Organizational Behaviour. Top view, research or business people with documents in meeting for company growth

 

 

Study organizational behaviour at Western Continuing Studies

Gain valuable insights into how people behave at work.

By Nicole Laidler

 

Have you ever wondered why some organizations flourish while others flounder? Chances are good that an examination of organizational behaviour can reveal some important clues.

Broadly speaking, organizational behaviour is the study of how individuals interact within groups, says Hilary Anderson, who teaches Organizational Behaviour at Western Continuing Studies. “At its core, organizational behaviour is about creating environments where people feel trusted, valued, and accountable, because that’s where real performance lives.”

 

Why understanding organizational behaviour matters

In addition to keeping employees happy, having an understanding of organizational behaviour can help companies boost productivity and performance, spur innovation, and cultivate leadership within their workforce. 

Formal research into how people interact at work began in the 1920s with a study of workers at the Western Electric Company in Illinois. Surprisingly, it found that having a good relationship with co-workers and feeling appreciated by management had the greatest positive impact on employee productivity.  

Today, the academic study of organizational behaviour continues to focus on four key factors: people, structure, technology, and the environment. 

 

Four factors that influence how people interact at work

People

Understanding that people come with different personalities, values, and communication styles is an important first step to cultivating a positive work environment, as it helps foster mutual respect, reduce misunderstandings, and strengthen collaboration.

Structure

Structure includes everything from job descriptions and compensation to organizational structure. Most companies are hierarchical or pyramid-shaped, while others may have a horizontal or even circular organizational structure.

Technology

The type of resources, tools, and machinery provided to employees can make a big difference in how a workplace functions. 

Environment

This includes both the internal environment – office space, furniture and lighting etc. – and external factors like customers, the economy, and politics.    

 

Learn organizational behaviour at Western Continuing Studies

The organizational behaviour course at Western Continuing Studies can be taken as a stand-alone credit or applied toward the Professional Certificate in Business Management or the Professional Certificate in Project Management. 

Taught online with real-time learning, the 13-week course covers topics including leadership, decision-making, conflict negotiation, organizational structure, and change. 

The course takes a comprehensive approach to organizational behaviour, covering individual and team dynamics, employee motivation, performance, productivity, and communication. It also examines cultural diversity in the workplace and how organizations can effectively recruit, retain, and deploy talent to meet their goals, bringing all these elements together in an integrated way.

Students can expect to dedicate approximately six hours each week to course work, including participation in a one-hour virtual session designed as an interactive discussion. These sessions encourage students to share their experiences and perspectives, helping connect real-world insights with course concepts and enriching the overall learning experience.

 

 

Explore all our Professional and Accelerated Certificates

 

 

Search all certificates

 

Required