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Self-Assessment Exercise
Refer to the self-assessment exercise in the text.
Twitter Focus
In 1999, Robert Reed started Personal Financial Advisors with one employee. Six years later,
Reed realized that if he wanted to grow the business, he needed to get serious about HR planning
and recruitment. His strategy was to recruit a financial planner adept at giving presentations to
current and potential clients—a task that was not Reed’s favorite. Eight months later, Reed made
the perfect hire: an experienced financial planner relocating to Louisiana. Hiring someone with
the right skills set allowed Reed to focus his efforts on managing investments and providing
clients with better-than-average returns while growing the company’s overall business.
Question:
1. How important is hiring someone with the right skill set? What is the “right skill set” and
how do you determine it?
Exercising Strategy:
The Competition for Technical Talent
The competition for tech talent is among the fiercest of any industry. The case describes a few
Discussion Questions
1. Assume for a moment that you were a small new company seeking talent that was in high
demand. Based on the material in this chapter, how might you go about competing against
larger and more established firms in terms of how, where, when, and whom you would use to
recruit the best employees?
Student responses may vary here, but students should demonstrate in their response that they
understand the fundamentals of recruiting employees is more than just being the biggest and
2. Assume for a moment that you were a large and well-established company, but learned
recently that many of the people you were recruiting were choosing to go to smaller and less
Here again, students should demonstrate the importance of the where, how and who issues.
3. Assume you were a large and well-established company that was now facing a labor surplus
in some job category. Why might it be in your best interest to use some method other than
layoffs to reduce this surplus, and in what sense are your options here a function of how well
you did in terms of forecasting labor demand and supply?
Here students should address the idea of the impacts of a layoff – and not just to those who
Managing People
Short-Work Programs Buffer Workers and Firms
Some countries, for example Holland, have instituted programs to help employers weather
financial storms such as the global economic recession between 2007 and 2008. Their model
provides subsidies for employees whose employers had to cut back their hours during these
difficult times. So, rather than lay workers off, employers simply cut back on their hours and
government subsidies pay a part of the lost wages. This allows employees to remain employed
and retain a majority of their income during these times, and it allows employers to keep talent
onboard for when economic conditions improve.
Discussion Questions
1. If you were an employee in a context where there was a labor surplus, would you prefer a
short-work program or would you prefer to just quit and find a new job?
Student responses might vary but a suggested response could be that the financial crisis and
the associated problems in the labor market, where the availability of jobs have declined and
2. If you were an employer, how does a short-work program help you out in times of trouble,
and why might you be tempted to be in trouble all the time?
Again, student response may vary but one suggested response could be that employers are
able to retain their talent during down-turns in the economy. This allows them to have a
3. From a larger societal point of view, should governments support short-work programs with
taxpayer money or is this just a give-away program that promotes failing employers and
unnecessary employees?
Responses here will likely be divided along political ideologies. We should expect that those
HR In Small Business:
For Personal Financial Advisors, a Small Staffing Plan With a Big Impact
Robert Reed’s small financial planning firm was in need of growth. His present staff of himself
and an administrative assistance would not support the level of growth he wanted for the
company. Reed did not want to grow his hours in the office however. Additionally, he wanted to
concentrate on managing the investments so he needed to hire someone to do mostly client
presentations. He was able to find such a person and the business plan worked. A few years
later, Reed hired another financial planner who is working on his certification.
Discussion Question
1. Is a company ever too small to need to engage in human resource planning? Why or why
not? Discuss whether you think Robert Reed planned his hiring strategy at an appropriate
time in the firm’s growth.
This is a personal preference but likely, if students are taking heed to the case and the
2. Using Table 5.3, review the options for avoiding a labor shortage, and discuss how well
the options besides new hires could have worked as ways for Reed to reach his goals for
growth. As you do so, consider qualities of a financial-planning business that might be
relevant (for example, direct client contact and the need for confidentiality).
The other options besides new hires do not seem to be very attractive given the need for
3. Suppose that when Reed was seeking to hire a certified financial planner, he asked you
for advice on where to recruit this person. Which sources would you suggest, and why?
Answers here will vary, but should reflect conscious thought about where certified
1 Manager’s Hot Seat
Diversity: Mediating Morality-Please refer to the Asset Gallery on the OLC for Hot Seat
videos and notes.
I. Introduction
The diversity of employees and the potential conflict that may arise as a result is the
focus of this scenario. Specifically, sexual orientation as a dimension of workplace
diversity is presented here. This scene provides a background for a rich and compelling
discussion of how to handle difficult issues related to individual differences. Applying
this situation to other dimensions of diversity (e.g., religion, gender) will further the
discussion and highlight to students the challenges of managing a diverse workforce.
II. Learning Objectives
1. To assess students’ understanding of workplace diversity and diversity management.
2. To analyze and evaluate approaches to managing diversity in the workplace.
3. To identify equal employment laws relevant to diversity management.
III. Scenario Description:
Overview: At the conclusion of a previous meeting between Syl Tang and two
employees, Daniel Simmons and Bob Franklin, Daniel asked Tang about the same-sex
partner benefits that he had requested earlier, incidentally informing Bob Franklin that he
was homosexual. Bob expressed both discomfort and disapproval, and refused to
continue to work with Daniel as a result of this revelation. Tang suggested meeting with
each of them separately to discuss their concerns and then to regroup and discuss a
solution. The individual meetings have taken place and now they are meeting together.
Profile:
Syl Tang is the Senior Supervisor of Research and Production at EarthFirst
Pharmaceuticals, a company dedicated to the research and production of
vaccines for various diseases. She manages eight different teams with specific
areas of specialization.
Daniel Simmons is a Vaccines Manager. He is an expert in tropical plants and
botanical remedies. He leads a team of scientists and collaborates with other
research teams at EarthFirst. He is also active in procuring funding for further
research.
Bob Franklin is a Natural Resources Manager and is an expert in certain types of
chemical re-actives. In his role as Natural Resources Manager, he leads a team of
scientists and collaborates with other research teams at EarthFirst. He is also
active in procuring funding for further research.
References: The references included in the DVD are:
Dimensions of Workplace Diversity (PPT 10-3)
Managerial Roles and Diversity (PPT 10-4)
Promoting Effective Management of Diversity (PPT 10-6)
Major Equal Employment Laws (PPT 10-9)
Back History: Syl has been the supervisor for seven years and is highly respected and
regarded. Her teams often cross-collaborate on special projects – each team has a
specialized field of expertise. The teams are quite large, totaling over 100 people. With
such a large department, Syl has less one on one contact with the employees than she
would like.
Simmons and Franklin have not worked together often, just on one or two short-term
projects. They are currently collaborating on a high-pressure project, heading down the
homestretch. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened at the office for a while. Tang is
compiling her end of the month reports, without much stress or pressure. Simmons and
Franklin are at the stage of their joint project where they are separately recording the joint
findings as it pertains to their field of expertise.
Simmons is gay and just started planning a commitment ceremony with his partner of 4
years. Simmons has never made any declaration in the office about being homosexual –
some people know, some don’t.
Scene Set-up: Simmons, Franklin, and Tang meet to discuss how they can meet the
project’s objectives.
Scene Location: Tang’s office
The Meeting - Summary: Syl explains that she and Bob have discussed a solution that
would enable two of Bob’s employees to take on a larger responsibility and still meet the
needs of the project. Daniel states that Bob simply doesn’t want to work with him
anymore because he is a gay man. He is concerned that if the word gets out that Bob was
uncomfortable working with Daniel and found another solution, then a precedent will be
set that negatively impact Daniel’s career. Syl argues that if Daniel didn’t get along with
another co-worker she would not make Daniel work with him/her if there was another
equally viable solution. She says that no one’s personal life will be discussed outside of
this meeting and Daniel strongly disagrees. Syl suggests that Daniel come up with an
alternative proposal and discuss it with her on Monday.
Afterthoughts – Summary: Syl admits that Daniel has a good point because Bob
probably will tell others that Daniel is gay. She doesn’t feel that Daniel is being
discriminated against because as long as the project is completed well, he will receive the
credit regardless of how the other team was staffed. She suggests that Bob should
probably attend sensitivity training but says that there’s not much that can be done about
employee’s personal feelings.
Dossier: The specific artifacts included in the DVD are:
1. Benefits Policy Excerpt
2. Daniel Simmon’s Engagement Invitation
3. Harassment Policy
IV. Discussion Questions:
The References and related Discussion Questions may be found in PowerPoint slides 10-1 to
10-9 on the instructor’s side of the text’s Website..
Learning Objective #1: To assess students’ understanding of workplace diversity and diversity
management.
1. The Dimensions of Workplace Diversity are provided in PPT 10-3. List all of the
dimensions of diversity you observed in this scenario.
2. Which of the managerial roles shown on PPT 10-4 did Syl demonstrate?
3. How effective was Syl in performing the roles you cited in #2?
Learning Objective #2: To analyze and evaluate approaches to managing diversity in the
workplace.
1. Provide examples from the scenario in which Syl either effectively or ineffectively
promoted diversity. Use the information in PPT 10-6 to support your answer.
Syl did not effectively increase the accuracy of perceptions or encourage flexibility.
She seemed very willing to let Bob change the staffing of the project simply because he
1. What is Syl’s objective [when suggesting to delegate certain portions of Bob’s
work to Ralph and Jennifer]?
A. Avoid conflict
B. Complete project
C. Mend team
2. Daniel’s perception [that Syl is letting Bob’s personal opinion affect a working
relationship] is:
A. Clouded
B. Accurate
C. Biased
3.How should Syl respond [to personal attacks in the meeting]?
A. Mediate
B. Change topic
C. End meeting
4. What is the main issue [when Syl states there is not going to be a discussion of
anybody’s personal life]?
A. Confidentiality
B. Completing project
C. Upholding morals
5. Why does Syl propose this [having Daniel come up with an alternative
solution]?
valid reason has been given to change the working relationship?
Learning Objective #3: To identify equal employment laws relevant to diversity management.
1. According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, is Daniel being unlawfully
discriminated against (see PPT 10-9)?
No, Title VII does not protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation. However, same-sex sexual harassment was found to be illegal by the
Supreme Court in Oncale vs. Sundowner Offshore Service, In. (1998).
2. According to EarthFirst’s Harassment policy, is Daniel being discriminated against?
Yes, the policy clearly states that employees who feel they are being discriminated
against on the basis of their sexual orientation have recourse.
3. What are the long-term implications of allowing Bob to refuse to work with Daniel?
If Syl allows and condones this action, it could become a slippery slope. Daniel has a
point (and Syl admits this in the Afterthoughts) that this will set a precedent for other
employees to not accept Daniel because he is different from them.
4. What actions should Daniel take next if he is separated from other employees?
Daniel should follow the procedures clearly defined in the company’s harassment policy.
HRM Failures
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2 Case 5: No Poaching Allowed
When unemployment is low or demand is high for a certain type of job candidate, the
competition for those workers can become erce—and unlawful.
In 2004, the labor market in Tulsa, Okla., was particularly tight for nance professionals.
AcctKnowledge subsequently sued IBM and Manpower, charging that IBM unlawfully
