The Art of Building the Best Workplaces through Organisation Development

Organisation development is a process to assist organisations in achieving their objectives. It can be achieved through various tools including leadership, culture and change management strategies.

A Brief History of OD

The first records of organisational improvement were found during the Industrial Revolution when engineers began analysing people at work. One of the first written examples is by Frederick Taylor and his 1911 bestseller, The Principles of Scientific Management. Taylor believed that to improve an organisation it was important to study workers' movements in detail and measure them against each other.

Other key theorists include Elton Mayo and Abraham Maslow, who both studied the psychological needs of workers. The 1960s saw a growing interest in OD as an academic discipline. The 1990s brought a new wave of research focused on improving performance through innovation and knowledge management.

The OD Process

1. 1Assessment and diagnosis — take stock of the current position to identify what needs improvement
2. 2Insight — once problems are identified, leadership gains insight on how best to address them
3. 3Study/planning — plans are formed including team objectives with timelines and budgets
4. 4Execution — implementing the plans to ensure the organisation moves in a positive direction
5. 5Evaluation and feedback loop — used at each step to help organisations learn and stay on track
6. 6New Action and Business as usual — new practices take root and become the new normal

The Values of OD

• A belief that organisations should be guided by shared moral and ethical principles
• An acceptance that there can be no single best way to organise — it depends on the situation and context
• The idea that people at all levels have something important to contribute
• A belief in collaboration with other professions such as HRM, entrepreneurship, and community engagement

Key Organisation Development Models

There are many approaches used in organisational development — they include Burke-Litwin, McKinsey 7s, Nadler & Tushman's Congruence Model, Tuckman and Lewin. Each approach has their own set goals for how organisations should be run. All have an eye on key concepts like continuous improvement, strategic planning, systems theory, behavioural science, performance management, total quality management, employee engagement, and organisational effectiveness.

Organisation Design & Development work hand-in-hand to facilitate superior organisational performance with an engaged and aligned workforce to achieve the strategic goals of the organisation.