SOLVE/ADDRESS GENERAL

WORKPLACE PROBLEMS
MODULE 2
 LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1. IDENTIFY ROUTINE PROBLEMS

2. LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS TO ROUTINE PROBLEMS
3. RECOMMEND SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
IDENTIFY ROUTINE PROBLEMS
 “WORKPLACE ISSUES/GENERAL
WORKPLACE PROBLEMS”
• COMMON WORKPLACE ISSUES
• COMMON WORKPLACE ISSUES THAT
EMPLOYEES FACE INCLUDE:
• INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT
• COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS
• GOSSIP
• BULLYING
• HARASSMENT
• DISCRIMINATION
• LOW MOTIVATION AND JOB SATISFACTION
• PERFORMANCE ISSUES
• POOR JOB FIT
 HIGH STRESS JOBS

• Some jobs involve a particularly high degree

of Stress. one theory, known as the job
demand-control (JDC) model, posits that High
degrees of work stress are prevalent in jobs
with many demands and little control over
working conditions.
MOST COMMON PROBLEMS IN WORKPLACE

• BAD MANAGEMENT-
INCOMPETENCY AT THE LEADERSHIP
LEVEL CAN HURT MORALE AND
PRODUCTIVITY. IT'S TOUGH TO TAKE
DIRECTION FROM SOMEONE WHO IS A
POOR EXAMPLE OF A LEADER, NO
MATTER WHAT THE REASON. SOME
BOSS BEHAVIORS CAN CAUSE FRICTION
BETWEEN EMPLOYEES.
 INADEQUATE JOB DESCRIPTIONS

• JOB DESCRIPTIONS SERVE AS A DOCUMENTED RECORD

OF WHAT AN EMPLOYEE SHOULD ACCOMPLISH IN
THEIR POSITION AND WHAT ACTIVITIES THEY MUST
PERFORM WELL TO MEET THOSE OBJECTIVES.
• THIS SHOULD BE TREATED AS AN EMPLOYMENT
CONTRACT, CREATING THE TOOL TO MEASURE JOB
PERFORMANCE. MAKE SURE THAT JOB DESCRIPTION
DOCUMENTS ARE PROVIDED TO ALL EMPLOYEES AND
THAT THEY ARE UTILIZED REGULARLY.
 LACK OF TRAINING

• NOTHING HAS BECOME MORE APPARENT

IN TODAY’S WORKPLACE THAN THE
LACK OF EMPLOYEE TRAINING. SOME
COMPANIES MERELY THROW NEW
EMPLOYEES ONTO THE FRONT LINE,
FORCING THEM TO LEARN ON THEIR
OWN THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR.
OTHERS PROVIDE FORMAL TRAINING,
BUT IN THE WRONG MANNER. BOTH ARE
EQUALLY DETRIMENTAL TO CORPORATE
PERFORMANCE.
 IMPROPER OR EXCESSIVE COMPANY
POLICIES
• ALL COMPANIES MUST HAVE POLICIES THAT
ALL EMPLOYEES FOLLOW. HOWEVER, A
COMPANY SHOULD STRIVE TO HAVE AS FEW
POLICIES AS POSSIBLE. ONE OF THE MOST
RECENT DISCOVERIES IS THAT A BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENT THAT PROVIDES FREEDOM
AND THE INVITATION TO BE CREATIVE
ALWAYS LEADS TO THE HIGHEST
PERFORMING EMPLOYEES. TOO MANY
POLICIES STIFLE EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE.
 LACK OF EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

• MANAGEMENT MUST MAKE SURE TO PAY

ATTENTION TO THE TYPE AND CONDITION OF
EQUIPMENT THAT IS BEING UTILIZED BY THE
EMPLOYEES. CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ON
EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES ARE A VERY
HIGH PERCENTAGE OF OPERATION EXPENSES.
KNOW WHAT IS NEEDED, FURNISH IT AND
THEN MAINTAIN IT. AND, MAKE SURE
EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATE ALL THE WAY.
SAFETY GOES UP, RIGHT ALONG WITH
MORALE.
 A LOUSY MANAGER

• A POSITIVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

INCLUDES THE PRESENCE OF
MANAGERS WHO ARE GOOD ROLE
MODELS FOR EMPLOYEES. MEASURE
SUCCESS IN THIS AREA BY SEEKING
EVALUATIONS FROM EMPLOYEES. IT
IS KEY FOR MANAGEMENT TO ASK
HOW THEY’RE DOING.
 LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS TO ROUTINE
PROBLEMS

• NOISY COLLEAGUES-IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO CONCENTRATE WHEN YOUR

CUBICLE-MATE IS TALKING LOUDLY ON THE PHONE, PLAYING MUSIC
 LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS TO ROUTINE
PROBLEMS

• CHATTY VISITORS-IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN ON DEADLINE, AND YOU CAN’T

GET A TALKATIVE CO-WORKER OUT OF YOUR OFFICE, THE FEELING CAN BE
MADDENING. STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTIONS INCLUDE CLOSING YOUR OFFICE
DOOR OR POSTING A SIGN ON YOUR WORKSTATION THAT DENOTES A DEADLINE
IN PROGRESS.
 LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS TO ROUTINE
PROBLEMS

• IRRESPONSIBLE CO-WORKERS-IF A COLLEAGUE MISSES DEADLINES OR

MEETINGS OR REGULARLY FAILS TO SHOW UP TO WORK ON TIME, SADDLING
YOU WITH HER WORKLOAD, TALK TO HER ABOUT THE IMPACT HER TARDINESS
HAS ON YOU.
 “BORROWED” OFFICE SUPPLIES

• SOME PEOPLE FEEL ANYTHING NOT BOLTED DOWN IN AN OFFICE ENVIRONMENT

IS FAIR GAME. THIS INCLUDES PERSONAL OFFICE SUPPLIES, CANDY ON YOUR
DESK, NOTE PADS AND NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES.
• INVEST IN A CLEAR PLASTIC LOCK BOX FOR YOUR DESK TOP AND STORE YOU
SUPPLIES INSIDE. IF ANYONE ASKS WHY THE SECURITY, SIMPLY STATE THAT
YOUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS GO MISSING SO FREQUENTLY THAT THE “SAFE”
WAS A VALUABLE INVESTMENT.
 COMMON WORKPLACE PROBLEMS AND
HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM
• YOU’RE OVERWHELMED WITH
WORK
• IF YOUR WORKLOAD HAS INCREASED
DRAMATICALLY, AND EVEN BATHROOM
BREAKS STRESS YOU OUT, YOU
PROBABLY NEED TO TALK WITH YOUR
MANAGER ABOUT YOUR WORKLOAD.
 THE JOB YOU HAVE IS DIFFERENT FROM
THE ONE YOU APPLIED FOR
• YOU WERE HIRED TO MANAGE SALES,
BUT YOU END UP MANAGING
SPREADSHEETS. OR YOUR
“MARKETING DIRECTOR” JOB TURNS
OUT TO BE LITTLE MORE THAN
MAKING COLD CALLS TO PROSPECTS.
IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN A
DELIBERATE BAIT-AND-SWITCH, BUT
THE WORK SURE ISN’T WHAT YOU
WERE TOLD IN THE INTERVIEW.
 YOU KEEP RUNNING INTO CONFLICT WITH
A DIFFICULT CO-WORKER
• YOU’VE TRIED TO BE NICE, BUT EVERY
CONVERSATION WITH HIM DEVOLVES
INTO DISAGREEMENT AND STRIFE,
WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO GET
SHARED PROJECTS DONE … AND
CONSIDERING THAT WE SPEND ONE-
THIRD OF OUR WAKING TIME WITH CO-
WORKERS, YOU’D LIKE MORE
HARMONIOUS RELATIONS.
 YOU’VE MADE A MAJOR MISTAKE THAT
TRULY HARMED YOUR TEAM
• YOU’RE HUMAN AND YOU’LL MAKE
MISTAKES NOW AND THEN, BUT
WHEN IT’S HIGH-PROFILE (LIKE A
DAMAGING QUOTE IN A NEWS
ARTICLE) OR COSTLY (LIKE LOSING A
MAJOR ACCOUNT), IT CAN BE HARD
TO KNOW HOW TO FACE YOUR BOSS.