ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPLAINED: WHAT FUTURISTS AND KEYNOTE SPEAKERS SAY

Per leading HR futurists, organizational development (OD) is a field of practice and theory focused on improving the effectiveness, efficiency and overall health of organizations. The practice encompasses planned and systematic efforts to bring about positive changes in various aspects of an organization including its structure, processes, culture, and people. The ultimate goal of organizational development is to enhance the organization’s ability to adapt, innovate, and achieve its objectives in a constantly changing environment.

Key principles and activities involved in the space run the gamut of HR practices such as:

1. Diagnosis: Assessing the current state of the organization, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement – a process that typically requires analyzing organizational structure, communication patterns, decision-making processes, leadership effectiveness, employee engagement and other items.
2. Intervention: Implementing planned interventions to address identified issues and drive desired changes, which may take into a range of activities such as leadership development programs, team-building initiatives, process redesign, culture change efforts and training programs.
3. Change Management: Managing the process of organizational change to minimize resistance and maximize adoption, which often includes communication, stakeholder engagement and creating a supportive environment for individuals and teams to navigate the change successfully.
4. Collaboration and Team Development: Fostering effective communication and partnership within the organization. That means enhancing communication, promoting trust and cooperation, resolving conflicts and creating a culture of shared goals and accountability.
5. Performance Management: Developing systems and processes to align individual and team performance with organizational goals by utilizing performance appraisal, goal setting, feedback mechanisms and reward systems.
6. Training and Upskilling: Supporting continuous learning and development at both the individual and organizational levels with training programs, coaching, mentoring, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
7. Cultural Initiatives: Shaping and aligning the organizational culture and values to support the desired behaviors and outcomes by promoting a culture of transparency, openness, adaptability, innovation and diversity and inclusion.

If you’re unfamiliar with the idea, organizational development often draws on various disciplines such as psychology, sociology, systems theory and management. It is typically facilitated by internal or external professionals with expertise in organizational development principles and methodologies. The aim is to create positive and sustainable change, improve organizational performance, and foster an environment that promotes employee well-being and engagement.