Does teal suit everyone? Psychosocial factors affecting work attractiveness in an organisation with a horizontal structure

Abstract

As success in today’s world is increasingly associated with an approach based on flexibility, decentralised control and quick response to the changing conditions, a new approach to the functioning of organisations is needed. Previous guidelines influencing the way many companies operate, which were based on hierarchy, competition and maximising profits, have ceased to respond to changes taking place in the world. An additional important variable is the change in the labour market and employees’ expectations, therefore, recruitment, increasing commitment and retention in the organisation have all become more of a challenge for managers. One of the possible responses to these changing conditions is the creation of horizontal organisations, such as teal (turquoise) ones. However, as some organisations based on this model achieve success, while others return to traditional solutions, attention should be paid to factors affecting the satisfaction and effectiveness of employees’ work in this type of organisations. Based on literature analysis and a case study, the paper discusses psychosocial determinants of work in a teal organisation, related, among others, to the changing approach to work by younger generations, different needs of employees, changes in the education system, as well as to personality predispositions. Recognition of these factors may be helpful in planning recruitment, considering the possibility of implementing teal solutions in a particular organisation, and may also help to include this option in the analysis of individual predispositions in the process of career guidance.