1. What do you think is the most demotivating part of Harper’s job?
I believe the most demotivating part of Harper’s job is that she is not being properly recognized for the work she has picked up in the absence of her previous boss, Jose, leaving. She has minimal support from her team as well since her new boss, David, is being overloaded with new work as the company has failed to quickly fill the roll of Jose since his departure.
2. If you were an HR manager meeting with Harper’s supervisor, David, what advice would you give to help them re-engage Harper?
As an HR manager the advice that I would give them to help re-engage Harper would be to acknowledge her contributions, promote her, and allow her to have a greater work-life balance. It’s important that the company recognizes that she has been doing so much while Jose’s role has been empty, and it’s also important to let Harper and the remainder of the team know that the company is searching for a replacement in order to relieve the team members of the extra work they have been taking on. It’s also important to have a separate conversation with David concerning the work he has had to take on that has been interfering with the communications of the team overall and be able to find ways to offset that load so that clarity can be more consistently had.
There is a possibility to better distribute the load amongst the marketing team with also a slight increased compensation for everyone while someone is found to fill Jose’s role. The recognition for the team’s work could be given in the form of a holiday bonus as well when that time of the year rolls around. Where it’s possible, there should also bee space to adjust timelines for projects so that the team can have a healthier work-life balance.
It’s even possible that Harper could be offered David’s position, with Harper taking over David’s position since promoting within helps with gives advancement opportunities for workers and also has a greater likelihood of a smooth work-flow. There is a greater familiarity with the working dynamics and intricacies of the company, and this deeper knowing had by Harper can allow her to help the company continue to prosper if she is given the chance to do so.
3. What would be the downside of losing Harper as an employee?
Losing Harper as an employee could potentially shift the culture of the work environment negatively and also cause financial losses as a result. It costs the company time and money to find and train a new employee, and Harper has been apart of the company for four years. A new hire has the potential to not gel well with the team and may be unpredictable, whereas with Harper it’s known that she wants to be apart of the team and do good work as she has picked up for the lack since Jose left the company. Having employees who stay with the company for a long time helps aid in customer satisfaction as well since there is typically a greater knowing of how to handle any customer issues with employees who have been around longer.