50 Case Studies for Management and Supervisory Training

Case 42: Shouting for Results

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Case 42 (continued)

Case Discussion:

Shouting for Results

Summary

Fran Jackson had been Director of Operations for the University Hospital for three years. During

that time, she had made gains in improving the department. She had “cleaned up” the dubious

contracting practices of her predecessor, who had been fired. She had also managed to get the

local chapter of the Hospital Workers Union to approve a new merit pay plan. Fran had worked

on this plan in fits and starts since the start of her employment at the hospital. Under the plan,

supervisors conducted performance appraisals of their employees. The level of the rating and the

employee’s current salary then determined how much of an annual increase the employee would

receive. Even though the plan was adopted, hospital managers were not trained in how to use the

new system.

Last month, Pat Hudson, the supervisor of Special Services in Housekeeping, completed per-

formance appraisals on four employees. The Housekeeping group had a history of labor relations

problems with the hospital administration. Three of the rated employees refused to sign the rat-

ings, which were average and acceptable. They filed a grievance on the ratings, demanding to be

rated as Very Good. They claimed Pat did not have sufficient information on which to base their

evaluations.

When Pat rejected their appeal, they took it to the next level, which meant that Fran reviewed

it. In discussing the matter with Pat, Fran found that the three employees were at best average

performers and that the ratings were justified.

Fran called a meeting to review the grievance. In addition to Fran and Pat, the following peo-

ple were also in attendance: the three employees, their shop steward, and two new people—Buck

Brownly, the local’s president, and Sue Cranston, a representative from the national union.

As Fran tried to start the meeting, Buck Brownly cut her off, demanding that the evaluation

ratings be changed. The shop steward joined in, followed by the employees, and soon it seemed

that the meeting was a shouting match. Order was finally restored by the shop steward, Betsy

Williams. Betsy threatened to bring out the “dirty laundry” of Fran’s predecessor if the evalua-

tions weren’t changed. Fran became incensed and dared Betsy to do so. She told Buck Brownly

that he wasn’t in a position to demand anything and that before his tirade, she had been willing to

listen. However, now she was ready to fully accept the evaluations as they were stated. She told

the employees to get back to work.

As she began to leave, Sue Cranston, who had been sitting quietly taking notes, began talk-

ing. She pointed out that the union was prepared to take the grievance to the next step: a meeting

with the hospital’s president. She also pointed out their basic charge was unanswered—that is, Pat

had insufficient information about their performance because she worked a different shift and

seldom checked on their performance. As a result, she did not have enough information with

which to make the ratings stick.

Fran knew that Sue had a point.