Organizational Behaviour Assignment
Tom Daily- PT3350 – Assignment 1
Chapter 1 Case Incident: How a UPS Manager Cut Turnover
1. In dollars-and-cents’ terms, why did Katriona Roeder want to reduce turnover?
Katriona Roeder wanted to reduce turnover because she knew her annual savings would increase due to lower hiring costs. She was responsible for $255 million in revenue, yet her part-time employees had a turnover rate of 50% per year. She was well aware that fixing this issue would most definitely lead to more productivity and less costs.
2. What are the implications from this case for motivating part-time employees?
The implications to motivate would be to make the building more user-friendly, more guidance and training for new hires. Katriona was aware that most part-time workers ended up having full-time positions, as well as becoming executives; therefore motivating these workers was a must.
3. What are the implications from this case for managing in future years when there may be a severe labour shortage?
This improved turnover rate will benefit the company in the future if there is a labour shortage because they will have many part-time employees to step-up to possible full time hours, instead of having less full-time employees.
4. Is it unethical to teach supervisors “to demonstrate interest in their employees as individuals” ? Explain.
It’s not unethical because ethics start at the individual level. It’s not unethical for supervisors to demonstrate interest because they need to know the type of people they have working for them, and if these employees will “do the right thing” in certain situations.
5. What facts in this case support the argument that OB should be approached from a contingency perspective?
The main fact in this case that supports a contingency perspective is that Katriona realized that she had five distinct groups working for her, differentiated by ages and stages in their careers. These groups had different needs and interests, therefore
Chapter 1 Case Incident: How a UPS Manager Cut Turnover
1. In dollars-and-cents’ terms, why did Katriona Roeder want to reduce turnover?
Katriona Roeder wanted to reduce turnover because she knew her annual savings would increase due to lower hiring costs. She was responsible for $255 million in revenue, yet her part-time employees had a turnover rate of 50% per year. She was well aware that fixing this issue would most definitely lead to more productivity and less costs.
2. What are the implications from this case for motivating part-time employees?
The implications to motivate would be to make the building more user-friendly, more guidance and training for new hires. Katriona was aware that most part-time workers ended up having full-time positions, as well as becoming executives; therefore motivating these workers was a must.
3. What are the implications from this case for managing in future years when there may be a severe labour shortage?
This improved turnover rate will benefit the company in the future if there is a labour shortage because they will have many part-time employees to step-up to possible full time hours, instead of having less full-time employees.
4. Is it unethical to teach supervisors “to demonstrate interest in their employees as individuals” ? Explain.
It’s not unethical because ethics start at the individual level. It’s not unethical for supervisors to demonstrate interest because they need to know the type of people they have working for them, and if these employees will “do the right thing” in certain situations.
5. What facts in this case support the argument that OB should be approached from a contingency perspective?
The main fact in this case that supports a contingency perspective is that Katriona realized that she had five distinct groups working for her, differentiated by ages and stages in their careers. These groups had different needs and interests, therefore