As the plant manager for Bob seeing this behaviour from him, an outstanding employee prior to
these issues I would then look at the performance of other employees to see if this is a
companywide or just Bob. If it was just Bob, I would have a private conversation with him to see if
there was anything that I could do as a manager to help him return to the performance I know he
is capable of, if companywide I would look at more broad reaching solutions to solve the issue.
b b b b b b b b b b b b b b When it comes to inventory discrepancies, I would task someone else on the shift to do
an inventory count as well. These are important numbers and making sure they are accurate is
vital. So, thinking about it the same way I would accounting internal controls I would add more
hands to the situation. This could be as simple as having a second employee review and agree with
his inventory count and or an immediate manager signing off on the inventory and the manager
having to explain any large discrepancies in the inventory counts from one shift to another.
b b b b b b b b b b b b b b This would ensure that even if an employee was simply having an off day the inventory
would be accurate as the manager could have someone recount or recount themselves to make
sure that the large differences are accurate and explained or just a simple miscount or error in
recording. b b
As plant manager I have set up an in-person one-on-one meeting with Bob to discuss his
performance and moving forward. I would let Bob know it has come to our attention that a high
percentage of items that have gone out have been reported to have defects. I would let Bob know
that this has become a concern for leadership and we now must plan to improve the process for
identifying defects going forward. I would discuss in detail what Bob’s current process is for
identifying defects. Myself and/or another employee in a supervisory role will be appointed to
watch him during work and audit his work when it comes to identifying defects. We will identify
areas for improvement and implement an additional process that double checks items for defects
before packaging. b
It is important to utilize the principles of change management while addressing these changes with
Bob. A top-down approach is important in implementing changes so that Bob sees leadership has
embraced and are serious about the necessity of these changes (Kopoulous, 2023).
It is also important for me to create the business case for Bob when discussing and implementing
these changes. Bob may have questions regarding the necessity of changes and if they are truly
needed, and it is the responsibility of leadership to be able to answer these questions and set
forth a vision that connects back to the organization’s mission (Kopoulous, 2023). To do this it will
be important for me to clearly communicate in a convincing manner the need for change, express
faith that the changes will work toward the desired future of the company, and construct a detail
road map for all involved that will guide the needed behaviour and decision making throughout
the process (Kopoulous, 2023).
It will also be important for me to establish ownership and accountability. One way to do this with
Bob is to actively involve him in the conversations regarding the needed changes and planning to
address the issues (Kopoulous, 2023). This will involve Bob in the process and help show him that
his opinions are valued and he is being heard by the organization. b
Clear and consistent communication will also be crucial for me and Bob during this time
(Kopoulous, 2023). Instead of addressing the issue once, I should schedule reoccurring meetings to
discuss the change process and how identifying defects has been going. Weekly or bi-weekly one-
on-ones between me and Bob could be an effective way to keep communication flowy and to keep
Bob motivated and on task, which will also create a safe space for Bob to discuss any concerns he
may have as well.
For me, one of the most difficult aspects of being a manager is giving performance reviews. It is
never easy to give someone feedback that they may not want to hear. However, it’s important to
build good relationships with employees so that when you are delivering the bad news, they don’t
take it as an attack and trust you enough to know you are providing them with crucial information
for them to perform at their best.
When discussing Bob’s current situation, I would first meet with him to see if there are any
underlined issues that are prohibiting him from performing well.
There could be a variety of factors to consider:
personal and/or family issue
a medical issue. b
due to the higher demand Bob may need another team member to assist during high demand
hours on his shift.
was Bob given clear expectations and training upon being hired. I would need to first address the
issue and provide support for Bob to put a plan in place to allow him to remedy his situation at
work. This will include a process for him to be able to monitor the quality of his work moving
forward. Then perhaps a “refresher” training on the control process requirements so that the
expectations are clear. Along with doing this I would engage Bob in giving some input on how he
may think the process could improve.
Lastly, I would meet with Bon to reassess his performance more frequently to ensure growth and
improvement. I would also use this as an opportunity to give him recognition for and areas that
have improved. The end of the quarter is a stressful time for all employees, but one employee,
Bob, did not do so well this past quarter due to customer complaints and discrepancies with
inventory. These are serious issues that need to be addressed. Bob is normally a good employee
and performs tasks as required, but this quarter he has had many customer complaints and
discrepancies with inventory.
To ensure a fair and efficient procedure while enforcing discipline, best practices should be
followed. These include adhering to protocol, recording issues, including involving a support
person, enforcing progressive discipline, preventing wrongful termination, establishing a
performance improvement plan, and supplying a timeframe for improvement. Employers should
have well-defined, documented disciplinary policies in place, and they should regularly adhere to
these policies. Employers also need to keep track of instances of employee misconduct or poor
performance, involve a support person, practice progressive discipline, prevent unfair dismissal,
create a performance improvement plan, and set a deadline for improvement (Lin, 2023).
Bob is an excellent employee, but there is a problem that must be addressed immediately. Bob will
need to attend new training classes to help correct the situation, and his work will be monitored
for the next quarter. At Bob's next performance evaluation, the manager will revisit the situation to
see if the plan worked to improve his performance. If this is the case, the monitor can be
relocated.
If this were a company-wide change, we would have to explain that quality control is one of the
most important details. Having a monitor double-check 10% of each employee's orders will help to
ensure that only high-quality products are delivered to our customers. Employees can be confident
that they are valued and will not be singled out. Employees should be able to address any issues
with the personnel manager or another member of management in order to send only the best
product to customers while maintaining our reputation.
Resources
Kopoulous, A. (2023). How to lead change management: Ten guiding principles.
https://www.employeeconnect.com/blog/how-to-lead-change-management-guiding-principles/ b
Lin, C. (2023, February 9). Disciplinary action in the workplace: Best practices & strategies.
Employee Connect HRIS. https://www.employeeconnect.com/blog/disciplinary-action-in-the-
workplace/
