1/28/10 Reflection

This class session reminded how much I hate micro-management. I have had boring jobs that lacked interest for me. I learned about job enlargement and how it helps to broaden tasks done to help make a job more interesting. One of the best jobs I ever had used a lot of job enlargement. It helps you feel more important when you have many different tasks to perform. Job rotation sounds like a good idea too. I have never experienced this in my employment. In class there were experiences shared where others said that this helped factory work not be so boring. This class discussion just helped me realize that mixing it up with job tasks makes work better for employees. If you make work better for employees production of the good or service is going to improve. I am going to remember these ideas just in case I ever end up in a management position.

Discussion

Nepotism is basically the act of hiring relatives. This may be a very common practice in everyday life for family owned companies. It may also happen in non family owned companies. In the non family owned companies it may be more of recommending instead of hiring. If you apply to work for the family company and a relative is also applying then who do you think is going to get the job? I haven't heard of a law saying that you can't discriminate against non family members.

Emotional Hook

Some of us have worked for a family owned company. When you are not part of the family and work for them this can create some bad feelings. You might ask why, but it is because family members in the company usually end up getting special treatment. The special treatment may mean good pay right off the bat or getting the easy jobs. The family members in the company know each other better and act as a group. You may find yourself feeling like the outcast. Has this every happened to you? Do you feel the same way or was your company different?

Key Points in The Discussion

Depending on where you sit can affect how you feel about this topic. If you work for a family company it may offend you if others don't like the company. You might take offense because they aren't just attacking the company but also the family. If you are family and work for the family company you might not understand how good you have it.

Question

How can we remedy this situation of favoritism in family companies?

1/26/2010 Review

We learned about Disparate Treatment and Disparate Impact. Disparate Treatment is differing treatment of an individual with different race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability status. Disparate Impact is a condition which employment practices are seemingly neutral yet they exclude a group from employment. I learned about the lawsuit that Greyhound bus company lost against Asian bus drivers. They lost because Greyhound specified a certain height to drive their buses and a group of Asian workers filed a lawsuit and won.

Chapter 4 Discussion

Discussion

Part of human resources personnel have figure out what skills are needed to fill a position. The job description then has these list of skills required for the job. Companies then put these lists of characteristics and skills on the job information page.

Emotional Hook

As a college student do you give yourself more or less credit than you deserve in the area of skills and characteristics?

Question

Have you ever used UVU's employment services to help yourself obtain a job?

1/21/10

I learned about all the laws that our government relating to Human Relations. The different groups got up in class and gave a summary of each law. There is also a great summary in the book on page 59. The table on page 59 also tell which government agency enforces each law. I think that is great to live in a country that protects minorities and the disabled.

News Article Discussion

Discussion

The article is about a biker gang that came into a town to make a reservation at a hotel. There was a contract signed stating that the gang would pay $16,000 for 113 rooms. Part of the agreement is that they would spend at least $2,500 at the hotel's restaurant and bar. The restaurant and bar have been currently closing at 2 pm from lack of business. The hotel planned to keep the restaurant open until 2 am for the weekend. The city came in and said they would close the hotel down if they let the gang come and stay at the hotel. The hotel gave in and canceled the reservation contract. The biker gang is now suing.

Emotional Hook

If you were a member of this biker gang then you probably wouldn't be too happy that your weekend was canceled because a town was scared of your gangs reputation. Every member of the gang could be good law abiding citizens and lead normal lives. The biker gang just could be their network of friends they have a good time with on the weekends. Do you think that this could be accurate? If so, how should they be treated? If not, how should they be treated?

Key Points

The hotel probably should not have breached their contract with the biker gang. If there had been any damages done to the hotel from the gang then the hotel could just have billed the gang for damages incurred on the hotel. Do you think this is the best thing to do?

Question

What would you have done if you were the hotel owner?

Class Notes for 1/19/10

I learned in class about issues with an aging workforce. The older employees have a huge knowledge base about their field of work. When that employee quits their job the knowledge they have goes with them. Their is a struggle to transfer that knowledge to new employees before the older employee retires.
We also talked about the problems with psychological contracts in work environments. The main issues with that is either party putting more faith in the other. The party that has more invested usually ends up getting hurt by the others actions.
I also learned about out sourcing and off-shoring.

Chapter 3 Discussion

Concept and brief description

In the 1960's Title VII was put into place. Title VII is from the Civil Right Act. It ensures that minorities receive equal opportunities. Title VII prohibits companies from not hiring people because of national background, religion, gender, or race. There was also the Equal Pay Act of 1963. This act states that if men and women are doing equal work they get paid the same amount.

Emotional Hook

Imagine if you were in the work force before these two great laws came along. What would you think about these new laws? Now imagine if you were unemployed before these two great laws came along. How would you feel about these laws?

Key Points

It is great to live in a country that supports diversity and allows for immigration of any country.

Question

How would you feel living in a country that doesn't support diversity and discriminates against others?

Thursday January 14th Class Notes

I learned a lot in the movie that was shown in class about the fish company. The idea of coaching co-workers. To be a good leader you have to delegate out your power and empower people. This style of managing saved the company from going under. We also talked about in my group the value of treating your employees well. We talked about what Google does for their employees and how well the company is doing. I have concluded that the investment on your employees pays back.

Chapter 2 Discussion

There is an aging workforce. The baby boomers are getting older and getting close to retirement. A lot of people in the baby boomer age would retire if they could but many can't because of the down turn in the economy. This can create a problem if companies are all ready cutting back on hiring. That doesn't leave much room for graduating college students to find a place in the work world. Does this make you worried about finding a job when you graduate? Does this make feel some animosity towards the "older generation."

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