Professionals who work in organizational development are dedicated to improving the effectiveness of a business. Companies hire people for an organizational development role as a director, manager or specialist. Organizational development professionals need to fully understand the ultimate goals of a business in order to successfully create a plan of action that will further progress toward these objectives.
The theory of organizational development is thought to have been founded in the mid-1950s, introduced as a bottom-up change effort that was different from current consulting efforts. Newton Marguiles and Anthony P. Raia stated the six humanistic values of organizational development as the following:
- Providing opportunities for people to function as human beings rather than as resources in the productive process.
- Providing opportunities for each organization member, as well as for the organization itself, to develop to their full potential.
- Seeking to increase the effectiveness of the organization in terms of all of its goals.
- Attempting to create an environment in which it is possible to find exciting and challenging work.
- Providing opportunities for people in organizations to influence the way in which they relate to work, the organization, and the environment.
- Treating each human being as a person with a complex set of needs, all of which are important to their work and their life.
The ultimate purpose of organizational development is to increase interpersonal trust among employees, heighten employee satisfaction, confront workplace issues and manage conflict, increase cooperation, solve organizational problems and drive processes that further ongoing business operations.
The skills needed to thrive in organizational development careers can be acquired through obtaining a Master of Business Administration degree or similar programs with concentrations, as organizational development is typically utilized in certain industries where companies value ongoing professional development and learning.
Those who desire to pursue such careers need to understand foundational business theories and principles. MBA programs, such as the online MBA at CTX, are dedicated to teaching students organizational performance and processes, talent management, business strategy and leadership skills.
Organizational development professionals often work with all departments within an organization to ensure day-to-day operations are running smoothly. They may work closely with the human resources department regarding interviews and hiring new employees. New hires need to be able to contribute to the company’s organizational goals, and the organizational development manager can assist with approving the right candidates. Executives often look to organizational development professionals for updates on certain candidate searches, departmental issues and progress reports. They may be asked to frequently sit in on meetings and observe or provide input that contributes to fostering a company’s vision.