A Deep Dive into How Organisational Structures Shape Workplace Culture Sample

Introduction: Unit 1: Organisational Structures and Culture

The conventions, regulations and policies established by the business to accomplish its goals are referred to as organizational structure. The company's values, behaviours and attitudes are all part of its culture. For the organization to succeed, these two are equally crucial. For the report the chosen public service organization is Emergency services (such as ambulance). Within the rapidly evolving field of public health, the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides vital emergency medical care to the energetic metropolis of London. This research explores the organizational structure, culture as well as management techniques of the organization to understand its complex operations. To offer a thorough grasp of the company's dynamics and its crucial role in protecting public health, this research will examine the effects of government initiatives and evaluate tracking, accountability, inspiration and organizational behaviour.

SECTION 1

1. Assessing the organisational structure and related chart.

An essential part of providing urgent medical services to London's citizens and visitors is the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust. Comprehending the system that enables the provision of crucial emergency services is crucial for conducting an effective analysis of its organisational structure.

As is common in public sector organisations, the London Ambulance sector NHS Trust has a hierarchical organisational structure. The chief executive officer (CEO), who is in charge of entire leadership as well as choice-making, is at the highest level of the organisational hierarchy (Burrell, 2019). Several directors, each in charge of a certain division inside the company, answer immediately to the CEO. Operations, Finance, Human Resources, Clinical Services, and Communications are frequently included in these divisions. In their specialised fields, the directors are in charge of carrying out the company's strategic objectives. The organisation is further split into groups and sections under the directors, each with specific duties. For instance, the Operations section is split up into several geographic zones, or “sectors,” inside London, including Sector Directors are in charge of the urgent medical personnel and paramedics who attend to calls inside their assigned districts. Paramedics, dispatchers, as well as support personnel are employed in these fields and they all help to ensure that emergency services are provided in a smooth and efficient manner.

In order to guarantee that the medical care given meets the highest norms, the Clinical Services Department is essential (Ansari, 2019). Along with supervising medical supplies and instruments, it is in charge of creating and upholding clinical guidelines as well as paramedic training. The focus is on cooperation and collaboration between departments is placed on interpersonal interaction and coordination. A complex system of communications is used by London Ambulance Service to arrange ambulances, give medical advice via calls, and guarantee rapid reaction to emergencies. The organisational structure of the London Ambulance Service is set up to provide rapid choice-making, effective resource distribution, and emergency service coordinating throughout London's enormous and varied terrain. By ensuring that the appropriate staff and equipment are quickly sent to manage emergencies, this system helps to protect public health and save lives.

2. Analysing the role of organisational culture and how it influencebuis employee behaviour in organisations.

Every public service organisation, including the London Ambulance Service, must have a strong organisational culture. This company’s culture has an enormous effect on how employees behave, which affects how the public is served by emergency services.

Initially, the London Ambulance Service is a prime example of a mission-driven organisation. Workers are conscious of the vital role they serve in preserving lives and guaranteeing the safety of Londoners. This common goal and dedication to the community has a significant impact on how employees behave (Al-Swidi, 2021). A powerful sense of responsibility pushes paramedics, dispatchers as well as support personnel to react quickly to emergencies even in situations when time is of the essence. Moreover, cooperation and teamwork are highly valued aspects of the company's culture. Coordination as well as efficient communicating is critical in emergency circumstances. Workers are encouraged to feel interdependent since they are reliant on each other to provide care that can save lives. By encouraging teamwork, straightforward interaction and an overwhelming feeling of trust, this cooperative spirit affects worker behaviour.

The London Ambulance Service is committed to ongoing education and development. Employees are encouraged by this culture to keep up with the newest procedures, tools, and guidelines in medicine. Medical personnel, including paramedics, are driven to further their education since doing so helps the organisation and enables them to give patients superior care (Di Stefano, 2019). This dedication to progress encourages a flexible and innovative culture, which in turn impacts Behaviour.The Company’s culture also values professionalism and moral behaviour highly. Workers are obliged to uphold the strictest moral principles and maintain patient privacy. By encouraging morally and responsibly, this culture influences employee behaviour and cultivates an awareness of duty and honesty within the staff.

However, Emergency services work might present some stress and burnout-related difficulties. The company culture promotes team loyalty and wellness, allowing staff members to get help and services for their mental health when they require it in order to lessen these difficulties. Resilience among workers and personal care are promoted by this strategy, which has an impact on behaviour.

3. Explain the impact of local government and central government policies to organisation.

As a public service organisation, the London Ambulance Service is heavily impacted by policies from both the central and local governments. These rules have a significant impact on how the organisation is funded, operates, and provides services in general.

Local government

Local government regulations have a substantial influence on many facets of the company's operations, as well as the organisation keeps tight working relationships with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the individual London boroughs. Due to the fact that local government bodies give the NHS a sizable percentage of its funding as well as budget distribution are important influencing factors (Ashford, 2023). The organizations' funding is subject to discussions and contracts with the GLA as well as Boroughs. The acquisition of equipment, maintenance of proper workforce levels, and maintenance and improvement of service quality all depend on this funding.

The GLA and boroughs decide if more ambulance stations are needed according to factors including the density of people and rapid response needs, which has an impact on service availability and allocation of resources. Along with addressing more general problems related to health and society, these measures encourage cooperation with social programmes, community organisations, and public health agencies, all of which are committed to enhancing the health of London's citizens.

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Central government

London Ambulance Service functions under a framework significantly affected by central government policy, primarily handled by the Department of Health and Social Care. The National Health Service (NHS) framework requires that the organisation comply to national norms and regulations established by the central government, which cover numerous facets of healthcare that involve quality of treatment, clinical procedures, and security for patients’ precautions (Khan, 2019). The central government’s role in awarding NHS finances, such as the London Ambulance Service, has a direct impact on the company's resources as well as delivery of services capabilities. Adjustments in funding practises may have an enormous effect on its functioning.

Its policies also have an impact on the legal framework in which the organisation works. The health department establishes laws governing employee numbers, ambulance machinery requirements, response times, as well as the entire level of treatment, which the organisation must strictly adhere to in order to retain its operating integrity. Governmental measures, such as public health initiatives, vaccination programmes, and responses to pandemics, have had a major effect on the industry. These policies define the company's processes, funding, and legal atmosphere, demonstrating the government's control over its actions.

4. Assess monitoring and accountability in organisation

In order to guarantee efficient use of public funds and uphold the highest levels of delivery of public services, the company's operations depend heavily on tracking and transparency. In light of the structure as well as ethos of the organisation, these components are especially pertinent.

Accountability requires a clearly established chain of command, which the organization upholds. The hierarchy includes director, managers, and workers on the ground, all under the direction of the CEO. By outlining roles and duties clearly, this organised method guarantees accountable for clinical treatment, response times, as well as management of resources (Ching, 2019). Additionally, the company carefully controls the scope of authority to enable efficient supervision without overburdening directors and management. For example, sector directors oversee particular districts of London, which allows them to keep constant watch on ambulance services inside their assigned areas. This method improves delivery of services transparency and effectiveness. With distinct chains of command, the company places a high priority on accountability. In accordance with the company's objective and goals, this organised method assigns authority to personnel for policy implementation and decision-making, guaranteeing consistency. Inside the organisational culture, a focus on following rules and guidelines serves to even more solidify these hierarchies and improve responsibility in general.

The organisation is strategically balanced with regard to of centralization as well as decentralisation. In order to preserve uniformity and broad alignment, some decisions like those pertaining to budget and policy are centralised at the organisational level; nevertheless, operational choices and every day service provision are somewhat decentralised (Ardigó, 2019). Because of this decentralisation, services in London are able to adapt and respond to the specific demands of their different districts, all the while maintaining the fundamental accountability concept. Because of this balance, this organization is able to efficiently respond to a varied and dynamic metropolitan environment. It also uses systemic reporting, inspections, and efficiency reviews to keep itself accountable. These procedures involve several organisational levels, exterior monitoring organisations, and key performance indicators. They provide an environment of ongoing learning and growth, assist in identifying areas for improvement, and provide feedback.

SECTION 2

1. Analyse management approaches and styles in organisation 

A key factor in the efficient operation of this public service organisation is the management styles and techniques used by the London Ambulance Service. Because of the way they operate, emergency services require a flexible and adaptable management structure that incorporates flexibility, leadership, and an emphasis on both operational as well as psychological aspects (Rahim, 2023). A contingency strategy is one of the company's most used management strategies. The management staffs understand the necessity for response and adaptability given the unpredictability of situations. By preparing for a variety of possible outcomes, contingency planning enables the organization to quickly adjust to shifting conditions. To demonstrate a proactive strategy for managing emergencies, the London Ambulance Service, for example, regularly performs exercises and simulations to make sure that personnel is fully prepared for different situations of emergency.

Furthermore, the organization uses a democratic or participatory management style, especially when making decisions. Although there is a distinct chain of command, workers on the frontline, paramedics, and assistance staff are constantly sought out for feedback by the company executives when decisions are being made that affect day-to-day operations. This inclusive strategy uses by the company's various knowledge to improve decision quality while also encouraging a feeling of responsibility among workers. The London service also employs transformational leadership as a significant management approach. Focusing on a common vision and principles, leaders enthuse and encourage their colleagues. Because paramedics and other assistance personnel must be driven to perform well under duress, this approach is especially crucial in the setting of emergency services. Encouraging an environment of ongoing learning and growth, leaders in the company frequently participate in mentorship and career growth programs.

Moreover, quality assurance as well as performance management are integrated into the management strategy. KPIs about response times, results for patients, and operational efficacy are keenly observed by the company (Abubakar, 2019). Organizational compliance with set standards is monitored through frequent performance evaluations and audits. This strategy upholds an ongoing enhancement and accountability environment. As an example, throughout the Covid19 epidemic, administration quickly adjusted procedures and distributed resources to meet the particular difficulties brought on by the public health emergency. By using an adaptive management strategy, the company was able to maintain the provision of vital services while ensuring the safety of both employees and patients.

As a result, the company uses a multimodal approach to management that includes performance administration, transformational leadership, participation in choice making, as well as contingency planning. The organization can efficiently react to a variety of issues while upholding a high quality of public service delivery due to this unified strategy, which represents the complicated and ever-changing makeup of emergency services.

2. Evaluate the concept of motivation and how it applies to public service organisations.

Staff inspiration is a crucial component of performance and efficacy in public sector organizations, and the London Ambulance Service is not an instance. Herzberg's two-factor theory is a well-known motivational theory that represents to public sector organizations, such as emergency services. By differentiate between variables that lead to job fulfilment and those that avoid unhappiness. Herzberg’s two-factor theory makes a distinction between motivators as well as hygiene factors (Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation-Hygiene, 2023). The implementation of this hypothesis in the London Service may offer insight into the elements that influence the drive of assistance personnel and paramedics.

In the case of the London Ambulance Service, motivators are factors that have an immediate impact on workers' intrinsic drive and fulfilment in their jobs. Paramedics are highly motivated individuals who frequently work in high-stress conditions when they get recognition and accomplishment. With praise, awards, as well as recognition programs, the organization recognizes and celebrates the efforts of its employees, improving their level of fulfilment with their work and feelings of success. The company also uses job enrichment as a motivation. Possibilities for increased responsibility, growth in abilities, and career progression are given to paramedics. Since it fulfils people's inherent desires for advancement in their careers and lives, this fits well with Herzberg's theory and raises staff inspiration levels.

However, Herzberg asserts that a deficiency in hygienic components might result in an absence of job satisfaction (Pautz, 2022). Hygiene considerations in the London Ambulance Service setting include things like working circumstances, pay, and organizational policies. Although these factors might not directly inspire workers, their absence or discontent might deter motivation. To reduce employee unhappiness, the organization makes sure that workers have access to secure workplaces, appropriate working equipment, as well as competitive remuneration. The successful motivation and engagement of workers may be achieved by tackling both internal and extrinsic variables, as demonstrated by the use of Herzberg's theory in the company. The organization can develop a motivated staff committed to providing excellent quality emergency aid by concentrating on motivators including recognition, accomplishment, and job enrichment.

A helpful and fulfilling work atmosphere may also be created by comprehending and resolving hygienic issues, such as equitable pay and suitable working circumstances (Miao, 2019). The London Ambulance Service understands that to uphold the rigorous standards necessary for emergency services as well as to respond quickly and effectively to the variety of issues they encounter while providing care for the public, inspired staff members are essential. To sum up, Herzberg's Theory offers a useful framework for assessing and improving motivation in public sector organizations, which helps make emergency services such the company is more successful overall.

3. Evaluate the importance of the concept of organisational behaviour to the performance of teams in the public sector. 

In the setting of the London Ambulance Service, Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is an invaluable tool for assessing the significance of organizational behaviour (OB) in teamwork in the public industry. It offers an organized structure for analyzing and evaluating encounters. When I think back on my time working for the London Ambulance Service, I see how important OB is to the effectiveness of a team (Ashikali, 2021). The complex interplay between an environment of cooperation and a hierarchical structure inside the groups produces a special dynamic that has a significant impact on how they operate, especially in the high-stakes setting of emergency circumstances. I was first curious about this observation because I knew how important it was to comprehend the way affects team relationships in the hectic and high-stress field of emergency services. Further investigation revealed that the London Ambulance Service’s OB had a big influence on the team's efficiency. To facilitate effective choice-making in emergencies, a hierarchical structure guarantees distinct lines of power. In addition to creating a great work atmosphere, the prevalent culture of cooperation and support for one another also helps teams stay cohesive and resilient despite difficult circumstances.

The interrelated components that influence team dynamics become clear when this event is examined under the prism of Gibbs' model. Teams' performance is directly impacted by the environment, inspiration, and organisational structure of the organization. Supplying prompt and effective emergency assistance depends on excellent communication as well as coordination. Both of which are greatly aided by the apparent chain of command as well as a cooperative environment that our investigation has revealed (Adeani, 2020). In conclusion, it is impossible to exaggerate the role that OB plays in the effectiveness of the London Ambulance Service team. A healthy organizational culture, where people feel inspired and supported, improves collaboration and overall efficacy, according to the systematic investigation. Comprehending and capitalizing on these behavioural patterns is crucial to the company's capacity to achieve its goal of delivering outstanding public service. My action plan for the future calls for a deeper investigation of OB in the London Ambulance Service. This means that I have to actively participate in training programs, look for mentoring, and practice reflection to keep learning more about the way affects team success. By taking a proactive stance, we hope to improve the organizational culture and raise the effectiveness and productivity of emergency services.

CONCLUSION 

The report concludes that a strong organizational structure that promotes accountability, teamwork, and ongoing development is demonstrated by the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust. Its activities are greatly influenced by central as well as local government policies, which also shape laws, money, and resources. The company's focus on accountability as well as tracking guarantees the effective use of its resources. Its flexibility and efficacy are enhanced by management strategies such as transformational leadership as well as contingency planning. Motivated by Herzberg's theory, devoted staffs is fuelled to provide outstanding emergency services. When organisational behaviour is assessed using Gibbs' model, it is clear how important it is to the effectiveness of the team. All things considered, the organization carefully attends to the many requirements of the people of London and is a shining example of excellence within the public sector.

References

Books and Journals 

• Abubakar, A.M., Elrehail, H., Alatailat, M.A. and Elçi, A., 2019. Knowledge management, decision-making style and organizational performance. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 4(2), pp.104-114.
• Adeani, I.S., Febriani, R.B. and Syafryadin, S., 2020. Using GIBBS’reflective cycle in making reflections of literary analysis. Indonesian EFL Journal, 6(2), pp.139-148.
• Al-Swidi, A.K., Gelaidan, H.M. and Saleh, R.M., 2021. The joint impact of green human resource management, leadership and organizational culture on employees’ green behaviour and organisational environmental performance. Journal of Cleaner Production, 316, p.128112.
• Ansari, S.L. and Bell, J., 2019. Symbolism, collectivism and rationality in organisational control. In Management Control Theory (pp. 443-466). Routledge.
• Ardigó, I.A., 2019. Local government accountability mechanisms. Transparency International..
• Ashford, D.E., 2023. British dogmatism and French pragmatism: Central-local policymaking in the welfare state. Taylor & Francis.
• Ashikali, T., Groeneveld, S. and Kuipers, B., 2021. The role of inclusive leadership in supporting an inclusive climate in diverse public sector teams. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 41(3), pp.497-519.
• Burrell, G. and Morgan, G., 2019. Sociological paradigms and organisational analysis: Elements of the sociology of corporate life. Routledge.
• Ching, L.L., Ibrahim, S. and Rashid, I.M.A., 2019. An exploration of accountability practices in Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO): Malaysian perspectives. International Journal of Business and Management, 1(2), pp.01-06.
• Di Stefano, G., Scrima, F. and Parry, E., 2019. The effect of organizational culture on deviant behaviors in the workplace. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(17), pp.2482-2503.
• Khan, N.A. and Khan, A.N., 2019. What followers are saying about transformational leaders fostering employee innovation via organisational learning, knowledge sharing and social media use in public organisations?. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), p.101391.
• Miao, Q., Eva, N., Newman, A. and Schwarz, G., 2019. Public service motivation and performance: The role of organizational identification. Public Money & Management, 39(2), pp.77-85.
• Pautz, M.C. and Vogel, M.D., 2022. Investigating faculty motivation and its connection to faculty work-life balance: Engaging public service motivation to explore faculty motivation. In Work-Life Balance in Higher Education (pp. 42-62). Routledge.
• Rahim, M.A., 2023. Managing conflict in organizations. Taylor & Francis.

Online

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation-Hygiene. 2023. Online. Available through: <https://www.simplypsychology.org/herzbergs-two-factor-theory.html>