Control in the workplace

-refers to the mechanisms and practices implemented by employees to manage and regulate employee
behavior, performance, and productivity. It involves establishing a structured and organized
environment that aligns with the goals and objectives of the organization.

Here are some common aspects of control in the workplace:

1. Hierarchical Structure: organizations typically have a hierarchical structure where authority and
decision-making power flow from top management down to lower-level employees. Tis
structures helps establish control by clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and reporting
relationships.
2. Policies and Procedures: Employees create policies and procedures that outline the rules and
guidelines for employees behavior, performance expectations, and work processes. These
policies serves as a means to control and regulate employee actions within the workplace.
3. Performance Management: Organizations use performance management systems to set goals,
monitor progress, and evaluate employee performance. Performance reviews and feedback
sessions provide opportunities for employers to exercise control by assessing and managing
employee performance.
4. Monitoring and Surveillance: Technologies such as CCTV cameras, computer monitoring
software, and time-tracking systems enable employers to monitor employee activities, including
internet usage, email communications, and work hours. This surveillance can help ensure
compliance, productivity and identify potential issues.
5. Training and Development: by providing training and development programs, employers can
enhance employee skills and knowledge, enabling them to perform their jobs more effectively.
This control mechanism helps align employee competencies with organizational goals.
6. Communication channels: effective communication channels facilitate the flow of information
within the organization. Employers use various channels such as team meetings, emails, and
company-wide announcements to communicate expectations, provide updates, and reinforce
control.
7. Rewards and incentives: employers use rewards and incentives, such as promotions, bonuses,
and recognition, to motivate employees and reinforce desired behavior. This control mechanism
encourages employees to align their actions with organizational goals.
8. Disciplinary Actions: When employees violate policies or fail to meet performance expectations,
employers may implement disciplinary actions, ranging from verbal warnings to termination.
This control mechanism helps maintain discipline and enforce compliance.

It’s important to note that while control mechanisms are necessary for maintaining order and
achieving organizational objectives its crucial to strike a balance that respects employees
autonomy, fosters trust, and promotes a positive work culture.
Open-book management

 Open-book management allows employees to see the financial condition of the

company for themselves through charts, computer printouts, meetings, and so forth.
 Open-book management shows the individual employee how his or her job fits into the
big picture and affects the financial future of the organization.
 In addition, it ties employee rewards to the company’s overall success.
 The goal of open-book management is to get every employee thinking and acting like a
business owner rather than like a hired hand.
 In some countries, managers have trouble running an open-book company because the
prevailing attitudes and standards foster confidentiality and secrecy.
 Manu business people in countries like China, Russia, and South Lorea are not
accustomed to publicly disclosing financial details.

What is an open-book management?

Information received by employee. They should know how to do their job effectively and help them
understand how the company is doing as a whole. In other words, the company is being transparent
with its employees about their goals, intentions and financial information like revenue, profit, cash flow
and expenses.

What are the benefits of an open-book management?

Open-book management is an approach to running a business that involves sharing financial and
operational information with employees at all levels. It promotes transparency, collaboration, and a
sense of ownership among employees. Here are some benefits of implementing open-book
management:

1. Transparency and Trust: open-book management fosters a culture of transparency by sharing

financial information, performance metrics, and goals with employees. This transparency helps
build trust and credibility between management and employees, as everyone has access to the
same information and can understand how the company is performing.
2. Employee engagement: when employees have access to financial and operational data, they
gain a better understanding of how their work contributes to the company’s success. This
knowledge can increase their level of engagement and motivation, as they can see the direct
impact of their efforts of the company’s bottom line.
3. Empowerment and Ownership: Open-book management gives employees a sense of ownership
in the company’s success. By involving them in the decision-making process and sharing financial
information, they feel empowered to contribute ideas, identify opportunities for improvement,
and take ownership of their work.
 4. Improved problem-Solving and Decision-Making: with success to financial and operational data,
employees can make more informed decisions and contribute to problem-solving efforts. They
understand the financial implications of their decisions and can align their actions with the
company’s goals and objectives.
5. Cost and Waste Reduction: open-book management promotes a culture of cost-consciousness
and encourages employees to identify and eliminate waste. When employees to identify and
eliminate waste. When employees have access to financial information, they can identify areas
where costs can be reduced, leading to improved efficiency and profitability.
6. Continuous Learning and Development: Open-book management provides an opportunity for
employees to learn more about financial statements, key business metrics, and how their work
impacts the company’s financial performance. This knowledge enhances their business acumen
and promotes their professional development.
7. Collaboration and teamwork: Open-book management encourages collaboration and teamwork
as employee work together to understand financial information, set goals and achieve targets. It
breaks down silos and promotes cross-functional communication, leading to increase
collaboration and innovation.
8. Alignment with Company Goals: by sharing financial information, employees can see how their
work aligns with the company’s goals and objectives. They can understand what drives financial
success and focus their efforts on activities that contribute to the company’s overall strategy.

While open-book management is more commonly associated with private businesses, some government
agencies have also implemented elements of open-book management to enhance transparency,
employee engagement, and performance.

Open-book management in the Philippine government are relatively limited compared to the private
sector, but there are a few examples of initiatives that promote transparency and engagement.

Here are examples;

1. Open budget initiative: The Philippine government has made efforts to enhance budget
transparency through its open budget initiative. This initiative aims to provide the public with
accessible and comprehensive information about the national budget, including detailed
breakdowns of expenditures and revenues. It involves publishing budget documents, conducting
public consultations, and utilizing online platforms to make financial information available to
citizens.
2. Public Procurement Transparency: the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System
(PhilGEPS) is an online platform that promotes transparency in government procurement. It
allows suppliers and the public to access information about government procurement activities,
including bid notices, awards, and contracts. This open-book approach helps ensure fairness and
accountability in the procurement process.
 3. Citizen Engagement Platforms: the Philippine government has implemented various citizen
engagement platforms to encourage public participation and feedback in policy-making and
governance processes. For example, the participatory budgeting process allows citizens to
directly participate in local budget allocation decisions. It enables them to propose projects,
prioritize funding, and monitor the implementation of projects in their communities.
4. Freedom of Information (FOI) program: The government has implemented the FOI Program,
which aims to provide access to information held by government agencies. The program
encourages transparency and accountability by allowing citizens to request and obtain
information from government offices. This initiatives promotes open-book principles by granting
public access to government records, policies, and other relevant information.
5. Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Some government agencies in the Philippines have
implemented performance monitoring and reporting systems to enhance accountability and
transparency. These systems track key performance indicators, service delivery targets, and
progress towards achieving agency goals. Regular reports and updates are shared with
employees and the public to provide visibility into the agency’s performance.

BALANCED SCORECARD

The balanced scorecard is a performance measurement framework developed by Drs. Robert Kaplan
and David Norton in the early 1990s. It provides a balanced perspective on an organization’s
performance by capturing key metric across four interconnected dimensions: financial customer,
internal processes, and learning and growth. Unlike traditional financial-centric approaches, the BSC
recognizes that long-term success requires a focus beyond financial indicators alone.

Importance of balanced Scorecard

 Strategic alignment- The BSC facilitates strategic alignment by ensuring that all organizational
activities contribute to the achievement of strategic objectives. By translating the strategu into
specific metrics and targets, it helps employees understand their roles in executing the strategy
and fosters a shared sense of purpose.
 Performance Measurement- The Balanced scorecard enables organizations to measure
performance beyond financial indicators. It provides a comprehensive view by incorporating
customer satisfaction, internal process efficiency, and learning and growth metrics. This broader
perspective helps organizations identify performance gaps and make informed decisions to
improve overall performance.
 Communication and Transparency- The BSC serves as a communication tool, allowing
organizations to articulate their strategy and performance targets to employees at all levels. By
providing a clear and concise view performance across multiple dimensions, it encourages
transparency and accountability, promoting a culture of continuous improvement.
 Enhancement Decision-Making- with its multidimensional approach, the balanced scorecard
provides decision-makers with a well-rounded view of organizational performance. By
 considering both financial and non-financial metrics, leaders can make more informed decisions
that balance short term financial goals with long-term strategic objectives.

 Continuous learning And Adaptation- The learning and growth dimension of the balanced
scorecard emphasizes the importance of investing in human capital, organizational culture, and
innovation. By tracking metrics related to employee skills, knowledge, and innovation initiatives,
organizations can foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptability, crucial for staying
ahead in a rapidly changing business environment.
 Implementing the Balanced Scorecard- while the concept of the balanced scorecard is widely
recognized, successful implementation requires careful planning and execution.

Key steps include:

a. Clarifying the organization’s mission, vision, and strategic objectives.

b. Identifying key performance indicators within the each dimension of the balanced scorecard
framework.
c. Aligning the organization’s structure, processes, and resources to support the strategic
objective.
d. Regularly monitoring and reviewing performance against the defined metrics.
e. Using the scorecard as a basis for decision-making, feedback, and continuous improvement.

 Balanced scorecard is a comprehensive management control system that balances traditional

financial measures with operational measures relating to a company’s critical success factors.
 A balanced scorecard contains four major perspectives.