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Module 3 Human Resources Structure PCA

Arizona State University

Jonathan Limon

OGL 481: Pro-Seminar I

Dr. Brent Scholar

July 19, 2022

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OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Human Resource Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:

1. Describe the human resource frame

2. Apply the human resource frame to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other

course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this

and format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

The Human Resource frame evolved from early work of pioneers like Mary Parker Follett and

Elton Mayo (Bolman, Ch. 6, pg. 118, par. 2). According to Bolman and Deal, the human resource

frame was built on core assumptions which highlight a few linkages between organizations

serving human needs, the relationship of people and organizations, the fit is poor, and a good

fit that benefits both. If human needs cannot be met in the workplace, then employees may

feel there is no need to work hard at all. Based on the formula, performance= ability x

motivation, one cannot survive without the other. 5 human needs create the basis for human

resource, these are self-actualization, esteem, social/belonging, safety, physiological. The

human resource frame focuses on the basis human needs that must be met in an

establishment. Without these, organizations would just be production machines that are solely

focused on the money being made for the company.

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1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

While in charge of restructuring the design in my department, my team was stalled in

the process of implementing a new CRM system in place. The previous fit was poor, exploiting

salespeople to hit hard to reach goals and forgetting of the human element in the department.

A third-party project manager was brought in for 30 days to help restructure our sales

department, his objectives were to create a framework that worked for us and migrate us to a

new CRM software and add value to our processes. When viewing this situation from the

human resource framework, the vision was to create a fit that benefited both.

Management only focused on the numbers being produced, regardless of what the

input of clients. They were requesting the talent and energy from us to produce the expected

goal but were failing to allow us to create satisfying work that was meaningful. By not building

that trust with me as a manager, I was restricted with building a foundation that met human

needs for my salespeople, as I was micromanaged, and everything needed to get approval from

higher up. As a result, to the delayed setup of the new sales department structure, my position

ended up being taken as a manager and handed to somebody else on the team to move

forward.

2) Describe how the human resources of the organization influenced the situation.

The human resource element influences the organization’s situation by keeping current

human resource elements in place. By keeping an environment feeling hostile with a poor fit

that only meets expectations on the organization’s side, it makes it difficult for the motivation

to be there, stagnating the process of growth and restructuring. While resources were being

provided, they were in a way being instructed to follow a certain set of rules by people who had
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no experience or nothing to do with the sales department. The organization doesn’t want our

ideas, only to follow the plan that is set in place. Even with the new roles among the team, we

still get scolded for the sales numbers failing in one section over the other, regardless of the

increase in production we have made.

Although this is an attempt to restructure the framework of my department in the

organization, they are not listening to the suggestions from myself and my fellow peers on how

to improve the human resource management. While we tried growing our department by

adding a fifth salesperson, interviews were being supervised from upper management with no

sales experience, deciding whether these candidates were a good fit for us. Although many

improvements were stalled, the restructure of our commission structure for sales managed to

have a positive change earlier in the year, sharing the wealth with everyone in the company as

sales increase annually.

3) Recommend how you would use the human resources for an alternative course of action

regarding your case.

If the decisions were up to me, I would use the human resources frame as an alternative

course of action regarding my situation. With the human resource frame, I can build a structure

to improve employee morale and create a culture where ideas can be heard and discussed

freely. It must be a win-win situation for both the organization and sales department. By

meeting the human needs desired by the team, I can be creating a great HR strategy on the

leadership of the organization. This can help build the relationship of the team stronger

together and show a side of empathy to the organization while empowering the team.
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Other ways this can improve the organization’s human resource structure can be taken

from a few human resource strategies. Although putting their best foot forward to keep up and

invest in us, we were not allowed to attempt hiring the right people ourselves. This element of

human resources was not available to us, setting up barriers along the way. Now when one of

the five elements needed to be met are not when it comes to the basis of human needs, it can

feel as if none of them are. It creates a type of domino effect and harsh decisions are taken

more personal, making other elements that are not relevant feel affected and not met in the

organization.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned

about this frame.

As presented in exhibit 7.1 on page 139 of reframing organizations (Bolman & Deal),

some basic methods can help improve the department by following these methods. By hiring

the right people, I ensure we develop a team that fits the culture and appreciates the needs

met in our organization. A few months ago, we lost our fifth member who had quit for feeling

that his job security was not there. By reinventing our organization, I can create an

environment and keep them, invest in them, and empower them. Including them in

organizational decisions or even making issues transparent to everyone can also make them

feel that they are a part of something greater. For me to do things differently and make sure

they work, the motivation and ability must be there to create great production.

Sharing the wealth with the teammates and providing job security can only motivate my

peers to perform at their full capacity without fear of retaliation for a mistake or bad day. I as a

manager of the team felt it myself on a day to day, fearing when I would be punished for an
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employee’s performance or bad sales day. Improvements were always being made and

regulations for real estate services sold changed constantly, promotions were being changed,

and new sales campaigns were being created almost monthly. With a lot of moving parts, I

would not exploit my team members to meet the goalpost set for us. Adding one member to

the team would have been a change I did differently because for me in that position, the slack

was left to be picked up by me while still managing the department.

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References:

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and

leadership (6th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass