ABSTRACT
Leading and managing ‘people’ is fundamental to the successful operation of virtually all organisations and businesses. This is particularly true of sport and leisure organisations, whose market ‘product’ often contains a substantial ‘service’ element which relies heavily on the real-time interaction of customers and employees. Often, it is this relationship that yields real competitive advantage and is pivotal to customer perceptions of both value and
quality. An understanding of organisational behaviour seeks to provide a conceptual framework in which the interactions and motivations of individuals and groups can be better understood and subsequently managed; particularly with respect to the positive and negative performance consequences. Related to this, human resource management provides a more functional representation of management. This is, perhaps, best understood as a corporate attempt to squeeze as much value as possible from an organisation’s employees. However, organisational and individual performance is often difficult to measure accurately (see Chapter 17). It should be considered relative to customer requirements, the goals of the organisation, the actions of competitors and the ever-changing external environment. In an ideal world, once there is clarity around such issues, decisions can then be made about how employees, at all levels, can make a significant contribution to a competitive and profitable customer experience. Assuming one has a clear understanding of current and developing customer requirements, it is then important to design organisational structures that facilitate a flexible and appropriate fit between customer requirements, organisational constraints, individual/group needs and future business opportunities. Human resource structures, systems and processes should be designed to both deliver and develop all levels of staff in relation to organisational objectives and customer value. An understanding of organisational behaviour helps consider the potential consequences of management decisions in this regard. As a consequence, this chapter seeks to provide a better understanding of the strategic fit between the deployment of staff and the needs of customers, organisations, markets and industries within the sport and leisure environment. Excellent staff are as important as excellent facilities in meeting customer requirements. Therefore, senior professionals and managers must have knowledge, experience and understanding of staff matters: staff motivation, organisational structures and the impact of these important areas on both organisation and staff performance. Staff – full-time, part-time, casual or voluntary – are the most important resource in any leisure organisation and their cost should be regarded as a highly valued investment rather than an expensive item of expenditure. The right staff need to be employed, trained, nurtured and enabled to perform well for their organisations and for themselves.
