978-0132741057 Chapter 16 Solution Manual

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Chapter 16: Special Situations: “Opportunistic” Employees,

Workplace Violence, Terminations, and Bullying

ANSWERS TO TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS FROM THE TEXT

1. F

2. F (While having another party present for such a meeting is not absolutely essential,

it is wise to let others know when and where you are meeting in the event the situation

escalates to a potentially violent situation requiring the assistance of others.)

perpetuate his inappropriate behavior.)

4. F (Nick is have a hard time. These are merely facts illustrating his difficulties.

5. F (A termination meeting should be short and to the point. The reasons for

termination should be no secret to the terminated employee by the time of the

termination meeting. Entertaining such questions at this point merely exposes the

employer to increased liability in the event that employee pursues legal action.)

ANSWERS TO MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS FROM THE TEXT

2. c (It is important not to be baited into discussing other employees’ performance record.

Among other reasons, it can expose the organization to liability if the employee later files a

discrimination claim or lawsuit and uses your comments against you.)

3. b

4. c

5. d

SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FROM THE TEXT

1. Students may struggle with the suggestions in the text on how to deal firmly and

unsympathetically with the opportunistic employee. However, experience demonstrates that

for all other employees who are adversely affected by the opportunistic employee. A

manager shows more support for the majority of these employees by fairly and forthrightly

opportunistic employee to linger.

2. Allow students to openly discuss specific concerns they have about their workplaces and the

potential for violent and bullying behaviors. Refer to the text and guide the students through

a discussion to support one another in finding ways to appropriately address these concerns.

3. Students will likely have varied responses to this question. Some may report that the

procedures for terminating employees are fairly straightforward in their companies. Others

may report that the process is laborious and time-consuming with multiple layers of review.

The most important factors in the disciplinary process are fairness and consistency, but

employers interpret these expectations differently. Overall, the termination process should

not be easy or taken lightly. A balance must be struck, however, between ensuring that the

termination decision is fair and as compassionate as possible and maintaining order and

discipline in the workforce so that misbehaving or poorly performing employees do not

adversely affect others.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CASE FROM THE TEXT

Case: Dealing with an opportunistic employee

Starting tips: If you did not assign the case to read beforehand, give students time to read the

case during class and to consider the case questions on their own before engaging them in a class

or small-group discussion. To make the discussion more lively and interactive, have two

students volunteer to role-play Anton and Joe, and then critique the role-play based on the case

questions posed.

Desired outcomes: The chapter provides concrete suggestions for how Joe might approach

approach. Preparation is key. Students should also get a sense of the importance of addressing

such behaviors head-on rather than allowing them to linger.

TEST QUESTIONS

True or False questions (each worth 1 or 2 points)

terminate an opportunistic employee.

__T__ 3. In some circumstances, referring an employee to an employee assistance program or

counseling may be perceived as labeling the employee as disabled in violation of the

Americans with Disabilities Act.

__F__ 4. At the stage one level for workplace violence, an employee’s argumentative behavior,

threats of physical violence.

__F__ 5. Escorting an employee out of the office after a termination meeting is the standard

practice among employers.

Multiple Choice (worth 2 or 3 points each)

__c__ 1. An opportunistic employee generally exhibits the following behaviors except:

a. Avoids discussions regarding inappropriate behavior

b. Threatens lawsuits for perceived harms

following except:

a. Allow the employee to follow through with threatened legal action

b. Give the employee an opportunity to explain why he believes your disciplinary

action is illegal

c. Explain why you believe your disciplinary action is legal

action

__b__ 3. Which of the following behaviors is not cause for immediate concern for potential

workplace violence?

a. George has been isolating himself for days from his co-workers and is moody all

the time.

and yelling.

d. Dexter became irate at a payroll clerk when she reported that the company

received a wage garnishment order from the court to pay for past-due

child-support payments.

Short Answer essay questions (each worth up to 10 points)

1. Describe at least five strategies and considerations for dealing with an opportunistic

employee.

Answer:

the employee.

Know your organization’s disciplinary procedures, conduct rules, union contract

employee and not let up with respect to fairly and consistently disciplining the employee

when warranted.

employee may make, and respond succinctly and forthrightly to the employee. Maintain

control of your emotions.

the opportunity to distort your message or use it later as evidence against your case.

Plan for a short meeting. The same considerations as the item above apply.

2. List at least six characteristics that may indicate early warning signs that an employee is

potentially violent.

Answer:

in the news)

Use and abuse of alcohol or drugs

History of past acts of violence or aggressive behavior

Poor prior work history

History of failed personal relationships

Low self-worth

Poor personal hygiene

passed over for promotion

Marginal performance and decline in productivity

Increased absenteeism

Claims of injustice or unfair treatment

Loner, detached personality, with no social support

Poor peer relationships

Irritable, reactive, and easily angered

Experiencing financial difficulties

Experiencing severe stress, often brought on by recent events

3. Describe at least three strategies for managing workplace bullying

Answer:

The text provides the following strategies:

Put a name to it. People who experience traumatic events tend to deny their impact. By

putting a name to the behavior you are experiencing, whether you call it bullying, harassment or

some other inappropriate behavior, you are putting responsibility for the situation squarely on the

shoulders of the bully and not blaming yourself. You are also taking back control of the situation

and a step toward finding concrete solutions.

See yourself as a target, not a victim. The Namies’ use of the term “target” is intentional.

When someone adopts a victim mentality, she often second-guesses herself, wondering if there is

something she has done or could have avoided doing that would have kept her out of harm’s way.

She may also make excuses for the bully’s behavior and become sympathetic toward her abuser.

Rather, the target is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and is the unfortunate recipient

of the bully’s venom. Rejecting the victim mentality is another means of taking control of the

situation.

Avoid or minimize exposure to the bully. Whenever possible, favor email or phone

communication over face-to-face interaction. When you must interact directly, consider the

boundaries you will establish, whether physical such a having desk or table between you and the

bully or personal such as topics of conversation which are off limits for discussion. Seek to

exit when the bully approaches.

Utilize support systems. Bullies thrive when their targets remain isolated. Targets who view

themselves as victims may tend to keep quiet. Instead, the target can take advantage of the

natural support systems around her to talk through concerns, remain grounded and realize she’s

defamation of character, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.7

Do good work. One reason bullies bully is because the target represents a threat by virtue of her

productivity, ability to work well with others, superior knowledge or ability, or similar traits

reflecting positively on her competence and citizenship within the organization. Bullying

which he can criticize you or undermine your efforts before others.

Prepare yourself to expose or confront the bully. If you do decide to confront the situation,

the Namies advise that targets must first prepare themselves psychologically. They must assess

whether they “have enough stamina to see the fight through to the end.”8 They must assess the

supportive or responsive.10

Expose the bully. If you decide to expose the bully, the Namie’s recommend the “rule of 2,”

which means bringing your complaint to an individual who is at least two levels above the bully

have done so, have realistic expectations about outcomes for success, including deciding what

you will do for your health, safety and future if the organization is not as responsive as you

would like.13

Confront the bully. If you decide to confront the bully, consider the precautions discussed

expect to see, and the consequences for non-compliance. The supportive confrontational

message discussed in Chapter 15 (absent empathetic overtures) provides guidance that you can

adapt for this situation.

Leave. Confronting or exposing the bully may not always be the right approach. The strategies

references.