Identifying and Researching the Organization
Background Research
The National Football League (NFL) has instituted anti-racism training for all employees and a confidential reporting line, Protect the Shield, for any problems that may arise in a diverse workplace. Approximately 37% of the NFL’s staff is women, and 30% are individuals of color (Rosman & Belson, 2022). It has made great strides toward hiring a more diverse workforce, in line with other companies around the country. The NFL operates as a team, and its employees are rewarded for their efforts on and off the field.
Organizational Member Interview
This section presents an interview with a friend currently employed by the NFL, where I formerly worked. Questions concerning the company’s culture were asked during the in-person interview. Below is the list of the interview questions and the responses.
How would you describe the culture at the NFL?
The NFL has a culture that actively works to better the communities in which they operate. It considers the broader social influence of sports in its cultural values. Therefore, the group uses the sport to introduce other helpful programs to the locals. NFL is involved in various causes, including youth health and well-being, environmental safeguarding via greening endeavors, violence deterrence, and social integrity.
What are some things that make the NFL a unique place to work?
The NFL provides its employees with excellent medical and financial benefits, as well as several unique perquisites. These include twice-weekly onsite dry-cleaning service and discounts at the NFL shop, as well as local eateries and brand affiliates. All employees look forward to monthly workplace events, which can be anything from a bowling night to a movie screening to a food truck lunch at the office.
What about the NFL made you consider applying for your job?
The primary goal of the NFL is to improve the quality of American football. Being the guardian of the game’s traditions and best practices, the organization is committed to ensuring its continued success without compromising the fun that has always defined it. The fact that the NFL can run such a competitive league and still draw millions of fans worldwide each year proves it succeeds in this regard.
How does the NFL handle communication with employees? Do you receive updates about organizational change or planned initiatives often?
The NFL is transparent and forthright in its communications with staff members during times of change or initiative implementation. Whenever a new policy or project is being executed at the NFL, the company often uses various channels to inform and update its staff. The NFL keeps its staff and players up-to-date on any information that may be relevant to the company’s smooth operation through frequent briefings by top officials as well as unit and team meetings.
What challenges is the NFL facing? Please explain.
It has been claimed that the NFL is oblivious to concerns of gender and racial inequality and that females, especially women of color, are marginalized. During the 2017 NFL season, 44 players were accused of sexual assault or domestic abuse. The NFL’s commissioner and owners would instead hire someone with talent than try to build an inclusive culture and have a firm set of principles. This is why players may have problems and accusations dismissed in exchange for their physical abilities. Evidence of sexual assault or domestic abuse against a player typically results in a no more severe punishment than a cultural issue that may be considered less serious. It is challenging for the NFL that there seem to be so many allegations with seemingly no consequences at any level.
How does the NFL uphold diversity?
NFL is a league that places a premium on racial and ethnic diversity among its players. The fact that millions of fans from outside the United States can watch the game shows how well the company utilizes technology to make them feel like they are a part of this wonderful arena and game.
Does the NFL reflect American cultural principles?
This belief that one’s accomplishment is proportional to one’s level of effort is uniquely an American cultural value. The results of one’s efforts will determine one’s financial status, which can take them from obscurity to wealth and back again. The NFL was the first in the United States to use a worst-to-first rookie draft to guarantee that financially unstable teams would have first dibs on the most promising young players. NFL was an early adopter of revenue sharing, with teams pooling ticket and television revenue for decades to ensure that all franchisees have sufficient resources to compete. Like America’s, the NFL’s economic structure strikes a balance between the freedom to pursue one’s fortune and the security of a safety net if one does not find it. The league’s quality (and earnings) suffers when teams are consistently unsuccessful; therefore, the ‘winners’ are willing to share some of their success with the ‘losers.’
How does the NFL promote interpersonal relationships?
A mutual appreciation for the NFL is a great way to bond with others. On Sundays, families typically stay in to watch a game, and friends often find time in their hectic schedules to get together. When one watches a game with friends, they get the complete social experience, from booing a terrible referee call to celebrating a game-winning field goal in the fourth down. Meeting new people is another benefit of football season, as supporters are more likely to initiate a discussion with those who are also sporting team gear.
How does the NFL uphold everyone’s respect?
For the NFL, showing respect for one another is a set goal. This is linked to the organization’s emphasis on ensuring everyone does what is appropriate at all times. This is what generates the ability for one to achieve anything.
Why should other organizations emulate the NFL?
The NFL’s business model is superior to all other sports and organizations. Attributable to revenue sharing, wage caps, and the foresight of a few men a generation ago, the NFL stands as America’s most popular professional sports league.
Results of Organizational Analysis
Description of the Culture
The NFL has established a specific cultural trait to promote healthier lifestyles and build stronger communities. As used in Schein’s paradigm, a level characterizes the extent to which cultural traits are apparent to the viewer. In line with Schein’s model, the artifacts of the NFL manifest in its collaboration with every football club to ensure the health and welfare of players at all levels of competition. The NFL gives back to local communities across the country as its espoused values, revealing much about the organization’s culture and business methods (NFL, 2019). NFL Foundation helped distribute a record number of grants in 2017 to help youth football programs thrive through USA Football. In its underlying assumptions, the organization has played a crucial role in assisting schools in acquiring funding for extracurricular activities, including football, physical education, and games enrichment. By awarding grants, the NFL Foundation supports the community service of both active and retired players.
Recommendations
Even if reckless play is against the rules, it is encouraged by the spirit of the game. NFL should rebuild its culture if it is serious about being a safer league, rejecting sexual assault, and eliminating domestic violence. NFL seems to have a “deeply ingrained corporate culture that demoralized some female employees, drove some to quit in frustration, and left many feeling brushed aside” (Rosman & Belson, 2022, para. 3). Since a company’s culture is the total of its members’ daily activities, NFL should alter its members’ routines. The NFL needs to reverse its existing system of punishments if it wants to change its culture successfully.
The first step is starting with a positive reinforcement strategy to initiate, progress, and maintain responsible and sportsmanlike actions. The league might look into games to see if players put safety or the code of conduct before everything else and were rewarded with points, donations, or publicity. All NFL clubs should unanimously adopt new practices on diversity, fairness, and inclusivity (Rosman & Belson, 2022). The league’s leadership has approved a resolution and new regulations that will have far-reaching effects on the workplace, including increased opportunities for females and minorities to secure employment and grow in their fields.
Reflection
I would consider working for the NFL because it promotes my passion for community empowerment. In addition to aiding players, the NFL Foundation works with schools to teach youngsters how to be upstanding citizens by instilling in them good values (Willman, 2022). There are several programs available in schools that aim to improve learning and the ability to make sound decisions in the classroom and beyond. Conducting this analysis impacted perceptions about the NFL because of the league’s dedication to providing young people around the country with access to football and other athletic and fitness opportunities. The NFL strategic framework promotes youth development by providing adolescents with access to safe and supervised play spaces, as well as coaching, life skills, and safety education.
References
NFL. (2019). Mission and values. Web.
Rosman, K., & Belson, K. (2022). Promised a new culture, women say the NFL instead pushed them aside. The New York Times. Web.
Willman, B. (2022). The NFL has a culture problem. The Daily Evergreen. Web.