Effective Leadership, Culture, and Teamwork at Fitflop Company

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership roles, organisational structure, and culture at Fitflop, a British footwear company. It explores how leadership supports transitional changes within the organisation, focusing on the 'feel good benefit strategy' and its impact on employee satisfaction. The report also evaluates Fitflop's strategies for building effective teams through motivation, examining Maslow's hierarchy of needs and various team development attributes that contribute to the company's success, such as team bonding events and employee benefit awards. The analysis includes different leadership styles and Handy's model of organisational culture, highlighting Fitflop's emphasis on task culture and employee involvement in decision-making processes. The report concludes that effective leadership is crucial for achieving organisational goals by influencing the workforce and maintaining a positive organisational culture.

PEOPLE IN
ORGANISATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................1
Explain the role of leadership that may exist within Fitflop and how the structure and culture
of the organisation may support effective transitional change...............................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................5
Analyse and evaluate the ways in which Fitflop may build effective teams through
motivation; identify team development attributes that may contribute to Fitflop success.....5
References:.....................................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
It is essential for every organisation to focus on managing their employees in
organisation which will further help them to achieve their organisational goal effectively.
Leadership is the human trait which helps to influence people to achieve a common goal
(Abasilim, Gberevbie and Osibanjo, 2019). On the other hand, motivation also plays an
important role in enhancing the skills and talents of employees and makes them satisfied with
their job role. FitFlop is a British retailing company which manufacture footwear. It is founded
by Marcia Kilgore in the year 2007. The following report covers role of leadership exist FitFlop
and how the structure and culture of the organisation may support effective transitional change.
It also covers motivational and team effectiveness factors for the company which contribute
success for the company.
MAIN BODY
Task 1
Explain the role of leadership that may exist within Fitflop and how the structure and culture of
the organisation may support effective transitional change
Leadership plays an important role in success of a company by managing and influencing
people for right direction within the organisation.
Leader’s roles within the company-
 Leaders as a coach- Coach help the employees to enhance their skills and knowledge by
their tutorials and supervisions (Bäcklander, 2019). In context of Fitflop, their leaders are
not only boss of their employees but they help their employees to solve their quarries and
motivate them to perform their best performance. In context of FitFlop Company, the
first element of feel good five strategies will help them to conduct this role. Finance is the
factor of this strategy where leaders analyse employees need related to financial
difficulties and mitigate them well.
 Leader as social welfare- Leaders also plays an important role in developing the
community well by taking effective decision. In context of neighbourhood element of
feel good benefit strategy, leaders support the communities in which their employees live
as well as work. The company takes participation in annual tree planting scheme and
plant tress.
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 Leader as maintaining organisational culture- Friend element of feel good benefit
strategy will define that the company have focused to maintain their organisational
culture. Here, leaders play an important role in maintaining organisational culture
positive and work dedicated. Here, leaders conduct team bonding events such as summer
parties and outings for their employees so that they will create a strong bond with each
other.
 Leader as a strategic maker- Leaders also plays an important role as a strategic maker
by making effective strategies for their employees which will help them to achieve their
task (Klonek, Gerpott and Parker, 2020). They make those strategies which will help their
employees to reduce the burden of their employees. In context of Fitflop, their leaders
mainly make those strategies which will help their employees to enhance their skills and
talents. Their ‘feel good benefit strategy’ is made by their leaders to gain employees
satisfaction by providing them various benefits such as financial benefits, health benefits
and many others.
 Leader as a communicator- Leaders are also plays an important role as employee’s
representative in front of management team. Hence, they communicate with their
employees and analyse their needs and wants and further communicate it to senior
management team so that they will arrange it and they also communicate management
team's decision to their employees to make sure that they will work with appropriate way.
Organisational structure of company-
. Organisational structure is the way in which an organisation is managed and with the
help of organisational structure their employees get to know that to whom they are supposed to
report and to whom they give orders to follow (Sousa and Rocha, 2019). In context of Fitflop
Company, they are having functional organisational structure. Here, the whole organisation is
divided in department wise related to function of the organisation. In context of Fitflop, they are
having various departments such as marketing department, production department, sales
department and many others and they are following their function appropriately. Leadership of
Fitflop will help the organisation to maintain their organisational structure appropriately. Their
leaders clear their vision and mission to their employees and hire employees according to their
specialisation and allot them task related to their specialisation department. On the other hand,
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leaders maintain organisational structure by developing rules and regulations for their employees
to follow appropriately and maintain discipline.
Approaches to leadership-
 Autocratic leadership style- This is the leadership style where leaders make decision
and order their employees to follow their instructions strictly. In case any employer
refuses to obey the order then they will punish that employee.
 Democratic leadership style- This is one of the most used leadership style by companies
nowadays. Here, leaders and employees make decisions together which further help the
company to maintain good relationship with their employees (Tortorella and et. al.,
2018). Here, leaders ask the suggestions from employees and in case they feel that any
employee provides appropriate suggestion in decision making process then they follow
that appropriately and appreciate that employee. They sit together in their Kitchen area
and discus what they are doing and what is expected from them so that employees will
analyse what is more important for organisation. Secondly, for creating bond, they
conduct various team bonding events such as outings and summer parties.
 Free-rein leadership style- Here, leaders put all decision in the hand of employees and
ask them to make decision according to them self. This is most risky leadership style
because when employees are provided by this opportunity then they will only make throe
decisions which are beneficial for them and ignores the factor of providing benefit to
organisation.
Organisational culture of the company-
Organisational culture is the behaviour, values and morals shard among employees within the
company to achieve their target (Wang, 2018).
Handy’s model of organisational culture-
 Role culture- This is highly job-oriented and it is found in bureaucratic organisations.
Here, employees are required to follow strict rules and regulations to show that their
status is more important than performance. The main aim of such kind of organisational
culture is to gain high brand reputation instead of higher productivity and satisfying their
employees.
 Power culture- This type of organisational culture reflects that the entrepreneur is facing
difficulty in delegating decision making power to their employees. Here, employees are
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loyal to their leaders of the company and the relationship between employees and leaders
are well developed due to their trust factors with each other.
 Person culture- This culture states that employees are highly independent in the
organisation to make decision and can work according to their own expertise. This type
of organisational culture is commonly founded in hospitality industry where providing
appropriate services to customers is most essential.
 Task culture- This is the culture of organisation where teams are formed to solve a
problem and work with each other appropriately (Zhang, Cao and Wang, 2018). Here,
employees are more focused to complete their task on time with effective outcomes.
Here, employees trust both capabilities of their own as well as of their employees. Here,
results are more important than rules and regulations of the company. This culture is well
managed and followed by Fitflop Company because here employees discuss about the
performance of company at kitchen area and create a strong bond of teams. They
communicate well on making any decision for their organisational benefit.
Transitional changes made in organisation-
Transitional change of organisation is considered as those changes where company
change their existing or ongoing process with new process. This will help the company to adopt
those changes which are beneficial for them to increase their productivity and profitability.
Leadership plays an important role in managing transitional changes within the organisation. In
context of Fitflop, earlier their leaders did not involve their employees in decision making
process but they educate their employees and employees get involved only when new
programme was launched but when they start focusing on providing wellbeing benefits to their
employees there were 10 employees were involved in decision making process. They also won
Employee Benefit Award in June 2018. Recently, they involve their employee’s suggestions in
decision making process and make them feel good by discussing that what they are performing
and expecting from organisation in Kitchen area. Hence, the most essential change which they
bring in their business is that they gain the trust of their employees and make them understand
that what is important for them and organisation and what is not so that they will focus more to
achieve outcome for productive activities.
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CONCLUSION
From the above information it is concluded that leadership plays an important role in
achieving organisational goal by influencing workforce to perform well in the company. There
are various kinds of leadership roles within a company like motivator, decision maker, facilitator
and many others. Effective leadership practices and style will help the company to maintain their
organisational culture and organisational structure. When leaders influence their workforce to
enhance their communication activities and build a team for better understanding of employees
with each other than a leader is consider as effective leader to maintain organisational culture.
Task 2
Analyse and evaluate the ways in which Fitflop may build effective teams through motivation;
identify team development attributes that may contribute to Fitflop success.
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The following PPT will cover motivation and team effectiveness theory and current strategies
used by the company to motivate their employees.
 Physiological needs – This involves the needs of food, shelter, water that are the basic
requirements in a person life to live a happy life. Maslow considered these needs as most
important because without them a human body cannot survive. In context of fit flop
company, they provide their employees good financial benefits and help their employees
to overcome with financial difficulties. Hence, this shows that the employees of the
company can fulfil their physiological needs.
 Security needs – Once the first level needs are fulfilled the person will move on to the
next level. At this stage, the needs for security and safety become more important. Every
person wants safety in their life to protect them from any uncertainty like injury. FitFlop
are running some outdoor Yoga and weekly meditation sessions to focus on their health
and fulfil their security needs related to health. This will help them to motivate to perform
well for the company.
 Social needs – These needs involve a feeling of love and belongingness to get from
others. At this stage, the need for healthy relationships drives human nature. To reduce
stress, depression and anxiety of employees, it is prominent for people to feel loved and
welcomed by other employees. This need is fulfilled by the company by their one of the
strategy from 'The Feel Good Five Strategy'. Friend element of this strategy states that the
company conduct various team bonding events like summer parties and subsidised
outings which help them to create a good bonding between their employees and fulfil
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their social needs. Their UK office is having breakout area with board games and table
tennis.
 Self esteem needs – After satisfying the bottom level needs, the need of self esteem
arises. At this level, people want to get appreciated and valued by others for their work.
In Fit Flop Company, they provide Employees Benefit Award to their employees who
perform well in the organisation to provide them respect for their performance. This is
one of the most important factors to show appreciation for their employees which can
motivate them to perform better and achieve their organisational goal.
 Self actualization needs – This is the need which helps to realization of person's
potential and help to gain growth. In context of Fitflop Company, they promote their
employees for higher position in case of good performance to fulfil their self
actualization needs.
This theory is mainly helpful in dealing with the challenges that the team face at the time of
completing of the task. This theory suggested five stages for building a team to know the
nature of the team mates who will handle the project as a team.
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 Forming: Every team member will listen to the leader and will try to maintain a positive
relation with others.
 Storming: This stage is quite complex because team members may have conflict
between them due to different nature. In relation with Fit Flop Company, the employees
will get to know about the flaws and strong points of each other in the team bonding
activities like summer parties and outings.
 Norming: At this phase, the employees begin to notice and acknowledge their team
members. In context of Fit Flop Company their employee’s starts giving positive
feedback and work as one team.
 Performing: At this stage the members of the team feel confident and motivated enough
with the task that they operated without any supervision. In relation to Fit Flop company,
employees start feeling positive as they come very close to the goal at this level. Due to
this they gain Employee Benefit Awards in the year 2018 by performing well and
achieving their task in groups.
 Adjourning: This stage is the last one where the project comes to an end for which the
team was created. It is also known as the mourning stage as members have created a bond
and feels low that the experience is over. In context of Fit Flop Company, team members
feel satisfied and proud for working as one team with fewer conflicts and at the end they
adjourn the team.
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
 Finance- Here, the company will make sure that they will solve all the quarries of their
employees related to finance. They provide their employees financial benefits like
increment in their salaries, bonus and many others only in the condition of good
performance. Hence, this will help them to motivate their employees to work good to get
good.
 Neighbourhood- Here, FitFlop help to develop those communities in which their
employee lives and work.
 Friend- This element of their strategy focuses on creating well-being for employees by
creating the culture of friendly behaviour where office colleagues will help each other
and communicate politely to respect each other’s.
 Mind- This element will focus on maintaining employee’s mental health. In context of
FitFlop, their managers conduct a Yoga session once in a week for making their mind
relaxed and stress free. This will help to motivate employees that their organisation is
concern about their health.
 Body- This element will describe to maintain physical health of employees well to
achieve their highest motivation. In context of FitFlop, their employees are given a free
membership of fitness club for initial 3 months. Such kind of benefit will help the
employees to get motivated well.
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
Secondly, their HR keep communicating with employees to analyse their issue and provide them
all those resources which they need to achieve their task goal.
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