Improving organizational behavior management

One of the most essential parts of a workforce that fundamentally defines how the course of an organization may turn out is what the company is made of: its employees. Every individual at a company brings necessary knowledge and functions that ultimately build a strong foundation for the workforce. Using every employee to their very best potential is a task that needs special attention. Behavioral management may not always mean employees are badly behaved; behavioral management could simply mean getting employees and management staff to comply with specific organizational standards and bring about an all-around positive behavior change.

As a sub-discipline of applied behavior analysis (ABA), organizational behavior management simply uses analytic principles and contingency techniques to have a positive impact on employees. It takes into consideration organization climate and culture, job stress and training, and much more to determine the course of action required for organizational behavior management.

Understanding Behavior

Understanding behavior is the first step to behavior management. It defines where the person is coming from and can help change the situation accordingly. The cause, motive, and feeling behind a behavior can help determine whether the behavior is justifiable or not. As a manager, being able to empathize with a person’s behavior can often lead to a much smoother transition to consequences. Personal issues, fears, or insecurities can take extra effort to work through using training, shadowing, or simple motivational techniques; employees can often work through most insecurities in a work setting.

Individual Goals

Determining an individual’s behavior is nearly impossible because a workplace is made up of drastically different people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Behavior is often impacted by any change, whether internal or external; behavior management cannot be generalized in most cases. It is, therefore, important for organizations to take steps to ensure they encourage setting goals for each individual. Setting goals can allow employees to focus on desired benchmarks that divert their attention to their own betterment, giving them a reason and path to achieve satisfaction and knowledge. When behavioral management is focused on a single employee, it can result in a much longer and more substantial change.

Behavior Modeling

Management and senior staff often play a large role in organizational behavior management. Inspiring and modeling behavior can be an exceptional and effective way to instill a greater sense of motivation and passion among newer employees. Setting a standard of behavior in a professional environment is one of the easiest ways to change behavior.

Workplace Improvement

One of the reasons for workplace disruption that often gets swept under the rug is workplace improvement. The environment an employee has to work in can often alter their behavior, both positively and negatively. Making sure facilities and safety are provided for an employee can help with behavior management. The way cubicles, conference rooms, or common areas are set up can lead to common positive reinforcement, allowing employees to have facilities that satisfy their needs and draw them in. Whether it is the lighting or equipment provided, minute details often play a larger role in behavioral change.

Positive Reinforcement

On the topic of positive reinforcement, it remains one of the most common and tried-and-tested techniques in psychology that has resulted in positive change. Disruptive behavior at work often results in demotions or terminations, resulting in a negative impact not only on the employee in question but on the team as a whole. The easiest way to gain the trust and faith of employees and result in behavior management or change is through positive reinforcement. In workplace situations, positive reinforcement could mean anything from gift cards, coffee breaks, quarterly bonuses, or a note saying “job well done”. It does not take a lot of effort to instill positivity in a workplace, considering a reward system of any kind can help change employee behaviors on a significantly large scale.

Behavior management can often be complex in a professional environment, sometimes causing it to be difficult to change; underlying issues can get in the way of a harmonious work environment. Trying to change behavior in such a setting needs patience, time, and a high level of positive influence. Positive reinforcement, communication, empathy, and behavior modeling can achieve more than behavior management; when done right, they can change the course of a work environment for the better, leading to exceptional work performance and productivity.