Era of Disposable Worker

More Americans are finding themselves without benefits and working a lower salaried job than they are qualified for, these are the lucky ones. Companies are dissolving positions, laying off employees or cutting hours to see an increase in their bottom line by a decrease in their labor costs. This era of the "disposable worker" though does not only affect the costs to these businesses but it also affects their organizational culture.

Many times the deteriorating working conditions are due to economic forces but often times they can be related to individual business decisions. Managers are used in organizations to make decisions, allocate resources, and direct the activated of others with the aim to achieve the organizations goals (Robbins & Judge, 2013, p. 5). Business decisions are made by managers through three different functions: planning, organizing, and leading. Whether decisions are made because of necessity through economic forces or because of individual business decisions, it is estimated that the deteriorating working conditions will continue for the next 5 to 10 years.

Business organizations owe their employees safe, secure, good working conditions, however they also have a responsibility to their shareholders as well. There is a way for a business organization to meet their responsibilities to the shareholder's and employees. Faleye and Trahan (2011) suggest that to maximize production with employees business organizations should focus on labor-friendly practices. Labor-friendly-practices are a devotion of resources, such as financial or equipment, and use these resources to enhance employee welfare and to help them balance their work and home lives. It has been found that there is a strong positive relation to labor-friendly-practices, employee productivity, total factor productivity and firm value. In the end business organizations do have responsibilities to both their shareholders and their employees, but by working together an organization can create an employee friendly environment that keeps productivity high keeping the shareholders pleased.

To measure performance within an organization there are more tools to use that just the share prices or profit levels. Organizations can use SWOT to evaluate an organizations performance. SWOT stands for strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. SWOT measures an organizations present position and its potential for the future. Another great tool that an organization may use to measure their performance is feedback tools, such as customer surveys and interviews. By inquiring with the customer regarding their experiences with the company and the product or service offered an organization can gauge where they need to improve, where they are strong, and what the customer may desire to see from them. Lastly, a great tool to use to measure an organization's performance is through their customer service. Customers are