OB QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

MADE BY- JHANVI GUPTA

ID: 21MBA033

Q.1 WHAT IS OB?

Ans.1. Organizational Behavior (OB) is the study of human behavior in organizational settings,
the interface between human behavior and the organization, and the organization itself.
Organizational Behavior researchers study the behavior of individuals primarily in their
organizational roles.
One of the main goals of organizational behavior is to revitalize organizational theory and
develop a better conceptualization of organizational life.
As a multidisciplinary field, organizational behavior has been influenced by developments in a
number of allied disciplines including sociology, psychology, economics, and engineering as
well as by the experience of practitioners.
History and Evolution of Organisational Behavior Studies-
Origin of Organisational Behaviour can trace its roots back to Max Weber and earlier
organizational studies.
The Industrial Revolution is the period from approximately 1760 when new technologies
resulted in the adoption of new manufacturing techniques, including increased mechanization.
The industrial revolution led to significant social and cultural change, including new forms of
organization.
Analyzing these new organizational forms, sociologist Max Weber described bureaucracy as an
ideal type of organization that rested on rational-legal principles and maximized technical
efficiency.
In the 1890’s; with the arrival of scientific management and Taylorism, Organizational Behavior
Studies was forming it as an academic discipline.
Failure of scientific management gave birth to the human relations movement which is
characterized by a heavy emphasis on employee cooperation and morale.
Human Relations Movement from the 1930’s to 1950’s contributed to shaping the
Organizational Behavior studies.
Works of scholars like Elton Mayo, Chester Barnard, Henri Fayol, Mary Parker Follett,
Frederick Herzberg, Abraham Maslow, David Mc Cellan and Victor Vroom contributed to the
growth of Organisational Behaviour as a discipline.
Works of scholars like Elton Mayo, Chester Barnard, Henri Fayol, Mary Parker Follett,
Frederick Herzberg, Abraham Maslow, David Mc Cellan and Victor Vroom contributed to the
growth of Organisational Behaviour as a discipline.
 Herbert Simon’s Administrative Behavior introduced a number of important concepts to the
study of organizational behavior, most notably decision making.
Simon along with Chester Barnard; argued that people make decisions differently in
organizations than outside of them. Simon was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his
work on organizational decision making.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the field became more quantitative and produced such ideas as the
informal organization, and resource dependence. Contingency theory, institutional theory, and
organizational ecology also enraged.
Starting in the 1980s, cultural explanations of organizations and organizational change became
areas of study.
Informed by anthropology, psychology, and sociology, qualitative research became more
acceptable in OB.
Features of Organizational Behavior-

Organizational Behavior is the study and application of knowledge about how people,
individuals, and groups act in organizations. It does this by taking a system approach.
That is, it interprets people-organization relationships in terms of the whole person, the whole
group, the whole organization, and the whole social system.
Its purpose is to build better relationships by achieving human objectives, organizational
objectives, and social objectives.
Organizational Behavior is;
1. A Separate Field of Study and not a Discipline Only.
2. An Interdisciplinary Approach.
3. Applied Science.
4. Normative Science.
5. A Humanistic and Optimistic Approach.
6. A Total System Approach.
These 6 features or characteristics show the nature of Organizational Behavior that is the
study of understanding and control behavior within the organization.
Objectives of Organizational Behavior-

The organizations in which people work have an effect on their thoughts, feelings, and actions.
These thoughts, feelings, and actions, in turn, affect the organization itself.
Organizational behavior studies the mechanisms governing these interactions, seeking to identify
and foster behaviors conducive to the survival and effectiveness of the organization.
1. Job Satisfaction.
2. Finding the Right People.
3. Organizational Culture.
4. Leadership and Conflict Resolution.
5. Understanding Employees Better.
6. Understand how to Develop Good Leaders.
7. Develop a Good Team.
8. Higher Productivity.
These 8 objectives of organizational behavior show that OB is concerned with people within
the organization, how they are interacting, what is the level of their satisfaction, the level of
motivation, and find ways to improve it in a way the yields most productivity.
Fundamental Concepts of Organizational Behavior-

Organization Behavior is based on a few fundamental concepts which revolve around the
nature of people and organizations.
 Individual Differences.
 Perception.
 A Whole Person.
 Motivated Behavior.
 The desire for Involvement.
 The value of the Person.
 Human Dignity.
 Organizations are Social System.
 Mutuality of Interest.
 Holistic Concept.
Q.2. WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERPERSONAL SKILLS IN WORKPLACE?

Ans. 2. 1. Interpersonal Skills Foster Productivity by Promoting Effective Communication:-

Every successful company is built on effective communication, and you need interpersonal skills
to be a good communicator. In addition, you need to develop connections between you and your
fellow employees so that concepts, knowledge and expertise can be shared mutually.

In addition, every employee needs to have mutual appreciation and respect for the viewpoint of
each other. This type of communication allows for the more fluid performance of services, better
task management, and timely fulfilment of homework.

2. Real-time Work Feedback:-

To function successfully, you would need a transparent and positive feedback loop in most
organisations. Which will efficiently respond to external and internal influences.
Let me know that it is simply the continued contact between a task-giver and a task-completer.
First, the person doing the job will ask for feedback as he completes the steps. Then, the
supervisor will either inform the employee that they are doing well or that the appropriate
changes are needed. This is a continuous cycle or loop.
There can be some initial breakdown sometimes. Behind this breakdown, there will be some
reason. These reasons include-
 Either one of them (task giver or taker) is failed to approach one another
 One of them is not ready to initiate communication
 Ineffective supervisory
An immensely harmful and too common behaviour is the supervisor authorising the task and not
providing feedback afterwards, especially if the employee has already requested it and been
refused. After all, there’s nothing worse than a person spending hours on a job just for a boss to
come and knock it down. This will harm the productivity, morality and efficiency of the work
done. 
Thus, real-time feedback plays an essential role in building the essence of interpersonal skills in
the workplace.

3. Building Opportunities for Employees:-

You will gain access to more competitive opportunities at work and in your area of interest
through connections with superiors and colleagues. For example, when you have a positive
impression of your manager, they might give you good references or even bump you to a higher
place with more roles and benefits. This is an excellent advantage to your career growth, of
course.

4. Building Social Awareness:-

Interpersonal skills confirm that you care for the well-being of your employee and clients. You
are in the process of earning their loyalty and faith. A clear sense of awareness and emotional
intelligence can assist you in operating in a challenging social situation. Strategic experience can
also help you in making the best choices and judgments on important work-related matters. So, it
builds the vital importance of interpersonal skills in the workplace. 

5. Maintain Fruitful Relationships within the Workplace:-

When interpersonal skills foster healthy relationships, they are most successful, helpful, and
satisfying. Therefore, it is crucial to develop intimate relationships in the workplace and keep
these relationships within professional boundaries. Thus, even maintaining relationships
contribute to the importance of interpersonal skills in the workplace.

Also, it can be much more challenging to maintain such relationships than to establish them
because several factors such as continuity, follow-up and continuing empathy are involved. As a
result, the most effective way to sustain intimate relationships at work is to make them real.

6. Develop Leadership Skills:-

The importance of interpersonal skills for good management and leadership is standard in every
discussion on workplace interpersonal skills. This is because a successful leader can encourage
interpersonal interactions, build trust and communicate effectively. Conversely, a disconnected
leader will eventually lose in the long run, while helpful team members will likely jump over the
ship in the near term. In this case, production will be forfeited, and new jobs will be placed on
the remainder of the workers.

Q.3. WHAT ARE THE MAJOR BEHAVORIAL SCIENCES- DISCIPLINES THAT

CONTRIBUTES TO OB?
Ans. 3. Contributing Disciplines to Organizational Behavior (OB)
Organization behavior is an applied science that is built up on contribution from a number of
behavioral science such as:

1. Psychology
The terms psychology comes from the Greek word ‘Psyche’ meaning soul or spirit. Psychology
is the science that seeks to measure, explain and sometimes change the behavior of human
beings. Modern psychology is almost universally defined as the science of behavior which is
nearly identical with behavioral science, in general. Psychology has a great deal of influence on
the field of organizational behavior. Psychology is concerned with individual behavior.

Psychology studies behavior of different people in various conditions such as normal, abnormal,

social, industrial legal, childhood, adolescence, old age, etc. It also studies processes of human
behavior, such as learning, motivation, perception, individual and group decision-making,
pattern of influences change in organization, group process, satisfaction, communication,
selection and training. 

It is a science, which describes the change of behavior of human and other animals. It is

concerned with the more study of human behavior. The major contribution of psychology in the
field of OB (Organizational Behavior) have been concerned are following:

o Learning
o Personality
o Perception
o Individual decision-making
o Performance appraised
o Attitude measurement
o Employee selected
o Work design
o Motivation
o Emotions
o Work strain
o Job satisfaction

2. Social Psychology
Social psychology is that part of psychology that integrates concepts from psychology and
sociology. In other words, social psychology studies all aspects of social behavior and social
thought – how people think about and interact with others. One of the areas receiving
considerable attention from social psychology is change law to reduce its resistance
and implement it successfully. Additionally, social psychology is useful in the areas of
measuring and understanding changing attitudes; communication patterns; the ways in which
group activities can satisfy individual needs and group decision making processes. It focuses on
the influences of people on one another.

It is an area within psychology that blends concepts from psychology and sociology and that
focuses on the influence of people on one another. The major contributions of social psychology
to OB are as follows:

o Behavior change
o Attitude change
o Communication
o Group process
o Group decision-making
3. Sociology
Sociology is the study of group behavior. It can be described as an academic discipline that
utilizes the scientific method in accumulating knowledge about a person’s social behavior. In
other words, it studies the behavior of the people in relation to their fellow human beings. Some
of the areas within OB that have received valuable input from sociologist include group
dynamics, organizational culture, formal organization theory and structure, organizational
technology, bureaucracy, communication power, conflict and inter-group behavior. To the
managerial practice, its contribution is mainly in the field of bureaucracy, role structures, social
system theory, group dynamics, effect of industrialization on the social behavior etc.

It is the study of society, social institution and social relationship. The main contributions of
sociology to the field of OB are as follows:

o Group dynamics
o Communication
o Power
o Conflict
o Inter group behavior
o Formal organizational theory
o Organizational technology
o Organizational change
o Organizational culture
4. Anthropology
The term anthropology combines the Greek term ‘anthropo’ meaning man and the noun ending
‘logy’ meaning science. Thus, anthropology can be defined as the science of man. It is also
known as ‘science of humanity’ which encompasses a broad range of studies including the
evolutionary history of human beings and features of different societies, cultures and
human groups. In other words, the field of anthropology studies the relationship between
individuals and their environment. Groups of individual living together create a body of shared
ideas that are called culture. Culture is embodies in the system of symbols shared by a group of
people and is reflected in their language and beliefs. The culture of a civilization or the sub-
culture of a defined group is transmitted by the stories and myths told by members of the group.
These stories and myths help the groups to understand who they are and what things are
important.

It is the study of society to learn human beings and their activities. The major contributions of
Anthropology in the field of OB are as follows:

o Comparative values
o Comparative attitudes
o Cross-culture analysis
o Organization environment
o Organization culture
5. Political Science
Political science is the branch of social science which deals with politics in its theory and
practice, and the analysis of various political system and political behaviors. Political scientists
study the behavior of individuals and groups within a political environment. Specific topics of
concern to political scientists include conflict resolution, group coalition, allocation of power and
how people manipulate power for individual self-interest. In other words, political science helps
us to understand the dynamics of power and politics within organizations, since there is usually a
hierarchical structure of differing levels of managers and subordinates.

It is the study of the behavior of individuals and group within or political environment. The main
contribution of political science in the field of OB have been concerned with:

o Conflict
o Intra-organizational policies
o Power

Q.4. DEFINE OB AND EXPLAIN MODELS.

OB DEFINITION-
Organizational behavior is the academic study of how people interact within groups. The
principles of the study of organizational behavior are applied primarily in attempts to make
businesses operate more effectively.
Ans.4.
Q.5. DEFINE OB AND EXPLAIN THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
DEFINITION OF OB-
Ans.5. Organizational behavior is the academic study of how people interact within groups. The
principles of the study of organizational behavior are applied primarily in attempts to make
businesses operate more effectively.

Main challenges and opportunities of organizational behavior are;

1 Improving Peoples’ Skills.

2 Improving Quality and Productivity.
3 Total Quality Management (TQM).
4 Managing Workforce Diversity.
5 Responding to Globalization.
6 Empowering People.
7 Coping with Temporariness.
8 Stimulating Innovation and Change.
9 Emergence of E-Organisation & E-Commerce.
10 Improving Ethical Behavior.
11 Improving Customer Service.
12 Helping Employees Balance Work-Life Conflicts.
13 Flattening World.

1 Improving People’s Skills-

Technological changes, structural changes, environmental changes are accelerated at a faster rate
in the business field.
Unless employees and executives are equipped to possess the required skills to adapt to those
changes, the targeted goals cannot be achieved in time.

These two different categories of skills – managerial skills and technical skills.
Some of the managerial skills include listening skills, motivating skills, planning and organizing
skills, leading skills, problem-solving skills, decision-making skills.
These skills can be enhanced by organizing a series of training and development programs,
career development programs, induction, and socialization.

2 Improving Quality and Productivity

Quality is the extent to which the customers or users believe the product or service surpasses
their needs and expectations.
For example, a customer who purchases an automobile has a certain expectation, one of which is
that the automobile engine will start when it is turned on.
If the engine fails to start, the customer’s expectations will not have been met and the customer
will perceive the quality of the car as poor. The key dimensions of quality as follows.

Performance: Primary rating characteristics of a product such as signal coverage, audio quality,
display quality, etc.
Features: Secondary characteristics, added features, such as calculators, and alarm clock
features in handphone
Conformance: meeting specifications or industry standards, the workmanship of the degree to
which a product’s design or operating characteristics match pre-established standards
Reliability: The probability of a product’s falling within a specified period
Durability: It is a measure of a product’s life having both economic and technical dimension
Services: Resolution of problem and complaints, ease of repair
Response: Human to human interfaces, such as the courtesy of the dealer « Aesthetics: Sensory
characteristics such exterior finish
Reputations: Past performance and other intangibles, such as being ranked first.
More and more managers are confronting to meet the challenges to fulfill the specific
requirements of customers.
To improve quality and productivity, they are implementing programs like total quality
management and reengineering programs that require extensive employee involvement.

3 Total Quality Management (TQM)-

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a philosophy of management that is driven by the constant
attainment of customer satisfaction through the continuous improvement of all organizational
processes.

The components of TQM are;

(a) An intense focus on the customer,

(b) Concern for continual improvement,
(c) Improvement in the quality of everything the organization does,
(d) Accurate measurement and,
(e) Empowerment of employees.

4 Managing Workforce Diversity-

This refers to employing different categories of employees who are heterogeneous in terms of
gender, race, ethnicity, relation, community, physically disadvantaged, elderly people, etc.

The primary reason to employ the heterogeneous category of employees is to tap the talents and
potentialities, harnessing the innovativeness, obtaining synergetic effect among the divorce
workforce.
In general, employees wanted to retain their individual and cultural identity, values and lifestyles
even though they are working in the same organization with common rules and regulations.

The major challenge for organizations is to become more accommodating to diverse groups of
people by addressing their different lifestyles, family needs, and work styles.

5 Responding to Globalization-
Today’s business is mostly market-driven; wherever the demands exist irrespective of distance,
locations, climatic conditions, the business.

operations are expanded to gain their market share and to remain in the top rank, etc. Business
operations are no longer restricted to a particular locality or region.

The company’s products or services are spreading across nations using mass communication, the
internet, faster transportation, etc.

More than 95% of Nokia (Now Microsoft) handphones are being sold outside of their home
country Finland.

Japanese cars are being sold in different parts of the globe. Sri Lankan tea is exported to many
cities around the globe.

Garment products of Bangladesh are exporting in the USA and EU countries. Executives of
Multinational corporations are very mobile and move from one subsidiary to another more
frequently.

6 Empowering People-
The main issue is delegating more power and responsibility to the lower level cadre of
employees and assigning more freedom to make choices about their schedules, operations,
procedures and the method of solving their work-related problems.

Encouraging the employees to participate in the work-related decision will sizable enhance their
commitment to work.

Empowerment is defined as putting employees in charge of what they do by eliciting some sort
of ownership in them.

Managers are doing considerably further by allowing employees full control of their work.
Movement implies constant change an increasing number of organizations are using self-
managed teams, where workers operate largely without a boss.

Due to the implementation of empowerment concepts across all the levels, the relationship
between managers and the employees is reshaped.

Managers will act as coaches, advisors, sponsors, facilitators and help their subordinates to do
their tasks with minimal guidance.

7 Coping with Temporariness-

In recent times, the product life cycles are slimming, the methods of operations are improving,
and fashions are changing very fast. In those days, the managers needed to introduce major
change programs once or twice a decade.

Today, change is an ongoing activity for most managers.

The concept of continuous improvement implies constant change.

In yesteryears, there used to be a long period of stability and occasionally interrupted by a short
period of change, but at present, the change process is an ongoing activity due to competitiveness
in developing new products and services with better features.

Everyone in the organization faces today is one of permanent temporariness. The actual jobs that
workers perform are in a permanent state of flux.

So, workers need to continually update their knowledge and skills to perform new job
requirements.

8 Stimulating Innovation and Change-

Today’s successful organizations must foster innovation and be proficient in the art of change;
otherwise, they will become candidates for extinction in due course of time and vanished from
their field of business.

Victory will go to those organizations that maintain flexibility, continually improve their quality,
and beat the competition to the market place with a constant stream of innovative products and
services.

For example, Compaq succeeded by creating more powerful personal computers for the same or
less money than EBNM or Apple, and by putting their products to market quicker than the bigger
competitors.
9 The emergence of E-Organisation & E-Commerce-
It refers to the business operations involving the electronic mode of transactions. It encompasses
presenting products on websites and filling the order.

The vast majority of articles and media attention given to using the Internet in business are
directed at online shopping.

In this process, the marketing and selling of goods and services are being carried out over the
Internet.

In e-commerce, the following activities are being taken place quite often – the tremendous
numbers of people who are shopping on the Internet, business houses are setting up websites
where they can sell goods, conducting the following transactions such as getting paid and
fulfilling orders.

It is a dramatic change in the way a company relates to its customers. At present e-commerce is
exploding. Globally, e-commerce spending was increasing at a tremendous rate.

10 Improving Ethical Behavior-

The complexity in business operations is forcing the workforce to face ethical dilemmas, where
they are required to define right and wrong conduct to complete their assigned activities.

For example,
× Should the employees of a chemical company blow the whistle if they uncover the discharging
its untreated effluents into the river are polluting its water resources?
× Do managers give an inflated performance evaluation to an employee they like, knowing that
such an evaluation could save that employee’s job?

The ground rules governing the constituents of good ethical behavior has not been clearly
defined, Differentiating right things from wrong behavior has become more blurred.

Following unethical practices have become a common practice such as successful executives
who use insider information for personal financial gain, employees in competitor businesses
participating in massive cover-ups of defective products, etc.

11 Improving Customer Service-

OB can contribute to improving organizational performance by showing drat how employees’
attitudes and behavior are associated with customer satisfaction.
In that case, service should be the first production-oriented by using technological opportunities
like a computer, the internet, etc.

To improve customer service we need to provide sales service and also the after-sales service.

12 Helping Employees Balance Work-Life Conflicts-

The typical employee in the 1960s or 1970s showed up at the workplace Monday through Friday
and did his or her job 8 or 9-hour chunk of time.

The workplace and hours were specified. That’s no longer true for a large segment of today’s
workforce.

Employees are increasingly complaining that the line between work and non-work time has
become blurred, creating personal conflict and stress.

Many forces have contributed to blurring the lines between employees’ work life and personal
life.

First, the creation of global organizations means their world never sleeps. At any time and on any
day, for instance, thousands of General Electric employees are working somewhere.

Second, communication technology allows employees to do their work at home, in their cars, or
on the beach in Cox’s Bazar.

This lets many people in technical and professional jobs do their work anytime and from any
place.

Third, organizations are asking employees to put in longer hours.

Finally, fewer families have only a single breadwinner. Today’s married employee is typically
part of a dual-career couple. This makes it increasingly difficult for married employees to find
the time to fulfill commitments to home, spouse, children, parents, and friends.

Today’s married employee is typically part of a dual-career couple.

This makes it increasingly difficult for married employees to find the time to fulfill commitments
to home, spouse, children, parents, and friends.

Employees are increasingly recognizing that work is squeezing out personal lives and they’re not
happy about it.
For example, recent studies suggest that employees want jobs that give them flexibility in their
work schedules so they can better manage work/life conflicts.

Also, the next generation of employees is likely to show similar concerns.

A majority of college and university students say that attaining a balance between personal life
and work is a primary career goal. They want a life as well as a job.

13 Flattening World-
Thomas Friedman’s book The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century makes
the point that the Internet has “flattened” the world and created an environment in which there is
a more level playing field in terms of access to information.

This access to information has led to an increase in innovation, as knowledge can be shared
instantly across time zones and cultures.

It has also created intense competition, as the speed of business is growing faster and faster all
the time.

In his book Wikinomics, Don Tapscott notes that mass collaboration has changed the way work
gets done, how products are created, and the ability of people to work together without ever
meeting.

Q.6. WHAT ARE THE MAJOR EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS?

Ans. 6. Employability skills refer to the transferable skills that individuals utilise in their
workplace. Employers often seek these diverse set of skills in candidates in addition to their
academic qualifications. In order to stay relevant and improve their efficiency, employees should
focus on building up their employability skills. In this article, we analyse the various
employability skills that are much in demand in the workplace.

Definition of employability skills

Employability skills are the soft skills that help to make you stand out from other candidates
aiming for the same job with similar academic qualifications. These skills are not clearly
illustrated in job descriptions but they are vital to possess in order to secure a role where the
employability skills match the job profile.

Some common employability skills

While on-job training or technical skills can be acquired, employability skills come naturally or
are acquired through work experience, practices or education.
Some basic employability skills that are desired in employees are:
  Communication skills
 Leadership
 Problem solving
 Teamwork
 Reliability
• Self Management
 Planning and organisation
 Technology
 Initiative
 Learning
1. Communication
It is one of the most important personality trait and a soft skill which is much sought after for any
employment. Effective use of the five elements of communication, which include the sender,
receiver, message, medium and feedback helps to deliver a message with clarity. An employee
with a good communication skill helps the company to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings
and waste of time and in turn helps to increase productivity.
Communication skills can be verbal, non-verbal, visual and written. To be effective in your
communication in the workplace you have to be able to understand your colleagues, their ideas
and instructions. You also need to attain your objectives by convincing your co-workers with
your thoughts and ideas.
Communication improves with practice. Maintain a positive expression and body language,
listen carefully to others and think before you speak. Joining a club or being active on social
media also helps to develop your communication skills.
2. Leadership
Leadership skills are important at every stage in an organisation. Employers look out for
candidates who possess this skill set. You can demonstrate your leadership skills if you can
manage your team members well, motivate and train the staff to improve their work practices
and set objectives or goals for the colleagues to share in the interest of the company.
3. Problem solving
Problem solving is the act of determining the issue, identifying the cause of the problem,
selecting the best possible outcomes and implementing it. A good problem solver helps to
overcome obstacles by resolving complex issues. They are an asset to any organisation as they
help the team to optimise their efficiency.
More complex problems will require you to research, analyse and then make a decision. You can
break up a problem into smaller parts and then address the issue. Problem solving skills can be
further developed by participating in brainstorming sessions, undertaking projects and research
assignments and even solving puzzles.
Some of the steps of problem solving are:
 Identify or define the issue
 Gather information
 Understand everyone's point of views or interests
  List possible options and evaluate them
 Choose an option
 Implement a solution
4. Teamwork
Teamwork as a skill refers to the ability to know your role in the team and work amicably with
your teammates. Intense global competition makes teamwork especially important to achieve
better productivity. Healthy relationships between colleagues, increased job satisfaction and
workflow contributes to improved team performance.
All jobs require collaboration at some point in time. Collaboration as a teamwork skill
contributes to a better work environment. It also increases your chances of being hired by an
organisation to help reach the company goals more effectively. How employees work as a team
has a direct effect on the organisation's stability, innovation and productivity.
Teamwork skills can be boosted by using the following:
 Know your individual goal within a team and understand responsibilities of your role.
 Manage your time efficiently and communicate any deadlines, rules or purpose of a task
clearly.
 Share your enthusiasm for a project with your colleagues.
 Appreciate and give due credit to your team members.
 Work productively together as a team to resolve any disputes.
 Join a sports team or engage in physical activities for greater motivation and a positive
mindset.
 Volunteer in organisations and help co-workers in the office to build up your teamwork
skills.
5. Reliability
Being dependable and reliable is an important employability skill as it helps to build up trust
with the employer. Consistency is key to reliability. Regularly meet your deadlines and produce
quality work. Reliability can be boosted when you meet or exceed expectations with your work
performance.
Create a daily schedule for tasks and respond promptly to queries. Quality work implies minimal
errors but if there are mistakes, acknowledge and learn from it, so you can make a conscious
effort not to repeat the same.
6. Self-management
Self-management is the ability to organise and manage your work commitments consistently
with minimal or no supervision and guidance. This skill also helps to save time, which curates
efficiency.
Self-management skills can be developed by:
 Taking initiative and asking for greater responsibilities at work.
 Being accountable for your work and actions.
 Participation in volunteer work and managing your commitments.
7. Planning and Organisation
If you can plan and organise efficiently, it helps your employer to achieve their goals by
managing time, money and effort.
Organisation means being able to plan your schedule and do your work accordingly. You know
the priority of the task, how long it would take and the tools needed to complete it. Organisation
is about being resourceful, taking initiative to manage priorities in a timely manner and to take
decisions.
Tips to develop your organisation skills:
 Create a timetable
 Identify the goals and things to do
 Organise your work
 Prioritise your tasks and plan a schedule
 Arrange or organise events which help to build up this skill set
8. Technology
Technology is crucial for employees in order to use the latest technical know-how. Knowledge
of technology is one of the leading skill set that organisations look for when hiring staff. It helps
employees to stay relevant and ahead of the competition. While the technical skills required for
different jobs vary significantly across roles, some basic knowledge of technology is crucial in
today's work place. Organisations value employees who can grasp the technology based concepts
and learn how to use them effectively.
Steps to further develop technology skills:
 Enroll in a course or online training
 Ask for extra on-job training
 Stay updated with the latest technology being used in the industry
 Try new apps and technology while listing the ones you already know and use in your
daily life
9. Initiative
Employers value initiative as a key employability skill to possess. Initiative means the
motivation to take pre-emptive action and adapt to new situations accordingly. To demonstrate
initiative you have to first identify the opportunities and the client requirements without being
asked to do so. Understand the goals of the task or the organisation and create strategic plans
accordingly to translate the ideas into action.
People with initiative have a strong desire to succeed. They would strive to improve themselves
by regularly upgrading their skills and knowledge. Employers and organisations value such
employees.
Initiative can be improved by:
 Approaching employers and organisations for new opportunities
 Understanding the viability of a plan and then initiating ideas and solutions
 Proposing changes to policies while adhering to cultural and political sensitivities
 Setting up local charities or organisations
10. Learning
Learning skills enable the employee to improve their knowledge about the organisation.
Employees with good learning skills tend to adapt to change easily by learning new concepts and
methods. They are valuable to the firm as they can quickly fill up challenging positions and save
time. Learning skills can be developed further by taking a skills based course, researching or
acquiring a new hobby. Learning skills ensure a smooth transition to the implementation of new
systems, processes and technology.
Given the intense competition in the workplace, possessing employability skills continues to
remain vital for success.

Q.7. WHAT ARE THE TWO (2) MAJOR FORMS OF DIVERSITY AT WORKPLACE?
Ans. 7. The two major forms of workforce diversity are ethnicity and individual differences.
These demographic characteristics define the factors comprising diversity in the U.S. workforce.
Ethnicity refers to the racial and ethnic backgrounds of individuals. The individual differences
are the biological differences such as age, gender, race, disability, and length of service. These
differences have been studied to determine their association with job performance, job
satisfaction, turnover, and other concerns of organizational management.

1 ETHNICITY INCLUDES RACIAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS-

Diversity in the workplace based on race and ethnicity are important factors to
consider, especially given the long, controversial and complicated history of race
within the United States and other parts of the world. Race and ethnicity are
sometimes used interchangeably, but they actually refer to different forms of diversity.
Race is tied to a person’s biological heritage, which includes physical characteristics
such as skin color, hair type and other associated elements. One’s race can have an
effect on aspects such as life expectancy and treatment by the criminal justice system.
Ethnicity, while related to race, is more about a person’s culture than his biology.
Someone’s ethnicity can encompass multiple racial or ethnic categories. It’s more
about a shared cultural or geographic history than biology.
People from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds bring unique and varying
perspectives to the workplace. In fact, a recent study by McKinsey shows that
organizations with a high degree of racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more
likely to have stronger financial returns.
2 INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING-
Age and Generation
Age is often categorized by generation, such as baby boomers, Generation X, Y and Z
and millennials. While not all people of the same age group think the same way, there
are some similarities that are defined by a person’s age. For example, Generation Z,
born after 1995, hasn't experienced a world without cell phones or the internet. This
makes the way they think quite different from those workers who grew up in the
1960s.
Companies often engage in age bias, whether knowingly or not. For example,
recruiting solely on university campuses excludes older workers who may also be
entry-level status. Similarly, some organizations look for experienced employees
based on their age, which may discriminate against younger employees who also
have valuable experience needed for the job.
Gender and Gender Identity
Women make up half of the population in the country, so it’s important that they have
equal representation in the workplace. However, as one of the most visible types of
diversity, having a workplace that is gender diverse isn’t just about the number of
women and men in the company.
In order to be a truly gender-diverse company, businesses need to address issues like
the gender pay gap, where women are routinely paid less for the same jobs as their
male counterparts. In order to be successful, organizations need to look at the barriers
faced by both genders when contributing to the workforce and see how they can
alleviate some of those restrictions for their employees.
Over 1.4 million people in the U.S. identify as transgender. An organization’s human
resources policies need to use inclusive language that doesn’t focus on the binary
language of male and female genders and instead also accounts for the transgender
population.
Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation is about to whom a person is attracted. While it’s a very personal
matter, employees need to feel safe in expressing their sexual orientation with the
people with whom they work without fear of discrimination. The LGBTQ+ community is
comprised of several distinct groups of people who have different experiences,
interests and challenges in the workplace. It’s important for an organization to develop
a safe place where all employees can freely share their identities.
Religious and Spiritual Beliefs
There are multiple world religions and spiritual practices that employees may choose
to observe. In order to have a diverse workplace, it’s important to be aware of any
biases your organization may have in your hiring practices with regard to religion.
Allowing employees to wear religious symbols, like a necklace with a cross or religious
garments like a hijab, shows tolerance and diversity within the workplace. Creating a
quiet space in the office for workers to pray or observe religious holidays can also help
create a diverse environment.
Disability and Ability
Some people think disabilities are only physical and related to mobility. However,
employees can have disabilities that vary from vision and movement to thinking and
learning. In order to promote diversity in the workplace, businesses can ensure they
implement accommodations that enable people with a disability to be productive at
work. For example, this can include adding elevators or ramps in place of stairs or
telephone headsets and screen readers to facilitate communication.
Socioeconomic Status and Background
Employees from different socioeconomic backgrounds likely have varying attitudes
toward certain aspects of life, like money. For example, someone who grew up in
poverty could bring a different perspective than someone who comes from a wealthy
family. It’s important to note whether the types of diversity in your organization account
for socioeconomic status. Reaching out to different classes may require the use of
varying methods, such as recruiting through newspaper ads versus online job search
sites.
Thinking Style and Personality
Working with people who think differently can lead to innovative ideas and effective
teamwork. Consider if everyone in your department was an introvert, for example. If
your department was in charge of doing a quarterly presentation in front of the whole
company, it may be difficult to manage it without making your team uncomfortable and
uneasy. However, if your department was made up of people with different personality
types, you would be able to call upon someone who excels in public speaking.
Many businesses ask their workers to take personality tests upon hiring to see how
they will fit in with the rest of the organization and what kinds of skills, weaknesses
and ideas they might bring.
Personal Life Experience
While this is one of the most generic diversity categories, it is an important element to
consider when hiring workers. Sometimes, people bring with them radically different
experiences that don’t always translate well in a typical business-related resume.
Military veterans, for example, have certain skills like leadership and management that
would be very valuable to a business. However, veterans in the U.S. face a low
employment rate. Often, their military training has provided them with life experience
that is drastically different from the rest of the workforce.
Someone who has traveled extensively would also bring life experience that is unique
and varied, especially compared to someone who has lived in the same country all her
life. As a result of extensive travel, this person might have a long gap in her resume
that doesn’t go over well with some employers. However, by welcoming people with
different life experiences into the workplace, organizations can drive innovation and
uncover new ideas that lead them to success.
Q.8. HOW ARE THE KEY BIOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS RELEVANT TO
OB?
Ans.8.
Q.9. HOW DO THE ORGANISATIONS MANAGE DIVERSITY, GIVE EXAMPLES?
Ans.9.
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/diversity-management/
https://bluecollarpeople.com/managing-diversity-workplace-successfully-go/
https://www.insperity.com/blog/7-tips-sure-youre-managing-diversity-workplace-correctly/
(Write the answer from the above links as per your convenience)

EXAMPLES:
https://emplify.com/blog/diversity-inclusion-culture-examples/
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