ON EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE – AN EMPLOYEE COMMITTED A MAJOR OFFENSE

ON EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE – AN EMPLOYEE COMMITTED A MAJOR OFFENSE

Case: A trusted and talented architect of a company had a violation of dishonesty. The violation is punishable with dismissal as per Employee handbook, under Employee Discipline. The said employee is already regular and had been with the company for 10 years. His position cannot be filled-in right away since there is a rarity of Architects in the country. Besides there is an ongoing projects that need to be finished on a specified deadline. Would you imposed or would you consider giving him a second chance?

Giving second chances to employees who have committed a major offense, if improperly handled, may lead to demoralization of the others who have doing good all throughout their employment. Hence, HR people must have to careful on cases like these.

It is such a sensitive issue and must consider many things legal and documented before going the revert of what was already written in the Employee Handbook. Yes, the dilemma is : this Employee has to be dismissed because of dishonesty but it will  be hard to replace him and an ongoing projects have to be finished soon otherwise it may lead to company losses because of lack of qualified manpower.

Some factors that maybe used for reconsideration are following:

1.      The case does not have a strong documentary evidence to substantiate testimonial evidences;

2.    The offense committed did not lead to substantial losses or damage to life or property . DOLE use this sometimes although subjective in nature.

3.    Check the 201 file records of said employee. If it is not so bad, then maybe worth to add as a point in reconsideration case.

Please note that in giving reconsideration as part of Employee Discipline, the whole part of the Committee has to joint force in arriving to a sound decision. Make sure to gather all evidences which places the employee to that Personnel Decision. Also, giving reconsideration doesn't mean not giving the concerned empoyee any punishment. It may just lead to a lighter punishment such as suspension with stern warning of having the second and last chance.

JOB ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

1. You have been hired as an I/O Consultant by a young, growing software development company, Gotham Software, Inc.  The company started five years ago and has now grown to 50 employees.  The CEO (chief executive officer) has shared with you that the company has outdated job descriptions that are inaccurate and would like to develop realistic job descriptions.  You advise the CEO that your recommendation is to begin with a job analysis for  each position.  The CEO responds, “I’ve never heard of a job analysis.  What is it and what is the job analysis used for?”  Write your reply.

Job Analysis is a way of understanding the task of each employee in order to

identify the KSAOs ( Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics )

or the major job requirements in order to perform the job. It is always

necessary for an organization to identify the required KSAO for a certain job

in order to have an effective employee. An effective employee is one who

can perform the job well because he has the right skills and knowledge to go

through it. Another use of Job Analysis is to determine the KSAO of

employees that needs to be developed in order become more effective in

their jobs.

Through job analysis, a job description is formed to be the basis in the

selection of the right candidate. One can be able to determine whether the

KSAO that a new employee can bring to the company is already enough to

effectively handle the new job. This is where the training part intervenes.

Selection and Training fit together. While it is clear that a new employee

already possessed the KSAO, training could help in further enhancing it. 

2. Congratulations!  Your job analysis was so successful for Gotham
Software that you have been retained for another project.  Currently,the company has no formal performance appraisal/evaluation systembut would like to implement one.  The CEO wonders if a performanceappraisal system is worth the effort.  As an I/O Psychologist, you replythat there are numerous advantages and uses for an effectiveperformance appraisal system.  The CEO states, “I’d like you to putthat in writing for me.”  You share with the CEO that you will provide a
written executive summary detailing the uses and benefits of a
performance appraisal system.  Write your response.

Performance Appraisal is also one of the most important activities in an

organization. Its uses are summarized below:

1.   For Personnel Decisions – it is used as the basis in every personnel

decision like promotion, demotion, transfer, increase in salary or

whatever employee decisions that an employer wants to make. In

effect, all personnel decisions are being done on the basis of the data

produced through an appraisal system in the organization.

2.   For Developmental Purposes – In every performance rating period or

Appraisal period, both strengths and weaknesses of an employee being 

appraised are discussed with them, individually, in order to let them

To know on which areas they are doing well and in which areas they

need to improve more. In effect, when employees do better in their

jobs the organization will benefit more. Hence, performance appraisal

makes the employees perform better.

3.   For Documentation – Performance Appraisal Data when used as the

basis in every Personnel Movement or Decisions makes it safer for the

company not to be sued. 

Quantitative and Qualitative Research

One of my clients in freelance HR work gave me this questions on Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods. These topics are said to be useful when one is making a study related to Industrial and Organizational Behavior.

1.           Compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.

a.       What are the distinguishing features of each approach?

Quantitative approach is that method that can be directly measured. Results

in this kind of method is easier to get and more identifiable as it deals

directly with numbers or statistics.

Data gathering is based on figures gathered. It uses questionnaires, surveys,

and other measurable data as tools in getting the result.  As discussed in

Chapter 4, refer to measures that can be more directly tapped with less

likelihood of subjective biases such as total expenses, total number of sales,

accident rate, etc.. Since it gives a definite number result,

quantitative approach is objective in nature.

On the other hand, Qualitative approach is more complex in nature. It does

not deal with numbers or as to how many respondents. It deals on how the

respondents reacted or behaved in a stimulus. It gives a description of the

behavior. It deals more on verbal data instead of numbers. In qualitative

approach, the researcher himself is the primary instrument in conducting the

research. He adapts a data-gathering strategies such as interviews, essay,

narrative and documentary analysis.

b. Discuss the benefits and limitations of each approach.

    Benefits of Qualitative Research Method – One of the prevailing

benefits of qualitative approach is that is answers the how and why and it

can be used in situations where there are no data available. There is also a

detailed information when it comes to data collection because here, the

researcher has to record every reaction of the subjects of research.

It also leaves the participants’ perspective unchanged. The research is as

inclusive as possible because it gives the participants the chance to explain

about their behavior. The researcher himself learns as the process of

research goes because he has to understand the culture of the participants.

Limitations of Qualitative Research Method – As mentioned earlier, the

primary limitation of this method is that the researcher might become biased

When it comes to the interpretation of the data gathered. The researcher

may tend to give his interpretation based on his own point of view. And

since there are no statistical data , it cannot be verified objectively.

Benefits of Quantitative Research Method – This method is easier and

more reliable since data gathering is through numbers and it can be

measured statistically. In that case too, it can be verified objectively.

Limitations of Quantitative Research Method – the use of statistical

Analyses are quite difficult and might make the Analyses complex if

researcher is not careful. It also removes population behavior out of context

which makes it impossible in real setting. 

Who Moved My Cheese?

I am a Psychology graduate and loves to read motivational books. The last book I've read, was " Who Moved my Cheese?" by Dr. Spencer Johnson. It's a story about the two mice : Sniff and Scurry: and two little people " Hem and Haw." These four characters although they think differently, they share and do one common thing every day. They search for cheese by running around a maze. The cheese will make these four characters happy. Although the way around the maze are full of dark corners and blind alleys that one could easily get lost, these four characters were able to reach cheese station C - WITH A LOT OF CHEESE.
But just like in our everyday true to life stories, not all situations remain constant. Sometimes we are happy and at other times, we feel sad due to changes in situation. Cheese in Station C has gone. Different reactions prevailed from 4 characters. Sniff and Scurry were a simple thinker. They don’t react in a complex manner. They knew and had noticed that day by day the cheese that they’ve found were slowly decreasing and that someday it will be gone. And so they were not surprised anymore when that happened. They simply decided to go back running in the maze and look for another cheese. For them, life must go on. While the other two characters found it hard to let go of Station C when they heard that there’s no more cheese. For them , that place is very important because they worked hard to find that cheese. They can’t let go and ‘hope that in the coming day cheese will be visible again in the same place where they have initially found it. It’s good that Haw after sometime, has realized the need to let go of that place and started his journey again to look for another cheese. Finally he found Sniffy and Scurry at Station N, already enjoying the cheese. Haw realized his mistakes and has learned a lot from it and he hoped that his friend Hem, will soon learn to let go and start to accept change and move on from there.
This story “ Who Moved my Cheese” has a great impact in my life… particularly in my career.

Sorry dear readers but I have to park up my pen for awhile and instead concentrate on the morals of the story. Hr practitioners love to think for awhile. The story has changed my way of thinking. I saw and understand how the mice works in the story and here I am, decided – to borrow their ideas and move forward. Instead of staying stuck and ask “Who moved my cheese?” I would rather say, I’ll go and find another!”

THE FIRST TIME HR MANAGER OF A COMPANY

Rachelle is a dedicated worker of Company A. She has been working there for almost 17 years. She’s 39 years old, started as an HR Assistant and has managed to rise from the rank. The last position she held was as Senior HR Officer.

After many years of hard work and self-discipline, Rachelle has finally decided to leave her present company and accepted a job offer from an established yet a company with a chaotic HR environment. There were HR issues that are unresolved such as SSS payments, payroll discrepancies, unequal salary range, employee disputes and dissatisfaction.

Rachelle is ready to take all these challenges just for the sake of getting her long been ambition. That is to become an HR MANAGER.

First time to become an HR Manager in a company that has no HR Department for a long time. What should she do in her first 30 days in that new job?

·        Conduct an audit on existing HR Practices because for sure they have it even though they don’t have the HR Manager. Ask and interview the present HR staff or anyone who does the HR works even in the absence of the HR Manager. Gather information on how they do things at present, the Recruitment process, Payroll flowchart, etc.

·        Know, analyze and assess internal environment. Check employees’ 201 files including the assigned job description and position titles. Document everything that has been gathered.

·        Discuss everything with the management and with the people as well. A first time HR Manager should show an image of being a good communicator with credibility in the flow of information.

·        Address and take action on what has to be resolved immediately. There would be various issues but always bear in mind that in every problem there is a resolution...at some point in time. So determine what is it that has to be done in quick action.

·        Finalize the company policies and employee handouts. Everything that has been changed from the old practice has to be documented and relayed to the employees. Any appeal on the changes made has to be appreciated, studied and take action on.

Always remember that challenges are there to test proof your abilities, upgrade your knowledge and experiences more so, to make you a Successful New HR Manager.