Personnel Management Case Study
1. managers complicated decision when evaluating the personal requests
Managers do expect employees to be productive motivated and fit which are the aspects that enable them to carry out their jobs well. Trade unions expect managers to treat their workforce fairly and to give them a chance to adequately participate without compromising their general well being as well as their family commitments. Providing employees with a flexible working schedule is one of the best ways that organizations can ensure that the staff members have a work-life balance.
Though the provision of work-life balance according to the legislation requirements has been seen to be of benefit to organizations, mangers experience challenges concerning the provision of workplace flexibility. This is I the kind of dilemma that Janis Blancero the Marketing director of Adobe Consulting Services (ACS), faces. Adobe company offers highly attractive benefits packages that include the provision of friendly and family flexibility of work schedule for elder and child care assistance, adoption assistance, parental leave and counseling services.
The company has however experienced a major backslash in its life or policy as more and more employees are requiting for reduced working hours as well as extensions of maternity leaves. The main reasons that Janis has been given by the employees include a time to care for children, undisguised personal reasons, accommodation of training schedules and extension of family leaves. These special privileges that the employees are requesting for clearly pose a challenge to their productivity in the workplace and also failure to adequately meet with the customers demands. This therefore means that the organization is facing a hidden tension concerning the program dealing with the provision of flexible work hours. This arises due to the increasing workload and the business growth of the company as well as the constant demands from customers (World at work research 2009).
Many managers like Janis are constantly in pressure to deliver the desired outcomes expected by the organization and may face a much greater challenge concerning the demands posed by a wide range of flexible working arrangements that are available in the organization. They have no problem with working flexibility requested by two to three employees but when they increase, how then will they be able to deny the rest?. One thing that mangers have to understand is the imperative of the business to flexibility. The provision of flexible work arrangements has many benefits such as in the retaining and attracting employees and giving them an opportunity to be productive since they will feel committed, motivated happier and focused to the job they do to enable them achieve work-life balance.
Making decisions on whether or not to provide the requests from employees have made managers to show resistance because it implies that they have to manage more employees which become more work to them. Further work schedule flexibility requested by employee’s class for additional requirements of equipments needed in the implementation of the desired work arrangement such as remote cases. Further, the work unit of an employee will be impacted such as the employees’ supervisory activities and issues of coverage.
The managers are also faced with conflicting requests from various areas which make accommodating their requests to be difficult. Another challenge that the managers faces is the difficulty and complexity involved in effectively trucking the work time of the employees. Productivity is also likely to reduce due to the short duration of working hours or the unavailability of employees to carry out the tasks that they had been assigned. Such as for those who extend their maternity leaves as for the case of Susan Woolf in Adobe Consulting Services (ACS), case.
Those preferring to work at home may result to; low productivity, increased distractions and it blurs the boundary between personal time and work time. Further, difficulty in decision making concerning the request made by employees for a much more flexible schedule adhering to their requests means a reduced time for one to one contact and this leads to lack of cohesion within a given unit. The managers cannot have a direct observation of the employee’s performance and work. due to the need to work within the budgetary requirements allocated by the company, Adobe company may not be able to offset the direct costs needed for teleworking schedules such as through for communication, and furnishings. They all contribute to the complex decision-making processes which managers have to consider in considering the personal request made by each individual employee.
2. the need for Adobe establish a policy for granting flexible work schedules
Yes, it is important for Adobe to establish a policy dealing with the provision of flexible work schedules, flexible working arrangements include the ability of an employee to work from home, flexible hours, working part-time and the sharing of jobs. Employees at the time of recruitment should be informed on issues concern work-life balance that already exits and being used in the organization.
The mangers of Adobe company as well as the other members of staff should be aware of the successful working practices that other organizations use. This gives the employees an opportunity to ask for specific provision and on alterative arrangements for working. The highly diverse workface in modern day has shown a strong movement towards non-traditional hours such as part-time work, job sharing , telecommuting, and flexible time of work so as to meet both the organizational and personal needs of the employees (Reilly, 2001).
Another reason as to why Adobe should establish flexible work schedules is the nee to take into account the current legal trend s being applied in many organizations nationwide as well as the practices conducted by the human resources concerning employee relations. Due to the idea that the laws of the states vary and have different legal requirements, it is important for the management team of Adobe to be fully familiar with these laws. The desired policy for adobe firm it to develop working hours required by the needs of the dependents who are the staff members, staffing requirements and the work load in the company. There is need for Adobe to develop efficient human resource management (Mathis and Jackson 2010)
Adobe company has to look into ways of developing positive relations with the trade unions based on agreed upon policies. This means that the company’s managers can wall work with the representatives of trade unions without any kind of conflict the provision of work life balance to employees is one of the crucial areas that has seen many employers get into conflicts with the trade unions. There is a great opportunity for Adobe managers to cooperatively work on issues concerning work-life balance on organized scheme and benefits that are beneficial to both the employer and the employee.
The provision of flexible work is one of the best ways which the organization can offer its staff with work-life balance. Being a steward of the union, enables adobe to be at a much better position compared to relying on the management in identifying the needs of employees and establishing policies which are consisted to the Union’s requirements. This means that the main role for the managers is to target “fit for purpose” policies on flexible working programs. Generally, the policies should focus on supporting the employees need to balance both their work and to maintain their careers while ensuring that they are fulfilling their home responsibilities, getting involved in the local community, pursing interest out side work and taking care of their personal wellbeing (Ministry of business innovation and employment, 2012)
3. If I was Blancero,
If I was Blancero, I will first have to acknowledge that change doesn’t take place instantly and I will have to consider seeking support and guidance from the other heads of different departs and the company leaders. This enable I to get the commitment of the senior management and the human resources heads to consider ways in the introduction of good modes of working and in creating new policies. The main aspect that I also have to consider is to create a work balance or a program that is within the budgetary constraints. However I have to consider that not all working flexibility programs all suitable to all the kinds of work in the organization but to a certain degree. I will consider talking to the team members where by they can discuss the various forms of working that is most suitable to all (Venkataratnam 2004).
Some employees such as Teresa Wheately as a valued employee of the company, the provision of a flexible work program are justified since she is a single mother of two children in grade school. However the duration for her being off on Fridays and shorter working hours is problematic. I would consider is for her to be available on Fridays and she also has to come early at the normal hours of 8 am, but leaves early. Further I would offer her a supportive staff to assist her in account management. Also I would require all employees to give full details of their reasons to deserve a more flexible schedule that they request.
This should be in the form of a written letter clearly showing the reasons as to why the employee deserves the working program. This is because some would misuse the flexible working program by giving irrelevant excuses and end up being not of better economic benefit to the organization. This can be seen in the case of Dorothy McShee who declines to offer the personal reasons that she has for her to deserve the 4 day work.
In order to avoid such a situation would include these requirements writing the policy on home- work balance program. Juan Batista deserves the flexible work schedule. Further, I would not have given Susan Woolf an extended maternity leave, due to the idea that policies do not require people to extend their holidays. Generally, the main idea to prevent challenges and complexities involved in making decisions concerning the management of flexible work schedule requested by employees within and organization (Unison, 2011).
Reference
Unison (2011) Flexible working making it work. Retrieved from
http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/B4097.pdf
On July 17, 2012
World at work research (2009) flexible work arrangements for nonexempt employees. Retrieved from
http://www.worldatwork.org/waw/adimLink?id=33622
On July 17, 2012
Reilly P (2001) Flexibility at Work, Balancing the Interests of Employer and Employee. Publisher Gower Publishing, Ltd., p 89
Mathis R and Jackson J (2010) Human Resource Management
Publisher Cengage Learning, P 124
Ministry of business innovation and employment (2012) identify the possible solution. Retrieved from
http://www.dol.govt.nz/er/bestpractice/worklife/makingitwork/guide03.asp
On July 17, 2012
Venkataratnam (2004) Personnel Management and Human. Publisher Tata McGraw-Hill Education, p 171
Is this your assignment or some part of it?
We can do it for you! Click to Order!
