BACKGROUND:
Ten years ago, I started working as a clerk for DMD Medical Supplies. Six months ago, Liz, the human resources director, promoted me to office manager. I manage two employees: Jack and Ruth. 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 being tires, 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 must investigate 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 conclude I must focus on the in-office work situation. I learn the following facts:
Samuel and Frank Daley share a part-time administrative assistant who works only 15 hours 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.
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 my office assignments so that Jack and Ruth work regularly without requiring overtime.
SOME QUESTIONS I ASK MYSELF:
1. How long has this situation been going on?
2. Why did the problems begin when they did?
3. Am I able to solve the problem at its root cause or am I only able to manage the impact of the problem?
4. Is this a temporary or permanent problem?
5. How has the company been affected?
6. How have the employees been affected?
7. What's in my power to change? What must stay the same?
8. What are two or three ways to improve the efficiency of my office?
9. How much work, time, and money would be required to implement each solution?
10. Does each solution stop all the negative effects?
11. Are there any benefits to the change beyond stopping what is occurring?
12. How exactly would each change affect Jack, Ruth, and the executive team?
13. What would I have to do to make sure each change goes through as planned and to monitor the situation once the solution is in place?
I have to use the following information in the different sections:
SECTION 1-
Facts and figures that define the problem (the cause)
Details that show the impact of the problem (effects) on Jack, Ruth and the company.
SECTION 2
The steps needed to change the situation
Reason to implement each step, including the benefits to my employees, my supervisor, and the company.
Information about my role in the change.
This is the first section ,,,the problem
For the past three months, work related problems have occurred with our company of DMD Medical Supplies. The output of work quality has declined; the confidence of our employees has been degraded; thus leading to uneven workflow between the two teams. The problem starts with Ruth and the executive team Frank and Samuel; they are working without a full time assistant. Ruth is becoming exhausted from doing overtime. The overtime paid out is costing our company $200 more a month. The stress and exhaustion from working overtime is causing her to submit work that is not suitable for company standards; therefore Frank is unhappy with her work. The second problem is Ralph having to work without his executive team member Jessica, due to her being on sick leave. Although Jessica’s tasks have been spread out between the two teams, Ralph is the only team with a full time assistant. Ralphs team supporter Jack, has been affected tremendously. Although his work is completed to the company's satisfaction, he has been coming in late for work, taking extended break times and has a lot or leisure time. These problems are affecting our quality of work that our company strives to produce each day to ensure customer satisfaction.
SECTION 1: THE PROBLEM
The problem that has been identified within the company is the decline in work quality and the uneven workflow between the two teams. This issue can be attributed to several factors, specifically related to the workload and staffing arrangements.
Firstly, Ruth, who is responsible for supporting Frank Daley and Samuel Daley, is working without a full-time assistant. This has resulted in Ruth having to cut her breaks short and work overtime in order to complete her tasks. The additional workload and overtime are taking a toll on her, leading to exhaustion and fatigue. As a result, the quality of her work has declined, which has led to dissatisfaction from Frank Daley.
Secondly, Ralph Alane is also facing challenges in his team due to the absence of his team member, Jessica Hilo, who has been on medical leave for the past four months. As her tasks have been temporarily reassigned to Ralph and Frank, Ralph is experiencing an increased workload. However, Ralph is fortunate to have a full-time assistant, Jack, who is responsible for supporting him. Despite Ralph's workload, Jack has been consistently completing his tasks professionally and to the company's satisfaction.
However, it has been observed that Jack has been exhibiting behavioral issues such as coming in late for work and taking extended break times. He also seems to have a lot of leisure time, indicating that he may not be fully occupied with work. This raises concerns about how effectively he is utilizing his time and whether his skills and abilities are being fully utilized.
The impact of these problems is evident on multiple fronts. Firstly, it is affecting the overall work quality and output of the company. The decline in work quality from Ruth and the behavioral issues from Jack may have a negative impact on customer satisfaction and the reputation of the company.
Secondly, it is also affecting the employees themselves. Ruth, who is working overtime and experiencing exhaustion, may face burnout if the situation continues. This can lead to decreased morale and motivation among the employees. On the other hand, Jack's behavior may lead to resentment and dissatisfaction among his coworkers, who may perceive his actions as unfair and unprofessional.
In summary, the primary problem lies in the uneven workload distribution within the office, resulting in work quality issues and behavioral problems among the employees. This problem needs to be addressed in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the office.