Case Study:
Collaborative learning team discussion, write, individually, a 350 to 700 word description based on the collaboration of the team's company and problem for instructor approval.
Format your summary consistent with APA guidelines.
Michael: For the benefit of the learning team, I will give information regarding where I work. I am a Soldier in the United States Army, currently assigned to Fort Lewis, Washington. One problem I encounter quite often is fellow Soldiers who are trained but not proficient at their job. Upon entering the military, each Soldier goes through an extensive training regimen that gets them trained and ready to perform their jobs out in the workplace. Often, with the way the military system currently is, there are those who get through the system without gaining adequate training that makes them equal to their fellow Soldier. This is a crucial part of a business, even if it is the U.S. Military, as people who can do the job proficiently and adequately is what the Manager needs under them. When a task is assigned, the Manager has to know that the job will be done proficiently and in a timely manner and that the company will not lose money due to the lack of abilities of those employed.
One other major problem currently where I work, is that employees cannot for some reason find it necessary to report to work on time. Having been around for 30 years now, I know that it is a huge trait to have to always be prompt and on time. Being reliable and a part of a team that can be depended on is part of being a productive employee in my opinion.
These are just two of the problems I see at my place of employment and look forward to hearing from other team members regarding part 1 of this project.
Ashley: Hi Michael. I was once in the U.S. Army for four years and witnessed the problems you are describing. I worked in Finance as a soldier and as a civilian and I see what you are talking about with the job training. What was beneficial for me was that I had a NCO who was willing to make sure I understood everything he taught me. He also had me build a smart book full of notes and examples of common issues we faced when dealing with customers. With his type of training, I completed my tasks in a timely manner and saved him a lot of time by reading up on finance regulations during slow hours. Your other issue about reporting to work on time was not something he took lightly. He was not afraid to give out the right punishments to those who felt they could not make it to work on time. For me, I feel like the first problem you presented, job training, is a good topic to cover.
Michael: I think that training is a vital part of any company's success. If the business (owner & manager) fail to ensure that the employees have had adequate training in order to perform the functions of their job, they are destined to either 1- lose profits or 2- lose customers. This is crucial in a customer service aspect; the way an employee treats the customer dictates directly as to if that customer returns in the future. If you think 1 customer cannot ruin a business, think again. The 1 customer can use the word of mouth to tell others of their experience (good or bad) and that could determine whether or not the customer base remains loyal to the business.
If the employee fails to give the customer the goods or services they are paying for, that customer will not return, therefore sales will decrease and eventually the business or company could go under or have to think about relocating. I have seen too often where one customer can change the outcome of a business. Training of the employees is a crucial part to the success of the company or business. Ensuring that there is a training program sufficient to ensure that the employee can do their job and then some is the direct responsibility of the Manager. Checking the box doesn't work in customer service. Giving the customer what they pay for does make a difference.
Princess: Hello Michael,
From my experience with working with coworkers I have learned that people interpret information differently than I. When going I was first hired there was a lot of training and everyone has to do the same training regardless of their title. After my 30 days I realized that people either don't pay attention, or feel that as long as their are hired (including the 30 day probation) the job can be transformed into "their way". The type of behavior that some people display shows that training may have to include all employees, and not just New Hire. I also feel that managers should communicate their dissatisfactions of employees that are not performing and not relay on the best employees to take over the lack of work that their coworkers are displaying.
Lavena: Michael,
I've had my share of bad training and people not coming to work on time. I worked in a nursing home and was trained by other employees rather than to manager of the place. When I was put by myself to work, I worked as I was trained by the employees to work. I ended up getting written up for leaving a patient soiled before I went on break. I left someone in the care of my patients while I went on break as I was suppose to, but after I left to go on break she went on break. Instead of her getting written up, I got written up and she didn't. I think getting good training and learning all you can on a job is important to know. I just started a job at a new assisted living place, where the administrator trained me for part of the night and then I was left for the rest of the night to do the rest of the work by myself. I don't think this was a good way to train someone, but I understand that the place was short staffed and people called out, so she had to take over. She was there from 9am that morning to 1am the next morning. My hours were from 7pm to 7am the next morning. She left me alone to do this job for 6 hours. I'm glad that I was taught very well in school on how to do this job because I would not have done so good alone. I think being on time for work is a way of showing that you're reliable and that your boss can trust you to be on time.
Michael: It looks like we all agree that training is an essential part of any job and any position within the workplace. As future Managers, what can we do to ensure that our employees have adequate training to do their assigned jobs, while at the same time being productive for the company and also making a difference for the entire staff and the customers? Customer service is a crucial part of any business, and I personally feel that the Manager is directly responsible for the way the customer is treated by the staff and employees.
As a Manager, you have to ensure that your staff has had extensive training that prepares them for any type of situation that they could encounter while on the job. If the Manager accepts undertrained employees, then they have to know that one possibility is that the customer service will be lacking at this might end up pushing away customers. Employees MUST understand that the customer is the reason why they have a job. Treating the customer with respect and ensuring that they are taken care of is what makes the business prosper. If the customer service is lacking, then customers will end up not returning and going somewhere else where they are treated correctly. I would love to see how others in the learning team feel regarding the customer service of a company or business. Is it something that we as managers can fix if need be, or is it something that will be lacking even if the employees have been trained on what right looks like?
Ashley: Honestly Michael, I feel like an organization should have a block of training for new employees and refresher training for current employees. Having employees trained before they start a job will help the company a lot. Some people are tough to train on the job and can take up a lot of valuable time from the trainer. During training, new employees can be shown real life situations that happen on a daily basis at the organization. That is how we were trained when I had to go to a two week training for a bank I worked for in the past. We had to watch videos and were tested on the functions of a teller. I think a real training before the new employee actually starts working would be beneficial to not only the new employee but also the company.
Lavena: I think that if an employee receives extensive training on how do deal with people of all types of moods and receive an extensive training on how to do his or her job, I think that the employee will handle to job with confidence. If a manager trains an employee incorrectly, then the employee will not feel confident enough to do the job on his or her own. I agree that training and customer service plays a huge role in being a manager.
Michael: During this project, we as a team have agreed that one of the managers most important focus points is the training of their employees. Managers have to ensure that their employees have received the necessary training to perform the job they were hired for, and that they have the correct level of customer service training upon being hired. It is imperative that the Manager remains focused on the training of their employees, and that the training is adequate to prepare that employee for situations they might encounter.
One thing we as a group have not yet identified is a company. I prefer to follow the assignment by focusing on a company that a team member suggests, rather than breaking down to a company that is well known like WalMart or Costco. Is there any suggestions for the better of the group? Does anyone have a company where the problem that we have identified is relative to their situations? If not, I would like to suggest using WalMart. As one of the larger employers across the United States, as well as being a well known business, WalMart is very easy to relate to some of our jobs, and one that we can relate to the possible examples a team member might have.
Their employees go through training that might be more or less than other companies, and it can also be relative to a current training program at a employer one of us might work at. In the military, new Soldiers go through basic training, and then complete Advanced Individual Training pertaining to the job they will be working at. I am a Food Service Manager, and know first hand that the new recruits who have chosen the Food Service Operations of the U.S. Military receive extensive training before completing the program and receiving a diploma.
Any suggestions from fellow team members is greatly appreciated as we have our next paper due this upcoming Monday evening, and it would be great for everyone to have all the needed information when preparing their paper.
Ashley: I don't mind using Wal-Mart. If everyone else I agrees, I can start on my paper.
Princess: Wal-Mart is fine with me also.
Lavena: I don't mind using Wal-Mart, but I think since we all have been relating to Michael and what he goes through; we should use the U.S. Military as an example. That's my suggestion, but if everyone wishes to use Wal-Mart this is fine.