Discover the most effective approach for an HR director to address employee conflict and petty behavior in the workplace. Learn key steps to resolve issues between a facilities manager and hospitality director.
Table of Contents
Question
Scenario: A year after a premium hotel opened in a medium-sized town, the discount hotel across town is forced to close. Many of their housekeepers and desk attendants get picked up by the premium hotel.
A few weeks later, the managers of the hotel notice that the former discount hotel employees are clashing with the other employees.
The hotel manager discovers that one of the housekeepers from the affordable motel is allowing family members to stay overnight at the hotel without paying. At the same time, an employee anonymously alleges that the facilities manager does not like the hospitality director and purposely delays and neglects completing room repairs, so they are not available for reservations. Ultimately, this reflects poorly on the hospitality director.
After determining the allegations about the facility manager to be true, the HR generalist presents these findings to the HR director. Which is the most effective approach for the HR director to take to address the facilities manager’s petty behavior?
A. Meet with the facilities manager and hospitality director individually to determine if mediation will solve the problem.
B. Write up facilities manager for purposely trying to damage the hospitality director’s ability to meet reservation goals.
C. Review the code of conduct to identify consequences associated with the facilities manager’s actions.
D. Suggest the facilities manager and hospitality director resolve their differences under the guidance of their direct supervisors.
Answer
The most effective approach for the HR director to address the facilities manager’s petty behavior is:
C. Review the code of conduct to identify consequences associated with the facilities manager’s actions.
Explanation
In this scenario, the facilities manager is purposely neglecting their duties and delaying room repairs in order to undermine the hospitality director. This behavior is unacceptable and goes against professional conduct expected in the workplace.
The HR director’s first step should be to consult the company’s code of conduct or employee handbook. These documents outline the expected behaviors, rules, and consequences for violating company policies. By reviewing the code of conduct, the HR director can determine the appropriate disciplinary actions to take based on the severity of the facilities manager’s misconduct.
This approach ensures that the HR director follows a fair and consistent process in addressing the issue. It also sends a clear message to all employees that such petty and unprofessional behavior will not be tolerated within the organization.
While mediation (option A) or involving direct supervisors (option D) might be helpful in resolving personal differences, the facilities manager’s actions have already negatively impacted the company’s operations and reputation. A more formal disciplinary process is necessary.
Writing up the facilities manager (option B) without first consulting the code of conduct may lead to inconsistencies in how disciplinary actions are applied and could potentially expose the company to legal risks if proper protocols are not followed.
In summary, reviewing the code of conduct is the most effective initial step for the HR director to address the facilities manager’s misconduct and ensure a fair and consistent approach to resolving the conflict.
SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the SHRM-SCP exam and earn SHRM-SCP certification.