Reference no: EM133274600

Case: Rita Writer is a member of the communications and marketing staff at a large environmental nonprofit. She has various responsibilities, including writing press releases, articles for the quarterly magazine, copy for brochures that are produced for fundraising and other purposes, and material for the organization's website. Rita had previously worked as a marketing specialist in the alumni relations office of a local college and came with outstanding references. When she accepted her new job, she said she wanted to make the change so that she would have more opportunity to write, since her job in alumni relations also included responsibility for attending events and required considerable travel.

Rita now has been in her current job for about three months. She produces an adequate volume of writing, but it is consistently full of glaring errors. Her manager, the vice president for communications and marketing, sometimes sends the work back to Rita for revisions. But most times the vice president just edits the work herself, not wanting to confront Rita and thinking that it is faster for her to take on the task. She has not said anything to Rita, but is becoming increasingly unhappy with her performance. She is concerned that firing Rita would be an unpopular decision among the other staff, so she is reluctant to do so. But she is wondering what she can do to increase Rita's contribution to the organization.

One of Rita's colleagues mentioned to the vice president that Rita spends a lot of time on the phone talking to people in chapter offices around the country. In addition, the organization sponsors a number of public events, including lectures on environmental issues that are followed by receptions. Although she is not required to do so, Rita attends many of them on her work time and always stays for the reception, mingling with the guests. One of her colleagues said sarcastically to the vice president, "Rita just seems to prefer socializing to doing her job."

Question: What recommended practices for the management of staff or volunteers may not have been followed in each of these cases?