Scenario: You just started work as the new Human Resources Manager for Acme Manufacturing, a Fortune 1,000 company. The job was vacant for 6 months prior to your hiring. You have wondered about this, especially since reading about employee harassment incidents and fights recently in the news.
The General Manager (GM) calls you into his office the minute you arrive. He shuts the door after saying a quick word of welcome and begins to tell you about an incident that happened last week that needs your immediate attention. The company’s manufacturing operation runs three shifts of production workers so that the plant is operating 24/7. Over the past 6 months, hostilities have arisen between employees on the third and first shifts. What started out as jeering and criticisms by the first shift, claiming they have to clean up the mess and complete all of the work left undone by the third shift, has escalated to physical confrontations and altercations. Although the GM says that aggressive bantering back and forth is common for shift workers in manufacturing, he admits that he is worried about further violent escalation. The GM says he needs your help.
Where do you think that this evaluation should begin? In your reply, explain your reasoning.
Explain the different levels of disciplinary actions that will be used for the Acme Manufacturing Company. Your reply should include the levels of discipline and 1 example of a disciplinary action for each level.
How would you determine the disciplinary action appropriate for the employees involved in this scenario? Your response should include your reasoning.
Why would you draft policies and procedures associated with disciplinary actions for the workplace? Provide a minimum of 2 reasons in your response.
How would you ensure that the entire workforce is trained on these new policies and procedures? Provide 1 example in your response.