Week 6 Case Study
Please read the case and answer the questions relating to the topic. Please prepare a 2 – 3 page summary, fully addressing all of the questions and fully supporting your views with the appropriate references, which should be included via in-text citations and listed on a reference page. Please review and follow the Case Analysis Guidelines J. The assignment should be submitted as an MS Word document. Mary has been with the organization for 14 years. She used to be a star performer, but now she barely keeps up with production quotas – and her re-work numbers are on the rise. Besides her production going downhill, she is sullen and argumentative. Last week, she got into a real tangle with Jack, and they both got written warnings with one-day suspensions. This morning, she flew into a rage when Holly misplaced one of the hand tools. The production supervisor says he’s just disgusted with the whole thing and is meeting with Mary this afternoon. It looks like Mary may be on her way out the door (p. 21).
- Describe the factors that should be examined before firing Mary.
- Assess what employment laws may be relevant in this situation.
- Recommend actions that might avoid Mary’s termination and improve the situation.
Week 6 Case Study
Question 1
Various factors should be examined before firing Mary. The organization must see the previous work of Mary that she has done before firing her. The department should also understand that if one department’s workload is declining, another sector of the company will need additional assistance. According to the company’s viewpoint, it is cost-effective to retrain the employee in a new job rather than wasting the investment of a fully qualified employee. The other factor that can be considered before firing Mary is to see the actual issues that are taking place or that she is facing.
The company must find the actual reason for the knowledge in the production and try to provide the solution rather than just finding her. The company must provide more training to Mary than firing her because she is an experienced employee. It is better to provide her training rather than fire her because if new employees come to her position, then the training is also provided to that person, and with that, more time will take for the person to understand the work. Proper communication should be done with Mary, and try to understand the issues or problems she faces at work (Lee & Brown, 2018, p.45).
Effective communication helps to solve significant problems in the organization as employee happiness, motivation, and productivity are all dependent on it. A positive environment should be created where Mary can express the issues she is facing at work. As Mary was the star performer before, it will be advantageous for the company to retain the old employees rather than replace them as the old employees have more experience and know how to handle a difficult situation. In contrast, new make takes time to get stability in the organization.
In this situation, the employment-at-will law could be applicable. Jobs became at-will in the absence of an employment contract. There will be a consensual agreement that is permitted by either party to end employment at any time consensual. Here the employees have the right to quit their workplaces anytime it feel, and the employer or boss can also terminate or fire the employees if there is no improvement at work after proper training and communication. If the employees are terminated involuntarily, then there are chances to issue a suit against the company (Rubenstein et al. 2019, p.345). If a person believes they were fired unfairly, they will file a lawsuit with the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Ensure that any warnings and other supporting documents, such as complaints from other staff, are duly documented. Organizations need a confidential briefing to explain why their job has been terminated. But after implementing the tips and providing all the new things, hands changes, but the result or the outcome is the same, then it will help the employer defend against any lawsuits.
Various activities can be taken to avoid Mary’s termination and improve the situation. Since Mary has been with the company for 14 years, it is essential to remember that she has a proven record of being a reliable employee. She might be concerned with a problem that isn’t work-related or is dealing with a work-related issue. If Mary’s issue is personal rather than work, then the proper assistance should be provided to her within the given time (Rubenstein et al. 2019, p.345). Before taking any decision related to her firing, her concerns and the issue should be listed, and the chances are given to her for improvement. Mary can be spoken to about performance management plans and therapy documentation.
If the problem is work-related, Mary’s problem must be considered, and action must be taken to resolve the problem. While terminating Mary, the employer should guarantee that they have provided all the proper information and training so that Mary can improve the quality of the work. However, if it still does not help, they decide to terminate the employee as they had done everything for the performance’s informant of Mary. The company can also give some time to help her by communicating the issues and providing her with a positive environment to motivate their work.
References
Lee, J. A., & Brown, R. G. (2018). Hiring, firing, and promoting. In Homosexual issues in the workplace (pp. 45-62). Taylor & Francis.
Rubenstein, A. L., Kammeyer‐Mueller, J. D., Wang, M., & Thundiyil, T. G. (2019). “Embedded” at hire? Predicting the voluntary and involuntary turnover of new employees. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 40(3), 342-359.
Rubenstein, A. L., Kammeyer‐Mueller, J. D., Wang, M., & Thundiyil, T. G. (2019). “Embedded” at hire? Predicting the voluntary and involuntary turnover of new employees. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 40(3), 342-359.
