THE MAVERIICK

Application Case study

Challenge:
Consider a broad range of problem-solving options, at individual, group and
organisational levels. If necessary, consider the wider implications for society or
the environment. It will also be necessary to anticipate likely barriers to
success and methods of overcoming them.

(1) What do you think are the organisational problems and their possible
causes?

(2) Generate and justify feasible solutions, reflecting upon scientific evidence
and personal work experiences where relevant, considering possible barriers
and facilitators to success.

(3) Consider how you might present solutions to the company’s Management
Board.

(4) Based on the data provided, analyze the impact of responding to e-mails
during the week and holidays, unplanned work requests and time spent in flight
for employees and suggest suitable actions to reduce the stress .

Scenario:

The work ethic in a large international oil company encourages type ‘A’
behaviour among its staff. It is time-urgent, task-centred, both demanding and
controlling, and non-supportive. Employees who are valued and promoted, are
those who share this ethic, who are highly job-involved, and who work ever
harder in pursuit of the organisation’s goals. This 2100 people strong company
has 300 managers a culture of delegation exists, where managers delegate
work to employees, at very short notice, but do not provide much guidance as
to what the priorities are. As a consequence, many employees work very hard
to get through all tasks, in case one may be vital. A vast number of e-mails
are sent, many as copies to others who may only be peripherally involved. It is
not unusual for e-mails to be answered in the early hours of the morning (eg. 2
am). In many cases, staffs are given a task on a Friday and told it is required
for Monday; working at week-ends and in the evening is common. When such
work is delivered on Monday mornings, it is not unusual to find that the
manager is away for a couple of days and will therefore only attend to it on his
return. The company is largely populated by men – women are rare. It has
also long been practice that managers travel great distances across the world,
across several time zones, to participate in short meetings. The occupational
health doctor raised travel as a problem with the managing director but was
told that at meetings ‘you had to see the whites of their eyes’.

Jet lag is a serious problem for many who feel they under perform for several
days after lengthy travel. Recovery time, although formally provided, is not
taken: staff feel they should be back at their desks. The concept of stress is not
officially discussed, although the company’s occupational health doctor has
noted an increase in the number of managers taking long term sick leave with
a variety of disorders – exhaustion, back pain, viruses, etc. Many staff feel
they do not have time to take their annual leave, and those that do complain of
feeling obliged to check their e-mails whilst on holiday. The oil business is
increasingly subject to competition and public scrutiny and senior managers are
concerned that a fundamental change in culture and practice is required to
maintain their sustainability and position as employer of choice.
Additional data:
Analysis of some of the key metrics on work-load and health of individuals
revealed the following:

Months Jan-10 Feb-10 Mar-10 Apr-10 May-10 Jun-10 Jul-10 Aug-10 Sep-10

Average number of meetings

14 16 22 24 19 21 20 21 24
attended by a manager in a week

Average hours spent by a staff to

complete tasks required by 7.6 9.8 6.7 4.8 5.2 7 7.2 8.3 7.2
manager for the meeting

Average flight hours clocked by

14 16 26 24 22 18 15 14 16
employees in a month

Average number of emails

10 12 9 14 17 11 14 15 16
received by staff in a day

Average number of emails

18 24 26 22 26 28 32 29 30
received by managers in a day

Average number of emails

received by staff from manager on 12 15 14 18 16 10 15 18 20
Friday

Number of staff who have taken

64 30 24 54 60 72 56 84 48
holidays during the month

number of staff who returned e-

26 16 18 30 24 33 34 56 38
mails during their holidays

Number of managers who have

24 18 10 9 6 10 12 18 30
taken holidays during the month

number of managers who

returned e-mails during their 22 12 7 6 6 8 10 13 23
holidays

Number of unplanned work

requests (not planned in the
8 11 14 12 15 14 16 20 17
preceding weeks) received by
employees during a week

Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Average number of days of sick

leave taken by employees in a 5 6 8 11 12 14
year