Organizational Development

Based on the happy hour situation within the company, there is a need for change. While having happy hour is a great team building activity that allows for team members to gather after work to get to know each other better or to simply wind down from a long work week, happy hour can also be a great distraction. When team members go out together after work and alcohol is involved, the risks for boundary stepping can be increased. For example, if the team went out and started to bad mouth a few of their colleagues, one of the team members may not feel the same way or agree with the conversation. The team should not be placed in uncomfortable situations and happy hour should not be broadcasted and promoted within the company.

Since the company has already decided a change needs to be made in order to improve the company relationships and to maintain strengths within the teams, some of the team may be reluctant to make this change. This will require building relationships with the employees and management teams. AS the OD consultant I would approach the employees and management together to provide the same message and voice my concerns with the impending change and the reasons for the change. After extensive research has been completed in regards to the reasons for the change, I will be able to provide a thorough description of why this change is necessary for the company. I will then spend time with both managers and employees to ensure they understand the change and to inform them that I am always available for any questions and concerns. It is important for the OD consultant to build trusting relationships with each party involved. This will help ease the change in the minds of the employees and management teams.

I would diagnose the problem as possible fraternization. For instance, if managers are attending the happy hour with the employees it could cross boundaries. Also, if a team member does not enjoy drinking alcohol they will more than likely feel left out from the after work activities. An obvious solution to the issue is to continue to have after work activities, but to ensure all team members are able to attend, or that all employees have the same opportunities. One possible solution is to gather at the local park to cook hot dogs and hamburgers. Another possible solution would be to hold after work activities such as a company software league.

The solution I have chosen for this OD is to change the happy hour event to an event in the park cooking hot dogs and brats. While happy hour can be a great tool for creating bonds between groups of co-workers, it can leave others feeling left out and can setup dangerous behavior once alcohol is introduced (Erwin, 2009).

In order to monitor and stabilize the new process put in place, I will personally attend a few of the events to interact with the groups. This way, I will be able to get a first-hand experience of how the interaction is compared to