BMGT 4
Topic: Stress as a component of workplace efficiency.
The CEO of VMI is a confessed workaholic. In a recent HR interview with Chinn, he explains his personal conflict of demanding employees to work long hours as he does. Chinn is also conflicted about the need to be open for business all the time due to the company’s international markets. He is aware that his own Chinese cultural heritage influences his work practices. In China, the issue of personal time is not a concern. Workers do what is expected of them. Chinn knows this is not true in many western companies, particularly those in the southern United States. As the newest set of management employees, Chinn wants you to examine this issue and make recommendations on how to deal with conflicting cultural expectations. What demands should VMI place upon its employees?
Stress at the workplace is a constant problem especially since technology has placed the worker in a 24/7 work environment. Use the articles listed below and your required learning materials from our week 4 course content to address this specifically for VMI’s circumstances.
Why Work stress is Bad for Your Relationships
Whither the Ping-pong Table? Which Perks Matter Most to Employees
What is the future of office spaces?
Directions:
Preparation: It is necessary to read the articles listed above as well as those in your classroom materials. This assignment cannot be completed without required learning materials, in particular the articles on cultural values and Geert Hofstede’s website.
Orientation/perspective: Continuing on with our scenario, you are a newly-hired manager not yet placed into a permanent assignment. Since week 1, you and Chinn have been talking about your vision for VMI’s future as given in last week’s assignments. Ultimately, you are convinced that the future VMI needs to be cognizant of the changing workplace while embarking upon VMI’s further international expansion, all under the umbrella of developing a learning organization culture to support this.
1. By SATURDAY, complete the following:
The below points are not distinct questions to be answered. Gather your thoughts about the points into a conversation with your reader (Chinn) that convinces him of their importance. Your report should incorporate key concerns and knowledge from our readings this week while also tying in your knowledge gained from past weeks (all cited). In order to accomplish this, your report must be focused on VMI’s situation, the type of work the company performs, and how to carry forward the company’s excellence and familial culture. Do not include ideas that do not apply to VMI’s situation.
- Chinn has a sense of cultural differences between his own heritage and that of VMI. Explain to him your understanding of these differences and how these may be underlying his observations.
- Share with him your knowledge of workplace stress: its effects upon employees, the idea of work and family life balance, differing cultural and generational views on this, and ways that organizations address it.
- Enlighten him as to the difference of an engaged versus happy employee, with that difference expressed in effects upon specific types of performance and commitment. (As we have had readings explaining engagement every week, you need to express your own understanding of this and not paraphrase an article).
- Your explanations should indicate that you understand typical pitfalls, misunderstandings, and misperceptions in cross-cultural communications and age-cohort attitudes.
- Include specific and clear recommendations to address the above at VMI.
- You must use course material to support your report and APA in-text citations with a reference list.
weekly reading:
