CASE STUDY ANALYSIS

JANUARY PLP
PLP Group Number - 8
Sl.No Name of Students (in alphabetical order) Roll Number
1 ABHINAV BANIYA IILMU/PG/2020/M556
2 ANKIT RAGHAV IILMU/PG/2020/M420
3 ANUBHAV MITRA IILMU/PG/2020/M480
4 RAVINA THAKRAN IILMU/PG/2020/M462
JANUARY PLP ACTIVITY - CASE STUDY ALLEN SMITH

As we are plp group 8 and we all contributed towards this activity and we all
find answers of the given questions. First we all analyses this case and
everybody show their views on this case and we all sum up with this short
analysis. This case study propose the most effective solution regarding work
life balance and conflicts between work and family. In this productivity-
driven society that we are living in, more and more people are finding it hard
to adequately fulfill their roles both at home and at the workplace.

This case tells us about how allen becomes successful and He got positions promoted from a
junior engineer to general manager in only 11 years. Also he spent two years in Stanford
business school. At the age of 35 he was the youngest general manager in the company. He has
good analytical skills and good demonstrated power. He was very good ate motivate to others.
His quality of working in complicated organization shows that he is very hard working. He grew
up in large family and he is very attracted towards his family. He loves his family but due to
work he did not give sufficient time to his family. This case is about work life and family.
Family seems central to Smith’s life. He and his wife get motivations for moving back to the US
after their time in Sweden. He has also shown himself to be supportive of Suzi’s professional
development, moving to Sweden so that she could pursue her fellowship and supporting her
when she decided to set up her own architectural practice. Althogh Allen work life is hectic but
his commitment to be home for 3 nights a week is very commendable. This commitment to both
work and family is not unique. So this case is moving around between allen work life and his
family where he has conflict between them. There appears to be a consistent theme that their
senior executives should devote themselves more to their work than their families. This can lead
to a discussion on what role organizations should play in helping their employees balance their
work and family obligations.

1. Discuss what level of engagement and commitment employers should

expect from their high performers?
Ans- Employee engagement relates to the level of an employee's commitment and connection to
an organization.  Employee engagement has emerged as a critical driver of business success in
today's competitive marketplace. High levels of engagement promote retention of talent, foster
customer loyalty and improve organizational performance. Most executives already understand
that employee engagement directly affects an organization's financial health and profitability.
They do more than just accomplish goals. They request additional assignments and look for new
opportunities to push their limits and develop new skills and they consistently deliver high-
quality work. High performers aren't content with completing an assignment just to get it done.
They make sure it meets their high standards before submitting it. There are basically four levels
of employee engagement – highly engagement, moderate engagement, barely engagement,
disengagement . Employers expect high performers to have a high level of commitment and
engagement in an organisation. It is a deep long term connection with the organisation. They are
the high performers so management expect them to become more better , improve their
productivity, become more motivated. Thus expectation leads to growth of the company but
according to me employers should try to engage all employees and try to get high commitments
from them, not just the high perform. If employers will engage then all then it will better off
employees employer relationship, will increase their motivation and involvement. For that
management needs to show trust in them. If all employees will be involved then top performers
will also get a chance to maintain their work life balance.

2. Examine career management strategies and role of career management.

Ans- Career management is a conscious planning of one’s activities and engagement in

the job one undertakes in the course of his /her life for better fulfillment , growth and
financial stability. It is a life long process not just a single event. Very few employers
have a clear path to promotion and very few employees stay with one employer long
enough to follow the path. Career planning applies the concepts of strategic planning to
fully take charge of one's professional future. Career planning supports career
management goals in an ongoing process. 
 Career management strategy starts with setting objectives
 Identifying strength and weaknesses of employees.
 Building networks
 Increasing involvement at work.
 Image building
 Improving leadership skills.
Career management role

 It develops employees for long term benefits

 Gaining employees support
 Identifying employees skills,, interest and career objectives.
  Offering employees an opportunity to explore their skills.
 Increasing employees morale.

3. Discuss whether conflict between work and family commitments are

inevitable for high performers?

Ans- Yes, conflict between work and family commitments are inevitable for high performers.
Time and energy are limited and both parties competes for this. There is a continuous change in
organisation as well as family which requires special attention from the person. These changes
creates work family conflict . It is faced by majority of high performers and have negative
outcomes. In the case also Allen was facing difficulty to manage both ends. His post was
increasing continuously due to his commitment towards work. On the other hand his
responsibility towards family was also increasing because of birth of Alisa. It was very difficult
for him to leave any of work or family.this situation turned even more drastic during US
recession when the other two regional directors left the organisation and whole responsibility
came on the shoulder of Allen. At the same time Alisa had a Seizure . Most of the time high
performers have to face such conflicting situations which are inevitable.

Question 4- What are the current practices and strategies of organization to

confront the challenges facing their personal and professional life?

Current practices and strategies of organization to confront the challenges facing their personal and
professional life are:

1. Flexible hours- The work day is no longer one-size-fits-all; skilled employees may be more
productive early in the morning or later in the day, and it's a huge bonus for a workplace to take that into
consideration.

Companies can also consider implementing "summer hours" where employees only have to work half-
days on certain Fridays (this goes over really well on holiday weekends!) And helps employees to
maintain a good balance between work and personal life.

2. Work from home- After covid-19 pandemic, many companies have now been allowing their
employees to work remotely that means from anywhere they wish to. Work from home is a good
opportunity for employees to maintain work life balance. However, a total work from home could be a
stress factor for some employees, so a hybrid format of work from home and in-office shift would
motivate employees to perform better and it will help them to maintain a work life balance.
This move also demonstrates a level of trust between employer and employee; since you're not
micromanaging their every move and looking over their shoulder, your staff will have more faith that you
believe they'll complete their work on their own.

3. Less rigid lunch schedules- For some employees, this may be the only point during a hectic day
when they're able to run errands, eat a decent meal, or just take some time for themselves. It's a good
move to not be clock-watching while your staff are out; simply emphasize that they should take a
"reasonable" amount of time for their lunch break.

4. Encourage social activities- Once the company have got its team in one place, it's smart to come
up with activities both in and out of the office that will engage staff and help them connect. Forward-
thinking workplaces often have social committees made up of employees that put together events like
movie nights, sports teams, or after-work dinners. Having these types of activities can help employees
feel more at home in the workplace, as well as building friendships with their colleagues that can assist
them in being more productive at work.