Reflecting on Organizational Behavior, Job Performance, and Organizational Commitment
My first job as a registered nurse was at a group home for medically fragile and developmentally
delayed children in Walla Walla, Washington. An older licensed practical nurse with a passion for
children ran the group home. Her leadership style was lacking—she was blunt, self-centered, and
rash in her decision making. She was also rarely present as she lived 5 hours from the group
home. This led to a team dynamic that was based solely off the two to three caregivers present
during each shift. Many of the caregivers were hardworking, but some spoke only Spanish and
little to no English, which affected team processes and communication due to the language
barrier and cross-cultural differences. These diverse differences affected the way that caregivers
chose to implement discipline, prepare meals, and provide care for the children.
The group home was chronically short-staffed. The lack of leadership presence led to middle
management consistently hiring low-performance workers out of desperation. Anyone that
applied was hired, and this was clear based on the levels of job performance demonstrated. Most
caregivers demonstrated positive routine task performance in carrying out the daily tasks of
passing medications, administering gastric tube feedings, and completing activities of daily
living for the patients. Some were poor performers and avoided completing the more undesirable
tasks, such as changing briefs and giving baths, by hiding behind the work of others that were
forced to compensate. Others were fired after concerns for neglect and drug use. The erosion
model was evident as caregivers came and left in a span of weeks. Hiring low-performance
workers led to high turnover due to the generally poor work environment and because weak
bonds, if any, were formed between employees due to language barriers.
Based off the healthcare chain of command, adaptive task performance was left to the registered
nurses. If a non-routine event occurred, the registered nurse received a frantic call from the
caregiver and thus provided recommendations. Creative task performance was seen mostly in
fresh, newer employees who were willing to take on the challenge of planning stimulating
activities for the developmentally delayed children. The older, more seasoned employees rarely
demonstrated creative task performance beyond turning the TV on for the children and had
multiple excuses for doing so. Things were done a certain way, and why would they change?
A few employees consistently displayed good citizenship behavior and were willing to take new
employees under their wing, help others out with tasks, and keep a positive attitude. These
caregivers were a joy to work with and shifts passed smoothly and readily on these days. On the
other hand, some employees displayed severe counterproductive behaviors and noticeable
political deviance. Employees frequently gossiped amongst each other and practiced incivility.
The program manager embezzled over $30,000 a year by clocking in her boyfriend, the
groundman, for full time work when he was realistically only working about 10 hours a week.
The notable absence of leadership presence and accountability perpetuated this cycle of theft.
Why did employees choose to stay in their roles, despite the frequently negative surroundings?
Many of the long-term employees displayed both continuance and affective commitment. They
were invested in the group home and had formed close relationships and emotional bonds with
the children. Some employees were single-income and could not afford to find a new job. The
thought of moving to something new was a daunting task due to the potential for both financial
burden and emotional loss. Where else would they go? What else would they do?
To avoid burnout at the group home, I remained mindful of my strong tendencies to please and
overachieve in my duties. By recognizing how my actions and behaviors affected the team
dynamic, I intentionally worked to positively shift the work environment, plan creative activities
for the children to enjoy, and communicate clearly with my teammates. As a mandated reporter, I
also chose to uphold ethical standards by reporting instances of neglect and drug use instead of
ignoring these concerns. My personal experience in the group home was positive due to my level
of self-awareness and introspection. Overall, my experience at the group home highlighted how
organizational behavior, job performance, and organizational commitment shaped not only
individual employee experiences, but also the entire workplace environment.