Telstra Corporation Ltd – Company Overview
Discuss about the Organization Behavior for Auditing and Accountability Journal.
The primary objective of this paper is to outline and analyze the business activities and operations of Telstra. The paper discusses that how the company is maintaining strong culture and structure at the workplace. Telstra is the biggest telecommunication company who maintains effective and unique corporate values within the organization. In today’s modern world, the company is increasing and enhancing the profits and outcomes quickly by rendering attractive telecommunication services to the customers. On the other hand, the paper explains the culture issue that is entertained by the firm while functioning. Here is the discussion about the organizational behavior and leadership theories that can be applied by the corporation to handle the corporate culture issues. Lastly, some suggestions have also have been elaborated in the task. More detail of the paper is discussed below.
Telstra corporation ltd is an Australian biggest telecommunication company that provides voice, pay, internet access, mobile and other products and services to the customers. The organization was incorporated in 1975 having headquarter is situated in Melbourne Australia. Telstra operates and manages its business operations with having around 36,165 employees. It is one of the biggest and leading telecommunication companies across the world. In Australia, Telstra provides approx 17.6 million retail mobile services, 5.1 million retail fixed voice services and 3.5 million retail fixed broadband services to the customers in the competitive market. In the 21st century, the firm provides various opportunities belong to connected governments, communities, businesses and individuals. The company is proud to be supporting the wide range of customers in order to improve and enhance the ways in which they live and work through connection (Telstra, 2018). It is the largest and biggest provider of e-health services in Australia and the organization also offers services to healthcare providers in Asia. The main mission of the company is to create a brilliant future for the people by rendering unique and effective internet services to them. The core values of the firm include care, together, simple, courage and trust. The vision of the firm is to improve and enhance the way people live and work together. The corporation has unique and effective culture that helps in gaining competitive advantages in the global market. In this way, Telstra has been able to fulfill the needs, requirements and demands of the customers in the global market (Telstra, 2015).
Organizational Culture and Structure
The culture of the company is excellent and effective that motivates the workers for performing roles and responsibilities effectively and efficiently. It is a great place where people can start the work and they can also learn potential if they put in the hard yards. Telstra provides a great and attractive working culture to the staff to ensure that they have a good work/life balance. Currently, the firm is digitizing and modernizing in order to improve and enhance the culture and workplace. The employees learn ample of knowledge and skills in the workplace while working and operating in the company. It is a great company with flexibility and culture. It is a high pressure environment where deadlines are paramount and the collaborative culture is first class (Telstra, 2015). The firm is promoting diversity and inclusion across the firm helps people improve and enhance the business results, encourage reputation, attract, retain and engage talented people in the workplace. Along with this, having a diverse range of workers better enables the employees to understand and analyze the needs, requirements and wants of the customers (Telstra, 2017). The company also provides a excellent services and experiences to the customers in the international market. Flexible and suitable working hours are provided by the company to the staff to make happy and encourage them towards attainment of long term goals and targets. Aside this, the organization is also committed to render employment pathways for the applicants with diverse backgrounds and requirements. Apart from this, Telstra is committed to developing and boosting a value based health and safety culture. Physical health, safety and wellbeing is a key driver for reducing workplace safety risks. There is no discrimination at the workplace between male and female staff. Telstra also provides equal growth opportunities to the workers in the workplace. In this way, it is assumed that Telstra maintains a strong and effective culture in the workplace to attract maximum number of clients and employees as well (Telstra, 2015). The company provides opportunities for skill development and learning to its employees. Health and safety of the workers are more significant for the firm (Kumar, 2014).
The organizational structure of Telstra is unique and effective. Telstra international leadership team is proud to be a part of one of the leading technology companies in the Asia pacific region. The leadership team of the company is working for the welfare and interest of the consumers in the competitive market. Andy Penn is the CEO of Telstra as he is resposnbile to operate and manage the business actvities and operations successfully and effectively. Martijn Blanken is the group managing director and chief customer officer and Ellie Sweeney is the global sales executive dircetor. David burns is the group managin director and Marje Andriesse is the head of enterprise, Asia. Apart from this, Rosanne Suarez, Upendra Kohli and Amy Rosen are also working in Telstra and performing tasks and duties successfullly (Telstraglobal, 2015).
Organizational Behavior Issue
Although, Telstra is providing unique and attractive internet services to the customers still ample of organizational issues are being faced by the employees in today’s competitive world. The ample of issues are being faced by the company including leadership, power, conflicts, communication, employee retention and high turnover. One of the significant issues that encountered by the company is organizational culture (Dalkir, 2013). In today’s modern world, the company is facing organizational culture issue that affects the success and growth adversely. It also may influence the long term profitability and outcomes of the firm negatively. The environment and culture of the firm is becoming toxic and ineffective. The toxic environment Telstra fosters is supported by blind management who only look after about their own seats on the board and their own stock options. They do not understand that culture and workplace can only grow and flourish organically as it cannot be forced. They do not realize the machine they have designed in the workplace. It is affecting the morale, trust and loyalty of the workers adversely. Apart from this, it also affects the long term mission and vision of the company. The corporate culture is often hard to define its soft concept. The company is failed to reduce and prevent the misunderstandings and issues of the employees thus it creates culture issues in the workplace. Culture ignorance and insensitivity is ongoing in Telstra (Medcraft, 2016).
Apart from this, the firm is unable to provide cross cultural training to the workers due to lack of adequate resources and money. It increases illness and misinterpretation within the organization. Culture plays a significant role in each and every company to enhance and grow its business operations and activities globally. No company can increase the profitability and outcomes without maintaining effective and unique corporate culture. It has been found that Telstra is using new and innovative technologies to be a leader in the telecommunication industry. Thus, the employees are not ready to use new and innovative technology and resources in the workplace. As a result, it is affecting the culture of the company adversely. It has been noted from the various analysis that Telstra management operates business in an extremely traditional manner thus, it is failing the customers in the international market. It also is affecting the corporate culture of the organization negatively. The firm appoints employees who are from different backgrounds and countries but it is quite complex for the company to provide them a favorable culture and working environment. Due to poor and toxic culture, the employee retention issues are being also faced by the corporation. The corporate culture might affect the efficiency and effectiveness of the workers as it also has direct impact on the outcomes and results of the company (Kent & Zunker, 2013). Discontentment and dissatisfaction is growing speedy due to lack of strong and heavy culture. Culture issues also increase anxiety, stress and frustration among the workers and they are failed to perform roles effectively and efficiently. Culture issues arise in the workplace due to lack of proper and open communication. The external factors also affect the corporate culture of the company adversely. Telstra needs to focus on the corporate culture and working environment to stand out against the competitors in the international market (Mitra & Fyke, 2017).
There are ample of theories can be used by the company while conducting business activities and operations globally. Along with this, leadership also plays a vital and effective role in the organization to assist and guide the workers successfully. Some of the organization behavior and leadership theories are discussed below.
Human relations behavioral theory: The human relation behavioral theory is one of the significant theories that can be used by company. This theory is based on the studying employee productivity under ample of work situations. This theory focuses on the satisfaction level of the workers. It states that if the company satisfies the needs and requirements of the customers then it increases efficiency and productivity of the company as well as employees. This theory emphasizes that top management and leaders should provide favorable working environment and other benefits such as incentives, bonus and awards to the employees for boosting and uplifting their efficiency and performance. This theory revealed that when employee believes that management care about their wants, desires and needs they feel happy and greater sense of loyalty at the workplace. It will always lead to a augment in productivity.
Decision making behavioral theory: The decision making behavioral theory is mostly applicable to leaders and managers because they make more of the daily decision that influences the firm. This theory helps the leaders and managers to make effective and unique decision in the workplace. The leaders and managers collect important and effective data, information and facts to make effective decisions within the organization (Dinh et al, 2014).
Trait theory: It is one of the significant theories of leadership that can increase and enhance the outputs of the firm. The trait model of leadership is based on the characteristics of many leaders. This theory helps in predicting leadership effectiveness and efficiency. It is naturally pleasing theory and it also provides detailed knowledge and understanding of the leader factor in the leadership process (Kehoe & Wright, 2013). The trait theory provides constructive information and facts about leadership. It can be applied by leaders at all level in all the types of organization. The leaders or managers can use the information from the theory to analyze and evaluate their position in the firm and to measure how their position and image can be made stronger and effective in the firm (Argyris, 2017).
Participative leadership theory: It is one of the effective and unique leadership theories that help the employees to contribute in the decision making process. By using participative leadership theory, the leaders and managers are invite employees to take a part in organizational decision making process. This leadership theory also facilitates the conversation and it also encourages people to share their ideas and opinion (Metcalf & Benn, 2013).
Autocratic leadership theory: This theory can also be applied in the organization to gain competitive benefits and to make positive working environment within the organization. The autocratic leaders do not include employees in the decision making process (Parris & Peachey, 2013). They maintain control over the workers to meet the long term requirements of the firm and employees as well. The top management is responsible to take significant decision related to the growth and progress of the firm. All these theories can be used by Telstra to reduce and prevent the various organizational and cultural issues within the organization (Giltinane, 2013).
A diverse workforce plays a significant role to prevent and handle the cultural issues in the workplace. The company needs to focus on the diversity and communication to overcome the cultural issues and to expand the business globally. Promoting and encouraging diversity in the workplace essential efforts by each and every person. The company should implement a diversity training program to encourage the subordinates within the organization. Telstra should also promote and encourage the open communication to maintain reciprocal relationship with customers in a large extent (Rast III, Hogg & Giessner, 2013). This will also motivate the workers to carry out the business activities successfully and effectively. The level of communication may also analyze and determine a business life or death. To reduce the cultural issues, foster strong relationship among the workers shall be promoted by the top management and leaders. It will help to keep everyone engage in their work and they perform group tasks in a hassle free manner. Apart from this, the organization should also focus on the high employee turnover and their consequences to build an effective and unique financial position in the global market. In addition, positive attitude shall be maintained by the workforce to avert the cultural issues and challenges. In addition, the organization should align the human resource functions of global mobility, recruitment and talent management. In this way, Telstra can reduce and mitigate the culture issues and obstacles at the workplace (Kurtessis et al, 2017).
Now it has been recommended that the company should provide cross cultural training to the employees to understand and analyze the culture of different countries in the workplace. Collaboration and cooperation must be maintained by the human resource management to boot confidence and level of satisfaction of the workers. Along with this, effective and unique policies, strategies and plans shall be used by the firm to run the business functions effectively. Furthermore, the company should not discriminate between man and women to provide equal growth opportunities to each and every person. Also, it is suggested that effective methods of communication must be used and initiated by the firm to reduce the language barriers within the organization. Moreover, the top management and leaders should maintain reciprocal relationship with subordinates to reduce and handle their personal conflicts and issues at the workplace. Encouraging employees towards the achievement of goals and objectives is one of the significant ways to eliminate the cultural barriers and issues. All these recommendations help Telstra to cope with the rivalries and to handle cultural issues within the organization.
Conclusion
On the above mentioned limelight event it has been concluded that Telstra is one of the biggest brands in the world who renders telecommunication services to the customers in the competitive market. The above mentioned analysis shows that how culture and structure could affect the profitability and outputs of the organization. Culture is considered is one of the significant factors that plays an empirical role to stay in the competitive market. On the other hand, the paper indicates that culture issue is serious issue for the firm that can hamper the long term mission and vision of the firm. At the end, appropriate solutions and recommendations to handle and eliminate the culture issues also have been explained in the task.
References
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