Reference no: EM132883398

Ray Wilson is Quality Manager of the Tiffin, Ohio, plant of North-West Electric, a manufacturer of electrical components. Some North-West locations have implemented various forms of broad-banding and delayering in response to job-based pay structures. He heard about the experiences of Tiffin's sister plant in Kinston, North Carolina, at a recent quality conference. This made him consider his own situation. His staff is generally effective, but they do not always do well in the highly ambiguous environment of the plant because their defined responsibilities do not incorporate a great deal of flexibility, and many of them are reluctant to step outside their roles. There are four levels of employees between him and his hourly staff; Ray sometimes feels overly insulated from the happenings on the shop floor. Now, Ray has to decide whether or not to try this approach with his own staff, and what specifically to do if he does make changes.

Why might having broader bands help Ray attract better talent?

-More detailed job descriptions give applicants a better idea of what they are doing.

-Good applicants feel comfortable in a hierarchical structure.

-Increased emphasis on promotions will attract ambitious applicants.

-He will have more flexibility to meet market pay demands.