Question

For this bad news message, I want you to use the AIM planning process, the FAIR test, and the components of Bad News Messages as described in Chapter 11, particularly pages 336 to 345

Case study:

You are the manager for Macy’s Department Store and you manage 25 part-time employees. Many are retired individuals who are working to supplement their social security payments. It is difficult sometimes to hire and keep part-time employees because the pay is minimum wage and the hours you actually need people--- change.   Retirees have been very useful because they are available at all times and usually a good work ethic. Sara Smith is 66 years old, she has a Bachelor’s degree in Business and is working for you. She has shown up on time, works hard, and is very friendly. These qualities are great but upper management has complained to you about Sara. She is slow, they have seen her talk on her cell phone frequently, and she spends too much time talking to customers so other customers get frustrated when they need questions answered or to check out their items. You must tell Sara that she needs to be faster in her work, to limit her phone calls and to quit talking so much to the customers.

• Write out an agenda of a meeting you will have with Sara
• Read the components carefully to make sure you cover all of the points
• Write out how you will begin the negative review, how you will encourage Sara to be a better employee
• Make sure that this is professionally presented—ie, headings, numbers, bullets to explain your ideas

Answer 1

Meeting convened on : 20th April 2020

Time : 10-11:30 am

Venue : Meeting Room Sapphire

Presentees : Manager and Sara

Agenda of the meeting:

• Performance Review
• Discussion on Certain points of observation by the management
• To make Sara a fast worker
• Minimise the frequency of talking over the phone
• Spending less time talking to customers and talk only relevant points

Good morning Sara,

(Conversation should always start with positive remarks)

The management really appreciates the way you are working hard, showing up on time, being friendly with everyone and do the assigned tasks properly.

Apart from these positive remarks, there are certain behavioral and work related aspects which needs to be improved. It has been observed that you are a slow worker, spends too much time on talking to the customers and engage in talking on the cell phone quite frequently.. Incorporate the below mentioned points in your behaviour

• Try to increase the pace of your work by setting time limit and achieve the accomplishment of tasks within the time limit. Take the short cuts wherever possible but with no compromise on quality.
• Take only the important phone calls which are demanded by your work and make your conversation short and crisp..Avoid taking personal calls during office hours until it is really required.
• Dont get into any irrelevant and personal discussions with the customers..Make the conversation crisp, to the point and really required for the task to be accomplished..Try to avoid the customers diplomatically if they get into any irrelevant conversations..