CASE 1

Case questions and answers

Question.no.1

Discuss what a manager should do in each of the two Michigan cases.

Answer:
Office Equipment repair technician

Although it is risky but the manager should give him a second chance, because by the nature
of job (i.e. job of technician) it does not seem that he would be in direct contact with potential
victims. It is risky because the job is a field job that is visiting other organizations and
repairing their equipments. It is also possible that other organizations might have potential
victims in their equipment area. If the technician does something wrong, the image of the
employer may get harmed. The manager should test the employee’s future intentions through
a question answer session, and if he appears to be honest and responsible about his future
actions, then he should be give him a second chance.

School bus driver

The employer must be removed him from employment as he is in direct contact with
potential victims on daily basis and it is never certain when he will repeat his past illegal acts
no matter how hard working he is as the safety issues must be first considered.

Question.no.2

What circumstances might lead you to make different decisions in different cases under
Megan’s Law?
Answer:
Office Equipment repair technician

Our decision is to rehire him because; it does not seem that he would be in direct contact with
potential victims. Our decision would be different if the employee would be in direct contact
with potential victims, for example. if he would be doing such jobs like, health care
facilitating (e.g., nurse or aide), day caring and schooling (e.g., teacher), security (e.g.,
guard), social and mental health facilities (e.g., social or mental health worker), taxi and bus
services (e.g., drivers), and recreational facilities (e.g., fitness trainer).

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School bus driver
Our decision is to fire him from the job. Our decision would be different if:
1. The employee had mentioned his conviction in the application form.
2. The employee would not be having any direct contact with the potential victims.

Management Dilemma

Hiring of new employees who have been convicted sex offenders and a decision to retain or
fire the existing employees who have been sex offenders in the past.

Associated Facts

 Megan’s Law provides that all states are required to have all convicted sex offenders
register so that residents are aware of their presence in a neighborhood.

 In Michigan, the Attorney General released the names of 200 registered sex offenders
who had been using MySpace.

 In some states, it is illegal for employers to use any information found on the Megan’s
Law website for purpose of employment.

 The EEOC says that the use of conviction records in employment decisions has an
adverse impact on African American and Hispanic males.

 For certain jobs employers are required to check registry such as jobs which includes
positions in health care facilities and hospital, day cares and schools, security, social
and metal health facilities, taxi and bus services and recreational facilities

Management response or Associated Actions

 Management can hire sex offenders who are convicted or registered, only for jobs
through which they do not have access to potential victims.
 If the nature of job is so that sex offenders have direct access to potential victims, than
management should not rely completely upon Megan’s Law website but they can do
background check on selected employee upon their agreement from past employers,
social security number, credit history, drug test, educational and certification record.
 Before hiring, management is supposed to test the employee from every perspective
including all the three tests that include ability, personality and honesty/integrity tests.
Along with this the company can include disclaimers the application form like if the

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 company later comes to know that the employee was involved in illegal sexual
activities he will be fired.
 The company should be having intelligent enough anchors that they figure out at the
time of interviewing if someone is falsifying his previous records or performance.
 As background check is an expensive procedure therefore only employees who have
been finalized for the job should be processed through the process of background
check.
 It is necessary to inform an employee about the background check, take his
permission and explain him the reason for doing so.

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 Case 2

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Case questions and answers

Question.no.1

The case introduces three companies of every different size with three different onboarding
approaches. What differences do you see in their approaches? What similarities?

Answer:

There are three companies discussed in the case, Sun Microsystems, El Paso Corporation and
Zimmerman Advertising. All the three companies have changed their Onboarding styles and
have introduced a better and more efficient system that provides the employee with all
relevant information within a month of employment. Furthermore, similarities and
differences in their approaches are discussed below in detail.

Organization Sun Microsystems El Paso Corporation Zimmerman

Advertising

Orientation New employees begin New hires attend a first- New hires log on and
Style their orientation sessions day orientation and then learn from the new
after being hired with a another a month later. hire website what the
computer game. company does.

Involvement The CEO of Sun Involvement of CEO at El At Zimmerman, new

of CEO Microsystems welcomes Paso corporation is not hires have one hour
the new hires through a visible. one meeting with
video. CEO on the first day.

Problems Employee’s first day at New employees were New employees had
with old work consisted mostly of sitting idle because they no clear
onboarding filling out paperwork didn’t have tools to work understanding of what
system the company is all
Some new employees about.
waited 2 weeks to get e-
mail about the updates
regarding their jobs.

People who worked

remotely sometimes
waited weeks or months
before meeting their
managers.

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 Interaction The new employee logs Although it is mentioned
with other on to the company’s new in the case that, new hires
coworkers. hire website and get an e-mail with links to
connects with other everything from ordering
employees via social business cards to joining
networks. the credit union. But
interaction with other
employees can be, and
cannot be the part of these
links.
No information is
mentioned in the case
regarding, how new
hires interact with
other employees. It
may be because of the
smaller size of the
organization. i.e.
1000 employees.

Use of Sun Microsystems does El Paso Corporation does New hires get a 30,
orientation not use any orientation not use any orientation 60, and 90-day
checklist checklist. checklist. training checklist that
must be completed on
time and signed by
their supervisor.

Question .no.2

Are there important ideas missing from all three approaches? If so what are they?

Answer:
Yes. The concept of Evaluation and Follow up is missing, which is also described by the text.
Evaluation:
These three organizations can evaluate the effectiveness of their orientation programs using
the following metrics.
•Tenure turnover rate: what percentage of new hires of 6 months or less left the
organization?
• New hires failure factor: what percentage of the total annual turnover were new hires?
• Employee upgrade rate: what percentage of new employees received a higher performance
rating than previously?
• Development program what percentage of new employees have participation rate moved
on to training for or promotion to higher jobs?
Follow up:
The effectiveness of the orientation can also be evaluated by conducting follow-up interviews
with new employees a few weeks or months after the orientation.

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Question.no.3

Which approach sounds best to you? Why?

Answer:

Sun’s onboarding approach is the best in my view because Sun’s approach it:

•Establishes a favorable employee impression of the organization and the job as new hires
begin their orientation with a computer game.

• Provides organization and job information

• Enhances interpersonal acceptance by coworkers and accelerates socialization and

integration of the new employee into the organization when new hire log in and connects
with other employees via social networks.

• Ensures that employee performance and productivity begin more quickly.

Although Sun’s approach sounds great but there cannot always be one particular approach
that is always best. Factors like, nature of work, size of the organization, understanding skills
or ability to learn of new hires, play a very important role for selecting an orientation
approach. For example, there might be some people who are excellent on their areas of work
but may not be comfortable with the technology. In a situation when company’s orientation is
fully technology based, i.e. logging on the company’s website, creating own user account,
filling out forms and etc. Obviously this may develop a feeling of inferiority in the new hires
and might cause quitting of job in the early period of employment.

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Management Dilemma
There are three companies discussed in the case, Sun Microsystems, El Paso Corporation and
Zimmerman Advertising. Sun Microsystems through a creative orientation style wanted to
form a better First Impression.El Paso Corporation wanted to have a productive orientation
system that, allows a new hire to work as soon as he is hired, assures that new hires don’t sit
idle. Zimmerman Advertising, a small advertising company wanted new hires to understand
the organization that what the company does, its client philosophy, and about its leadership.

All the three companies had to change their Onboarding styles and had to introduce a better
and more efficient orientation system that provides the employee with all relevant
information within a month of employment.

Associated Facts and Figures

Organization Sun Microsystems El Paso Corporation Zimmerman
Advertising

Number of 34,000 5,000 1,000

employees

Problems Employee’s first day at New employees were New employees had
with old work consisted mostly of sitting idle because they no clear
onboarding didn’t have tools to work understanding of what
style filling out paperwork the company is all
about

Some new employees

waited 2 weeks to get e-
mail about the updates
regarding their jobs.

People who worked

remotely sometimes
waited weeks or months
before meeting their
managers.

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Management response
The three companies changed their orientation style and implemented a planned orientation
system. The new orientation style of all the companies is discussed below.

Organization Sun Microsystems El Paso Corporation Zimmerman

Advertising

New New employees begin New hires attend a first- New hires log on and
Orientation their orientation sessions day orientation and then learn from the new
Style after being hired with a another a month later. hire website what the
computer game. company does.

Involvement The CEO of Sun Involvement of CEO at El At Zimmerman, new

of CEO Microsystems welcomes Paso corporation is not hires have one hour
the new hires through a visible. one meeting with
video. CEO on the first day.

Interaction The new employee logs Although it is mentioned No information is

with other on to the company’s new in the case that, new hires
coworkers. hire website and get an e-mail with links to
connects with other everything from ordering
employees via social business cards to joining
networks. the credit union. But
interaction with other
employees can be, and
cannot be the part of these
links.
mentioned in the case
regarding, how new
hires interact with
other employees. It
may be because of the
smaller size of the
organization. i.e.
1000 employees.

Use of Sun Microsystems does El Paso Corporation does New hires get a 30,
orientation not use any orientation not use any orientation 60, and 90-day
checklist checklist. checklist. training checklist that
must be completed on
time and signed by
their supervisor.

New orientation style adapted by all three organizations establishes a favorable employee
impression of the organization and provides information about the organization.

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Associated Actions
Evaluation and follow up: These companies should evaluate effectiveness of the new
orientation program by, evaluation metrics such as Tenure turnover rate, New hires failure
factor, Employee upgrade rate and Development program, and by conducting follow-up
interviews with new employees a few weeks or months after the orientation.

Consider using mentors: Although e-learning is a good tool but may not always be
successful. All of the three organizations should assign coworkers or peers to serve as
buddies or mentors as part of the new employees’ orientation.

Avoid information overload: One common failing of many orientation programs is

information overload. New workers presented with too many facts may ignore or inaccurately
recall much of the information. In this case, Sun Microsystems should think about not
overloading the information. As other two companies have gaps of month/months between
their orientation sessions.

Use an orientation checklist: An orientation checklist can be used to identify what the new
employee needs to know now and later. From the three organizations only Zimmerman is
currently using orientation checklist. Remaining two of the organization should also consider
using it, whether electronically or in written form.

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 CASE 3

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Case questions and answers

Question.no.1
The top managers are very busy people. Why was it necessary to involve them in leadership
leverage?
Answer:
Although top managers are busy people, but they are the ones who are the most experienced
people and by having the visionary approach they take decisions for the betterment of the
organizations. So it is very important for the top managers to involve in the leadership
leverage, they are the best assessor, can also judge and evaluate the best and appropriate
talent for the organization.

Question.no.2
The program took 5 years to get to the end point. Is that realistic, or did it take too long?
Explain why the timing may vary.
Answer:
For long term cause and benefit of the organization, yes it seems like a realistic decision as
talent development review group involves the certain steps to be followed to enhance the
development and growth of high potential talent. Yes it may take 5 or fewer years as all the
activities to be performed effectively so the organization would not face the problem of ready
supply of leaders.

Question.no.3
Would you let the names of the high-pos out to the rest of the organization? Why or why not?
Answer:
I would certainly identify the high-pos and assess their quality skills and talent; I may
disclose their names to the rest of the organization because it leaves a good impact and sends
a good message for rest of the people in organization. Remaining people might get motivated
and work hard to be nominated in the next pool of talent considerations. People may improve
their skills even before they appear to be picked for the Review Group.

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Management Dilemma
Gunderson Lutheran Health System is a health care delivery company recognizes need of
future leaders who will replace the current senior leaders who are about to retire.

Associated facts
 325 bed hospitals, 41 clinics, 1.4M patients and 6834 employees.

 Senior managers’ retirement.

Management response
 They spent two years building a tiered leadership competency model that included criteria
for executives, directors and managers to ensure the right mix of KSAs. The tiered model
defined behaviors and competencies necessary to demonstrate excellence in each role.

 The next step was to identify high-potential talent, in the five years after the program
began, 60 high-po employees at all levels of leadership were identified, assessed, and had
their career paths discussed.

 After identifying it’s the time to assess the talent. The high-pos took assessment tools to
identify strengths and development needs.

 A variety of tools were used to develop plans for individual high-pos, including stretch
assignments, role expansion, job rotation and different others.

 Tracking progress included setting milestone and success metrics to make sure candidates
would build the necessary skills.

Associated Actions
 Although Management tracks the progress but it could also use metrics for evaluation of
succession planning, these metrics can include, Percentage of key vacancies filled
internally and job performance of promoted successors

 Gunderson Lutheran Health System only looked internally for succession planning, the
company could also hire externally as well, through hiring externally the company might
had got extra ordinary talented people.

 There are three development approaches. Job-site approaches, off-site approaches and
learning organizations. The company only went for Job-Site approach. It might had

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 flourished its future leaders in a better way if it had went for combination of all the
approaches. Because when employees learn from external sources that learn from the
external environment too.

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noCsulcnoC
The above mentioned three case studies provide the reader with a basic idea about what role
human resource plays in an organization, how does this department untangle; tangle
situations not only just that, learning from past mistakes and working to make the future of
the company and its employee's career bright. Human resource department comes up with
different strategies and policies with not just contributing towards company benefits but also
highlighting important factors like business ethics, without which no company can ever be
successful in today's competitive world of business.

Sex offenders, 21st century on boarding and leadership leverage; these three case studies have
been analyzed in such a way that certain conclusions can be made out of them. Detail
analysis have been done which are further divided into sub headings for example
management dilemma, management response, associated actions etc, so that the reader can
gain knowledge out of it plus will have an idea regarding how things go about in an
organization when changes occur or unfavorable situation arises.

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