Improving Employees Behavior And Relationship Management Essay Example

their relationships with colleagues.

The Significance of Employees' Behavior

The behavior of employees plays a crucial role in determining the success or failure of an organization (Gupta and Kleiner, 2005, p.60). According to Jain et al. (2015), it is a strategic asset that sets an organization apart from its competitors. A study conducted in 2009 found that employee well-being is connected to their emotional attachment and identification with their company. This connection is likely because mentally and physically healthy individuals tend to have a positive outlook, leading to increased commitment. It's important to note that exhibiting the right behavior goes beyond simply displaying positive emotions.Both positive and negative emotions can have an impact on a person's quality of life, helping or hindering their progress towards goals (Gordon and Dryden, 1989, p.15). The traditional management approach, as described by Waldman (1994), involved employees following instructions from managers to meet customer needs. However, in the new management approach shown in Figure 1, there is now a two-way interaction between managers and employees. Managers consider employee needs and promote collaboration between different levels of management. By recognizing employees as valuable assets to the company, their behavior can be positively influenced. This holistic view of employees affects the final outcome with directors, employees, and customers all playing important roles. Figure 1 demonstrates the replacement of the traditional management approach with a new one. Market pressures and evolving management practices have significantly impacted the conventional employment relationship, leading to a new psychological contract between employers and employees. Understanding how to motivate employees within this new relationship is crucial for encouraging discretionary extra-role behavior.The psychological contract recognizes that understanding employee expectations and the

contributions of both employee behaviors and organizational procedures can lead to positive outcomes for organizations. Therefore, any strategic change should include the necessary abilities and behaviors. To demonstrate proper behavior to employees, organizations should promote a culture that values fair procedures and outcomes (Everton et al., 2007). An organization's corporate culture and values are reflected in an employee's behavior. In environments where fairness is prevalent, abnormal behaviors are less likely to occur. Carmeli (2005, p.191) argues that organizational culture greatly influences employee withdrawal behavior and intentions, emphasizing the importance of fostering a challenging organizational culture. The attitudes and behaviors of employees are influenced by the policies implemented by an organization as they provide insight into management's intentions through corporate policies. Employees are integral to the organization (Tallman and Bruning, 2008), with their personality shaping their attitude and behavior at work, which in turn affects the psychological contract. Fulfilling the psychological contract can motivate employees and enhance their well-being (Parzefall and Hakanen, 2010), highlighting the significance of both psychological contract fulfillment and work engagement as positive factors.
Human resources are crucial assets that cannot be easily obtained or replicated (Williams et al., 1991; Sanchez et al., 2000). Therefore, it is important to invest in them. Supervisors and managers should assist employees in becoming team players who think creatively, intelligently overcome obstacles, and respect personal feelings (Gill et al., 2010). However, resistance to change from employees and significant changes in behavior can restrict efforts to enhance productivity and achieve performance goals (Goncharuk and Monat, 2009).

Consequently, the behavior and attitude of employees at the workplace have a significant impact on a company's performance. To accomplish desired outcomes, it is

essential to implement management practices that positively influence employee behavior and attitude. The conceptual model titled "Improving Employees' Behaviors and Relationship Management in the Workplace" suggests utilizing tools that provide insights into behavior, emotions, communication, and relationships among individuals (Hayes, 2000 p.274).

Transactional Analysis and Emotional Intelligence can be used to gain a better understanding of everyday interactions and valuable insights into one's own reactions and responses towards others (Hayes, 2000 p.274). An Ego State refers to consistent forms of behaviors associated with consistent feelings and experiences (Barker, 1980 p.6; Stewart & Joines, 1987 p.15).According to Schaeffer (2009, p.43), Transactional Analysis Theory states that individuals have three distinct ego states: the Parent Ego State, the Adult Ego State, and the Child Ego State. The Parent Ego State includes attitudes, behaviors, and emotions learned from parental figures during early life (Hayes et al., 2002,p.295). It encompasses traditions, boundaries, rules, advice, criticism, consultation, protection,and nurturance (McKay et al., 2009p .90; Barker (1980,p.6).

The Adult Ego State makes decisions based on factual information obtained through objective analysis (Stewart, 2005,p.496). Acting from this state involves disregarding emotions and focusing on what is most appropriate and useful in each situation.

On the other hand,the Child Ego State reflects emotions and spontaneous reactions similar to those of a child(Cameron ,1999,p.309), which can be a source of creativity and spontaneous response(Steiner ,1990,p.28).It represents the core of a person's feelings and emotions(Barker ,1980,p.7).

Emotional Intelligence Theory aims to assist individuals in utilizing their own emotions as well as understanding the emotions of others to achieve desired outcomes(Chrusciel ,2006,p.646) according to Goleman et al.(1998,p317). Its goal is to help individuals develop various personal and social skills such

as recognizing their own emotions and those of others,motivating themselves and othersEffectively handling emotions, both in oneself and in relationships, is essential. Goleman et al. (2002) identified four key components of these skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Developing these abilities has a positive impact on employee behavior as individuals with high emotional intelligence (EI) can effectively balance emotion and reason while being aware of their own emotions. People who are empathetic, compassionate towards others, and have high levels of self-esteem tend to experience happiness, good health, and success in their relationships.

On the other hand, employees with low EI often feel generally unhappy due to negative emotions such as anger, frustration, depression, fear, guilt, stress,and failure. Self-awareness plays a crucial role in managing oneself and avoiding inappropriate behavior. By recognizing the importance of one's own values and those of others in the workplace,it is possible to improve communication and enhance relationships.

Effective communication is vital for creating a positive working environment as well as delivering quality products or services within an organization.Therefore,the identification of self-importance states through self-awareness leads to improved work quality and effective relationship management among colleagues.The theoretical model presented in Figure 2 incorporates emotional intelligence and transactional analysis.It is important to clarify that an individual's ego state should not be mistaken for their personality. All behavior, thought processes, and emotions can be categorized into one of three ego states mentioned earlier (Fatout, 1992, p.109). People switch between these ego states depending on the situation and the person they are interacting with (Northhouse, 2010, p.274). Each person has a preferred ego state from which they primarily act. However, problems arise when individuals

operate from an inappropriate or isolated ego state. Instead of functioning independently, these ego states often interact with each other resulting in what can be described as an "internal dialogue" (Barker, 1980, p.16). In such cases, it is crucial for the Adult ego state to intervene and oversee to prevent suppression of the "Parent" and misinterpretations of the "Child." Transactional Analysis offers a valuable tool for individuals to understand their behavior by identifying their primary ego states.

An employee's behavior in the workplace is influenced by how they perceive themselves and how others perceive them. To ensure effective communication, it is essential for individuals to recognize which ego state they are communicating from. The significance of self-awareness is acknowledged as it allows individuals to identify negative behaviors that hinder communication (Pheysey, 1993, p.125).Collecting information during communication helps individuals understand why communication can fail, enabling them to respond better in the future and reduce negative feelings and behaviors (Pheysey, 1993, p.125). By observing the three ego states in oneself and others through Transactional Analysis, individuals can respond positively in any situation they face in their work and personal life (Lynch, 1996, p.57). Adjusting behavior based on these observations improves relationships more easily while enhancing one's behavior and understanding its relation to others (Lynch, 1996, p.57). Self-awareness and self-management are personal components of Emotional Intelligence that aid individuals in comprehending and controlling their emotions and behavior. Self-awareness involves understanding one's emotions, strengths, limitations, values, and motivations (Goleman et al., 2002,p.40). Goleman emphasizes the importance of thoughtful consideration rather than impulsive reactions while recognizing that sensitivity to context and values is crucial for personal competence in shaping how one

wants to live (Caldwell et al., 2009,p395).Fletcher and Bailey (2003) propose that self-awareness involves being conscious of how others perceive oneself. Those who possess a higher level of awareness have a greater ability to incorporate feedback into their behavior (Moshavl et al., 2003, p407). Whetten and Cameron (2007) emphasize the importance of self-awareness in effective communication and building trustworthy relationships. Individuals with strong self-awareness excel at monitoring themselves and adjusting their behavior to effectively interact with others (Caldwell, 2009, p395). A high level of self-consciousness enables employees to evaluate the reasonableness of their emotions in specific situations and consider different perspectives when evaluating problems, including both pessimistic and optimistic viewpoints (Jordan et al., 2002, p366). By considering multiple perspectives, employees can determine the appropriate emotional state for problem-solving or resolving conflicting emotions they may experience. Self-management involves controlling, improving, or altering one's own and others' emotional responses while also considering the appropriateness or usefulness of those emotions in a given situation (Bracket et al., 2006, p781). According to Mayer and Salovey (1997), self-management allows individuals to connect with or disconnect from an emotion based on its usefulness in a particular situation.Understanding and effectively managing emotions in the workplace is important for employees with high emotional intelligence (EI). This excerpt highlights the significance of comprehending people's motivations and perspectives to handle one's own feelings constructively while maintaining professionalism (King and Gardner, 2006, p.189). The use of Transactional Analysis and Emotional Intelligence can help individuals recognize their colleagues' ego states and manage relationships with others. These tools facilitate a better understanding of one's behavior, emotions, attitudes, as well as those of others. By applying the knowledge of

the Transactional Analysis Model, individuals can identify prevailing ego states and underlying emotional tones in co-worker reactions (Wellin, 2007). According to Eric Berne, a person's ego state can be discerned through their words, voice, gestures, and attitudes (Mullins, 2006,p.164). Transactional Analysis assists in comprehending others' behavior during stressful situations by improving communication skills. Through recognizing and interpreting a person's ego state during communication encounters, employees can respond from the most appropriate ego state to enhance communication effectiveness while avoiding conflicts (Mullins ,2006).Improving relationships with clients, both internal and external, as well as management-subordinate relationships is crucial. However, it can be challenging to identify a co-worker's ego states, especially when they are unaware of their own during communication. According to Kagan and Evans (2001), paying attention during specific discussions within a meeting can be helpful in observing which ego states are expressed in work team observations.

The impact of emotional intelligence on treatment advancement and the ability for individuals to adapt their role and importance to different situations and people is significant. Salovey et al. (2004) state that emotionally intelligent employees are necessary to manage relations with others in the workplace and effectively regulate their emotions while motivating others towards positive outcomes (p.15). Success at work requires more than just possessing skills, knowledge, and experience; communication, cooperation, teamwork, and the ability to regulate emotional reactions towards others are key aspects of emotional intelligence (Goleman, 1998; Salovey et al., 2004,p14).

The text emphasizes the importance of understanding others, managing relationships, and working together effectively. It suggests that social awareness and relationship management are essential in achieving this. Social awareness involves actively engaging with others, listening to them, understanding their

needs and concerns.Relationship management involves inspiring, influencing, collaborating with others, and managing conflicts. Moreover, when employees adopt certain attitudes during conflicts by addressing everyone's needs, it can result in mutually beneficial outcomes. It is also noted that individuals with high emotional intelligence are more likely to experience psychological well-being compared to those with low emotional intelligence. Additionally, the importance of emotional intelligence in management strategies and its potential for improving employee performance, productivity, and developing effective Human Resources strategies is emphasized. Lastly, the text highlights the significance of carefully selecting employees as they can influence the morals and attitudes of their co-workers. Individuals with low emotional intelligence may misinterpret team members' emotions whereas those with exceptionally high emotional intelligence may feel dissatisfaction due to heightened sensitivity and awareness of group interactions (Rozell & Scroggins 2010). Collaborating with colleagues in stressful situations can be challenging in the workplace.Both Transactional Analysis Theory and Emotional Intelligence offer valuable insights to employees, helping them improve their behavior, relationships with others, productivity, and contribute to the successful execution of corporate strategy. Emotional Intelligence focuses on enhancing self-awareness and communication with others while Transactional Analysis theory helps interpret interactions between oneself and others by analyzing ego states. Understanding why communication may fail or negative feelings may arise is possible through this analysis. In a healthy work environment, communication should occur between Adult ego states promoting rational interaction among all three Ego States. Through transactional analysis concepts, individuals can better understand human behavior and improve their communication skills by interpreting the other person's ego state and determining the most appropriate response from their own ego state. Additionally, transactional analysis aids in developing

active listening skills which have various advantages for both senders and receivers of messages such as feedback, clearer beliefs about the message being conveyed, and engagement in problem solving. This text emphasizes the importance of effective communication in multiple aspects.The text emphasizes the importance of effective communication in promoting a clear mind, reflecting emotions, and resolving issues for the receiver (Pont, 2003, p.134). Understanding transactional analysis helps individuals determine the basis of their communication and how to respond accordingly (Pont, 2003,p .133). This knowledge is especially beneficial for employees facing challenging situations as it reduces bias, misunderstandings, and conflicts in the workplace (Mullins , 2007,p .227).

Without effective communication in business settings, strategies cannot be successfully executed or plans implemented or practiced. Improving workplace communication also reduces biases and conflicts (Pont, 2003, p.133). Emotional intelligence enables individuals to enhance workplace communication through self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management (Clarke et al., 2010,p139).

However,even though some individuals excel in environments requiring minimal social interaction they may struggle with complex communication and interactions(Chrusciel et al., 2006,p652). Overall emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in overcoming communication obstacles , improving oneself,and enhancing relationships with co-workers to create a positive work environment(Clarke et al.,2010,p139).

Effective communication is essential for organizational quality as it informs employees about goals and improvements(Sias , 2005).The text emphasizes the importance of receiving quality information for job satisfaction and commitment to the organization (Sias, 2005). It highlights collaboration, open communication, trust, and a positive environment as necessary factors for achieving quality (Demirbag and Sahadev, 2008, p.495). The significance of management commitment in quality improvement is also emphasized by Bin Abdullah et al. (2008).

Furthermore, the text stresses the

importance of motivating employees to be effective through activities such as focusing on client needs, engaging employees, providing training and instruction, recognizing their efforts and accomplishments. It emphasizes that these factors are essential for gaining new clients, retaining existing clients, and improving profits.

Emotional Intelligence and Transactional Analysis Theory are identified as valuable tools for fostering a quality-oriented mindset among employees and promoting continuous improvements. The text also acknowledges that enhancing quality can occur at different levels including the working environment as well as products and services offered by the organization. It recognizes relationships between colleagues as well as managers/subordinates/employees as important contributors to overall quality enhancement.

Finally, it discusses how relationships with clients can contribute to enhancing overall quality. Effectively managing emotions while understanding co-workers' behavior positively impacts the work environment. Additionally, emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in individuals empathizing with service users and providing better services.Implementing concepts from Transactional Analysis Theory can have multiple benefits for companies, such as improving employee behavior. Research shows that aligning behaviors positively impacts relationship quality, satisfaction, trust, and commitment according to consumer ratings. In today's disruptive environment with increased competition, organizations must explore new methods of enhancing their ability to fight back. Therefore, it is vital for companies to find ways to improve employee behavior, attitude, and emotions in the workplace.

Both Transactional Analysis and Emotional Intelligence can positively influence communication within the workplace. Each individual possesses an ego state through which they primarily communicate (e.g., criticism, strong emotions, reason, anger). By using Transactional Analysis techniques, employees can better understand human behavior and choose the most appropriate ego state to respond from in order to enhance communication and reduce

misinterpretations. This will ultimately improve client relations and relationships between management and subordinates (Mullins 2006).

It is also important to recognize that not all employees possess the same levels of Emotional Intelligence as their co-workers in the workplace. Investing in human resources is crucial for fostering their ability to effectively manage themselves and their relationships with colleagues.According to research (Goleman, 2002, p.105), individuals can improve their emotional intelligence competences over time. Therefore, managers should support employees in developing both technical skills and emotional intelligence abilities. Emphasizing emotional intelligence not only helps employees grow personally but also benefits the company (Chrusciel, 2006). Organizations can achieve desired outcomes by providing incentives and creating a positive work environment that encourages appropriate behavior. This includes nurturing rational actions from each employee to increase productivity, improve quality, and reduce errors caused by stress or misunderstandings. By motivating employees to adopt the right behavior and perform effectively in their roles, companies can meet customer needs fully with their products/services. Satisfied customers not only become loyal patrons but also attract new ones.