Keeping informed about the world of work
Once your children are employed, knowing what is happening in their work site, their company, their industry, and the economy is critical to their career self-management. As you probably know from your own work, people succeed more easily in their jobs when they know their employer's purpose, structure, style, and industry.
Your children can learn about their company by asking their supervisor, the human resources manager, or coworkers. They can also find out by reading the company's annual report and looking at its Web site. Question that they should be asking include:
- What is the organization's mission and vision?
- What does the company do (not just my unit or department)? What does it provide, make, create, grow, promote, coordinate, or develop?
- To whom does the company provide services?
- Where does the company's money come from?
- How many employees work for the company?
- What new programs is the company starting or planning?
- Is the company part of a larger organization? What does that organization provide, make, create, grow, promote, coordinate, or develop?
- How does the company work with other organizations?
- Does the company have offices and clients just in the U.S. or internationally?
Employer's Purpose
The employer's purpose is often called
a mission statement. The mission statement says why an employer is in business.
The more an employee knows about that
purpose, the more that employee understands how his or her job supports the
employer's purpose.
Organization Structure
An employer can be private for profit,
private nonprofit, or a government agency. Some employers are very large and
have thousands of workers. Many employers
are small with fewer than 20 workers. No matter what their size or type,
employers have different types of structures:
- Pyramid
Sometimes the pyramid structure is called a bureaucracy or hierarchy. The organization usually has one main manager; three to five people report directly to that manager. These subordinates all have specialty areas. Each of these subordinates has five to eight people reporting to them, all of whom have specialty areas as well. This layering of people and managers or supervisors keeps on repeating, with the number of subordinates increasing slightly at each level. The largest number of subordinates that one person usually has directly reporting to them is between 15 and 20.This organizational structure is roughly like a pyramid. People do the work in a set manner at the wide bottom of the hierarchy. People plan and make important decisions at the narrow top peak of the hierarchy. Communication in this organization is formal. There are often many rules and regulations in this structure. A large organization that has been in business for many years often has this structure. Government offices, utility companies, and large manufacturers are some examples of a pyramid structure. These organizations are often referred to as top down because the flow of decision and authority is downward.
- Flat
The flat structure takes the top peak of the pyramid with the main manager and puts it directly on the wide bottom base of people who do the work. There are fewer managers or supervisors and more workers. Communication in this organization is often informal. Rules tend to be made up as the job is done. Small or entrepreneurial organizations often have this structure. Software development companies are an example of a flat organizational structure.
- Diamond
The diamond structure starts with the top peak of the pyramid with the main managers. It then adds a wide middle section with worker and managers. Then, a narrow bottom band of workers exists and their activities are more directly supervised. Service organizations often have this structure. Think of a doctor's office, with the doctor at the top, the nurses and office workers in the middle, and the cleaning people at the bottom.
Organization Style
The style of the employer can be different.
Some employers focus on quality, some on customer satisfaction, some on product
quality, and some on product
quantity. When an employee knows the purpose, type of structure, and focus
of the employer, that employee can better understand how to fit into the
company, improve his or her productivity, and in the end perhaps garner better
wages.
Employment Policies
No matter how large or small an employer is, there will
be employment policies. These policies govern how the employer pays and evaluates
its employees.
Employment policies describe employees' rights. An employee should
get a copy of these policies and read them thoroughly.
Employer's Industry
Thoroughly understanding the industry in which one is employed
is essential to manage job and career goals. Knowledge of the industry helps
understand
the employer's purpose and goals. Knowledge of the industry also helps an
employee find other employers who may need to hire people who have his or
her set of skills. The Oregon Employment Department issues reports on employment
trends by industry. Local employment department offices and public libraries
have employer directories.