MGMT 453 - SBA Blog

While I am not currently working in a field that entering a labor union is an option. I also do not currently foresee myself in a career were I could have the option to be part of a labor union. I do think that it is important to understand the benefits and drawbacks of joining a union before it is something you actually need to consider.

The main benefits of labor unions are the increase wages, benefits, better career options, improved working conditions and job security. While these are huge issues and having even a couple of these factor improved can increase job satisfaction. This also takes some of the burden off the workers shoulders, not having to advocate as much for them self as they are represented by the union. The main draw back of unions are union dues, less autonomy, funds being used incorrectly, possible workplace tension and slower upward mobility. While this can vary across unions and job sectors, it is important to be aware of possible issues that could impact your career.

Personally, I would consider joining a union depending if it was applicable to my career. I would make sure that I did research into the specific union before making my decision to ensure that it will best support my career.

What are the pros and cons of labor unions?. Maryville University Online. (2023, October 20). https://online.maryville.edu/blog/pros-and-cons-of-unions/

This activity was a great reminder of the ways that I can do better at managing my stress. This is my last term before graduation, which has added a another layer of stress to what I feel in a normal term. Combined with the company I work for going through some restructuring, leading to an additional level of stress within my workplace and more responsibility. And finally some family issues and family health problems, it has felt a bit overwhelming.

My score for the life stress inventory was 230, which is above normal. I feel that at work that I am very good at masking my feelings of stress or unhappiness. Especially with the employees I manage, I have a close work friend and my manager that I confide in regarding work stress. My biggest struggle is trying to not let my stress impact my personal life, as I tend to not show my frustration or stress till I am at home with my partner. Which I am trying to learn how to better manage.

My biggest difficulty currently is the lack of personal time I have to unwind/relax. I am hoping with graduation around the corner this will open up more free time to better manage my stress. Currently, I ride horses, read, knit and cook/bake to unwind but I rarely have much time for these activities. My goal for this summer is to take better care of my mental and physical health after I have not made it a priority this last year trying to finish school and move up with the company I work for.

Compensation is a primary motivator for most people, from pay, benefits, bonuses to other forms of compensation it is generally a huge motivator for employees. While there are many career fields that are fulfilling, which can be a main draw for people in those industries, the majority of employees are motivated by compensation.  

I have been motivated by compensation when taking promotions, these promotions being more responsibility but also more compensation. This is a big motivator for me to move up within the company I work for, while I enjoy my job, it is not particularly fulfilling to me. Prior to getting my last promotion what came with a pay increase, I knew that a few other employees were interested in the position. While my work ethic and experience made me a primary candidate, the possibility of better compensation was a motivator to work hard to ensure that I would get this promotion.  

I have also seen how compensation can decrease motivation; the company I work for has recently undergone some restructuring. This has led to the reformatting of positions, one of my coworker’s position was recategorized which cause individuals in that position to lose some of their compensation in the form of PTO and other benefits. This has been a huge demotivator for them as she is still doing many of the same tasks but unfortunately is not receiving the same compensation. This has led her to not feel as fulfilled in her position and not as valued by the company as she had been before.  

One of my favorite classes that I have taken over the course of my time at OSU was a project management class I took in the fall term. One aspect that contributed to the effectiveness of the class was the professor himself; he was very involved in the class. This is difficult in online classes due to distance, time zones and other priorities of students. Due to his willingness to meet and assist in course material and mentor student groups through the term long project. In addition, I feel that this course connected many topics that are covered in business courses and combine them to show how projects are executed in the workplace from the planning stage to completion.  

Through my work I have completed many courses, a few weeks ago we had a training course involving new equipment we will be using. This training was not particularly helpful to employees; we were left with more questions and unclear answers. Upon comparing notes with a coworker about the training, we discovered that we were told different things in each training. This led us to wonder which process what correct and which one of us had the correct information. In addition, the training was poorly structured, and the instructor alternated between topics making the training hard to follow and inconsistent from group to group.  

Overall, I feel that the instructor plays a key role in the success of a class or training.  An instructor that is engaging and with a well-structured course will improve the student takeaways.  

As a supervisor, I get to conduct interviews fairly frequently.  The company I work for has base questions the interviewer must ask and then we can add additional questions as needed. These questions range from general knowledge questions relating to the position to behavioral questions. Most of the positions I interview for are entry-level positions, so generally I am interviewing candidates in their twenties or candidates looking for a part time retirement job. As an interviewer I find the behavioral question most helpful especially regarding candidates looking for one of their first jobs. I find the process that my company uses to be effective as a framework for interviewing candidates. 

The only issue I find is that regardless of the framework a company uses, if the interviewer has not been trained well in employee selection it can make the process difficult. I wish that my company gave more training to supervisors on how to hire effectively. I feel that through classes that I have taken at OSU I have a good understanding of how to be more selective in hiring. Companies do themselves a disservice if their supervisors have little training in hiring as this will increase turnover, due to incorrect hiring decisions. The only training that my company provides to its supervisors is a one hour “Employee Selection” training.  This unfortunately is ineffective if the supervisor is less experienced in this area themselves. I have also noticed that different supervisors have vastly different traits that they prefer in a candidate, even if on paper the candidates are similar. In summary, a framework for interviews is important but it does little to improve hiring decisions if proper training is not given to supervisors.   

In my experience with job applications when applying for jobs there is a huge range in the types of job descriptions. In some cases, companies are vague, leaving me to wonder if that is all the expectations or requirements for the position. In other cases, the descriptions are long and detailed. In my opinion and personal experience this puts both the company and the applicants at a disadvantage. It has been frustrating when applying for a job with a short description, feeling like you fit the company’s needs well, but then don’t get an interview.  With longer descriptions, it makes it more difficult to feel qualified to apply or overwhelmed by all that the job would entail. This affects companies as well, if the job description is short and vague, the number of applicants they get will increase. In turn this will lead to more applications that have to be gone over and having more applicants that do not fit what the company is looking for.  A longer description can lead to more specialized applicants but could also cause the company to lose applicants due to them being turned away by the long job description.  

Thinking of my own position, when I look at a similar position posted by the company, I work for it does not fully encompass the work that I do. I think it is reasonable to expect that not all aspects of the job are reflected in the description of the position. I would assume that most people would feel that they do more than what is in their job description.

In taking a brief look through the list of “Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work for 2020” there was many phrases that appeared repeatedly. These phrases were based around employees feeling like “they were more than a number” and that the company cared and valued their specific role and success. These seem like basic desires from employees but companies that can successfully make their employees feel valued and appreciated, gain employee loyalty which benefits every aspect of the company.

The first company that I focused on is Capital One, 79% of reviews regarding the company are positive. The customer service department had the most positive reviews at 96% and IT had the most negative reviews at 53%. The positive reviews state have a common theme through out employees feel supported, valued, and recognized for their work. In addition, employees feedback spoke highly of the management teams stating that they were strong and talented but also helpful, empowering and supportive.

The second company that I researched is Hilton, 96% of employees state that it is a great company to work for. New employees reported that they felt welcomed when they joined the team, longer term employee said that they felt valued regardless of position. Employees reviewed management as honest and ethical.

As an employee the best manager that I have had so far in my career have also reflected these traits from the employee reviews. This was also my main reason for changing my major to Business Management, 3 years ago I got hired for my first entry level supervisor position. I quickly realized that I loved engaging with employees. It will always be my goal to make sure employees feel heard, valued, and supported in their roles. As I do not believe that employees can be fully effective in their roles if they do not feel this way.

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