Question

The FedEx Survey Feedback Action (SFA) program is one example. SFA includes an anonymous survey that allows employees to express feelings about the company and their managers, and to some extent about service, pay and benefits. Each manager then has an opportunity to use the results to help design a blueprint for improving workgroup engagement and commitment.

SFA has three phases. First, the survey itself is a standard, anonymous questionnaire given each year to every employee. The questions are designed to gather information about what helps and hinders employees in their work environment. Sample items include:

• “I can tell my manager what I think” and
• “My manager tells me what was expected”

A workgroup’s survey results are compiled and sent anonymously to the manager.

The second phase is a feedback session between the manager and his or her workgroup. The goal here is to identify specific concerns or problems, examine causes for these problems, and devise action plans to correct the problems.

The feedback meeting should lead to a third, “action plan” phase. This produces a list of actions that the manager will take to address employees concerns and boost results. It includes:

• What is the concern?
• What’s your analysis?
• What’s the cause? And
• What should be done?

THE FEDEX GUARANTEED FAIR TREATMENT PROCESS

FexEx’s Guaranteed Fair Treatment Process (GFTP) is sort of a turbocharged grievance process. It goes beyond most grievance procedures in several ways, perhaps most notably in that an appeal can go all the way to FedEx’s top executives. The effect is twofold:

1. Complaints don’t get a chance to accumulate;
2. All managers think twice before acting unfairly

GFTP is available to all permanent FedEx employees. It covers concerns regarding matters such as disputed performance reviews, disciplinary actions and terminations.

Employees use Guaranteed Fair Treatment Process packets, available from the HR department, to file GFTP complaints. These include a fact sheet listing the complainant’s name and work history, a GFTP tracking sheet to track the complaint at each step, management’s rationale (for instance, in terms of applicable policies and procedures); a write-up from the HR department; space for key documents (termination letters, and so on) and space for backup information including witness statements. The employee must try to resolve the problem with his or her supervisor before filing a GFTP appeal.

GFTP contains three steps.

1. In step one, Management Review, the complainant submits a written complaint to a manager, senior manager or managing director, within seven calendar days of the occurrence of the eligible issue. Then the manger, senior manager and managing direction of the employee’s group review all relevant information; hold a telephone conference and/or meeting with the complainant; make a decision to either uphold, modify or overturn management action; and communicate their decision in writing to the complainant.
2. If turned down in step one, then in step two, Officer Complaint, the complainant submits a written complaint to an officer (VP or senior vice president) of the division within 7 calendar days of the step one decision.
3. Finally (if necessary), in step three, Executive Appeals Review, the complainant submits a written complaint within seven calendar days of the step two decision to the Employee Relations department. This department investigates and prepares a GFTP case file for the appeals board executive review. The appeals board – the CEO, the COO, the chief personnel officer and senior vice presidents, then reviews all relevant information and makes a decision to either uphold, overturn or initiate a board of review or to take other appropriate action. The appeals board’s decision is final.

Questions:

1. Based on the FedEx case provided to you, what do you think is FedEx’s Employee Relations Strategy? Draft the strategy in your own words

2. What communication channels does FedEx use to be one of “Fortune Magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For”? List them all and identify if it is upward or downward communication.

3. Based on FedEx Guaranteed Fair Treatment process, what two (2) Employee Discipline Guidelines do you feel that FedEx has most likely adapted as part of their Employee Relations policies and procedures? Be sure to use evidence from the case to support your answer.

4. How does FedEx incorporate employee rights in their practices? Refer to two (2) points in the case and explain them to justify your answer.

5. Describe examples of employee involvement portrayed at FedEx. How do these practices help FedEx be one of the best companies to work for?

                                                                                          

6. As a result of the ongoing pandemic due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), organizations such as FedEx are going through significant and unexpected change.

1. Unfortunately, as a result of the pandemic, FedEx has determined that they must decrease the amount of employees in their organization. Describe two (2) issues that organizations will face as a result of decreasing the amount of employees.

2. Referring to the issues you identified in part (a), as FedEx’s Employee Relations Manager, describe how you will ensure effective Employee Involvement strategies as a result of these issues

3. The role of the HR Department is critical during organizational change. Identify two (2) important HR roles. Describe how you, as Employee Relations Manager, will ensure these roles are carried out at FedEx during the current pandemic.

Answer 1

Though FEDEX's employee engagement strategy is detailed and elaborate, there is still room for improvement:

1- Firstly, the SFA (Fedex survey feedback action) survey is administered only once a year to the employees. This can be done more often and ideally, should be in line with the employees' appraisal cycle. If the appraisal cycle is quarterly, then , this survey should be administered every quarter. But, if the appraisal cycle is annual then also this survey should happen at  shorter durations, at least once a month. If this is done, the best case scenario, 12 times the number of employee concerns can be addressed.

2- The subsequent stages of the SFA are not time bound (as given in the case). The list of actions does not include the critical question of "When will this action / these actions be completed?".

3- The case does not mention any oversight of the SFA process. Is there a central body or the HR which makes sure that the manager ensures that the action items are addressed in a time bound manner.

4- The GFTP is very elaborate and archaic. It is cumbersome for an employee who has to perform his work duties while at the same time prepare all the documentation that this process requires.

5- Rather than requiring written documentation, this whole process should be made online.

6- In case the employee's grievance is with his/her own superiors there should be a mechanism that the process bypasses the manager and reaches a higher neutral authority.

7- Employees should have the right to go directly to Officer Complaint or Executive Appeals review, if they are not comfortable or are doubtful of the efficiacy of the Management Review.