Case analysis – Group 1 Performance and Skills Not as Advertised

Situation:
You are a head of a finance department in a government agency. The department consists of 10
employees. In addition to your regular departmental duties, you are responsible for hiring,
disciplining, training, and ensuring compliance of the employees who work for your department.
Your previous experience has included being a director over several different departments, some
small and some quite large, compared with the department you currently manage. The
government agency you work for has over 1,000 employees and is responsible for a variety of
tasks that support the local community. You now have a budget to hire a new certified public
accountant (CPA) in your department and to advertise the position in the newspaper and with the
government’s web site. After interviewing several candidates, you have decided to hire Mr. Esin,
who did very good in the interview and appears to have the correct skill sets you need for the
operations of your department.
1. How many different ways can you test for the appropriate skills that were advertised for the
position?
Testing is a very important part of an employer’s selection process. Employers do not use test
only to find the good employees, but also to eliminate the bad ones. Testing can be done in many
different ways – via paper and pencil, computer or online. Tests can be classified according to
whether they measure cognitive abilities (e.g. IQ Tests and Aptitude Tests), motor and physical
abilities (e.g. typing speed test since he might be working with accounting computer software),
personality and interests (measure the attitude, motivation and especially temperament of the
applicant which often correlate with job performance) or achievement (measure the job
knowledge in business related areas specially accounting). Additionally, work samples and
simulations will also be effective forms of tests for the appropriate skills which measure job
performance directly. In these tests, the applicants are presented with situations related to the
job they are applying for. Their responses will then be evaluated. Whatever the type of test is
used, it is important to observe its validity and reliability.
2. What types of questions should be asked of potential applicants to ensure that they are a good
fit with the organization?
Interviews are vital in obtaining supplement information of the applicant that will be needed in
selection process. Thus, good questions must be used to get the right information. I will have to
say that structured interview will be used in which interviewers will generally ask the same
questions to all applicants. Therefore, the said interview is reliable and valid. Moreover, the
interviewer will prepare situational, behavioral, and job-related questions in advance. Questions
like “How would you act if your superior keeps returning your report because this does not
satisfy him?”, “Suppose your manager ordered you to manipulate certain accounting records,
what would you do?”
3. Should any other methods be used to determine whether or not an applicant will be able to
perform the job as advertised or learn the skills on the job?
Certainly, yes! Other than the various types of test that the HR can administer, background
investigations, reference check, physical examination, googling or checking social networking
sites, and even honesty testing are helpful in identifying the viable candidates. It is important to
check backgrounds to verify the applicant’s information and to find out damaging information
which can eventually affect the company.
Mr. Esin countered the first offer with a request for more salary. You are convinced that this
individual is the correct person for the position, and you are able to get an increase of salary in
the job offer to Mr. Esin. Hiring this individual took more than two months of your time and
considerable efforts and political resources to justify his salary to your superiors.
1. Should you have sought more money for offer to Mr. Esin, or should you have kept the
position open for another suitable applicant?
I would take Mr. Esin and his salary request. Besides what my instinct tells me that he is the
correct person for the position, I would be able to get the increase to Mr. Esin. So why keep the
position open for another suitable applicant. After all, it is the time I would be wasting.
Moreover, human capital is an investment. If Mr. Esin is the right person for the position, then I
would take the risk.
Although Mr. Esin is a CPA and had the proper credentials on his resume, his performance on
the job has been below the levels that you expected. In addition, there have been indications that
Mr. Esin is causing difficulties with other staff members (rude comments about their
intelligence, age, etc.). Mr. Esin has now been employed for more than four months and his
probationary period will end inanother two months, after which taking strong disciplinary action
or terminating him will become a much more difficult and lengthy process.
1. What action do you take?
2. What consequences could this action result in?
3. How will your superiors react to your actions?
4. How will your staff react to your actions?

Case analysis- Group 2 Contending with Employee Reliability

Situation:
You are the Chief of a big private hospital in Southern Leyte that has more than 1,000
employees. The hospital is designated as a trauma center, and includes an emergency room, a
heart surgery center, and a neonatal unit. Your organization has been struggling with the results
of medical accidents that have occurred during your watch. These incidents have damaged the
reputation of the hospital and morale among the allied health staff, nurses, and doctors. Your
employees work in shifts, and the hospital is struggling to keep its doors open. One particular
department maintains the minimum number of four employees for the second shift. Lately, two
of the second shift employees have been arriving to work late and leaving work early. This
leaves their shift understaffed during crucial turnover periods and reduces the effectiveness of
the department. The manager who oversees this department has taken little or no corrective
action, and the other employees are becoming hopeless over the issue.
1. As chief, what actions do you take?
2. What are the consequences of your actions?
You terminate one of the employees and counsel the other employee regarding what is
acceptable behavior and performance on the job. However, you still have to deal with the
department manager’s inaction regarding this issue. The department manager, Mindy, typically
does an exemplary job of keeping her department in compliance with the various regulations and
has a great deal of experience. Mindy tends to stumble when she has to contend with difficult
personnel matters and discipline issues.
1. How do you deal with Mindy?
2. What are the consequences or possible benefits from such actions?
Mindy has had additional issues with one employee, Ellen. Ellen was on the third shift; she
arrived to work on time, performed her tasks well, and had littleinteraction with other people.
After you terminated the troublesome employee, Mindy moved Ellen to the second shift.
Although Ellen continued to perform her job well, she has become increasingly combative with
other employees. In addition, you have learned that Ellen is threatening to sue the hospital if
disciplinary action is taken against her, claiming status under Persons with Disabilities Act.
Mindy has written warnings against Ellen and has documented her behavior numerous times, but
this action has had little effect.
1. What actions should you take with regard to Mindy’s management of the department?
2. What actions should you take against Ellen at this point in time?
3. Is there any way you can protect the hospital against being sued and still take action against
Ellen?
Your best medical technologist, Sharon, worked on the second shift with Ellen but has now
resigned from the hospital to work elsewhere. Sharon was frustrated that Mindy would not
transfer her to another shift. You have learned that Sharon repeatedly asked Mindy to take action
against Ellen, but Mindy did nothing.
1. What can you do to hire and retain a medical technologist on the second shift?
2. What will be your evaluation of Mindy’s performance?