This brief report deals with the most urgent issues that arise at the Treadway Tire Company and the methods to address them. The organization may face considerable difficulties since foremen’s job dissatisfaction can result in poor performance. The primary issues include ineffective knowledge management and low foremen’s morale. The concept of knowledge management and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are used to analyze the case under consideration. The major solutions include the implementation of formal training with a focus on communication and the development of more effective relationships in the company. Formal education will include the introduction of guidelines for foremen and the use of a more effective system of knowledge sharing. Effective communication channels will ensure effective interactions between union representatives and foremen. Finally, foremen morale can be improved with the help of team building activities and the creation of cross-functional teams working on the development of methods to improve the company’s performance.
The Treadway Tire Company has great potential, but the issues related to human resources management can decrease the entire organization’s efficiency and its performance. Low morale among foremen is one of the key problems to be addressed. One of the major reasons behind foremen’s job dissatisfaction and low morale is ineffective communication and knowledge management. Foremen report that their work is under-evaluated, and they have no authority while having overwhelming responsibilities. Top managers do not communicate with foremen and know little about the issues the latter meet. Workers are often overloaded with tasks due to the lack of equipment, and the level of absenteeism is high. Unions often take the side of workers and do not provide any information to foremen. Ineffective recruitment procedures also have adverse effects on foremen’s performance. These professionals are rarely promoted to higher positions, and one of the reasons for that is the insufficient level of education.
In order to address the issues and develop viable solutions, it is necessary to apply theories and concepts related to organizational behavior. Knowledge management is one of the key concepts to be utilized in this case, as it is clear that the company has an ineffective knowledge-sharing system. Kianto, Vanhala, and Heilmann (2016) stress that it is essential to ensure the development of a close link between major aspects of knowledge management such as knowledge acquisition, knowledge creation, knowledge sharing, knowledge codification, and knowledge retention. It is necessary to apply Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. According to this theory, every person has several dimensions of needs affecting their motivation (Luthans, Luthans, & Luthans, 2015). These needs include basic, security, social, esteem, and self-actualization.
It is noteworthy that the organization has rather limited resources to invest in the development of human resources, which affects the procedures that can be undertaken. Therefore, increased payment will not be utilized, although this measure can be undertaken in some cases as a reward to high-performers (Beheshti, 2019). One of the primary steps to undertake is to improve communication. Knowledge sharing system should be developed, which can be implemented with the help of corporate email and some formal channels. Union representatives should provide information regarding their decisions by issuing reports or memos. Union representatives may show little interest in providing the necessary details to foremen, but HR professionals should articulate the benefits of this kind of communication for the organization and workers. Union representative’s decisions should be based on the data provided by foremen. This can be done through the provision of explanatory memos. Knowledge sharing should also be implemented through the development of a set of guidelines regarding communication for foremen. These guidelines should contain descriptions of real-life cases so that foremen could utilize newly acquired communication skills inappropriate situations.
In order to meet foremen’s social and esteem needs, it is important to ensure the involvement of managers, workers, and union representatives. Some team-building activities should be arranged on a regular basis (for example, once a month). Managers and supervisors must take an active part in these activities. It can be beneficial to arrange some educational tours for managers who will learn more about the production process and the peculiarities of foremen’s job. Managers may be reluctant to attend such sessions, but it is possible to motivate them by highlighting potential benefits and improved productivity. Cross-functional teams can also be created to develop projects enhancing productivity. The major purpose of these activities is to ensure informal communication between different professionals to help them see the peculiarities and complexities of each other’s work. Finally, it is essential to develop clear guidelines for all employees where their responsibilities are well-defined. This clarity will help the stakeholders communicate with each other effectively.
References
Beheshti, N. (2019). 10 timely statistics about the connection between employee engagement and wellness. Forbes. Web.
Kianto, A., Vanhala, M., & Heilmann, P. (2016). The impact of knowledge management on job satisfaction. Journal of Knowledge Management, 20(4), 621-636. Web.
Luthans, F., Luthans, B. C., & Luthans, K. W. (2015). Organizational behavior: An evidence-based approach (13th ed.). Charlotte, NC: IAP.