses, and evaluations in reaction to dangerous circumstances. In sum, it is hard to disagree with the reality of different subcultures in one individual business. However, the most important is to guarantee collaboration between these subcultures. Therefore, many organization's the overall organizational culture understands the subcultures' negative and positive influences to build an integrated solid and effective culture. (Alicia Boisnier, 2003)

Furthermore, the organizational culture, whether there are subcultures or not, should allow the organization to act and change to new adjustments. (Douglas A Wiegmann, 2004) It must be able to create the manners within the organization that lead to its outcomes. In addition, organizational culture should offer a perception of fit in to individuals, contributing to their obligation toward accomplishing the organizational goals and objectives and their social constancy. Therefore, their actions can be successfully formed and produced positively. 

However, several circumstances can affect this role of organizational culture. In practice, corporate culture is affected by how the company is organized and how its leaders set it up for a victory. Furthermore, making it a behavioral concern and encouraging team coordination and leadership would impact the culture of any organization. General and social culture is another element impacting organizational culture; certainly, how people behave is clearly connected to society's standards. Therefore, because of the impact of many considerations, some organizational cultures could be deeper than others. 

There are several strengths of organizational cultures. 

• For example, mature organizational culture is considered by the solidity of its staffs and their skills to collaborate and encourage great value. A strong culture is an additional kind of strength of organizational culture. It suggests to the one that maintains high moral values and supports transparency about behavior that must be implemented and executed by its members. 

INFORMAL ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE 

Figure 2

The informal organization contains of the individual relationships and means of communication that are often required to achieving the work of the organization. However it is not a part of the recognized organization structure, and associated with the theory is the organization cultures the common principles, opinions, and beliefs about the firm and what it stands for. 

The informal organization and the organization’s culture are designed by people throughout the organization rather than being controlled by top management. Informal organization and culture are significant factors in the overall layout of an organization, because of their impact on the performance and implementation of employees. In creating or reshaping an organization, management should constantly take the informal organization and the general culture into account. If the organization’s layout conflicts with its culture, it is doubtful that the plan will be successful. And where the plan particularly tries to discourage, part of the informal organization, destructive conflict may result. 

In companies as in general, the leaders won't announce a change suddenly and assume it to get completed. They put in a position to get all the necessary information and activities, they pushed the current situation forward by encouraging and motivating the employees to be keenly cooperative and proactive in taking constructive decisions and approaches. From the people management point of view, appointing staff from different departments of the organization for a project to be more effective as reaching out to their members is effortless and time efficient. The framework is widely open that the project team itself can be the voice of the organization for its open communication. Organizations, when they implemented the change, company invests great effort and resources in developing further capabilities and skills in their employees, from which they benefit during their work at respective companies and which they take with them wherever their career path leads. To this end, organization widely offers their employees and managers enhancement courses such as Excel training, Office training, and English lessons as well to further support the communication between employees and managers, the process includes a self-evaluation by the employee, which allows a more productive and in-depth communication between manager and employee focusing on the employee’s performance. 

Figure 3

A change in culture isn’t simple and can do more damage than good if not executed accurately. Leaders need to realize that it is the people of the organization who will implement the change and therefore they need to be on-board that change is essential. 

1. The principle of the new change is not clear to employees. Proper communication of the proposed change and honesty to address fears is the initial step to make sure employees see changes are in their concern. When the intention of the change is not addressed properly or the employers did not convince the necessity of change, they will refuse the change. 
2. The change is extreme. A radical change can be tricky to implement and can clash with a bigger amount of resistance. 
3. Lack of Communication and Lack of Training. Acceptance is easier when employees are prepared for what's coming. There will be implementation details approaching application, but to make them well prepared will help them into the procedure of adjusting to the new change. .
4. Lack of feedback. It is crucial to take feedback from employee to evaluate how change is working or if employees are encountering any challenges. The biggest differences, causing in unproductive changes, are seen when the perception of specifications is unique at each level of the organization. By pursuing feedback, employees will understand a part of the decision and it will be simple to bring them on board and make new change smoother. 

Therefore, leaders at the organizations across the world, ensure that they had communication to each department to understand their fears before implementing new challenges. For Example, After pandemic, there was a massive organizational change in globally. While implementing the change, it was tougher to get everyone on board since majority of employees starts their remote work mode. And lots of companies ensure that not to put their customers in critical situation. Therefore, majority of organizations implemented the required technical solutions, which allowed their representatives globally to be fully connected to all appropriate supporting platforms, as well handling their contact center virtually and successfully maintain their best-in-class service level, and even nowadays  their continuing the virtual contacts. Many organizations sustained their adaptation to the “new normal” of operating under the remote work mode system. As part of this change, companies providing employees a hybrid mode of work, working both from home and from the office, in areas where possible. 

7. Culture Catalyst: How Organizations are Driving Change Through Cultural Transformation

ORGANIZATION CULTURE IN ORGANIZATION

Figure 1

Organizational culture refers to the underlying values, beliefs and code of practice that involved in shaping up an environment, society, the self-image of member of the organization. The key influences on the Organization Culture in companies are Founder, Business Size, Rewards, Market, Structure of the organization and Work Environment. Working in a principled and truthful way is and has been the core of  any organization's business. Generally organization stand by their values every single day, and endeavor to execute them in daily corporate activities as well as in associations with stakeholders. 

Organization's Vision and Values are stated in the company’s Code of Ethics and convey company’s responsibility to act reasonably, considering the culture and atmosphere in which the company function, and to endeavor for brilliance in all respective company's activities. Organization strives to liberally connect with its dealers in a polite and good manner. However, company will cease from contracting or end prevailing engagements with dealers and business partners in cases which companies doubts or is aware that they breach their Code. Sustainable procurement promotes suppliers to approve and execute related procedures, agreement plans and work methods to guarantee loyalty to ethics and moral standards set in company code. 

TYPES OF ORGANIZATION CULTURE

Completing Values Frameworks developed by Robert Quinn and John Rohrbaugh who were researchers at the university of Michigan. In 1981 they sought to identify criteria for organizational effectiveness. As part of their research, they came up with competing values framework which have two dimensions and then identified four type of cultures which led to Organizational Cultural Assessment Instrument. 

The  Four different types of organizational cultures are Clan Culture, Adhocracy Culture, Hierarchy Culture and Market Culture. 

Figure 2

Initial perceptual variation in the social system: between inconsistency and solidity as well as internal and external environment of the organization was specified and developed into organizational level. The focus of X and Y axes are flexibility and freedom to act and Internal External Focus. In Organizational Market Culture (Rational cultures) say Individual information processing by goal explanation, reasonable decision, and decisiveness which is assumed to be a means to the end of enhanced performance like competence, efficiency, and revenue, or influence. 

Organizations generally highlight on authenticity, efficiency, productivity, and compliments to the power of the manager. Members are assessed based on quantifiable output and outcome is always made conclusively. 

The Adhocracy in companies (Developmental culture) advocates, spontaneous information managing by vision, creation, and innovation. These are expected to be a means to the end of regeneration like 

• External support, 
• Supply gaining, and development. 

External resources and growth were emphasized, while decision-making is always instinctive, and members are assessed by work. 

The Clan Culture of organizations (Consensual cultures) suggest shared information managing by conversation, contribution, and agreement. These are expected to be means to the end of cohesion like, 

• Climate.
• Self-esteem, and team coordination. 

Which is emphasis placed on confidence, group cohesiveness, and membership as the main factor of enthusiasm. The instant reaction is pointless, and decision-making should require the involvement of the members,and they are assessed based on the excellence of the relationship. 

For example, in any company, change manager’s team ensured that they had communication to each employee teams to understand their fears. This part is where the analysis of critical to not so critical employee comes in play. Because by having conversation to a very critical employees, the manager ensured with them that they have the place in the future of company along with the clear career development path. 

Hierarchical culture in organization entitlements, recognized information managing by documentation, monitoring, and evaluation and it is assumed to be the end of endurance which is, 

• Solidity, 
• Control, 
• Management. 

an Instant reaction is unnecessary as decision-making is based on accurate analysis connections with the implementation of principles for stability and control. Safety is the key element of motivation. 

6. Behind Closed Doors: Decoding the Interplay of Power and Politics in Organizational Dynamics

POWER AND POLITICS IN ORGANIZATION

Figure 1

Power and politics play key role in organization. There needs to some source of power which directs and control organization activities to achieve goal. Without power, employers will not co-operate, there will be a lack of vision, ans enthusiasm confusion about their roles and responsibilities. 

Power is seen by many theorists as a desirable force within organizations. According to George and Jones when one group of people gets another group of person or people to do something perhaps that person would not done the task naturally referred as power. 

Politics is another concept use within the organizations to achieve common or person goals and interests. Management or people from a higher position use their power to influence work politics to control decision making. When some people within an organization have power and they may be able to use that power to get other staffs to work in particular ways, where reorganize the business in a certain way or like in develop a new application, whatever it is they have got what they want by virtue of their position because they have power, and they able to manipulate the employers to perform in a way they want by using the power, wielding the power, and getting staff on their side sometimes to agree with them. 

Workplace politics is a common activity pursued by employees from a position of power. For example, the use of political behavior to gain promotion. 

Figure 2

Power Cultures have 5 different types. Legitimate, Expert, Reward, Information, and Coercive. 

In Legitimate Power, the top-level leader/ CEO/ Board of Directors in company has authority over all staff underneath them. Each of the leaders at the Middle level/ Superior or senior managers has authority over their individual team. Finally, those at the bottom of the organization like minority employers have no power and no authority over anyone. 

Legitimate Power is emphasized by rules and regulations. Implementation new changes in organization, specially designed for employers of the organization. The company CEO ensure that everyone in the organization should understand the necessary change in organization which operates globally, and they ensure to motivate middle level and lower level as well as makes them follow the instruction to work in a desire direction, and ensure to implement the required technical solutions as soon as possible to run the organization effectively. 

Expert Power, is the skill of a person has regardless of position to show knowledge in a subject matter or state. Sometimes an employee may have expert power in organization. For example, in company, influencer leader have high authority to affect the obtaining decision of others due to their knowledge or position or connection with their viewers. They actively involve with a different position. Specially in marketing and promoting new services in the organization. 

Reward power is a formal power given to an organization manager, project managers, to give out rewards to other employers in organization. Generally organizations across the world engages with external auditors and survey firms that carry out evaluations and analyses of a wide range of company functions, such as salary and benefits compliance issues. Most of the time companies perform a yearly salary increase procedure that considers salary incremental, promotions, annual assessments based on employers’ performance. 

Information Power, is about having an authority to specific types of information in organization. For example while implementing new cyber security program, company's special Information Security unit hold the power to uses cutting-edge technological explanations to deliver end-to-end information and cyber-security analysis for organization's IT and system infrastructure. These activities involve of setting up an enhanced Cyber Security Operation Center which examines, responds to, and investigates cyber risks. 

Coercive Power, most of the time coercive power of method used in companies to simply initiate of the need for urgency. For example introducing new upgrade version of cyber security had impact on organization in a wide range, rather than impact on employee. Leader of companies  ensure to apply coercive power to make a change in the organization because, the need of introducing cyber security upgrade will protect the organization from going pitfall. Therefore, the organization introduces a strict data protection policy with respect to personal data that collects, processes, and stores during its business activities.

Figure 3

Organizations are dedicated to safeguarding the personal data. Data privacy are protected in accordance with the best practices available, as well as according to respective company's relevant lawful obligations. 

Management using power and politics for own interests can cause harm to the interests of other people/ employees, the organization, and its resources. It can improve organization's decision making, healthy competition, bring new ideas and solution through individual power. Politics can only be successful if management/ employees possess the power to influence decision. Level of power can be seen from organization structure and often flow downwards. The increased power enables them to engage in political behavior and effectively influence decision making. 

In political tactics the very first thing to recognize is who has the power. There is no point in trying to influence people without power because they can’t deliver. Therefore, in organization it’s very important to recognize who has power in different situations. Manager can increase their power by making themselves irreplaceable. For example, organizations are developing specialist skills or knowledge which benefits their business activities. Managers can also develop key relationships with customers/clients/suppliers which help them to limit uncertainty. Managers can make themselves more central to the organization by taking on more responsibility, and  securing their position. 

Especially if we consider the marine industry and if we look into the company called ZIM integrated shipping company, their security profile incorporates with internal security methods on ships, in offices and logistic areas, and external safety measures taken with corporate partners such as suppliers and consumers. Considering Tax policy, the company is conscious of its responsibility to ensure settlement of reasonable and clear corporate taxes wherever the company manages. Anti-trust laws related to shipping industry and ZIM’s zero-tolerance methodology to breaches of antitrust laws, the company takes ongoing legal action to identify and reduce any antitrust risks and enhance employee perception and knowledge of antitrust laws. Also, their employees are encouraged to rapidly report to the Legal Unit for any alleged violation of the Antitrust Policy or any antitrust law.

5. Unveiling The Architectural Pillars: How Strategic Leaders And Managers Forge Competitive Advantage

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 

Figure 1

Competitive Advantage is achieved when companies gain particular advantage over their rivals. This could be an advantage in marketing or in production or in distribution in any one of the functional areas. A company is said to have a competitive advantage when it achieves higher than average profits for its industry. It can be gained through adopting two methods: Cost Advantage, and Differentiation Advantage. 

A company’s core competencies are a means for developing a lower cost structure or a unique product that would provide extra benefits to buyers/customers. A company’s competitive strategy and their position in the industry need to be considered before deciding on their central focus. Depending on the assessment of likely outcomes, a company may decide to lower cost differentiate the service. 

LEADERS AND MANAGER IN ATTAINING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 

Figure 2

Positive orientation and relationship between attitudes of leader and employee improve employee performance. An attitude is a theoretical structure that signifies person's intensity of like or dislike for something. Positive deep level relationship can improve performance. If the focus of both the leader and the member is to participate in terms of hard work, then deep level relationship can help an organization to be further emotionally incorporated. When there is emotional support among the people of a company it results in an emotional integration of the whole organization. 

This further can help people recognize each other’s abilities and only then their best employment is possible. In a wider perception, linked with the similar personality, gives individuals a common sense of fitting that emotionally attaches every employee to the attitude of their workplace. 

One of the key role of leader is to not let politics. The factors that impact positively to attitudinal position and enhance worker performance expect that leaders must realize some of the fundamental elements that may create behaviorally isolated workers. 

The leader should have a distinctive skill to differentiate among real soldiers and actors. As employees who concentrates exclusively on impression administration and in outcome gets compensated damages the entire atmosphere of the organization. Therefore, some aspects leaders should consider like recognizing and conveying priorities. Leaders can start adjusting employees' mindsets to a positive approach by recognizing and connecting priorities. In many organizations, in order to gain competitive advantage, they effectively utilized their resources and capabilities, which involved in value creations. The managers in companies set themselves the objectives of gaining a competitive advantage which is a process that the management undertake trying to be outsmart the competition. 

Figure 3

For a business, competitive advantage can only be obtained through better resources and expertise that are unique from its rivals. Resources in companies includes financial resources of the business, like working capital, intangible resources like reputation of the organization and goodwill, physical resources such as machinery, equipment like , raw materials, and services, and human resources which is necessary resource that activates everything in organization such as enabling production and effective output. 

Generally organizations, aim to develop their employees very professionally as well as personally and do so through their training programs and employee benefits. companies ensure it important to offer employees attractive working environments and forecasts for development. 

Resources are company’s assets. They are useful for creating value and gaining competitive advantage, and which cannot be easily copied by competitors like Patents and Trademarks, Proprietary know how to do the business, Company reputation, Brand equality, and effective bench-marking activities. Organization's customers choose their service based on the value proposition. Providing higher value than the rivalry is a basis of competitive advantage. There is numerous likely value alteration which can deliver competitive advantage. During COVID breakdown, most of the organizations across the globe offered their customers with much more value services for considerable charge. They offered new structures under same value along with better performance. 

VISIONARY LEADERSHIP 

Figure 4

To overcome the COVID-19 working-from-home challenges, organization's leaders quickly implemented the required technical solutions, which enabled the company's representatives worldwide to be fully connected to all relevant supporting platforms, as well managing their contact center virtually and successfully maintain their best-in-class service level. Through visionary management managers who are in top level inspired their staff by explained the goal, reason and the necessity behind the new change implementation during COVID break. They convinced their team to work towards executing their vision. 

They make sure that implementing digital platform for employees is not a temporary solution, it’s a major big step in organization with innovative to guide their employees to be more skillful in digital platform as well.  

Visionary leaders made sure that by implementing and improving new digital innovations in companies, employees can experience organizational culture and the positive work environment which will benefit for positive outcome. 

Visionary leadership today in the collaborative world within which we all operate now that must be emphasized. The leader or the person with the most authority has a vision for the future, but the rest of the team cannot see it, that’s what changed today. Therefore,  visionary leaders ensure to co discover and create collectively that compelling vision where leaders ensure that the team should participate in every step of creating process to understand the necessity and to see the leaders’ vision as well. By emphasized the vision, the leader can scan, understand the risk to see what was not supposed to happen but then translate that and articulate it with what the organization need and what is needed to be happen and why. Companies make sure that it doesn’t need to be just a senior level person on the team or the person with most authority, it supposed to be everyone’s responsibility in the team with everyday interaction in the organization. 

ADVANTAGES OF VISIONARY LEADERSHIP 

 
Clear and Common goal; everyone in the team knows where the team is heading and can better cut or contribute to getting there. Temporary delays in project don’t discourage visionary leaders from accomplishing the overall vision after all the end goal is what really matters. Visionary leaders are proactive and can often anticipate challenges includes changes in outside world that might affect the organization such politics, worlds, event, technology department and many other things. They value innovation and creativity and help the teams to succeed in these areas. 

4. Recognition and Rewards: Motivating Employees While Accepting Their Voice

Industries across the globe have been struggling with the causes of the overall economic slowdown, adopting policies to stay competitive and sustainable. It has been understood that environmental economic advantage can only be generated through the workforce and the people who are in the organization. Employee Engagement is a structure that has developed very popular nowadays as it has shown connections with efficiency, productivity, employee revenue, security, absenteeism, etc. After the pandemic, many organizations across the globe going through a slender period where the productivity of functions is becoming essential to existence. In such a scenario, the use of engagement methods, as trained on shore, may significantly assist leaders in creating an engaged, determined, and committed workforce. Many organizations give high priority to their human capital because their human capital is what drives the company forward in their respective industry. Companies work determinedly to maintain the responsibilities to all stakeholders and reduce the interruption to functions and aimed actions on protecting their employees and business safe.

EMPLOYEE VOICE

Figure 1

Employee voice is a concept of employee participation. Employees have the right to voice any matters concerning their employment. The concept allows employees to influence management decisions and play an active role in organizational performance and it can be applied individually and collectively. Employee voice is a powerful tool that gives employees decision-making authority. Employees can influence decisions made by the employer. 

Employee voice plays a role in both employee participation and employee involvement: Participation is where employee voice is centered on employment contracts and matters affecting employees and Involvement is focused on management and organization initiatives to improve workplace performance through employee engagement. 

For example, some organizations have a system called “Whistle-blower system”. Through the Whistle-blower system, employees can do so through any of several available networks, such as raising their concerns with their manager or the Legal Unit or making an unidentified complaint. Concerns raised are progressed to the Company’s Internal Auditor for additional inquiry according to the Whistle-blower and Internal Complaints Procedure and the organizations ensure that all employees receive whistle-blower reminders throughout the year, and the system is available and easily accessible to all employees and external parties to keep a healthy environment that leads to a positive outcome. 

Employee Voice is an important concept because employees, either individually or collectively have the right to voice their concerns and express dissatisfaction, employees have the opportunity to take a part in decision-making, resulting in a more committed workforce and they can improve communication between management and employees and drive towards a common goal and shared interest.

EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION

Figure 2

Motivation is the reason or intention for doing something or acting in a specific manner. It becomes the source of the willingness to perform a task. 

Workplace Motivation is the reason or inspires employees to work. It helps them to be more productive. Many organizations believe that the major driving source of going forward is human capital. Organizations across the globe strictly defend the worker rights and human rights of all their employees, employees in the supply chain, and employees of their business partners. 

It’s very important to give the employees a complete company experience, reflected in the work environment in the respective organization.

Employee motivations start with, 

• Having a strong connection to the organization’s vision and values.
• Maintaining an open and constant relationship with management.
• Providing career development opportunities and feedback regularly.
• Provide their employees with a competitive salary.
• Employment benefits are specified by law in all locations of operations.
• Conduct a yearly salary increase procedure that takes into account inflation, promotions, annual evaluations, etc.
• Some sectors even allow flexible working hours to let employees keep a maintainable, positive life-work balance, which is highly important.
• Providing social benefits and well-being packages like life insurance above minimum wage salary, disability and invalidity coverage, health insurance, pension insurance, and retirement provision. 

Figure 3

For example, especially if we talk about the Marine industry, seafarers who work in shipping get their benefits under different laws and provisions. ZIM Integrated Shipping Company gives equal importance to seafarers by offering them attractive working conditions and prospects for development relevant to their professions. Issues such as fair terms of service, safe and secure workplace, access to medical care, and decent working conditions are all involved in the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC), which all containers under ZIM’s operation are committed to. Also, ZIM company has established its assurance to give seafarers a fair wage by signing a collective negotiating agreement with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) for its Flag State containers and Flag of Suitability vessels. (Zim, 2020)

RECOGNITION AND REWARD

Figure 4

There was a time when recognition and reward could be just bling or money. (Pink, 2009) 

However, people in the organization are evolving and the work that we are doing is becoming more complex, and it requires our brain and most of us are more motivated intrinsically, meaning we are motivated by feeling that what we do matters, and we are motivated by feeling that we are appreciated for what we are doing. 

Leaders need to tap into this. They need to understand what recognition and reward mean to employees, and not just think it’s all about the money. Starting to recognize people doing things well, and by making clearer links between how and what they do matters and how they are making an impact on the larger organization. This change starts with the individual leaders in labor as well as leaders in management. When thinking about key considerations for recognition and rewards, training supervisors and managers is a basic element.

The organization needs to identify and comment on specific efforts when it considers training supervisors and managers. The issue is that sometimes it is really difficult to praise the outcomes because either the outcome is not as you suggested, or something gets shelved, or the outcome is not perfect. One good place to be involved is Human Resources. Looking at how they can improve the ability of managers and supervisors to be able to comment in a particular direction. In another way, organizations can place that extend appreciation to employees. Generally, nowadays organizations across the globe provide various rewards and recognition to their employees who bring more value to the organization. Some of the following events carried it to honor their respective company’s employees, customers, and overall organization.

3. Training and Development: Investing in Skills Enhancement for Performance Excellence

Organization across the globe provide their employees and managers a variety of career development opportunities.

Figure 1

Because companies values their human capital, and it is very important to have that working balance. Employees can be promoted or assigned to different locations, which are often posted internally. Most of the companies have a yearly progression method for global internal moves between countries and between senior positions, dedicated to these kinds of internal appointments. Generally, there are three options for flexibility within the company that are open to all their employees to motivate them to focus more on the organization: Cross-functional mobility to support widen their skill sets, Vertical mobility, which allows them to take on new, innovative roles and responsibilities and Relocation options abroad according to the company’s personnel necessities. Human resource Team in companies are responsible for acquisition, development and training of staff, application of rewards to facilitate motivation, and recruitment and exit from the organization.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

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Companies across the globe hope to develop their employees professionally as well as personally and do so through training programs and employee benefits. Organizations considering the importance to offer their employees attractive working environments and prospects for progression. The leaders of the companies ensure to give their employees training on relevant subject.

Training includes 

• Safety Training. 
• Some sectors offering a compulsory e-learning seminar about topics such as protection in the office, energy safety, behavior in the event of a natural hazards. 
• Prevention of sexual harassment training thorough online seminars, 
• A professional practice provided to employees in specific occupations, which contains material regarding the transportation of hazardous materials and the action of hazardous materials at work. 

As well as organizations also offering executive managerial training program for department officers with applicable tools and elevating their professional knowledge. Companies aim at offering their workers’ jobs, roles, and projects which allow their staffs to use their assets and encourage their development in personally as well as professionally. 

Most of company recruitment is directed first within the organization, promoting staffs up the ranking, and providing them the opportunity to research with new fields of interest, and only then externally. Organization in worldwide providing their staff social benefits and employee benefits. It great importance in giving their staffs a complete experience in organization, reflected in the work atmosphere in the organization and leaders trust this starts with having a solid connection to the Company Vision and Values, sustaining an open and continuous association with management, providing career progress opportunities and feedback on a regular basis. companies deliver their staffs with competitive salaries and all service benefits specified by law in all places of operation. 

Conduct a yearly salary intensification process that considers inflation, upgrades, yearly assessments etc. 

Organizations also allowing,

• flexible working hours to permit employees to sustain a workable. 
• Positive life-work balance, they ensure to monitor employee’s contribution regular basis. 
• Prepared online tutorial to use the online tools like Microsoft Teams, zoom applications for virtual meetings. 
• Provides online teaching training program using tool kit to ensure that the employees of respective company received deeper and wider knowledge about the new software and the important for a new change. 
• Organization's leaders also conducting an annual engagement survey which observes seven dimensions of the employee experience. 

By using multiple learning solutions including online learning seminars, face-to-face programs, a mix of training resources, and more, companies encourage their employees to learn by case investigation as well as associate knowledge.

For example in last year during the survey with 83% of managers and employees participated and reflected engagement levels in 2022. According to the results, more than 60% of employees from zim shipping company representing Sri Lanka, reported being highly motivated and engaged with the company, an increase compared to the previous survey. The executive dimension also accomplished high marks. As outcomes vary by location, each manager was accountable for reviewing the results and developing an enhancement plan with activities to be executed in the coming year, and company continuously focus to constantly enhancing the individual and professional skills of all employees.

PROBLEMS IN RECRUITMENT

The effectiveness of an organization's recruitment and selection processes and its capacity to hire and retain individuals are significantly associated. 

Figure 3

Your chances of choosing the best candidate for the job are increased by a thorough and efficient recruiting and selection process, which also more successfully finds candidates who will match your organisational structure the best. Although it more sound straightforward there are issues when it comes to recruitment as it involves so many challenges. Recruitment discrimination is still a huge issues in a lot of companies around the world. 

Many women have encountered maternity or pregnancy discrimination as well as sex discrimination whilst other have faced illegal discrimination due to nationality and religion. Organizations cannot afford to neglect the potential found in women, those with disabilities, and older people, as the globe is growing more diverse due to migration, changing job prospects, and the influence of political and economic developments.

Another issue with recruitment is that hiring of employees from certain nationalities and races which were disturbing as many talented individual missed out on job opportunities.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Improving Motivation in Individuals – Expectancy theory, developed by Victor Vroom (1964), illustrates the process whereby an individual alters his or her behavior according to what he or she expects to achieve, and the value he or she places on the reward on offer. Goal Setting Theory by Locke and Latham (2002) suggested that the setting of goals is critical to motivating people to perform. Equity theory argues that individuals will look for fairness at work. In terms of motivation, this means that they seek a balance between the effort they put in and the reward they receive. Adams’ (1965) theory suggests that individuals assess their contribution against what they expect to get in return. 

In conclusion, process theories advance our knowledge of motivation. They place emphasis on the idea that people will evaluate the benefits being offered internally and determine how much effort will be required if they value the reward.

Promoting Women’s Engagement – By working to establish a fair workplace that promotes productivity and also allows flexibility, maybe with remote working, businesses need to support female equality in the workplace.

Avoid Discrimination in Recruitment– Recruiting employees based only on work experience and knowledge and not to discriminate the process by using gender, sex and religion basis.

Work Place Productivity – Keep an eye out for any necessary upgrades in the workplace, conference rooms, and common areas. When individuals feel at ease in the environments secure, employees are happiest.

Reward System for Employee- Establish a bonus system for workers at all levels to encourage greater output. Receiving rewards is a powerful motivation for increased work efficiency and organisational behavior.

Engage employees – Keep staff members updated on company performance and objective progress, and involve staff members in creating strategies to improve the business.

These are the recommendations that can go a long way to improve organizational behavior and increase output in an organizations. We must always remember that a happy employees make a productive organization.