Reference no: EM133180138

You are the new human resource manager of the U.S. Postal Service mail processing unit in New York. You have reviewed your department and found a highly regulatory environment. Much of the work is routine and offers limited upward mobility. You reviewed the department practices, and you have found a higher than the average number of quits. Also, you identified that there had beenf over 16 workplace violence incidents reported. Three of them have occurred under the processing manager.

You determine that several managers have not attended workplace violence training in several years. You recognize that the HR unit offers no sensitivity training. As you finish assessment, you receive a call from a processing manager.

The processing manager reports that his employee, Carol, came to his office on Monday and said that she is going through a separation, likely resulting in a divorce. She reports that her husband also works in the unit. She explained that she is concerned that her husband might try to interfere with her job.

The processing manager explained that he told Carol that he would change her shifts. He explained that he reassured the employee that he felt all would work out.

Then he reported that the employee's husband, Bob, came to his office on Tuesday and demanded that his wife not be moved to another shift. He also said the employee stated that his wife better not be paying any attention to any of the other guys in the unit. The processing manager reported that Bob used derogatory names to describe his wife. He said that he told Bob that if Bob would "man up," his wife would not be looking for attention somewhere else.

He told Bob to get out of his office. He said that Carol should be able to do whatever she wanted. He reported that Bob started to cry and that he told him to get out. He said that he wanted you to know what had transpired as he is concerned Bob will try to call in sick, and the processing manager is fully aware he is not ill. You look into Bob's work file and see that he was the former security guard of the unit.

1. What actions do you recommend as you process and analyze this case? What would you tell the Processing Manager?
2. Remember that you represent the organization. Carol, Bob, and the Processing Manager all have a stake in the outcome of your decision.
3. Are there issues that should be considered at this time, or is the Processing Manager just being overly cautious? Please engage in active discussion.