Assignment task: 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.
a. Discuss your core leadership skills. Do you communicate well? Are you generally aware of what is going on? Are you good at building relationships? Consider how to make the most of your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.
b. Trust is the most important factor in a supervisor-employee relationship. Relationships are strained now because some employees at least partially blame you for the layoffs.
What actions can you take to make sure your employees know they can trust you? How do you earn their trust?
c. Consider the situation, choose a suitable leadership style and explain your reasons for? Choosing it. Your employees are well trained - can you take advantage of that?