Reference no: EM133269280
Question: You are a supervisor in a plant that produces canned vegetables. The COVID-19 pandemic has struck and your company must suddenly adjust to a new reality. Since your company produces food it is an essential business and needs to remain open, but big changes are needed to accomplish that safely. 500 people work in the plant and if 50 or more become infected, the plant will have to shut down for two weeks. The company has installed Plexiglas between each work station and provided masks for all employees. Additional PPE is available to employees on request. Several new policies to inhibit transmission of the disease have also been implemented.
1. Every employee must wear a mask at all times.
2. Employees must be spaced at least 6 feet apart on the production line.
3. Employees must wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds and use hand sanitizer regularly.
4. Every employee must pass a daily health check.
Employees who fail to comply with all policies are subject to discipline. As the supervisor, you are in charge of making sure your employees follow these policies to the letter. Timing and severity of disciplinary actions is up to your discretion. Your options include reprimands, docking pay, fines and suspensions, but since workers are unionized, firing them is extremely difficult under any circumstances.
For you, the second policy is the hardest one. To create 6 feet of space between workers, the company forced you to lay off 10 of your workers. It deeply saddened you to lay off workers when economic times are tough, but not all of your remaining employees seem to believe that. Just as importantly, demand for your products has not diminished, but you now have only 20 employees to do the work of 30.
*MOTIVATING*
a. Some employees are very afraid of becoming sick and it is interfering with their work. Discuss how you can apply needs theories of motivation to address their concerns and motivate them.
b. Some employees have been disheartened by seeing their friends being laid off. Many seem to be going through the motions, and the quality of their work has fallen off. How would setting new, effective goals help to motivate them?
c. How can empowering a few of your most capable employees help your department to succeed and take some strain off of you?