Can modern organizations be designed to reduce employee alienation?

The issue of employee alienation can refer to several different issues: alienation from the company as well as alienation from society as a whole. Companies and the way they are structured have an effect on both of these factors, and the corporate culture which permeates an organization can determine whether its employees enjoy a high level of morale, or whether they feel alienated from their surroundings and their employer.

Employees who feel alienated from their employer are more likely to have attendance problems and may make decisions which are unethical. These employees do not feel that they are an active participant in the organization; instead, they feel simply another "cog" in the corporate "wheel." These employees feel that the company takes advantage of them and may even feel that they are exploited by the organization. Even when these employees work overtime, they do so grudgingly, and they are likely to downgrade any effort at change or progress which the company might put forward. Perhaps the most detrimental effect of having alienated employees on the staff is the effect that they have on other employees: alienated employees can spread negative feelings through a company wit

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nt by exception, where employees only communicate with their managers when there is a problem, can create feelings of alienation because the employee's only contact with the manager is when there are negative circumstances involved. Managers who take the time to let employees know when they are doing a good job not only build a better personal relationship with the employee, but also build a situation where the employee feels valued by the organization. Again, this managerial approach requires active participation by the company as a whole, beginning with the upper echelons of management. Company structure itself (the organizational structure) can also be a factor in whether employees feel that they are part of the organization, or whether they feel alienated. Companies which have hierarchical organizations with many layers of management are likely to have artificial "walls" between workers. Companies which are structured in a more vertical manner, meaning that they have fewer layers of management, are more likely to have employees who feel that they are an important part of the organization and who are not alienated from the company. It is important for companies to develop cultures and organizations which foster employee par
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Approximate Word count = 2468
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)

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