C234 Task - Darian Villalobos - Workforce Planning: Task 2, Causes Of Workplace Conflict PDF

Preview

Summary

exam grade...

Description

Running head: WORKFORCE PLANNING TASK 2

Workforce Planning: Task2

1

WORKFORCE PLANNING: TASK 2

2

Workforce Planning: Task 2

Causes of workplace Conflict The Laredo Police Department needs to hire new officers very soon in order to cut down overtime. The Human Resource department has been ordered to hire extra police officers in order to cut down on overtime, however; our police force is unhappy by the cuts in pay that would be caused by losing the ability to work overtime. The Human Resource department has identified 3 sources of workplace conflict within out police department: conflicting needs between management and employees, conflicting perceptions on the overtime issue and unpredictable policies. The officers need overtime pay to maintain their lifestyles and comfort for their families. Cutting overtime for officers will result in many unable to pay off newly acquired loans, bills or additional expenses they may have taken on. Management needs to cut down overtime pay at the mayor’s directive and needs to create a more fiscally efficient workforce. The officers believe overtime is an entitlement for their work and sacrifices over the past few years. They perceive that new mayor does not have the officer’s best interests at heart and feel unappreciated by the mayor and the city. The mayor perceives the officers taking advantage of a hiring shortage and as the source of his latest political embarrassment. Officers had no notice about the upcoming overtime policy changes until the mayor made his announcement. Their union reps were not informed and they had no chance to adjust to the upcoming policy changes. The sudden shift in policy plays a large part in the low morale within the department.

C452: TASK 3

3

Short Term Effects The short term effects could be a drastic drop in productivity from our current officers. With morale so low, the department is at risk of being unable to fill overtime positions. Officers may not put as much effort into policing and enforcing laws. With the mayor’s promise to lower crime, low productivity is a disaster. The city management may also get upset about the low productivity and high overtime which may lead to organizational restructuring, budget cuts and bad press from the local media. Our department could face a scandal about “corrupt” police officers “milking” as much tax payer money as possible to pad their pockets with overtime pay. Long Term Effects The city may see a rise in crime if the police force decides to strike or continues to have low productivity. Any new officers that we hire would be subject to an unpleasant work environment and may resign over the inability to integrate into the workforce. A rise in crime would reflect poorly on the mayor’s office, the city and our department. Public distrust of the police may also increase as the media storm surrounding the overtime scandal intensifies. The negative reputation would make hiring and resolving the issue more difficult for the human resource department as this would become a public relations issue. If a compromise can not be found, we risk wasting tax payer money, a rise in crime and an inefficient law enforcement system. This issue could become an nightmare during the next campaign season and could cost the mayor and his party the local election. It would also cost the police department the public’s trust and faith which could adversely affect open and pending cases. Resolving the conflict

C452: TASK 3

4

We can resolve the conflict by implement a new policy which favors seniority for any overtime work. Our experience officers would be rewarded for their loyalty and dedication to the force by getting the right of first refusal for any overtime work available. We could also begin to offer a small raise or one-time bonus while an officer trains a rookie fresh from the academy. This would ensure high quality training and alleviate any resentment the officers may have towards the rookie officers. Additionally, we would not stop overtime all at once but rather gradually as rookie officers are hired and pass the academy. This would allow officers a grace period of up to 2 months to adjust to the cuts in pay and allow their families to adjust and prepare for budget changes. Work Culture Two basic components of workplace culture that reduce negativity in the workplace are patience and respect. Patience is essential for dealing with conflict in a positive and understanding matter. It reduces the risk of petty conflict and bickering. Respect is fundamental as it creates an expected baseline of how to treat a coworker. Dealing with others with respect means that disagreements do not escalate or become personal. Each officer understands that while we may disagree on some issues, it’s not a personal reflection on them or our opinion of them. Specifications on Job Description Under the Required Skills portion of the job description the following would be added: 1) The ability the maintain composure under stressful situations 2) Ability to deescalate tense situations

C452: TASK 3 The ability to maintain composure serves two purposes: it makes having patience a job requirement so the officer would be less likely to get involved in workplace arguments. It is also necessary for dealing with the public during investigations, traffic stops and interrogations. The ability to deescalate situations means the officer would ideally have leadership skills and would be able to act as a mediator within the breakroom, work events and the workforce in general. The officer could potential prevent negative conflict form occurring or getting out of hand. Both of these would be determine by a situational interview session described below.

Interview Question Can you describe a workplace conflict in your previous job that you felt was poorly handled and what you thought could have been done better? This question establishes that the candidate can identify workplace conflict and challenges the candidate to utilize problem solving and critical thinking to resolve the issue. A successful candidate would outline a conflict and describe positive conflict management skills such as negotiating, transparency, communication, etc. If your police sergeant made a call you disagreed with, how would you handle that? This question establishes a common conflict a police officer may encounter when working with our department. A successful answer would be to have an open dialogue where the officer would listen and understand the sergeant’s point of view. How would you handle your partner not contributing to the shared workload?

5

C452: TASK 3 This question establishes a common conflict a police officer may encounter when working with our department. A successful answer would be to have a non-confrontational discussion about expectations and responsibilities of both officers. An exceptional answer would draw from past experience of successfully resolving an interpersonal issue. Evaluation The human resource department would track and categorize the grievances filed. Our goal is to see a 40% reduction in grievances about lack of communication, pay and unclear policies. We would also track the average time it takes to resolve grievances. We have set a goal of 14 business days from start to resolution. We hope to keep morale high by showing the officers that their complaints are taking seriously and will be handled efficiently.

6...