Dawn Burke director of employee relations glanced at her onl

Dawn Burke, director of employee relations, glanced at her online calendar and remembered her appointment at 3:00 P.M. today. She quickly found the file labeled \"McCullen and Aranda\" and started preparing for the meeting. She recalled that this was essentially an employee-supervisor case, where the employee had been unwilling or unable to meet the supervisor\'s requests. The employee claimed that the supervisor was too demanding and impatient. Their conflict had escalated to the point that both were unhappy and uncomfortable in the work environment. Other employees had noticed, and overheard, some of the conflict. In her role, Dawn was responsible for many programs, including a new mediation initiative to resolve workplace conflict. The program was designed to help employees develop stronger communication and conflict resolution skills. In this case, the program was also providing an intermediary step between informal and formal discipline. Today, she was meeting with both parties to discuss mediation guidelines, a time line, their goal, and their general points of conflict. John McCullen, fifty-one, a buyer in the facilities department, and Terry Aranda, the director of facilities procurement, arrived separately. John had been with the company for thirty-two years and had started his career with the company right out of high school. Terry, thirty-one, was hired from another firm to oversee the procurement area a year ago and recently graduated from a prestigious MBA program. Dawn started the meeting by reviewing the mediation guidelines and time line. She reminded John and Terry that their goal was to develop a workable and agreeable solution to the current situation. Dawn then asked for each party to explain his or her position on the conflict. John began, \"Ms. Aranda is a very smart lady. She seems to know the buying and procurement area, but she knows less about the company and its history. I am not sure she has taken the time to learn our ways and values. Ms. Aranda is impatient with our use of the new software and computer system. Some of us don\'t have college degrees, and we haven\'t been using computers since we were young. I started working at this company about the time she was born, and I am not sure that her management style is good for our department. Everything was going pretty well until we starting changing our systems.\" Terry commented, \"John is a valuable member of the department, as he knows everyone at this company. I appreciate his knowledge and loyalty. On the other hand, he has not completed several tasks in a timely manner, nor has he asked for an extension. I feel that I must check up on his schedule and proof all of his work. John has attended several training classes, and I asked that he use an electronic calendar so that projects are completed on time. He continues to ignore my advice and deadlines We\'ve had several conversations, but John\'s work has not substantially improved. We have many goals to achieve in the department, and I need everyone\'s best work in order to make that happen.\" Dawn thanked them for their candor and told them she would meet with them next week to start the mediation process. As she contemplated what each had said, she remembered an article that discussed how people born in different generations often have contrasting perceptions about work. Dawn started to jot a few notes about the next steps in resolving their conflict. Imagine you are Dawn. What would you do? What do your notes say about the next steps?

Solution

Answer:

The case is of generation gap of two employees. If I am, Dawn, my prime objective is to create an environment and mediation process for both Mr. Joan and Ms. Aranda to achieve their common goal.

Now a days exposing different generations to one another on a regular basis can create tension but, when managed effectively, that tension lead to innovation and greater collaboration. Effective leaders help teams work through their differences and understand that everyone has something valuable to bring to the table. Have processes in place for employees to raise issues, voice perspectives and resolve conflict productively.

In this case both can learn from each other by creating a friendly environment. Mr. John should be made believer that there is no age limitation in learning anything. Anything can be learned from anyone. Mr. John may not be tech savvy but he is having vast experience in his area of specilisation which can be very useful for Ms. Aranda in learning about her company. Ms. Aranda might be having very good theoritical knowlwdge but when it comes to iimplement at ground level sometimes it fails. Therefore she can take help from Mr. John for streamlining her task to achive her goal. On the other hand Mr. John should be motivated again and again to use software and computer in the company to save the time and for better outtput as he will have to work smarter and not hard. If he is having any issue with use of software and computer he can take help from his peer and subordinate and sometimes from Ms. Aranda by foregetting that he the most senior in the company as this kind of attitude my may affect working culture of the organisation. Ms. Aranda should take Mr. John in her cofidence that she is always available in discussingany issue and resolving the same.

By doing so they can achhive their common goal.