Rivethead: Tales from the Assembly Line by Ben Hamper - Essay Example

 Rivethead: Tales from the Assembly Line by Ben Hamper In his book, Rivethead: Tales from the Assembly Line, there are a number of insights that are brought by the working scenario that we are approached by. These insights reveal a complete change and thus difference compared to the ideal organizational atmosphere. It’s beyond the expectations and also against the regulations to operate like way the author does in the entire assembly line, carrying most of the activities without control. He brings his personal experiences and concerns while working at General Motors Assembly line. We are bound to understand him better as he uses his voice to bring out the actual nature of activities and also to let us know the real account of issues as they are. This leads us into taking a position that would not have been possible if such a case was historical in totality. Moreover, he exhibits a different working setting where someone can evade tasks assigned to him or her without eminent consequences, thus delegating the same to another person at the expense of that party. The interests of a person should not be a priority over those of the entire organization. One should strive to provide the best effort for the benefit of the organization and personal utility. For example, Hamper would skive his duties by teaming up with another person, ‘’double up’’ hence when that person did both working, he would hover around in the industry or even reading. Having the ability to do whatever he wants, Hamper jeopardizes the activities of GM as no one seems to care what happens regardless of the expectations. This way he puts personal interests first at the expense of the organization. He seems more interested at how well he can spend time outside the assembly line forgetting that he is duty bound to deliver. The working environment doesn’t seem to favor his bid to have an enjoyable stay. Discipline is also a key to any successful entity. This stipulates and thus lays a framework of how employees should carry out themselves since this is the source from which the external environment paints a general picture of the organization. The common effort of everyone is therefore called to task. In his book, Hamper fails to display any of these as he operates at his will to any direction he feels like. On one hand, the organization ought to institute penalty programs that must be applied judiciously to those who fail to attain the discipline threshold and on the other hand ensure that the common effort is safeguarded. Moreover, General Motors offers the best state of affairs however according to the author he uses various diversions in order kill boredom and monotony of work. He also never tries to change the situation although the work unions are never harsh to negotiate with. The unions seems to be selective and discriminatory since the writer, apart from managing in his own way, finds it even easier to maneuver his way through them. These serve to give him more room to work uninterrupted even when things don’t seem to work well. The work environment today poses a great challenge to those entrusted with responsibility since one has to deliver to the stakeholders and other interested parties. This entails the account of every single resource used in the verge of the operations of the organizations. The same will enable match efforts utilized with the results realized. The working milieu seems relaxed and without clear cut strategies and rules all of which tend to cover rights and specific duties of employees. These regulations have to be adhered to with strictness if the company has to realize its goals of his and thus objectives. The foregoing is not a true account of what happens at GM. ‘Rivethead’ displays a work environment where one person works for two therefore giving room for the other one to be away for a couple of hours. The author, in an attempt to forget all his tribulations in the assembly line indulges in alcohol and drugs, he is paid well for things that he doesn’t do. Through all these most rules seem forever dead as there are no checks even to tame his behavior. Hamper illustrates a different view of an ideal organization. He seems to be rewarded haphazardly without any reward system in place. In the real case, remuneration can be either financial or non financial where factors like the cost of living, the business environment and the qualifications of an employee should play an active role in the determination of a worker’s pay. Once laid off a bonus program comes in handy that reward him more than he even worked for. The aspect of laying off and then rehiring the writer doesn’t reveal an ethical working case since every time this happens he suffers mentally thus lowering his productivity and the subsequent strain following unemployment. In any working situation employees need the surety that they will remain in employment long enough to meet their needs, satisfy their wants and aspirations. It is the management’s obligation to strive and retain productive employees who are supposed to be the assets to the company. There should be a clearly laid up strategy to recruit and select potential people who can fit the organization by being that coveted asset. In most of his operations Hamper seems to be the major decision maker who plays the active role of planning how duties ought to be carried out with little or no regard to consistency. In any organization objectivity has to be observed where duties have to be distributed in rationality. There also has to be a hierarchy where authority is centrally observed and directed accordingly to relevant parties. This is not evident in Hamper’s working station. In an organization, authority flow either top down or bottom up basing by the nature of the firm and its size. Juniors take orders for implementation from up the hierarchy and also submit required information to the top management who ultimately perform and form decisions on behalf of the company. In his description about the principles of management, Henry Fayol explains the dire need to have the concept of authority in an organization. This stems from the ability to receive and give orders to necessitate obedience in the line of duty. Every party to the organization must carry the responsibility tag all through by ensuring all that is done is within the limits of the rules and regulations set by management. Hamper leaves his workmate to do part of the job in the assembly line alone as he rests or reads. This has a great implication that there lacks a clearly defined programs and methodology of doing work. All types of work assigned to any party have to be well defined with clear cut boundaries and expectations as well as benchmarks. Labor has to be divided amongst people with regard to their specialization. All the labor must be divided into simpler tasks that are repetitive and be assigned to various employees to make work easier. Hamper seems to sail through all the tasks alone and when things get worse he is attempted to combine with a friend so that he gets time for rest. This contrasts Hamper’s work program where he does most of the work thus monotony and boredom sets in that may destabilize the work output and end result. GM also seems to lack adequate control in its systems as this is evidenced by the way Hamper is in a position to avoid work and move out of his work station without possible repercussions. This is not ideal in other organizations and neither is it practical since order has to be maintained at all levels. In conclusion, Hamper’s book portrays a unique scenario of a work place where no rules or procedures are adhered to. This is different from an ideal organization where there are standard norms that act as guidelines to the employees. What this book unearths paints a blurred image since in real life situation such is not practical. There seem to be relaxed rules making it giving room for Hamper to even misbehave. These are special insights that can never be maintained in a working environment where procedures, methodology and regulations aimed at all employees carry the day (Ben, 1992). References Ben, H. (1992). Rivethead: Tales from the Assembly Line. Grand Central Publishing. Read More