What if ten years ago, you started working as a clerk for DMD Medical Supplies? Six months ago, Liz Jakowski,the human resources director, promoted you to office manage. You manage two employees: Jack Snyder and Ruth Disselkoen. My office provides secretarial support for the four members of the executive team. Two years ago, Liz had assigned Jack to support Ralph Alane and Jessica Hilo. Ruth was assigned to Samuel Daley and Frank Daley. The work flow was equally balanced. I've noticed that in the last three months Ruth has cut her breaks short to complete her work, complains of begin tired, and at least twice a month requires overtime hours costing the company an additional $200 a month. In the last three weeks, Frank Daley has complained to me a few times about the poor quality of Ruth's work. On the other hand, over the last three months, Jack frequently seems to have little to do. He has begun coming in late a couple times a week and taking more than the allotted break times. What work he does have, however, is always professionally completed. I have to determine what is causing this change and how to improve the situation. Since nothing has changed in the personal lives of either Jack or Ruth, I've learn the following facts:

* Samuel and Frank Daley share a part-time administrative assistant who works only 15 hrs a week.
* Ralph Alane and Jessica Hilo share a full-time administrative assistant.
*Jessica Hilo has been on medical leave for the last four months,and Liz Jakowski isn't sure whether Jessica will be able to return to work.
* Jessica's duties have been temporarily reassigned to Ralph and Frank.
(Although I don't have the authority to change the work assignments of the two administrative assistants or the executive team, I clearly need to change office assignments so both Jack and Ruth work regularly without requiring overtime.)
Process: The background explains the primary cause of the workflow problem and the negative effects resulting from it. My task is to make up a realistic plan which solves the uneven productivity between Jack and Ruth.

How would you like us to help you with this assignment?

Based on the given information, it seems like the primary cause of the workflow problem is the reassignment of Jessica Hilo's duties to Ralph and Frank, due to her medical leave. This has resulted in an imbalance of work between Jack and Ruth.

To solve the uneven productivity between Jack and Ruth, a realistic plan could involve the following steps:

1. Assess the workload distribution: Review the current workload distribution between Jack and Ruth. Identify specific tasks and responsibilities assigned to each of them.

2. Evaluate task priorities: Determine the priority level of each task and identify any tasks that may have higher importance or urgency.

3. Reassign tasks: Based on the workload assessment and task priorities, redistribute the tasks between Jack and Ruth more evenly. Consider their individual strengths and areas of expertise when making the adjustments.

4. Communicate with the executive team: Discuss the issue with the executive team and propose the need for a temporary adjustment in administrative support. Explain the impact on productivity caused by the reassignment of Jessica Hilo's duties. Suggest potential alternatives, such as redistributing the workload among the administrative assistants or hiring temporary staff to assist with the workload.

5. Delegate tasks effectively: Clearly delegate tasks and responsibilities to Jack and Ruth based on the reassignment plan. Ensure they understand the changes and their new roles.

6. Provide additional support: Offer additional support or training to Jack or Ruth if needed. This could include providing resources or guidance to help them accomplish their assigned tasks more efficiently.

7. Monitor progress: Keep track of Jack and Ruth's performance after the changes have been implemented. Measure their productivity levels and compare them to ensure a more balanced workflow.

8. Address any performance issues: If any ongoing performance issues persist, address them individually with Jack and Ruth. Provide constructive feedback, offer suggestions for improvement, and discuss any concerns or challenges they may be facing.

By following this plan, you should be able to improve the situation by redistributing the workload between Jack and Ruth more evenly. However, it is important to note that this plan may need to be adjusted based on the specific dynamics and limitations of the company.