Organisational Behaviour For Dummies

Get up to speed on the science of human behaviour in the workplace

Organisational behaviour is all about how people behave at work. It encompasses a wide range of topics that are crucial to business success. This fun–to–read primer quickly gets you up to speed on all the essentials of this fascinating subject. From personality differences and teams to personnel selection and motivation, the authors – all distinguished experts in the field – cover all the core OB concepts, making this the perfect introduction for students and a useful guide for managers looking to apply these concepts in practice.

Get the lowdown on OB – find out why understanding psychological and behavioural principles can be so important to success

Find out what makes people tick – gain powerful insights into why individuals behave the way they do in the workplace and the roles of intellectual, personality, and cultural differences

Discover why people act the way they do in groups – benefit from the latest OB thinking on group and team dynamics

Make sense of leadership – explore various leadership styles and their effects on groups, as well as how great leaders consistently motivate employees to exceed their limits

Take a bird′s–eye view – get a clearer picture of the workplace at the organisational level and a deeper understanding of company culture and climate, organisational change, and more

Hire for excellence – get the latest on employee recruitment, development, and performance appraisals

Open the book and find:

A look at the nature of the individual in the workplace

Advice on group and team dynamics and why they can break down

Guidance on the employer/employee psychological contract

Effective leadership and motivation methods

Job design and performance appraisal techniques

Advice on hiring and developing employees

How to minimise the cost of stress in organisations

How the modern workplace is changing

Learn about:

The psychology of the workplace

The role of individuals, teams, and groups in organisations

Personality, motivation, and leadership in the workplace

How the modern workplace is changing

Introduction 1

Part I: Getting to Grips with Organisational Behaviour 7

Chapter 1: Introducing Organisational Behaviour 9

Chapter 2: Working Nine to Five: Understanding Psychology and Behaviour in the Workplace 19

Part II: All About the Employee 31

Chapter 3: Getting to Know People: Personality and Intelligence Differences 33

Chapter 4: Having the Right Attitude at Work 51

Chapter 5: Working Together: Teams and Groups 69

Chapter 6: Reducing Stress, and Improving Health and Wellbeing 87

Chapter 7: Handling Emotionally Demanding Jobs 107

Part III: All About the Employer 123

Chapter 8: Leading the Way: Leadership in the Workplace 125

Chapter 9: Motivating the Workforce 141

Chapter 10: The Unwritten Agreement: Psychological Contract 161

Chapter 11: Ensuring Fairness at Work 175

Part IV: All About the Organisation 193

Chapter 12: Designing Jobs 195

Chapter 13: Fitting In: Organisational Culture 209

Chapter 14: Changing Organisations 227

Chapter 15: Keeping Pace with the Global Workplace 241

Chapter 16: Working Virtually 257

Part V: All About Hiring and Developing People 271

Chapter 17: Hiring the Right People 273

Chapter 18: Assessing and Appraising 293

Chapter 19: Training and Developing People 311

Part VI: The Part of Tens 329

Chapter 20: Ten Tips for Good Employee Relations 331

Chapter 21: Ten Stressful Occupations 337

Chapter 22: Ten Tips for Managing Your Manager 341

Chapter 23: Ten Up and Coming Issues in Organisational Behaviour 345

Chapter 24: Ten Engagement Factors for Employees 351

Index 355

Cary L. Cooper, PhD, is Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health and Pro Vice Chancellor at Lancaster University. Lynn Holdsworth, PhD, is a research fellow at Manchester Business School. Sheena Johnson, PhD, is an occupational psychologist and a lecturer in organisational psychology at Manchester Business School.