Divergent Interests

Despite the tensions that are intrinsic to employment relationships, both management and employees share at least one goal: workable integration. They also share a concern that the compact offers sufficient satisfaction to both sides.

Of course, the nature of integration and the logic of satisfaction differ sharply between management and employees. That is why each relationship requires separate consideration. The diagram at right gives a premonitory idea of just how different the perspectives are. The details will be covered in Topics that follow.

The Management

The Management must be deeply concerned with organizational performance.
Why?

The governing board will want to understand what is behind performance, but the organization itself (e.g. as represented by its investors/owners, or by the government for an agency) has much less interest in why results are as they are than in the brute facts. So everything is subsidiary to performance. If performance falls off, staff in management positions know they are at risk of being replaced, whether it is their fault or not.
Remember: This framework is not about performance (which is analysed as achievement), it is about relationships intrinsic to employment.

Performance, in turn, depends on management of employees. Everything—strategy, marketing, innovation, efficiency, even management itself—emerges from work performed by employees. So management is preoccupied with both the work to be done and the employees doing that work, each and all.

For Management, the Tree framework can be built up as follows:

■ Integrating employees within the organization—via intra-level Channels
■ Providing management of every employee—via inter-level Channels
■Strengthening management of every employee—via Channels that bypass one level

There is also one channel that crosses more than 2 levels. It is about reviewing the compact that binds the organization to each employee.

► You are now ready to explore the Tree framework of handling employment for the organization.

The Employee

As an employee, you know that you are there to work, but of equal or greater concern is your position, broadly conceived i.e. not your post or job or even your formal appraisal, but how you are viewed, what you are spending your time doing, what changes within and without the organization may affect you, the fit with your evolving aspirations and so on., within the employing organization. Why?

It is your duty to yourself and to those who depend on you (e.g. your family) that you feel safe, are gratified at work, and get proper reward and recognition for your efforts—all things considered. If your position comes under threat, whatever the reason, then you must take it seriously. Your options are, in short: speak up ("Voice"), put up with it ("Loyalty"), or get out ("Exit").

Your position is one of being employed. Having taken the plunge and become employed, your primary concern is to to stay employed, but only as long as you are satisfied that this is overall in your best interests.

For an employee, the Tree framework can be built up as follows: 

■ Your integration within the organization—via intra-level Channels
■ Developing your position in the organization—via inter-level Channels
■ Strengthening your position in the organization—via Channels that bypass one level

► There is also one channel that crosses more than 2 levels  and it is about You are now ready to explore the Tree framework for: being employed.

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Originally posted: 30-Nov-2011