Organizational culture is an important factor in achieving goals. When a company's strategic plan is misaligned with the environment, or the company does not provide a culture conducive to accomplishing its stated goals, the outcome is not likely to be a success. Industrial/organizational (I/O) professionals can contribute to designing the right environment to lay the groundwork for successful companies.

Scenario

You are hired! You have had some success consulting for companies, and now, you have been hired as the director of Human Capital for an up-and-coming technology firm. Located in Chicago, Advanced HR Solutions Inc. is planning to staff up and begin large-scale sales and distribution operations. Its business is focused on providing technology-based solutions for human resource–related organizational issues. Its primary product is an integrated Human Resource Information System (HRIS) from which the client can run payroll, track and screen applicants, manage benefits, and much more. It has positioned itself for success in the market due to components such as integrated time and performance management as well as virtual interviewing.

Interest in its product has created an opportunity to rapidly expand. The company was developed by a software designer and an industrial/organizational (I/O) professional, and at this time, the three of you are the only employees of the company. You were hired yesterday by the owners. Your job is not only to manage the human resources (HR) department that will eventually be created but also to set it up with the kind of organizational culture and structure that will allow the company to attract and retain the best candidates for the company. The company wants to hire innovative, motivated, out-of-the-box thinkers for all positions—from sales to software development to administrative. The company wants all employees to feel like they have a stake in the success of the company but at the same time to enjoy themselves at work. The company believes that healthy, balanced employees will be the best producers. The plan is to expand to twenty-five employees within three months. Projections have the company at around one hundred employees within two years.

The owners have asked you to develop a strategic plan to guide them in making these goals a reality. For this task, you will write a 5- to 7-page report addressing the topics below. Using each topic as a section heading is a good way to organize your report. Make sure you also include a compelling introduction and a strong conclusion.

Directions

Your 5- to 7-page strategic plan should focus on the following:

• Explain the role of organizational culture in organizational success, including how it can impact the company's ability to attract and retain the right candidates.
• Offer three suggestions for organizational or environmental factors, perks, or benefits that will help attract and retain the right candidates.
• Offer one suggestion to motivate employees using financial incentives and one suggestion to motivate employees using alternative methods.
• Describe a few effective strategies to handle counterproductive work behavior when it does occur.

Your final product will be in a Microsoft Word document and be approximately 5–7 pages in length and utilize at least two scholarly sources in your research. Your paper should be written in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Apply APA standards to cite your sources.