Assignment
Objective:
For this assignment, you will think creatively and critically about difficult situations in the workplace. You will create and solve a conflict that is most likely to happen in your field. This assignment should help you organize the information you have learned in the HR unit. You will create a company in this class. It can be any type of business you want and will grow through the semester. It must have an HR department. Apply what you have learned about the chain of command when it comes to inter-office conflicts. Are these "chains" always a straight line to the top?
This assignment should engage you in multiple levels of thinking as you create a company and its employees, a conflict and a resolution.
For this assignment, you will think creatively and critically about difficult situations in the workplace. You will create and solve a conflict that is most likely to happen in your field. This assignment should help you organize the information you have learned in the HR unit. You will create a company in this class. It can be any type of business you want and will grow through the semester. It must have an HR department. Apply what you have learned about the chain of command when it comes to inter-office conflicts. Are these "chains" always a straight line to the top?
This assignment should engage you in multiple levels of thinking as you create a company and its employees, a conflict and a resolution.
Instructions
- Decide what types of leaders and employees your business needs to succeed. List out their titles, roles and responsibilities. At least 4 employees must be involved in your scenario.
- Design a conflict. Write at least one paragraph giving background information on the people involved, details of the situation and how it escalated to the point of involving HR.
- Create a chart to show the chain of command if and when there is a conflict between employees.
- Use the basic flow chart. You may add more boxes if you believe your company has more than 3 levels in the chain of command.
- Create a resolution. Give your conflict a happy ending… or the best it can get!
Grading Criteria
Grading Criteria
Extra credit for a happy ending ___/5
- Clear background information of the situation ___/5
- List of all people involved and their official titles and responsibilities ___/5
- Graph of the departments in the company, and chain of command ___/10
- Highlight all parties involved on the graph ___/5
- List regular roles and daily responsibilities and expectations for each
person involved. Find job postings for these roles on job sites and use
exact description. ___/10 - Show the chain of command in your company with a diagram ___/5
Extra credit for a happy ending ___/5
Example of Student Submission
Background Information
Kate was recently hired to work as a financial analyst at a sales company that specializes in beauty salon equipment. The company is fairly new, but makes $1m a year and has roughly 50 employees. Recently, a man from the sales department began making subtle harassing comments when he sees Kate in the break room. She has brushed it off before, still being on probation, but it has now escalated to crude jokes and inappropriate sexual advances.
The first person Kate tells is her project manager, who urges her to report it having no authority at all. She reports it to her direct supervisor, the controller—who has no authority over the sales team. The controller then reports it to the HR department, but the harassment continues.
Though Kate properly went through the chain of command, there has been no change and Kate still does not feel safe in the workplace. Can Kate now go directly to HR if she feels her supervisor has not done enough to reassure her safety? Yes. She should file complaints against the harasser and her supervisor to open in investigation into her claims.
If Kate is threatened outside the workplace, for example in the company’s parking lot, she should contact the police.
Regular Responsibilities of Each Role Involved in the Scenario
HR Manager: Supervises HR department
HR Conflict Resolution: Manages all internal conflicts to ensure the safety and rights of all employees and the employers are respected.
Sales Manager: Manages the sales department and B2C (business to consumer) relations. They manage the sales reps and customer service.
Sales Representatives (perpetrator): Sales representatives work with current and potential customers to ensure they are receiving quality products and services.
Senior Accountant/Controller: Guides financial decisions by establishing, monitoring, and enforcing policies and procedures. Protects assets by establishing, monitoring, and enforcing internal controls. Monitors and confirms financial condition by conducting audits; providing information to external auditors.
Financial Analyst (victim): Analyzes and interprets data and make comparative analyses
(Source: Indeed)
Chain of Command
The chain of command that should be followed in the event of a conflict in this particular business is:
Note: While the police are not a part of the company, and a part of their chain of command, it is important to include their involvement in this scenario. If they victim feels the chain of command has not resolved the crime committed and if the company continues to infringe on that employee’s right to a safe work environment, the victim should know that alerting outside authorities is a step that should be taken.
Resolution
Kate went to her immediate supervisor, the controller, to report the harassment problem. She also went to HR herself, to ensure that there would be no retaliation for reporting this harassment. Though she is new, she still has the right to a safe work environment. HR contacts the sales manager to inform him about this situation with one of his team members. The sales manager agrees to work with HR to resolve the situation. As he is not a witness, or one with authority over this type of situation, the best he can do is provide HR with the accused’s work progress report.
An investigation was opened with HR interviewing both Kate, the accused and witnesses. It was agreed that Kate’s rights had been violated and the accused was terminated. There was no need to contact the police in this situation because the company took immediate actions to ensure the safety of all its employees.
Resolution
Kate went to her immediate supervisor, the controller, to report the harassment problem. She also went to HR herself, to ensure that there would be no retaliation for reporting this harassment. Though she is new, she still has the right to a safe work environment. HR contacts the sales manager to inform him about this situation with one of his team members. The sales manager agrees to work with HR to resolve the situation. As he is not a witness, or one with authority over this type of situation, the best he can do is provide HR with the accused’s work progress report.
An investigation was opened with HR interviewing both Kate, the accused and witnesses. It was agreed that Kate’s rights had been violated and the accused was terminated. There was no need to contact the police in this situation because the company took immediate actions to ensure the safety of all its employees.
