Selecting, Appraising, and Discipline Employees
Question 1
Trent needs to consider the implications of writing a glowing recommendation for Smith with the hope that she would be transferred, knowing that her performance and attitude were the opposite of what he presented (Mosley, Pietri, & Mosley, 2010). Although there was no formal appraisal system in the organization, Trent has a lot of opportunities to address performance issues with respect to Smith but he failed to do so. He conducted an assessment in January, and upon learning about her weaknesses, he only gave subjective and negative feedback with no further action. He neglected his role pertaining to employee motivation and instead, he opted to refer her for transfer. Still, upon learning that she was not offered the opportunity, he failed to help her. Therefore, Smith’s actions are justified.
Consequently, the only avenue that Trent needs to explore, is to be truthful to his seniors regarding his actions. Although it will be difficult for them to regain trust in him after the incident, it is better to come clean to avoid complicating the issue further. His false assessment may lead to a rise in pay for Smith, who does not deserve this, based on her current performance.
Question 2
Although Smith did not tell the truth in the first instance, Trent supervises her performance appraisal and output at work, which enables him to withhold pay rises and build further evidence that would terminate Smith. Alternatively, he may also opt to stick to his inflated recommendations regarding Smith and face the consequences. This means that she will be entitled to both pay increase and cost-of-living adjustment. Managers are trusted with powers in the organization which require them to commit to morality and act truthfully since they act as a bridge between the company and the employees (“Is Morality Essential to Leadership?”, 2017). Managers have an ethical responsibility to enforce organizational policies and uphold truthfulness when sharing critical information. The case also shows that supervisors need to act morally because untruthfulness can affect employee performance, especially when they are given positive evaluation that they do not deserve. Besides, issues that are affecting the quality of the workplace need to be addressed responsibly. Lack of morality may result in managers being sacked or lack of respect by employees or disciplinary action.
Question 3
Judging by Trent’s case, it is clear that some managers give untruthful recommendations which may be based on personal biases or subjective judgments. The issue of untruthful judgment is difficult to evaluate since it is uncommon. In some cases, a manager may prefer to give an excellent recommendation to get rid of a bad employee. However, such untruthful recommendation can be harmful because they do not tell the new manager that the incoming employee was challenging to work with. A manager who is not willing to address poor performance issues, portrays serious negligence and lack of workplace morality (“Is Morality Essential to Leadership?”, 2017). It also shows that the manager in charge of the employee also has poor managerial skills since he is allowing bad behaviour to continue.
Question 4
Salaries are linked to motivation, satisfaction and performance. Based on research by various companies, payment plans are supported by the assumption that people are motivated by money. Happiness based on the pay level has an impact on performance and productivity since it can be demotivating to feel underpaid. Organizational turnover is reduced when there is better pay since employees compare their salaries to those which are provided in other comparable organizations (Sule & Amuni, 2014). People tend to choose to stay or leave an organization based on whether they are satisfied with the work environment and promotion opportunities. Most workers do not view their salaries as a form of compensation but rather as a way for their employers to acknowledge and appreciate their performance and productivity. The level of employee recognition and appreciation undoubtedly has a direct impact on the employee’s performance (Sule & Amuni, 2014). Good salaries definitely motivate employees to work harder to please their employers. Employees would be willing to add more efforts or work for extra hours due to financial rewards that come with the sacrifice.
Question 5
Although performance appraisals can be stressful to formulate, they impact on salary reviews. Performance reviews are important since they enable managers to reward good performers and punish nonperformers (Singh & Gupta, 2013). However, situations such as the one portrayed by Trent can lead to further problems if salary adjustments are to be based on performance appraisal (Mosley, Pietri, & Mosley, 2010). In some instances, it would be better if salary increases are tied to achievement. Using performance evaluation during a salary adjustment also depends on the supervisor’s integrity. While performing an appraisal can be quite uncomfortable, managers must ensure that they provide accurate information that can be used to determine the correct compensation (Singh & Gupta, 2013). However, judgment regarding whether an employee should be compensated or not, should not solely depend on assessment. Other factors such as experience, achievement, level of education, leadership skills, teamwork, dedication and level of expertise could also be analysed. Managers should also be truthful when reporting so that the organization does not retain underperforming employees.
Is Morality Essential to Leadership? (2017). Retrieved 5 April 2020, from https://icma.org/blog-posts/morality-essential-leadership
References
Mosley, D.C., Pietri, P.H., & Mosley, D.C. Jr (2010). Selecting, appraising, and discipline employees. In Pietri, P.H., Mosley, D.C. & Megginson, L.C. (Eds.), Supervisory management: The art of inspiring, empowering, and developing people. (Chapter 15). Thomson South-Western.
Singh, P., & Gupta, S. (2013). Performance Appraisal: Building Trust among Employees or not-the Dilemma Continues. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 3(8), 1-6. Sule, O., & Amuni, S. (2014). Wages and Salaries Administration as Motivational Tool in Nigerian Organisation (A Case Study of Nestle Nigeria PLC). Journal Of Business Theory And Practice, 2(2), 247. doi: 10.22158/jbtp.v2n2p24
