Continuing Case: The carter cleaning company: the high performance work system1.Would you
recommend that the company expand its quality program? If so, specifically what form should it
take? Ans: Most students will agree that there are opportunities to expand the quality program. The
employee meeting approach is a good start in terms of utilizing high involvement organizational
practices. There are opportunities to maximize the overall quality of their human capital. For
example, training seems to be an obvious area to focus in terms of educating and building
awareness about basic standards and procedures. 2. Assume the company wants to institute a high
performance work system as a test program in one of its stores. Write a one-page outline
summarizing what such a program would consist of. Ans: Students should include some of the
following ideas in their outline: Identify the types of HR practices it would implement to improve
quality, productivity, financial performance; methods for job enrichment; strategies for implement
and leverage a team- based organization; ways to implement and facilitate high commitment work
practices; employee development and skill building to foster increased competency and capability in
the workforce; a compensation program which provides incentives (for example profit sharing; pay
for performance) for achieving major goals and financial targets. Chapter 4: Job Analysis Continuing
Case: The carter cleaning company: The job description1. What should be the format and final form
of the store ŵaŶager’s joď desĐriptioŶ? Ans: The format noted in figure 4-6 could be a reasonable
format to use. Students may recommend that Jen should iŶĐlude a ͞staŶdards of perforŵaŶĐe͟
seĐtioŶ iŶ the joď desĐriptioŶ. This lists the staŶdards the emploLJee is edžpeĐted to aĐhieǀe uŶder
eaĐh of the joď desĐriptioŶ’s ŵaiŶ duties aŶd respoŶsiďilities, and would address the problem of
employees not understanding company policies, procedures, and expectations. In addition, students
may recommend that Jennifer instead take a competency-based approach which describes the job in
terms of the measurable, observable, behavioral competencies that aŶ eŵploLJee doiŶg that joď
ŵust edžhiďit. BeĐause ĐoŵpeteŶĐLJ aŶalLJsis foĐuses ŵore oŶ ͞hoǁ͟ the ǁorker ŵeets the joď’s
oďjectives or actually accomplishes the work, it is more worker focused. 2. Was it practical to specify
standards and procedures in the body of the job description, or should these be kept separately?
Ans: They do not need to be kept separately, and in fact both Jen and the employees would be
better served by incorporating standards and procedures into the body of the description. The
exception to this would be if the standards and procedures are so complex or involved that it
becomes more pragmatic to maintain a separate procedure manual. 3.How should Jen go about
collecting the information required for the standards, procedures, and job description? Ans: She
should first go about conducting the job analysis, collecting information about the work activities,
human behaviors, machines, tools, equipment, and work aids, performance standards, job context,
and human requirements. The best methods for collecting this information in this case are through
interview, questionnaires, observation, diaries/logs maintained by employees. In addition, she
should ensure that she is identifying the essential functions of the job, and that the descriptions
comply with the law. Chapter 5: Human resource planning and recruitingContinuing Case: The carter
cleaning company: Getting better applicants1. First, how would you recommend we go about
reducing the turnover in our stores? Ans: The students should base their responses on the
information presented in the advertisingsection of the chapter, and their response should include
placing and constructing ads that willattract candidates who will find the job attractive. Or Jennifer
can do a quick analysis on what it costs her to recruit and train a new employee(including the cost of
lower productivity as a person learns a new job). Every reduction inemployee turnover can be
translated to dollars. In fact, Jennifer can improve workingconditions without any change in her
profit if she pays for improvements from savings inemployee turnover costs. The best source of
ideas from improvement may come from exitinterviews (what would we have done to our work
environment that would have made youmore likely to stay?), and from existing employees. Students
are also likely to suggest some of the following; air-conditioned work space, more employees (so
workers work fewer hours),longer or more frequent breaks. Other students will consider more
complicate solutions like job rotation. Still others might suggest the use of deferred compensation or
profit sharing tokeep employees a full year (e.g., $8.50 per hour, $7.50 now, one dollar per hour paid
at year end to the remaining employees). 2.Provide a detailed list of recommendations concerning
how we should go aboutincreasing our pool of acceptable job applicants, so we no longer have to
hire almostanyone who walks in the door. (Your recommendations regarding the latter
shouldinclude completely worded advertisements and recommendations regarding any
otherrecruiting strategies you would suggest we use.) Ans: The students should review the section
on external sources of candidates, and their responses should include advertising and the possible
use of employment and/or temp agencies. OrSpecifically, my recommendations should include: a.
Completely worded classified ads. Students will vary in their creative approaches. Agood teaching
method is to have them email their ads to each other and have thestudents rank order which ad
they would apply to. Determine what made the adattractive and ask the other students to modify
the ad according to what they justlearned. b. Recommendations concerning any other recruiting
strategies you suggest they use. Students will offer a wide variety of suggestions. Among the likely
responses are: radioads, flyers/handbills, and direct mail to former employees (we miss you—maybe
thegrass didŶ’t turŶ out to be greener on the other side). Some students will consider
targetmarketing. For example, Jennifer could re-engineer the job to fewer hours and recruit part
time workers, greatly increasing the pool of potential employees. Chapter 6: Employee testing and
selectionContinuing Case: The carter cleaning company: Honesty testing Jennifer and her father are
considering methods for screening applicants for their dry cleaning business. In particular, the Carter
management team is considering honesty tests, especially for employees who handle cash. 3.What
ǁould ďe the adǀaŶtages aŶd disadǀaŶtages to JeŶŶifer’s ĐoŵpaŶLJ of routiŶelLJadŵiŶisteriŶg honest
tests to all its employees?Ans: Polygraph testing raises a large number of legal and moral issues;
issues Carter Cleaning would best aǀoid. Use soŵe of the aǀailaďle ͞paper aŶd peŶĐil͟ hoŶestLJ tests
ŵaLJ ďe a possiďilitLJ. IŶ geŶeral, these have been shown to be reasonably reliable and valid.They
are still controversial. The costs associated with these tests ŵaLJ also ŵake theŵ prohiďitiǀe to a
sŵall operatioŶ like JeŶŶifer’s. 4.Specifically, what other screening techniques could the company
use to screen outtheft-prone employees? How exactly could these techniques be used?Ans: More
thorough make background checks are a recommend technique to eliminate potential thieves. Some
firms chose to contract this out to a private security agency (Costmay be an issue to Jennifer.
However, the company can quickly check to see if savingsfrom reduced theft would offset the cost of
an outside agency. As part of the job preview,Carter must communicate that jobs in her company
are worth keeping; dishonesty and theftwill not be tolerated. Further company policies regarding
theft should be clearlycommunicated to new and existing employees. 5.How should her company
terminate employees caught stealing and what kind of procedure should be set up for handling
reference calls about these employees whenthey go to other companies looking for jobs?Ans:
Terminating employees for theft should include the involvement of proper authoritiesand should
only be done when there is absolute proof of the theft and who committed it.Such an action will also
send a message to the other employees that you will not toleratetheft of company resources . While
many employers are reluctant to prosecute employeesfor theft , developing evidence with police
and through the courts can be beneficial in providing future employers of the individual with truthful
and factual information. Chapter 7: Interviewing CandidatesContinuing Case: The carter cleaning
company: The better interview 1. In general, what can Jen do to improve her employee interviewing
practices?Should she develop interview forms that list questions for management and
nonmanagement jobs, and if so what form should these take and what questionsshould be
included? Should she initiate a computer-based interview approach,and if so why and specifically,
how? Ans: The company has an inadequate, unstructured way of interviewing and hiring..One
solution students could suggest is to utilize a structured interview guide as a toolthat managers
could use to improve their interviewing practices. Have students brainstorm a list of questions to be
included in the structured interview guide. Acomputer-based approach is also a possibility, students
should explore the pros andcons of this given the nature of the organization and weigh the
cost/benefit of utilizationof this technology. 2. If she implements a training program for her
managers, and if so, specificallywhat should be the content of such an interview training program? In
otherwords, if she did decide to start training her management people to be betterinterviewers,
what should she tell them and how should she tell it to them? Ans: The obvious answer to this
question is yes, a training program should be designedand delivered. Students should include
suggestions from the section on designing andconducting interview effective interviews, including
training in preparation, utilizationof a structured interview process, and interviewing techniques
discussed in this chapter.She should educate managers in the potential pitfalls that come up in the
interviewing process as outlined in the text, and provide opportunity for practice with mock
interviews in the training session so that managers get an opportunity to use the skillsthey learn and
become comfortable with the process. Chapter 8: Training and Developing EmployeesContinuing
Case: The carter cleaning company: The new Training program 1. Specifically, what should the
company cover in its new employee orientationprogram, and how should it convey this information?
Ans: The students should refer to the orientation checklist in Figure 7.1 and the sectionon orienting
employees in the chapter. 2. In the HR management course Jen took, the book suggested using a
task analysisrecord form to identify tasks perforŵed ďLJ aŶ eŵploLJee. “hould ǁe use a forŵlike this
for the ĐouŶterpersoŶ’s joď, aŶd if so what would the filled-in form look like? Ans: The students
should refer to the section on the training needs of new employees.This section discusses a task
analysis form, which includes: task analysis record formcan also be used. It contains the following
information: task list; when and how often performed; quantity, quality performance standards;
conditions under which performed;skills or knowledge required; and where best learned (refer them
to Table 8.1). 3. Which specific training techniques should the company use to train its
pressers,cleaner-spotters, managers, and counterpeople, and why? Ans: The students should review
the training techniques discussed in chapter andconduct research on the Internet to review the
various training resources offered for each of these positions. Chapter 9: Performance Management
And AppraisalContinuing Case: The carter cleaning company: The Performance Appraisal 1. Is Jen
right about the need to evaluate the workers formally? The managers?Why or why not? Ans: Based
on the information presented in the chapter, the students need to determineif the workers and
managers should be evaluated formally or informally, and the needto provided reasons for their
decision. 2. Develop a performance appraisal method for the workers and managers in eachstore.
Ans: The students need to be familiar with different appraisal methods discussed in thechapter. They
should use the sample appraisal forms given in the chapter as guides. Chapter 10: Managing
CareersContinuing Case: The carter cleaning company: The Career Planning program1.What will be
the advantages to the company of setting up such a career planningprogram? Ans: Some examples
of the advantages of setting up a career planning program for employees include: increasing their
job satisfaction, helping them navigate through thecompany, and helping them think about and plan
their careers. 2.Who should participate in the program, and why? All employees?
Selectedemployees? Ans: Students should justify why they think certain employees should or should
not participate in the program. 3. Outline and describe the program you would propose for the
cleaners, pressers,counterpeople and managers at the company . Ans: Based on the career planning
activities discussed in the chapter, students shoulddesign a tailored career planning and
development program for the employees. Chapter 12: Pay for Performance And Financial
IncentivesContinuing Case: The carter cleaning company: The Incentive Plan 1. Should this plan in its
present form be extended to pressers in the other stores? Ans: No, not in its present form. While the
piece-rate plaŶ does ŵake ŵore effeĐtiǀeuse of WaŶ’s tiŵe aŶd save the company energy money,
the quality control issue is a problem. There needs to be an included incentive for quality. 3. Should
other employees (cleaner-spotters, counter people) be put on a similarplan? Why? Why not? If so,
how, exactly? Ans: It makes sense for some positions but not for others. Cleaner-spotters are
production employees who could also benefits from a similar plan. It would have tohave a quality
incentive that makes sure they actually get the garments cleanedcorrectly! An incentive plan that
focuses on customer satisfaction makes more sensefor the counter people. 4.Is there another
incentive plan you think that may work better for the pressers?Ans: Some ideas might include
combination plans (salary plus piece-rate), profit-sharing, or merit pay (higher pay for those who
produce more. 5. A store ŵaŶager’s joď is to keep total ǁages to Ŷo ŵore thaŶ 30% of sales aŶd
toŵaiŶtaiŶ the fuel ďill and the supply bill at about 9% of sales each. Managers canalso directly affect
sales by ensuring courteous customer service and by ensuringthat the work is done properly. What
suggestions will you make to the companyfor an incentive plan for store managers? Ans: Profitsharing, gainsharing, performance plans, annual bonus, recognition, andmerit pay are all options.
Chapter 13: Benefits And ServicesContinuing Case: The carter cleaning company: The New Benefit
Plan 1. Draw up a policy statement regarding vacations, sick leave, and paid days off forthe
company. Ans: The students are likely to create different policy statements, which will reflecttheir
different preferences for benefits. You should get the students to discuss howLearnInMotion.com
might allow for flexibility in their pay for time not worked. 2. What would you tell Jen are the
advantages and disadvantages to the company of providing its employees with health,
hospitalization, and life insurance programs?Ans: The student should refer to the hospitalization,
medical, and disability insurancesection of the chapter to develop their lists of advantages and
disadvantages. 3. Would LJou adǀise estaďlishiŶg soŵe tLJpe of daLJ Đare ĐeŶter for the
ĐoŵpaŶLJ’seŵploLJees? WhLJ or ǁhLJ not? Ans: A better approach for a small company such as KK
Laundry would be to locate alicensed day care provider that would be willing to give a discount to
the employees.From that starting point, the company could then consider whether to
subsidizechildcare. Chapter 15: Labor Relations And Collective BergainingContinuing Case: The carter
cleaning company: The Grievance1.Do you think it is important for the company to have a formal
grievance process?Why or why not? Ans: Certainly it is important for many reasons. First, it is
important from a standpointof justice and fair treatment. Second, the lack of justice and fair
treatment is a primecatalyst for union activity. 2. Based on what you know about the company,
outline the steps in what you think would be the ideal grievance process for this company. Ans:
Because it is a small company, it should be simple and short. One suggestion is atwo-step process
that begins with a written appeal to the store manager. The secondstep is to send that appeal to Jen
and her father for review. 3. In addition to the grievance process, can you think anything else that
the companymight make sure that grievances and gripes like this one expressed and also getheard
by top management? Ans: The grievance procedure is critical. Students may identify many things
from the previous Đhapter’s sections on justice and fair treatment.