Management and Employee Comparison “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell. During the last century there has occurred an unprecedented amount of technological, social and economic change. These changes have profoundly impacted the workplace in the United States, changing the way in which millions work and communicate. Furthermore, what is considered work has also undergone a transformation. Gone are days when the majority of the country spent their working life toiling to create tangible products for consumption or use. While the foundation of the economy has undergone a rapid transformation so has the expectation of workers when it comes to work-life
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These pressures are driving institutional changes that are impacting the nature of work for employees. One of the largest pressures affecting organizations is the drive to increase flexibility and efficiency (Fossum, 2008). One way in which organizations have accomplished this is by reducing the levels of management, and placing a higher level of importance on front line employee decision making (Fossum, 2008). A good example of this in the retail industry was Walmart’s move, in 2015, to reduce the levels of management in stores by eliminating the zone manager position (Wahba, 2015). The company took this action in order to “reduce bureaucracy, improve customer service and give front-line workers more input into how their section of the store is run” (Wahba, 2015, para. …show more content…
U.S. retailers are not known for generous paid time off policies. They also have a long history of establishing lengthy blackout periods that encompass the lead up to and during the busy Christmas holiday season. Employers need to ensure that they have sufficient coverage to meet the needs of their customers, as well as expanded hours and freight flow. While, employees want to ensure that they have time to spend with their families during the holiday season as well. These needs can be effectively balanced by ensuring that the organization’s paid time off policy is written down and clearly communicated to employees (Deschenaux, 2015). Furthermore, the needs of employees should be recognized by establishing sensible limits on blackout periods. For example, there is no reason for a retailer to begin the Christmas Holiday blackout period in October or early November. These periods should be decided after careful review of freight flow, and customer traffic needs in conjunction with employee input. An example of a reasonable compromise would be a blackout period for the week of Thanksgiving, as well as the 14 day period prior to Christmas which are the busiest periods for most
These pressures are driving institutional changes that are impacting the nature of work for employees. One of the largest pressures affecting organizations is the drive to increase flexibility and efficiency (Fossum, 2008). One way in which organizations have accomplished this is by reducing the levels of management, and placing a higher level of importance on front line employee decision making (Fossum, 2008). A good example of this in the retail industry was Walmart’s move, in 2015, to reduce the levels of management in stores by eliminating the zone manager position (Wahba, 2015). The company took this action in order to “reduce bureaucracy, improve customer service and give front-line workers more input into how their section of the store is run” (Wahba, 2015, para. …show more content…
U.S. retailers are not known for generous paid time off policies. They also have a long history of establishing lengthy blackout periods that encompass the lead up to and during the busy Christmas holiday season. Employers need to ensure that they have sufficient coverage to meet the needs of their customers, as well as expanded hours and freight flow. While, employees want to ensure that they have time to spend with their families during the holiday season as well. These needs can be effectively balanced by ensuring that the organization’s paid time off policy is written down and clearly communicated to employees (Deschenaux, 2015). Furthermore, the needs of employees should be recognized by establishing sensible limits on blackout periods. For example, there is no reason for a retailer to begin the Christmas Holiday blackout period in October or early November. These periods should be decided after careful review of freight flow, and customer traffic needs in conjunction with employee input. An example of a reasonable compromise would be a blackout period for the week of Thanksgiving, as well as the 14 day period prior to Christmas which are the busiest periods for most