ABC Inc. New Hire Case Analysis Essay Example for Free

ABC Inc. New Hire Case Analysis Essay Mr. Carl Robins, recently hired as a recruiter, is tasked with setting up an orientation for a group of new hires he recruited for Operations Supervisor Monica Carrolls. There is a fair amount of preparation work that needs to be completed prior to the orientation: information files and drug screening for each person, company orientation and policy manuals, and a location for the orientation process to happen. In order for the new hires to start work by July, enough time has been allocated for all tasks to be completed and room reservation prior to the orientation class on June 15. Not all of the requirements have been met, and time is short. A plan needs to be developed and implemented to ensure that situations like this are no longer experienced at ABC Inc. See more: Satirical elements in the adventure of Huckleberry Finn essay Background This case study recognizes the problems that Carl Robins is experiencing with getting an orientation class set up, and will focus on those problems that have affected his ability to have the orientation on the projected date. Key Problems One of the key contributors to the issue is that Carl Robins is new to his job, and this is the first class of new hires he is responsible for. According to Top Suggestions on Improving Employee Efficiency (2012), â€Å"It has often been said that a successful business operation, regardless of its size, depends on the effective management of â€Å"people, products, and processes.† (para. 2). The key problems that Monica Carrolls needs to be aware of and have examined before a resolution can be achieved are as follows: †¢ Carl Robins’ interview process †¢ Carl Robins’ time management skills †¢ Training Department’s supply of new hire material †¢Ã‚  Training room reservation process Carl Robins’ Interview Process One of the first things to look at would be to review Carl Robins’ interview process. What does Carl Robins do with the applications before he invites anyone to sit for an interview? Does he verify the prospective new hire’s application for completeness first? Does he require the application to include the prospective new hire’s transcripts when it is submitted to the company for consideration? Carl Robins’ Time Management Skills Something that is very important and every company will consider is whether or not their employees are productive and doing their job as efficiently as possible. They want to make sure they are getting the best employees possible for the money that they pay out to them. Mr. Robins first recruited these new hires in early April. It is now near the end of May with only a couple of weeks before the orientation is supposed to happen. What has Mr. Robins been doing for the last eight weeks that he is just now noticing issues with the new hire’s paperwork? Did he file the applications and forget about them? He was reminded by Ms. Carrolls midway through May, and assured her that it would all be done on time. When he became frustrated about the paperwork, he went for a walk. Why did he not start to make calls to the new hires for the required documentation? Could he not have also started calling everyone to get the drug screening scheduled? Training Department’s Supply of New Hire Material ABC Inc. is a company large enough to have a full-time recruiter on staff. They are, therefore, large enough to have a Training Department, or at a minimum, personnel responsible for the training of new hires. These personnel should also be responsible to maintain the material needed to hand out to the new hires for their orientation to the company. Why were there only three orientation manuals available? Why did those three have pages missing? Who is responsible for the supply of the training material? Training Room Reservation Process Who had the training room reserved first? Is this training room scheduling log just a logbook or a paper calendar written in to reserve the room? If  so, are they using some type of permanent ink to avoid someone erasing a reservation? What kind of controls or supervision is in place to oversee the use of the training room? Alternatives Carl Robins’ Interview Process Because Carl is essentially a new employee, and this is his first class of new personnel, has he been properly trained regarding all of the aspects of his own job? No company wants to have their employees set up for failure. The company could consider having Carl or any new hire follow a veteran employee to get a better understanding of their responsibilities. Starting from the beginning of the hiring process, is Carl Robins following the company’s guidelines and policies regarding the hiring of new personnel? As a recruiter, Carl is not familiar with all of the jobs at ABC Inc., and he should refer any applications to the appropriate department head for an approval regarding the applicant’s qualifications. ABC Inc. should also require that all applications will be complete, and include transcripts before being considered for employment. Carl Robins’ Time Management Skills Time management is a skill that many people need to be taught for it to be effective. From the time that Carl hired the 15 new personnel in early April, nothing has been reported as being accomplished to support the completion of the orientation class. Ms. Carrolls even checked up on him on May 15, to ensure progress was being made. Although there is currently no time before this orientation class, Carl Robins should attend a course on time management. According to Top Suggestions on Improving Employee Efficiency (2012): One of the best things that you can do is to invest in your employees’ capabilities by providing an education and training program through which they can enhance their skills and develop their competences in relation to their tasks within the company. (para. 3) Training Department’s Supply of New Hire Material There are many automated systems that can enhance the logistical aspect of maintaining an inventory of material. For a company that has not already invested in an automated inventory management system, the cost to install a new one can be significant as well as the time it would take to get the  system up and running and employees trained on its use. While orientation manuals are probably not used very often in most companies, having to make an excuse to a new hire why there are not enough of them can lead to the perception by the new hire that the company is not a professional place of business. This can lead to the new employee deciding that they will be better off working somewhere else. â€Å"Cause-and-effect analysis can also help us plan, make decisions, and implement important changes.† (Clouse, 2008, Chapter 11, Cause-and-Effect Analysis). Training Room Reservation Process The process that the training room is reserved is a simple matter to make it better and more reliable. Instead of using a log that any employee can write in or erase data from, have one of the Training Department’s personnel be responsible for the documentation of the reservations. There are also many different methods to automate the process. A simple spreadsheet on a computer that people have the authority to write information to but do not have the authority to delete information from could solve double booking of the room. ABC Inc. could also utilize a conference room, if the company has one, as an alternative to a training room if a double booking occurs. There is also the option of renting a conference room at a local hotel for the orientation class. Many hotels will even cater a lunch if the class is long enough. Proposed Solution Cherry (2012), â€Å"The ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the issue.† (para. 1). For the moment, the best resolution to this problem is to postpone the class to the beginning of July. This will allow the new hires the ability to complete their applications and get the required transcripts in to Mr. Robins before the orientation. It will also allow sufficient time for the new hires to complete the required drug screening. The Training Department will be able to replenish the stock of orientation manuals for future classes. Joe, in technology services, will be able to complete his training requirement for the new database software eliminating the double booking of the training room. This will allow ABC Inc. the ability to get through this issue without letting the first impression of the new hires to be one of disorganization. Recommendations It is recommended that after the orientation has been completed Ms Carrolls takes action regarding Carl Robins’ interview and hiring process, and coach him to a better understanding of the company’s policies and needs when it come to new hire training. Reinforce the trust and teamwork ethic ABC Inc. has so that he does not believe he is overwhelmed when a problem presents itself. Offer a time management course for employees so they will be better able to prioritize their tasks and complete them in a more efficient manner. ABC Inc. should also implement a different scheduling process for the training room that provides better accountability. Conclusion When looking at this situation from the outside, there is no company, manager, or employee that wants to do a bad job. When an employer sets up their personnel for success, the company will succeed as a result. Many times the issue at hand is the effect from an underlying cause or multiple causes. This issue has brought to light an opportunity for ABC Inc. to set up its personnel for success and improve some of its processes to operate more efficiently. References Cherry, K. (2012). What Is Problem-Solving?. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/problemsolving/f/problem-solving-steps.htm Clouse, B.F. (2008). The Student Writer (7th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.. Top Suggestions on Improving Employee Efficiency . (2012). Retrieved from http://www.sixsigmaonline.org/six-sigma-training-certification-information/top- suggestions-on-improving-employee-efficiency-.html