Organizational Behavior

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What kinds of problems would an ABA professional who specializes in organizational behavior deal with? How can the principles of behavior be applied to the problems that organizations face?

Organizations diversify as the chances for problems at the workplace intensify. Among the probable problems, ABA professions face in organizational behavior is diversity. Workers in organizations differ in terms of race, cultural background, ages, and even sexual orientations. The problem becomes how to manage the diversity and make them behave as one towards meeting organizational needs. Some organizations take their employees through diversity training courses. The other crisis is ethics. Corporate scandals reach the public very fast. Although there usually are policies to facilitate ethical behavior in the workplace, the challenge becomes promoting an ethical organizational behavior such that employees put their individual interests behind the interests of the organization.

Organizations need to create a user-friendly environment for its employees because it affects the behavior of the employee, which at extreme level include thinking and feeling (Johnston & James, 1993). In addition, the organization needs to assess the behavior of the employees under these programs to make sure they are progressing. Understanding the principle of performance is one thing, and applying them is different. The combination of the two makes a working knowledge of principles of behavior. Each one is underneath a reinforcement control by the immediate environment. Organizations need to execute positive control over the employee’s behavior- that’s management. Apparently, what one views as ‘controlling employees,’ others call it ‘making it easier for them to behave well,’ meaning a change in behavior benefits the employee as well as the organization. While people search for a quick fix, the usual process is gradual, methodological, and systematic approach by an organization and certain qualified personnel to organize an environment that reinforces employees to behave appropriate at work and away.

How would you envision a “behavior change plan” looking when developed for a staff member? What would the similarities and differences be between this behavior plan and a more traditional plan developed by a behavior analyst?

There are certain components expected to present in a behavior change plan for a staff member. Among the components is a clear description of the behavior problem that needs to change or reduce. Also, the plan should contain what behavior the organization expects from the reformed employee. This behavior replaces the bad behavior that the organization wants to eradicate. The third component is the inclusion of preventive steps focused on promoting the recommended behavior. These preventive steps help steer the employee towards the right direction as they constantly remind him what to do. The plan should also include a promotion step, which involves helping the employee to understand what and when the organization expects, and the level of quality the organization requires. This step might involve reminding, teaching, and counseling. The next step involves implementing a motivational plan to the employee based on when the progress comes. The last step involves a planned reactive sequence to the performance shown by the employee (Peterson, 2007). This involves a virtual agreement between the employee and the organization of the action to take if the employee repeats the bad behavior again at the workplace.A behavior change plan for a staff member and that made by a behavior analyst are very similar because they have the same objective, which is to change unwanted behavior by the subject. However, a qualified employee should already know how to behave once he/she is exposed to different environment conditions. Thus, a behavior change plan for him should be more precise and to the point as compared to other people in the society who face every kind of physical and social environment. It should also be specific and show efficacy evidence (Smith & Sallows, 2009). In addition, it should have strict measures to take should the unwanted behavior repeat. However, these steps should not create an illusion of punishment, but as a motivation to perform well to the standard that the organization expects.

References

Johnstone, James R. (1993). Strategies and Tactics of Behavioral Chnge Research. Hillsdale, NJ. Erlbaum Associates pp.23

Smith, T. & Sallows, G. O. (2009). Efficacy of Applied Behavior Analysis. J. Pediatr 156 (1): p.p 151-152.

Peterson, P. (2007). Behavior Modifiction: The Principles & Procedures. SPL-ABA 1(4)-2(1). P.p. 97-138.