Unlock document.
This document is partially blurred.
Unlock all pages and 1 million more documents.
Get Access
Carter Cleaning Company: The High-Performance Work System
Q.1. Would you recommend that the company expand their quality program? If so,
specifically what form should it take?
Meeting with the employees directly is a good way to get the accurate feedback from them in order
to increase the involvement of the employees in an organization. There can be many opportunities
for the Carter company for improving the level of their human capital. For instance, giving training to
the employees so that they can become aware of the basic values, standards and methods and
procedures of an organization etc.
Q.2. Assume the company wants to institute a high-performance work system as a test
program in one of its stores. Write a one-page outline summarizing what such a program
would consist of.
• Ensuring Employee Security: Despite the trend of many businesses to engage in downsizing
and hiring part-time and contract employees to avoid creating obligations to employees, the
evidence has shown that organizations who engage in these practices have rarely created
new wealth or improved the long-term bottom line of their organizations.
• Selective Hiring: Carefully evaluating new hires requires that organizations are precise in
identifying the critical skills and attributes of their employees in the first place. Hiring to fit
requirements of the job makes more sense than simply hiring candidates with the best
academic pedigrees or who look the best on paper.
• Decentralized Decision-Making: Incorporating well-trained and supported self-managed
teams that enjoy autonomy and broad discretion in making decisions demonstrates the high
trust in employees. Creating teams can lead to greater initiative, but effective self-managed
teams require extensive training, accountability in reporting the progress of assignments,
and ongoing support to optimize their effectiveness.
• High Results-Based Compensation: Developing a compensation system that rewards
employees at all levels when the organization succeeds promotes commitment to shared
goals and increases employee awareness of their roles in contributing to profitability.
Compensating employees contingent upon organization performance is most effectively
adopted as part of a high-performance culture that incorporates profit sharing throughout
