Patricia's Managment 453 Blog

Labor Unions can be a very powerful tool to support and secure one’s job for a long time. I personally do not know anyone that is within a labor union, therefore I had to do a little bit of research on the subject of my own. One of the major things that I found out is how nuanced and complex a union can be. Moreover, it costs a decent amount to be part of a community of that sort. Although, one thing that draws me to labor unions is their safer workplaces. According to The Week, labor unions generally create regulations for better and safe workplaces within the country. Another bonus to labor unions is the increase in productivity. Being able to have employees help make decisions about the workplace can increase business outcomes and others as well. Contrary to this within the union it seems like labor unions can provide less worker autonomy and favor seniority in the directions that are made. This can lead to unease with leadership because even though they may not agree with the decision that they made the employees are bound to those directions based on being part of a union.

Now, reflecting on my personal goals I do not think I would join a labor union because I think that they are still very complicated. I also enjoy a lot of autonomy with my work and do not like being bound by rules. Moreover, I think that I could use the 9% fee that is charged to better my investments rather than paying for dues to a membership that I do not know if I want. Maybe sometime later in my career I will reassess but as of right now I am convinced that I do not want to join a labor union. I am curious to see if my thoughts will change in the future. 

I enjoyed this exercises and it certainly opened my eyes to what life is like in a labor union. 

Source used:

Klawans, J. (2025, February 13). The pros and cons of labor unions. The Week. https://theweek.com/business/labor-unions-pros-cons

Hello,

When reviewing my score for the “Coping and Stress Management Test” I was surprised to see that my result was a 75. I know that in general I am not super good at managing my stress in certain situations, but I did not know that it was that high. The resort showed that I use problem- focused strategies to cope with certain stressful situations. I think that a very interesting thing that was stated in the report is that one can modify one’s stressor to something else that can be dealt with better. I am not quite sure what that means but I am realizing that coming at it with a different approach and perspective can be something that is really helpful. 

When it comes to the “Type A Personality Test” I scored lower than I thought I did. Initially I thought that I was going to score at about a 75 for that one but in reality, I scored a 43. Within the report it stated that I usually have patience and empathy towards others but when I am in a stressful time I tend to lash out at individuals and stew up anger and frustration. Overall, I think that is quite human because when we are stressed it is so much easier to focus on oneself and protect what we think is valuable than being charitable. I think that I can certainly be a little bit type A, but I am not quite sure how one cannot be Type A in a world that demands productivity at such a high standard. Although this is the reality I was shocked to find out that I scored a 75, meaning a low score on the “Life Stress Inventory.” Luckily my life does not change so dramatically which helps my stress stay at a constant. 

I enjoyed looking through this information. Please let me know if I can expand on anything. 

This week when looking about the benefits of compensation and motivation, I will draw on my experience working an unpaid internship last summer. Last summer I worked as an unpaid intern at a Catholic radio station. Being a charity I was unfortunately not able to earn any income throughout the summer. This had me thinking about what it could have been if I could have been compensated for the work that I did. In general, I knew why I did the job but at the same time if I did not have the midget and the eyes of faith, I could see myself struggling a lot doing the job. This can also be emphasized if one does not have the correct optimistic mindset of perfecting their skills and putting themselves to the challenge to better an organization. Also, as stated in the lecture one could be more collectively goal oriented as the mindset and the direction of the organization and think externally of how to match the goals of one’s coworkers and the leadership of the organization. Moreover, the lecture notes stated that one can feel a physiological impact with being compensated in the way that one is actually valued. This is something that my experience was far from because within my faith we work for treasures or a reward that is not of this world. Adding to that our worth is not based on our monetary value but who we are in the sight of God. All of this to say without that incredible perspective and the meaningful work that I did on that internship I think I could have been really struggling with some of the endurance in the job.  

If there is anything in this post that I could explain more, please let me know!

There are some things that make effective training for employees and some things that do not. I personally do not have much experience with work training because I have not been employed in many positions, but I will draw upon my overall experiences in student leadership and in the workforce as well. Working in the student leadership in my religious organization I served in two prominent executive roles. One of them being the Vice President and the other being the Communications Director. Beginning these roles, I understood what they generally entailed because I knew the people that held them previously. Although I knew a lot about the position, I did not know how to execute the role effectively. Within the raining or the “passing of the torch” moment when I took over the position I was given all of the logins and told what my responsibilities were which was great, but I was not taught how to do the different tasks at hand. I think that mentorship throughout the first part of the position from the previous officer would make the training a bit more effective. Furthering that communication and being seen as someone others desired to be successful would have helped a lot. Although, one advantage and efficiency of the training was the vision that was laid out. The director of the organization really had a great vision and framework that he wanted all of us to operate under. Therefore, I knew exactly what he was looking for and how I could implement my skills in order to fulfill common goals. 

These are my personal reflections on what was effective for me granted my experience and there is much more to reflect on here that would make this significantly longer. If you have any questions, please let me know!

There are a lot of different things that can make job interviews effective and ineffective. 

One of the major things that can either make or break the interview is the preparation and the passion for the company and for the job.I say this because both have to be present. Even though there is a position that is open and anyone can fill it, the one that is passionate about the work that they will be doing is going to be more motivated to prepare for the interview well. That person will want to research and learn as much as they can about the company that they might work for. Where they would be working and what they would be doing. Preparing for the conversation that they are going to be having with the interviewer and being marketable for the position. I think that this preparation is a long term thing, meaning someone can be preparing themselves for the job interview well before they actually have to. This is assuming you get a job interview for something that you care for. When in college I can prepare myself for the interview by gaining the skills and becoming the person that they are looking to hire. Next, I can research  a lot of different companies and see which ones fit my values and how they can provide me with the opportunity to grow both in position and in skillset within the company. 

Also, in order to make a better impression I know preparation in attire and resume can be a good indicator as to how much you care for the job and the company. Making a good impression on your potential employers can be something that secures the job for you and maybe can be a launchpad for future growth within the company.

These are my thoughts for the prompt. If anyone wants clarification on anything that I said, please let me know!

Throughout this week I have been reviewing what makes a good job discretion and why we should have them. The largest benefit of them being that they describe the company and what they are looking for in talent. Moreover, it can be almost in a sense a mission statement for the company in the way that they present it. Although there is a lot of benefit and beauty with job descriptions and analysis, I think that there are some challenges associated with developing and maintaining them. Thinking and reflecting on the projections of the world, I think that one of the largest challenges could be the fast-growing technology industry. Having to redefine the jobs that many are doing because of the growth of technology and ingenuity could be tedious to the Human Resource department. 

Another example from the course could be looking at what worked and did not work for a certain group of people. Specifically, when someone leaves the company for a “better opportunity.” Looking retrospectively on what is necessary for the company as a whole and what the goals are with comparison to what the individual needs. Within a perfect job an individual would not never want to leave but rather stay within the company. My uncle is a great example of this because he likes the job that he was given 30 years ago and does not want to leave the company. He has become quite productive within the company and has done great service for its development. Therefore, examining why someone might leave or has left can give an overview of what needs to be improved and how to partner the best to satisfy both parties. Looking at why someone left or desires to leave can be difficult for the managers both physically and emotionally, especially when they are especially invested in the company. 

These are my thoughts on job descriptions and their challenges. If anyone has questions, please let me know!

Thank you!

There are many different reasons why a company or an organization could be a “great place to work.” This could be due to values of the company aligning with a personal mission statement or simply because there are like-minded people that work there. Within this blog I will discuss why Ultimate Software, Edward Jones, and The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated are great places to work.

Ultimate Software

According to Great Places to Work “97%” of employees say that Ultimate Software is a great place to work. According to the employees there are three words that majorly describe the importance of this company to them being: people, family, and benefits. 

Edward Jones

Edward Jones was ranked a little bit lower in terms of percent ranking at “89% of employees saying it is a great place to work.” One of the things that struck me was that “94% of employees say that they are able to take time off from work when they think it is necessary.” The three major words that describe this company are: people, culture, partnerships.

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

This company ranks at “88% of employees stating that it is a great place to work.” Moreover, three words that employees describe The Cheesecake Factory as: everyone, people, and family. One of the reasons why people are satisfied working there is that they are given the resources and equipment they need in order to do their job. 

Taking into consideration the three companies above, I think that I would like to be a manager that sees each person within the company as their own individual. Moreover, making a climate where everyone supports one another like family. Obtaining a company culture that cares about the work that needs to be done and each other is an aspect that is crucial to the wellbeing of the company. I think that these goals tie into the concept in the lecture that people matter and creating a mission, vision, and set values matter while managing a team.  I also think that these could be equally challenging aspects of being an HR Manager. The reality of not being able to treat the employees as machines but rather as people with individual lives while needing to meet a fanatical and a reputational goal for the firm. 
I hope to learn more as I go on in the course.  

Source:

“Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® 2020.” Great Place To Work®, www.greatplacetowork.com/best-workplaces/100-best/2020. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Welcome to blogs.oregonstate.edu. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!