Organization Development

Organization Development (O.D.) is a series of planned processes by which human resources are identified, utilized, and developed in ways that strengthen organizational effectiveness.  Organization development expands people’s ideas, beliefs, and behaviors so that they can apply new approaches to old problems.  O.D. change efforts go beyond employee-training interventions and concentrate on the work group or organization in which new ideas, beliefs, or behaviors are to be applied.
Below are some of the O.D. initiatives that Human Resources are able to provide:

O.D. is most effective when the following conditions exist:

• At least one key decision maker in the organization perceives a need for change, and top managers do not actively oppose change.
• The perceived need or problem is caused, in whole or in part, by conditions in the work environment, such as relations between or among individuals or intact work groups.
• Managers in the organization are willing to commit to long-term improvement.
• Managers and employees are willing to listen with open minds to the key assumptions of O.D. as articulated by an O.D. consultant.
• Some trust and cooperation exist in the organization.
• Top management is willing to provide the resources necessary to support the O.D. initiative.

How Do I Obtain O.D. Services?

Contact:

September Sanderlin, Acting VP for of Human Resources
Via phone:   683-4324 or  via email:  ssanderl@odu.edu

or

Cheryl Foreman, Training  Manager
Via phone:  683-4316 or via email: cforeman@odu.edu