Workplace Observation
Step 1: Methods
1. Interviews
2. Observations
3. Surveys:
2.4. Review of Documents:
I will interview the employees in groups by department. I plan to explain to them the problems that have been brought to our attention and ask for their input into what they feel the problems are and how they would solve them. I will have them complete the surveys followed by a question and answer session. I will observe the individual departments in their work settings to see how they interact with each other and their clients. I hope to see where any and all breakdowns in communication and work procedure are occurring. I hope to have more understanding of how each department works together after these meetings and observations.
Step 2A: Surveys …show more content…
“Employees”
1.
Job Title and Job Description and Supervisor.
I want to learn what each person believes their responsibilities are and to whom do they report. I also may find some other areas of concerns that have not yet been reported.
2. Why do you feel some employees have resigned their positions in recent months?
I hope to find out what employees grievances really are and how can the company create a better working environment for them.
3. Are we satisfying our clients and what can be done to ensure retention of our clients? Do they feel they are doing their best for our clients and what can be improved.
“Clients”
1. Are you satisfied with the Roanoke Branch staff?
I want to know if they are being treated the way they expect. Are they receiving what was promised in their contracts?
2. Are you satisfied with the advertising for your company/product?
I want to know if they are happy with the work our agency is producing.
3. What can we do better and would you recommend our services?
I want to know what is most important to our clients in the Roanoke area and where we need to improve.
Phoenix Advertising
420 W. Craighead Road
Charlotte, NC 28206
October 17, 2012
Randy Johnson
CEO Roanoke Branch
1108 Route …show more content…
689
Roanoke, VA 24018
Dear Mr. Johnson,
Gregory Forest has received several client complaints regarding their accounts at your branch. We are also aware of the recent resignations of key personnel in your art and client accounts departments that have not been filled and also that salaried employee morale and productivity are lagging due to longer work schedules and greater expectations. I will be making a trip to visit your branch on September 26th and 27th, 2012, arriving at 8:00 a.m. on the 26th.
Please arrange departmental group meetings for me on September 26th, with the first meeting beginning at 10:00 a.m. with each meeting to last 1 hour. During these meetings I will have the staff complete employee surveys and also conduct a question and answer period regarding the complaints of being overworked and why many feel they are being forced to work longer hours and carry larger workloads without compensation. I will also be calling on the clients that have contacted Mr. Forest in the morning of the 27thto answer their questions and to assure them we will be doing everything possible to retain their accounts. I will be back at the Roanoke office that afternoon to observe the individual departments.
I would like to review the account portfolios of the clients that have complained to Mr. Forest: A&P, Simmons Company, Aramer and Riggle, LLP and The WeightLoss Group. . I will need to review your overall staffing numbers per account ratio for the past 5 years and review any employee incentives or recognition promotions that you have used over the last year. Please have all this information available for me when I arrive.
I look forward to meeting you and your staff. I know together we will be able to resolve these issues with the employees and continue to grow Phoenix Advertising for our clients and shareholders.
Sincerely,
Vice President of Human Resources
B: Problems and Illustration
Problems:
• Low employee morale due to increased workload without compensation.
• Low employee production due to increase in accounts without full staffing.
• Low employee morale due to lack of teamwork or collaboration with final work product.
• Low morale and productivity are affecting client satisfaction.
Facts and Causes:
• Low employee morale due to lack of teamwork and collaboration.
The employee surveys and question and answer sessions brought to light the lack of teamwork at the Roanoke Branch.
I believe much of this is due in recent months because of the loss of two key managers, an Art Director and an Account Manager. These positions have not been filled, but the CEO is interviewing and hopes to either promote from within or hire new managers within the next two weeks. The loss of two vital managers has caused a breakdown in the chain of command and this is causing the lack of teamwork the workers are accustomed to. Although other managers are covering these accounts, they are stretched too thin and making decisions without consulting the copywriters and artists when making changes to the final products. Also, the sales department has been adding new accounts in Roanoke that has increased the workload on all and brought about the longer work
days.
Impact and Effects:
The impact of art directors and account managers making changes on ad work without consulting the employees that have produced the work is greatly affecting the morale of the employees and their work. They feel the work they put out is not appreciated and irrelevant if it is constantly changed by others without them even being consulted. They don’t feel part of a team and the collaborative process they previously enjoyed has been eroded. The level of professional work produced is declining and the clients are not happy and have complained to Mr. Forest.
Solutions:
The two empty positions need to be filled as soon as possible. After reviewing the staffing per accounts at the Roanoke office as compared to other branches in the Phoenix group, I recommend a few more positions be added in the copy writing and art departments as more clients and accounts have been added, thus bringing the Roanoke Branch in line with the other branches. I also recommend that worker recognition programs and incentives be put in place here in Roanoke as they have only been utilized haphazardly. I have asked the CEO, Mr. Johnson to put these in place and notify the employees immediately of the changes. I have also let the CEO and managers know that corporate expects all accounts to receive the full priority of the “team” and all employees be treated with professionalism concerning their work here at Phoenix Advertising.
Illustration:
I have chosen a bar graph to illustrate the staffing of account s at Roanoke versus accounts at the other branches of Phoenix Advertising. This graph clearly illustrates that Roanoke is understaffed according to the number of accounts they are now carrying, thus causing the long work days, low morale and poor work productivity
1. Interviews
2. Observations
3. Surveys:
2.4. Review of Documents:
I will interview the employees in groups by department. I plan to explain to them the problems that have been brought to our attention and ask for their input into what they feel the problems are and how they would solve them. I will have them complete the surveys followed by a question and answer session. I will observe the individual departments in their work settings to see how they interact with each other and their clients. I hope to see where any and all breakdowns in communication and work procedure are occurring. I hope to have more understanding of how each department works together after these meetings and observations.
Step 2A: Surveys …show more content…
“Employees”
1.
Job Title and Job Description and Supervisor.
I want to learn what each person believes their responsibilities are and to whom do they report. I also may find some other areas of concerns that have not yet been reported.
2. Why do you feel some employees have resigned their positions in recent months?
I hope to find out what employees grievances really are and how can the company create a better working environment for them.
3. Are we satisfying our clients and what can be done to ensure retention of our clients? Do they feel they are doing their best for our clients and what can be improved.
“Clients”
1. Are you satisfied with the Roanoke Branch staff?
I want to know if they are being treated the way they expect. Are they receiving what was promised in their contracts?
2. Are you satisfied with the advertising for your company/product?
I want to know if they are happy with the work our agency is producing.
3. What can we do better and would you recommend our services?
I want to know what is most important to our clients in the Roanoke area and where we need to improve.
Phoenix Advertising
420 W. Craighead Road
Charlotte, NC 28206
October 17, 2012
Randy Johnson
CEO Roanoke Branch
1108 Route …show more content…
689
Roanoke, VA 24018
Dear Mr. Johnson,
Gregory Forest has received several client complaints regarding their accounts at your branch. We are also aware of the recent resignations of key personnel in your art and client accounts departments that have not been filled and also that salaried employee morale and productivity are lagging due to longer work schedules and greater expectations. I will be making a trip to visit your branch on September 26th and 27th, 2012, arriving at 8:00 a.m. on the 26th.
Please arrange departmental group meetings for me on September 26th, with the first meeting beginning at 10:00 a.m. with each meeting to last 1 hour. During these meetings I will have the staff complete employee surveys and also conduct a question and answer period regarding the complaints of being overworked and why many feel they are being forced to work longer hours and carry larger workloads without compensation. I will also be calling on the clients that have contacted Mr. Forest in the morning of the 27thto answer their questions and to assure them we will be doing everything possible to retain their accounts. I will be back at the Roanoke office that afternoon to observe the individual departments.
I would like to review the account portfolios of the clients that have complained to Mr. Forest: A&P, Simmons Company, Aramer and Riggle, LLP and The WeightLoss Group. . I will need to review your overall staffing numbers per account ratio for the past 5 years and review any employee incentives or recognition promotions that you have used over the last year. Please have all this information available for me when I arrive.
I look forward to meeting you and your staff. I know together we will be able to resolve these issues with the employees and continue to grow Phoenix Advertising for our clients and shareholders.
Sincerely,
Vice President of Human Resources
B: Problems and Illustration
Problems:
• Low employee morale due to increased workload without compensation.
• Low employee production due to increase in accounts without full staffing.
• Low employee morale due to lack of teamwork or collaboration with final work product.
• Low morale and productivity are affecting client satisfaction.
Facts and Causes:
• Low employee morale due to lack of teamwork and collaboration.
The employee surveys and question and answer sessions brought to light the lack of teamwork at the Roanoke Branch.
I believe much of this is due in recent months because of the loss of two key managers, an Art Director and an Account Manager. These positions have not been filled, but the CEO is interviewing and hopes to either promote from within or hire new managers within the next two weeks. The loss of two vital managers has caused a breakdown in the chain of command and this is causing the lack of teamwork the workers are accustomed to. Although other managers are covering these accounts, they are stretched too thin and making decisions without consulting the copywriters and artists when making changes to the final products. Also, the sales department has been adding new accounts in Roanoke that has increased the workload on all and brought about the longer work
days.
Impact and Effects:
The impact of art directors and account managers making changes on ad work without consulting the employees that have produced the work is greatly affecting the morale of the employees and their work. They feel the work they put out is not appreciated and irrelevant if it is constantly changed by others without them even being consulted. They don’t feel part of a team and the collaborative process they previously enjoyed has been eroded. The level of professional work produced is declining and the clients are not happy and have complained to Mr. Forest.
Solutions:
The two empty positions need to be filled as soon as possible. After reviewing the staffing per accounts at the Roanoke office as compared to other branches in the Phoenix group, I recommend a few more positions be added in the copy writing and art departments as more clients and accounts have been added, thus bringing the Roanoke Branch in line with the other branches. I also recommend that worker recognition programs and incentives be put in place here in Roanoke as they have only been utilized haphazardly. I have asked the CEO, Mr. Johnson to put these in place and notify the employees immediately of the changes. I have also let the CEO and managers know that corporate expects all accounts to receive the full priority of the “team” and all employees be treated with professionalism concerning their work here at Phoenix Advertising.
Illustration:
I have chosen a bar graph to illustrate the staffing of account s at Roanoke versus accounts at the other branches of Phoenix Advertising. This graph clearly illustrates that Roanoke is understaffed according to the number of accounts they are now carrying, thus causing the long work days, low morale and poor work productivity