Condition at the Catastrophe Concept Marketing Team - Case Study Example

Name : xxxxxx Tutor : xxxxxxx Title : HUMAN RESOURCE IN ORGANIZATION Institution : xxxxxxx @2009 Table of Contents Pages Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 The situation Briefing 2 How best the Human resource management can handle the situation. 3 What Lilly Zheng do employees should do regarding their colleague’s misconduct 8 Conclusion 9 References 11 Executive Summary The responsibilities bestowed to the human resource management are central to the staffing demands and needs of the organization. This then is evaluated on the basis of whether to apply the services of independent contractors or proceed to directly hire various people to fill the vacant positions. With reference to the management of the human power within an organization, the human resource management is held with the responsibility of ensuring the peak performance of the respective employees. The conduct of employees with reference to their performance is thus evaluated by this docket. This is usually in an effort to ensure that all the people employed to work for an organization confirm to the expectations and regulations of the type of work that they are held with. The case at Catastrophe concepts marketing team points to the conduct of a key player in the marketing team. Mr. Caleb McGuire was once a trusted employee in the marketing team but is currently no reliable. He excuses himself on claims of terminal illness. His conduct has forced the rest of the team to take up his responsibilities. The struggle to fulfill their own duties and fill in the position of Caleb has greatly reduced the efficiency of a number of his colleagues. Lilly Zheng the manager of the marketing team so stressed by constant complains from the rest of the team. Rumor has it that Caleb might be suffering from a serious disease condition. He however has chosen to be very evasive. The situation has forced Lilly to seek the guidance of the human resource manager. This is a briefing of the situation and the recommendations that Mr. George Chapel should put in place. Introduction Human resource management is a vital tool in any organization. It is one among the various variables within the organization that is known to directly affect all the rest. Other variables within the organization are known to affect each other through a feedback mechanism. With reference to the situation at Catastrophe Concept marketing team, the human resource management has a very big role to play. The overall roles of the human resource management in any organization revolve around the management of the human power. This paper examines the condition at the Catastrophe Concept marketing team. This in is line with the recommendation that the team’s top management should put in place. The implicated case in the above organization points to the conduct of one of the trusted employees. The situation Briefing Following the situation in the marketing department, it has come to my knowledge that the looming crisis is as a result of the conduct of one of our own; Caleb McGuire. The under performance of this department at the moment is as a result of the burden in the work load currently held by the team in this particular department. Following claims of being terminally ill, Mr. McGuire no longer takes up his responsibilities in the marketing department. Most of what was held with him has to be taken up by his colleagues. A number of these colleagues have their own responsibilities as well. In an effort to deliver within the limits of team spirit, a number of duties are not done to the expected standards. The colleagues are under so much pressure from the work load. The team manager Lilly Zheng is so much pressured to cover up for Caleb and at the same time perform her own responsibilities. Caleb on the other hand does not willingly want to disclose the reason as to why he spends the best part of his time on hospital check ups. A number of his colleagues have now come up with the rumor that he might be suffering from a severe infection. The low performance in this department has forced the top management in the customer relations department to caution the marketing department. However the leader of the team is seemingly very fade up with the whole situation and has thus sought for the guidance of the top manager in the human resource department Mr. Chapel. How best the Human resource management can handle the situation. In order to make the most fitting decision, it is vital to ascertain that the human resource management should at all time work towards meeting the objective of the organization. The goal of this department should thus be vested in the development of a perfect correlation between the administration and the well being of the human power. The treatment of employees is an aspect that determines their retention. This is also an aspect that is bound to influence their overall performance (Stone 2008). As a human resource manager, it is expected that good communication ties are maintained with the rest of the employees (Molson 2009). In making any decisions regarding the above situation, there is need to understand the various needs of all the employees implicated in line with their professional goals. Even if the conduct implicated by Mr. McGuire has disrupted a number of functions in the marketing department, the decisions to be made need to be such that can foster positive interaction among all workers(Stone 2008). This is an aspect that will in the long run foster the reconstruction of the disrupted work and at the same time develop a common culture in the organization. It may not be proper to impose on some employees responsibilities that are not truly theirs. Once in a while, an employee can step in for his or her colleague within the limits of team spirit. This does not necessarily mean that it should be done over a very long time frame. Such tendencies can at the same time be very frustrating to whoever is called in to assist on behalf of whoever is missing (Molson 2009). The absenteeism of employees can be owed to a number of genuine reasons. Sickness is an aspect that is common to all people and can thus not be blamed on an individual. From his previous conduct, Mr. McGuire is an employee who has always shown devotion to the success of the marketing department. He might be deeply regretting his inability to effectively perform as a result of his medical condition. The type of disease condition he is suffering from should not be the basis of his victimization. It is more appropriate if the human resource manager sought time and got to talk him. It is not appropriate to work on the basis of rumors. The complexity of his condition is only best known to him and his doctor. It is thus not appropriate for him to be forced to disclose whatever condition it may be. This is for the best interest of the entire team in marketing and the sufferer of the condition. With rumors already spreading and the expressed dislike, Mr. McGuire stands to be heavily stigmatized if his disease condition was made public. Dealing with Mr. McGuire in his diseased condition requires proper psychological handling. The overall stand should be based on his willingness to admit to his inability or ability to further perform the responsibilities he is held with .It is upon the human resource management to foster the interdisciplinary evaluation of its employees (Borade 2009). A good form of management especially with human resource is one that fosters results and not rules. If the results in the performance of an employee are not evident then there is need to raise alarm. It should also be noted that it’s upon the human resource manager to help the various employees in the development of their potential. Employees are to be constantly encouraged to deliver to their best ability. However if at all their ability to do so is compromised, there is need to devise other measures. It is advisable that in upholding the inter disciplinary evaluation of its staff, a number of factors are considered (Molson 2009). The decisions to be made in relation to the inter disciplinary action on its staff should be such that can uphold human dignity. As much as most of his colleagues may seem to be fade up with covering up for him, they stand to be affected in one way or the other with the decision that will be made regarding MR.Giure’s conduct. It is the responsibility of the human resource management to foster the well being of its employees. The decisions made regarding the conduct of its employees should be in line with the outlined ethical regulations of that particular organization. It remains vital that the retention of good employees in any organization is subject to the manner in which their psychological and financial needs are addressed (Shad 2009). The staffing demands and needs of any organization vary with reference to the implicated level of productivity. If an employee is not as productive as expected, the human resource has the power to caution his or her conduct. The productive of an employee can be determined from the evaluation of his performance. It is thus upon the human resource management to evaluate Mr. McGuire’s performance. This is in line with his potential which gives a measure of his ability to perform the responsibility he is held with (Stone 2008). If at all it is obvious that he can no longer perform to the expected standards, then it becomes necessary to terminate his service. This should then be followed by his immediate replacement (Melbourne 2009). Before an employee’s term of service is terminated, there is need to summon him in advance. Since his inability to perform is related to illness, it becomes important for the human resource manager to request for a medical confirmation of his ability to perform. If at all, his medical condition does not in any way hinder his performance then it becomes unethical for him to be dismissed (Melbourne 2009). However if at all the reverse is true, then there is need to involve MR. McGuire in to a friendly conversation that can convince him in to willingly writing a letter of resignation. Willingly stepping down from the previous held position is the most ideal way of handling the inability of an employee to perform. The human resource manager in any organization is the utmost disciplinarian. Disciplinary action should always be taken to enhance the performance of employees. With the delicate nature of the human psychology, the action to be taken should be the most fitting. This is in line with the interests of the organization and the implicated individual. Once an ideal disciplinary action has been arrived at, the work place ethics should be upheld. In this regard, it emerges that Mr. McGuire’s ability to effectively perform is highly compromised. This implies that the best disciplinary action to be taken is leading him in to a one on one conversation. On willingly admitting his ability or inability to further perform a proper judgment should be made. If at all Mr. McGuire admits that he is unable to effectively meet is responsibilities, then there is need for the human resource manager to ask for his resignation. However if at all he in any way admits that he can still perform as expected, then there is need for the human resource to confirm his medical ability to do so. If it emerges that he can still perform with the medical condition then he stands to be cautioned for his previous misconduct. How he admits to his mistakes in the later decision will determine his reinstatement. It remains vital for the human resource manager to evaluate the existing potential in him before making any conclusions especially given the later option. The termination of service for a long serving employee may have very devastating effects on the entire organization. His colleagues may have really pushed to have things change with the stressing conditions but they stand to be greatly affected by the manner implicated in his dismissal. If at all he willingly decides to send a letter of resignation, there is need to psychologically prepare the rest of his team for his permanent departure and his immediate replacement (Dana 2009). With reference to the termination of the service of an employee which should always be done in line with a prior notice, the issue of benefits emerges. As a human resource manager, Mr. Chapel should be aware that employees need to be fully covered of their benefits on terminating their stay at an organization. This should be done irrespective of the terms under which Mr. McGuire may decide to leave the organization. The dismissal of employees at any point should be done in line with both the ethical and legal provisions of that particular organization. The legal provision protects the rights of the employees against any form of violation by his employer. In line with this, it is thus expected that in the event that his service needs to be terminated, he gets a notification in advance (Dana 2009). In line with being notified in advance, his benefits should be fully covered and the reasons for his termination well explained. This is because in the event that his service is terminated and he feels that he is in any way justified to continue with his duties, Mr, McGuire has the right to seek legal action. The type of decisions to be upheld regarding Mr. McGuire’s conduct should be in line with the Expectancy theory in human resource management. This theory explains the need to enhance the motivation of employees. It further explains that the conduct of employees in any work place is a reflection of the availability of alternative choices (Taylor 2008). The choices made by employees at any time according to this theory are geared at reducing pain and increasing pleasure. With a sickly state like that of Mr. McGuire, being at the work place as expected may amount in to more physical discomfort. The theory also relates the ability of the employee to perform with his or her drive to perform the duty. What Lilly Zheng do employees should do regarding their colleague’s misconduct In any organization, employees are supposed to develop both their own career and that of others. This is what the spirit of team work is all about. For employees in the same department like it is the case in the marketing department at the Castrophe Concept Marketing team, a common goal is shared. Such employees should be made to understand what it means to work towards the same goals. However in the event that they are truly under too much strain in an effort to foster the same by covering up for their colleague, it should not be forcedly imposed on them. The spirit of team work is not supposed to amount in to too much strain on the part of others (Taylor 2008). These employees have done their best for the time being by committing themselves to their own responsibilities and to those of their team player. However, they need to understand that sickness is a situation where no human being has control. They should therefore not blame Mr. McGuire for his absenteeism. In the event that he is dismissed either as per his willingness or in line with the decisions of the human resource manager, they should be ready to adapt to any changes. This is of more relevance to the fact that his position may be taken up by some body else. This replacement may be by some one from within the same organization or from outside the organization. They should thus be ready to work with a either a colleague who may be given the position or a new employee who might be recruited to fill the position. Conclusion The situation at the Catastrophe Concept’s Marketing team is bound to negatively impact on the image of the firm. It is not appropriate to overburden employees with responsibilities that are not theirs. Such a situation reduces responsibility and accountability. This is because in the event of any failures in that particular section, accountability is distributed. It is equally straining and most employees are bound not to perform with the expected efficiency with such a situation. It is very vital for an employee to willingly admit his inability to perform his or her duties. Illness is an aspect that is common to all human beings and there is nothing wrong with admitting a disease condition. Mr. McGuire’s conduct needs to be critically evaluated before any decisions are made. It may not be proper to dismiss him on the basis of the rumors that he might be suffering from a very severe infection. Such information should always be regarded as confidential unless the person implicated himself decides to go public. He can only be dismissed if he chooses to willingly resign or the human resource manager finds him unable to perform any further. This should be done ethically in line with the legal provisions regarding his rights as an employee of that firm. 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