Read the following extract and then answer the questions below
Mr. Sithole’s performance at Tuedi Enterprises
Mr. Sithole has 5 years’ experience working for Tuedi enterprises, a company that deals with
preparing financial accounts, act as secretarial and submission of tax returns for various
companies. The company relied and vested its trust on Mr Sithole as he was good with financial
and offered good strategic decisions to management. Mr. Sithole’s performance was out starting
and he sometimes gets outstating performance awards, As years progressed he felt he is not being
rewarded accordingly in terms of salary, promotion and training but never raised his concerns to
management but only discussed his problem with his high school friend.
He started missing deadlines, coming to work late and at times coming to work drunk. His
Supervisor, Mr. Brussels noticed the change in behaviour, he tried to find out what was bothering
Mr. Sithole. Instead of Mr Sithole to respond properly he stored out with anger averring he is
never recognised for good performance, never given more responsibility and that his job has
become monotonous. In his response, Mr Brussels tried to explain that he was been noticed as
much as he was once given an award and that recommendations are underway regarding his
promotion. He further advised Mr. Sithole to always address his issues with his supervisor or
management in line with company’s grievance procedure. This will avoid bottling things up and
may affect his performance hence leading to disciplinary hearing and subsequent dismissal.
a) According to the case study; what is Mr. Sithole’s problem (1 mark)
b) list five (5) things that has caused Mr. Sithole’s behaviour? (5 marks)
DIPLOMA Assignment
January-June BLR 612 –Labour- Relations
© BOU 2024 Page 6 of 8
c) Mr. Brussels adviced Mr. Sithole to follow Tuedi Enterprises’s grievance procedure. What
are the benefits of having a grievance procedure in place for Mr. Sithole and other
employees? (6 marks)
d) Having understood Mr. Sithole’s grievances, advice Mr. Brussels by briefly explaining on
the four (4) common ways of handling this grievance. (8 marks)
a) Mr. Sithole's problem is that he feels he is not being rewarded accordingly in terms of salary, promotion, and training.
b) Five things that have caused Mr. Sithole's behavior:
1. Feeling undervalued and unrecognized for his good performance.
2. Feeling stagnant in his job with no opportunities for growth or more responsibility.
3. Lack of communication with management about his concerns.
4. Allowing personal issues to affect his work performance.
5. Bottling up his frustrations instead of addressing them directly.
c) The benefits of having a grievance procedure in place for Mr. Sithole and other employees include:
1. Providing a formal process for employees to address their concerns and grievances.
2. Ensuring fair treatment and resolution of issues in a timely manner.
3. Preventing conflicts from escalating and affecting work performance.
4. Creating a transparent and open communication channel between employees and management.
5. Improving employee morale and satisfaction by addressing their concerns effectively.
6. Protecting the rights and interests of employees in the workplace.
d) Four common ways of handling Mr. Sithole's grievance:
1. Mediation: A neutral third party mediates the discussion between Mr. Sithole and management to find a mutually agreeable solution.
2. Arbitration: An arbitrator conducts a formal hearing and makes a binding decision on the grievance.
3. Grievance committee: A committee of representatives from both management and employees reviews the grievance and makes a recommendation for resolution.
4. Legal action: If all internal avenues have been exhausted, Mr. Sithole may choose to take legal action against the company for unfair treatment or discrimination.