Workplace Conflict Management: Case Analysis
MR HART AND BING
The shop situation reported in this case occurred in a work group of four men and three women who were engaged in testing and inspecting panels for electronic equipment. The employees were paid on a piecework incentive basis. The personnel organisation of the company included a counsellor whose duty it was to become acquainted with the workers and talk over any problems which they wishes to discuss with him. The summarized statements of 'Bing', the employee, and Mr. Hard, 'the Supervisor, are excerpts from five interviews the consular had with each of them within a period of about two weeks. "
A SUMMARIZED STATEMENT OF HOW 'BING' FELT.
"According to the system round here. as I understand It, I am allowed to much 'set-up' time to get these panels from the racks, carry them over here to the bench and place them in this jig here. 'which holds them in position while I inspect them. For convenience sake and also to save time, I sometimes manage to carry two or three over at the same time and inspect them all at the same time. This is a perfectly legal thing to do. We have always been doing it. Mr. Hard, the supervisor, has other ideas about it, though he claims it's cheating the company. He came over to the bench a day or two ago and let me know just how he felt about the matter. 'Boy, did we go at it. It wasn't so much the fact that he called me down on it, but more the way in which he did it. He's a sarcastic b……d.
I've never. seen anyone like him. He's not content just to say in a manlike way what's on his mind, but he prefers to do it in a way that makes you want to crawl inside a crack in the floor. What a guy! I don't mind being called down by a supervisor. but I like to be treated like a man and not humiliated like a scbool-teacher does a naughty kid. He's been pulling this stuff ever since he's been a supervisor. I knew him when he was just one of us, but since he's been promoted he’s lost his friendly way and seems to be having some
The shop situation reported in this case occurred in a work group of four men and three women who were engaged in testing and inspecting panels for electronic equipment. The employees were paid on a piecework incentive basis. The personnel organisation of the company included a counsellor whose duty it was to become acquainted with the workers and talk over any problems which they wishes to discuss with him. The summarized statements of 'Bing', the employee, and Mr. Hard, 'the Supervisor, are excerpts from five interviews the consular had with each of them within a period of about two weeks. "
A SUMMARIZED STATEMENT OF HOW 'BING' FELT.
"According to the system round here. as I understand It, I am allowed to much 'set-up' time to get these panels from the racks, carry them over here to the bench and place them in this jig here. 'which holds them in position while I inspect them. For convenience sake and also to save time, I sometimes manage to carry two or three over at the same time and inspect them all at the same time. This is a perfectly legal thing to do. We have always been doing it. Mr. Hard, the supervisor, has other ideas about it, though he claims it's cheating the company. He came over to the bench a day or two ago and let me know just how he felt about the matter. 'Boy, did we go at it. It wasn't so much the fact that he called me down on it, but more the way in which he did it. He's a sarcastic b……d.
I've never. seen anyone like him. He's not content just to say in a manlike way what's on his mind, but he prefers to do it in a way that makes you want to crawl inside a crack in the floor. What a guy! I don't mind being called down by a supervisor. but I like to be treated like a man and not humiliated like a scbool-teacher does a naughty kid. He's been pulling this stuff ever since he's been a supervisor. I knew him when he was just one of us, but since he's been promoted he’s lost his friendly way and seems to be having some