ABSTRACT
As you will recall from Chapter 3 on job analysis and Chapter 9 on motivation, organizations create a structure for individual jobs in order to get things done efficiently and effectively. How work is designed at the individual level influences employee motivation, performance, and well-being. In addition to work design and distribution of labor within a work group, how the organization itself is structured and how it structures work groups and teams (see Chapter 13) make a difference in the day-to-day lives of employees and the effectiveness of the organization. How should the organization design its departments? How much of an emphasis will there be on managing people by rules versus by unwritten norms? How many layers will there be in the organizational hierarchy? Will employees on the front lines have the power to make important decisions, or will they have to check with their supervisors first?
