Thinking Skills and Problem Solving

Question: Discuss about the Thinking Skills and Problem Solving. Answer: Introduction: The idea of critical thinking can be identified as the ability to think clearly and rationally about the ways to dealing with a particular problem situation. The purpose of the critical thinking is mainly the exploration of the most logical approach to address a particular problem, depending on the resource and knowledge base (Kong Dong, 2013). Critical thinking requires evaluation and improvement of the established thought process and creates a logical solution for a situational problem. As discussed by Jackson (2015), by identifying the causes of the situational contingencies, the critical thinking process helps in eliminating those causes and thus resolves the issues. It can be identified as the most important skill for job success. As mentioned by McPeck (2016), in the modern workplaces which is continuously becoming complex combined with competition and threat of recession, it is important for the employees to opt for critical thinking to eliminating the issues like work relate d stress and disrupted work life balance. One of the major frameworks for critical thinking is the Cause and Effect diagram. By identifying the factors related to the set units of this diagram, one can identify all the influential factors of a certain problem situation. As mentioned by Wong, Woo, Woo (2016), the cause and effect diagram helps in recognising all inclusive picture of a certain problem. Here, in the context of this essay, disrupted work life balance has been identified as a problem situation in Malaysia. The idea of work life balance can be identified as the division of ones time and concentration between his professional and the familial life. As mentioned by Babatunde (2013), the lack of personal time and space and increased work load is continuously creating stress among the employees. The issues of work related stresses trigger a number of psychological distresses among the employees. Now, for the successful completion of this essay, the author has used the Cause and Effect diagram for identifying the influential factors those are creating work life stress and disrupting the work life balance. After that the author has provided five relevant recommendations to eliminate the ceases of disrupted work life balance and obtain a relaxing and satisfactory professional filed to the employees of Malaysia. Discussion: Causes: In the modern world of globalization, the professional world is continuously becoming a place of steep competition. It is creating stress among the employees which is decreasing their motivation, health status and in turn jeopardising the potentiality of the economy to grow further. As mentioned by Jamadin et al. (2015), in the Malaysian context, a number of employees are facing the issue of work related stress which is influencing their personal life and impacting their productivity in the professional sector negatively. Hence, maintaining a work life balance is important for both the personal and professional level. As discussed by Dollard et al. (2014), the idea of work life balance can be identified as the perception of employees on work, personal and family time that are maintained and integrated with a minimum of role conflict. However, in the Malaysian context, the mental health problems are affecting the youth to a great extent. As per the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) conducted by the national government of Malaysia the incidence of mental health problem among the age group of twenty to twenty four is more than 32.1 per cent (Mohan Suppareakchaisakul, 2014). However, the major cause of disrupting the work life balance can include a great range of professional, psychological and other issues. As mentioned by Haar et al. (2014), the workplace condition highly influences the state of occupational stress and disrupted work life balance. An adverse workplace condition can include the issues like unrealistic workload. As mentioned by Agarwal (2014), work overload is likely to happen in the cases when the employees are burdened with tasks those are beyond their capabilities. As opined by Shagvaliyeva and Yazdanifard (2014), the issues like, pressure to meet the work demand, lack of realistic deadlines, poor work design, lack of desired knowledge among the workers can be identified as some of the major reasons of work related stress and disruptive work life balance. The cause and effect diagram on the selected strategies: As mentioned by Ennis (2015), the critical thinking techniques largely involve the identification of the root causes behind an issue and suggest ways to resolve them. Here, the cause and effect diagram can be utilized successfully for inclusive identification of the causes or the remedies to collect a certain effect (Wong, Woo Woo, 2016). As discussed by Stefanovic et al. (2014), the cause and effect diagram or the Ishikawa diagram was invented by Kaoru Ishikawa for identifying the causes those are typically influential in creating a certain problem situation. As described by Bowell and Kemp (2014), the causes are usually grouped into five categories to identify these sources of variations. These include: People: the individuals related to the process. Methods: the policies, rules and regulations related to it. Machines: the tools used in the process Materials: the raw materials used Measurements: data generated and used for evaluation Environments: time, temperature, culture etc. Now, depending on this framework, the issues of workplace related stresses can be critically analysed. The people: as discussed earlier, the people related to a competitive workplace often are responsible for their disruptive work life balance. The individuals often strive for perfection and a greater level of material achievement. This drives them to provide an amplified attention towards their professional lives and ignore the importance of the family life or personal space. On the other hand, the lack of personal competency can make the people face increased workload, and issues with time management (Belwal Belwal, 2014). Thus, it can disrupt the work life balance of the Malaysian employees. The methods: As opined by Ibrahim (2015), in Malaysia the companies are now experiencing substantive growth. Hence, most of them are ignoring the importance of employee relaxation during the working hours and beyond. Hence, they are typically following the policy of overtime and massive work load in short deadlines. Moreover, not a many company follows the strategy of providing required level of trainings to their employees (Devi Kiran, 2014). This inefficient human resource policy is creating a range of inefficient and de-motivated employees who are assigned with a bulk of professional responsibilities. Thus the methods are influencing the increasing cases of disrupted work life balance of the Malaysian professionals. Moreover, the issues like harsh management, low salary, lack of welfare services are also influential in creating work related stress and subsequent disrupted work life balance. Machines: The usage of computer is often being accused for the occupational stress among the employees. As mentioned by Kumarasamy et al. (2015), the continuous changes in the technological world compel the employees to repeatedly struggling to adapt to it. Moreover, the lack of technical knowledge creates a threat of structural unemployment among the employees. Thus, the machines used in the modern professional world is creating work stress and disrupting the psychological serenity of the employees. Materials: In the context of this non-communicable disease, the raw materials used in the professional sectors cannot essentially be identified as the influencing factors. However, as discussed by Rubel and Kee (2014), the materials like mobile phones used in the workplaces are most likely to disrupt the work life balance of the employees. In modern companies, the employees are provided with separate numbers in which they have to be available round the clock. It distrusts the right of personal time of the employees and they become vulnerable to the work related concerns even in holidays. Thus, the materials used in the workplaces are engulfing the time of the employees which is making them vulnerable to the occupational stress. Figure 1: Cause and Effect Diagram for disrupted work life balance (Source: Created by the author) Measurement: As mentioned by Kalliath and Kalliath (2014), the workplace monitoring and the policy of performance appraisal in largely influential in creating occupational stress among the employees. In the Malaysian context, not a may company possesses a fair and encouraging appraisal system. As discussed by Achour et al. (2015), the lack of 360 degree feedback system creates a biased or inconclusive performance monitoring pattern. On the other hand, as identified by Dhanda (2017), the KPIs set by the management often ignores the practical and on site challenges those the employees face in meeting an occupational target. Hence, a KPI set by the management without a consultation with the employees, often become impractical to achieve in the given time frame. Thus, a faulty performance measurement system can create stress among the employees. As discussed by Gamor, Amissah and Boakye (2014), the tension of failing the deadline, being reproached by the management for the performance fa ilure, Environment: The idea of environment in identifying the causes of occupational stress can entail a number of issues like culture within the organization, the global or national value base, the timing of work and the leadership and communication pattern within the organization (Agarwal, 2014). Here, in the context of Malaysia, the country is experiencing a significant level of economic boom (Mohan Suppareakchaisakul, 2014). With the integration to the world economy, the country is continuously adopting the philosophy of consumerism. As described by Ibrahim (2015), it has a two faced implication upon the Malaysian society. The consumerist value is increasing the urge of material gain among the individuals and thus it is directing the economy to increased growth level. However, this particular trend it being responsible for increased occupational stress among the employees. They are concentrating on the professional growth and the personal life is being disordered consequently. On the other hand, as mentioned by Juster et al. (2013), the organizational environment is also influential in creating work related stresses among the employees. An organization that follows an autocratic leadership, the employees are not allowed to raise their concerns which promote an ineffective communication channel. As mentioned by Mohan and Suppareakchaisakul (2014), this detrimental organizational environment is largely responsible in creating occupational stress. Thus, the issue of occupational stress is continuously being influenced by a number of factors in Malaysia. Now, for eliminating these issues the following recommendations can be utilized. Steps needed to be taken by the employees: As discussed by Kumarasamy et al. (2015), in the competitive world of domestic and international businesses, achieving a work life balance is challenge but necessity. In the Malaysian context, the issue of work related stress is impacting the psychological status of the employees to a great level, which is continuously decreasing the productivity of the workers (Mohan Suppareakchaisakul, 2014). As mentioned by Agarwal (2014), a disruptive work life balance is more likely to create dissatisfaction with the work, lack of motivation and severely damaged quality of work. It is largely connected to the psychological satisfaction of the employees. Hence, the employees also need to concentrate on the critical thinking processes to identify the strategies to obtain an effective work life balance. For obtaining work life balance, the major responsibility needs to be taken by the employee himself. As mentioned by Kalliath and Kalliath (2014), it is the duty of an individual to be able to divide his time for work and family. Hence, after the completion of the working hour, the employees must not entertain any job related queries. From the employers end, the companies should have a policy of not engaging the employees into the work responsibilities or such other requirements after the schedule hour. An uninterrupted personal time provides a mental relaxation. The companies need to understand the importance of this psychological disengagement from the employees end. As mentioned by Kumarasamy et al. (2015), the companies which are prone to call an employee or assign tasks when he is with his family faces the issues like employee dissatisfaction and high turnover rate. Hence, it is important to the employees to leave the work at office and enjoy an undivided personal time after wor k. Moreover, the employees need to take initiative for improving his professional competencies. With the strategies like occupational trainings, task planning, time management strategies etc. they can manage the work load and obtain a work life balance. Steps related to the method: As mentioned by Mohan and Suppareakchaisakul (2014), in the Malaysian context, two thirds or 67 per cent of workers in Malaysia will consider a career that can strike a balance between life and career more attractive than a fatter pay check. Hence, the employers must concentrate on creating strategies or policies which would be helpful in achieving a work life balance for the employees. Flexibility in the working pattern helps the employees in finding a relaxation even during the working hours. As mentioned by Shagvaliyeva and Yazdanifard (2014), a flexible work environment can include a number of strategies like relaxed dress code, flexible working works, the facility of working from home or the places of the workers preferences and many others can create a sense of satisfaction with the work which positively stimulates the employees psyche and motivate him to provide better quality of service or production. As mentioned by Agarwal (2014), opting for the facility of working from home will be helpful for the employees to strike a good level of work life balance. The major criteria of achieving the work life balance is satisfactorily dividing the time and focus of the employee between the job responsibility and his or her familial life. As discussed by Kalliath and Kalliath (2014), flexibility in the working site provides a scope to the employee to manage his responsibilities according to his preference and availability of time. It can provide an effective work life balance. Moreover, the companies must have leave policies or on site facilities to perform the familial responsibilities like maternal leave, crche for the children etc. Thus, the employees will be able to divide their attention between their families and job responsibilities. As mentioned by Haar et al. (2014), for maintaining employee satisfaction and provide them a significant work life balance, the companies can opt for providing yearly vacations with the family or friends to its employees. A number of internationally successful companies opt for this particular strategy to provide a quality time to their employees with their families. As mentioned by Kumarasamy et al. (2015), it creates a sense of value and commitment among the employees which increases the quality of their production. Steps related to the machines and materials: In the modern competitive world, the professional world is continuously engulfing the time and concentration of the employees. With the increase in the professional competition, a mass craving for materialistic achievements and the integration of the world economy to the global financial world, people are continuously losing their time for the families and themselves. In such a context, the employees need to avoid the usage of the machines like computer, or entertain the job related quarries over mobile phone after the working hour. As discussed by Agarwal (2014), the digital screens are snatching away our precious time which our friends and family deserves. It is important for the individuals to socialize in the world surrounding him which can provide him psychological relaxation and directs them to find a work life balance. The companies also promote this practice by making it compulsory to return the workplace appliances before going home, or providing special facilities to those employees who are being available 24*7 for the company (like one weekly leave or special vacation). Steps related to measurement: As mentioned by Kalliath and Kalliath (2014), employees often find the performance measurement policy as a stress creating factor in their occupational lives. The set KPIs by the management, often compels them work in a pressurised situation to obtain the performance goal. Moreover, as discussed by the expectancy theory of Agarwal (2014), the organizations needs to create an expectation among the employees to obtain a higher position. It drives the companies to set the performance measurement criteria. However, the competition and the comparison with the colleagues may create frustrations among the employees. Hence, it is important for the companies to opt for a performance evaluation system which includes the opinion of the employees. As mentioned by Kumarasamy et al. (2015), the KPIs set by the employees is more likely to be attended by the performers and it creates an inner drive among the employees with less stress to achieve the performance goals. Moreover, the management needs to refrain from reproaching an employee in the case of failure to attend the performance targets. Rather, it would be recommended to send the employees to occupational training sessions. Steps related to environment: The companies need to promote a participative leadership strategy that reduces the employee stress. The management which is open to the opinions and ideas of the employees create organizational policies those are employee oriented (Kumarasamy et al., 2015). Moreover, an open communication channel helps the companies to raise their concerns regarding the job which helps the companies to address the issues with pragmatic steps and provide a less stressful work environment to trhe employees. Thus a relaxing and approachable work life creates psychological satisfaction among the employees, which ensures a better work life balance. On the other hand, to encounter the consumerist values, the companies need to encourage their employees with intangible awards for better performance. Here, the company can provide long holidays or celebrating a family day where the employees will be provided sponsored trips and activities with the family members (Haar et al., 2014). Conclusion: Hence, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that the critical thinking process can provide an all inclusive idea about a certain problem situation. In the Malaysian context, the country is now at the stage of experiencing a good level of economic success which is directing the company to achieve the place of a developed economy. With the increased economic opportunity and a cutthroat competitive financial circumstance, the country is facing an increased number of reported cases of psychological issues among the working youths. The cause and effect diagram has revealed that factors like employee incompetency, the organizational policies, excessive use of mobile and computers, faulty performance evaluation system, leadership, organizational communication and the national value base are some of the causes of this disrupted work life balance,. Hence, the author has recommended a number of steps like employee training, flexible work environment, leave policy etc. for increasing the family involvement of the employees. References: Achour, M., Grine, F., Nor, M. R. M., MohdYusoff, M. Y. Z. (2015). 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