Emmett Brewer University of The Virgin Islands Business School MGT 3420 Professor Cynthia A. Thompson August 29, 2023 Assignment 4.1 The Flood The aftermath of Hurricane Maria posed significant challenges for the Optima Air Filter Company. “The Flood” examines how the lack of formal job descriptions exacerbated the crisis and hampered its ability to onboard new employees and meet customer demands in the wake of Hurricane Maria. The situation came to a head when customers grew impatient as the newly onboarded employees were unable to meet the demand for Optima’s air filters. Optima's President, Phil Mann, became the focal point of disputes over job roles among long-standing employees (“old-timers”) and the immediate needs to fulfill customer orders. Linda Lowe was enlisted to quickly implement job analysis procedures to maximize efficiency and streamline operations. This paper aims to address the two main dilemmas: how to reconcile the dispute among long standing employees, and the proper method to conduct a job analysis. Regardless of whether the old timers were exaggerating experience or not, ignoring the "oldtimers" would undermine the goal of the operation which is to meet customer demand. Currently the old timers are your most important asset. Elevating them to leadership roles and developing a uniform onboarding process is crucial to the continued operations of Optima. While their claims may seem exaggerated to management, the nuanced tasks and responsibilities may be crucial to job performance. Dismissing seasoned employees' inputs in defining roles would result in an ineffective job analysis and possible attrition among long time employees. This would leave Optima in shambles with no way to fulfill demand. Conducting structured interviews alongside written questionnaires would be a great way to start capture the complexity of roles. Following interviews, Phil, and Linda, should start job shadowing to gain a better understanding of employee’s responsibilities. During the analysis Phil Mann should create a short-term onboarding program based on preliminary job descriptions to meet pressing customer demands. This onboarding program shall be treated as a living document that will evolve overtime as they accumulate insights. Transparent communication channels should be established to leverage insights for the seamless integration of new hires moving forward. Lastly, developing a robust disaster recovery and business continuity plan is necessary to ensure continued operations moving forward. In the event old timers are still not satisfied with managements efforts, implementing third-party mediation will provide an impartial assessment of the situation. In conclusion, the predicament faced by Optima Air Filter Company following Hurricane Maria underscores the critical importance of well-defined job roles and effective job analysis. The case demonstrates that, especially during crises, long-standing employees can be invaluable assets, offering nuanced insights into specialized roles that are integral to maintaining operational efficiency. To harness this expertise and resolve internal disputes, it is vital to engage in structured interviews, job shadowing, and, if necessary, third-party mediation. Furthermore, as a proactive measure, the development of a short-term onboarding program and a robust disaster recovery plan cannot be overstated. These should be treated as evolving blueprints, adaptable to the complex and dynamic nature of business operations. By adopting a multi-pronged approach, not only can the current crisis be mitigated, but the company can also protect itself from future uncertainties. References Thomas, J. C. (2010). Task Analysis, job analysis and Job Modeling. Specialty Competencies in Organizational and Business Consulting Psychology, 32–43. https://doi.org/10.1093/med:psych/9780195385496.003.0004 Harris, L. (2007). Job description, performance appraisal, Job Evaluation, and Job Design. Job and Work ANALYSIS: Methods, Research, and Applications for Human Resource Management, 177–216. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483329505.n7 Markwell, S. (2021). Essential tools and resources for Business Continuity Planning. Business Continuity Planning, 179–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-813844-1.09995-4
