HA 390- Health Services Administration Internship 1 Assignment: Problem-Solving in the Workplace- Westchester Community College
Tasks:
1- Write a brief essay in which you describe and analyze a challenging workplace problem that you have encountered, and how you resolved it.
- At some point, all employees must deal with challenging workplace problems. Whether it's a conflict with a colleague or supervisor, or an ethical dilemma related to work, how employees evaluate and resolve issues is an indication of character, education, and experience.
- Select a problem that you have encountered at work. Describe the situation fully by explaining the problem, who was involved, and why you considered it a challenge. Then, describe and analyze what you did to resolve the situation. What was the outcome? Were you satisfied with how you resolved the problem? Why or why not? In retrospect, would you do anything differently today?
- Your essay should be no longer than 2 pages, double-spaced, with standard margins.
2- Write an essay in which you analyze a hypothetical workplace problem.
- Read the case scenario below. Respond to the following questions:
1. As the manager, what approach might you want to take in addressing the employee's attitude?
2. Should the manager focus on the tasks to be done, or on the person who is doing the job?
3. Do you agree or disagree with the employee's attitude about his job description? Why?
4. What factors typically lead to an employee taking the attitude this employee has taken about his job?
Case Scenario
George Morton, manager of the maintenance department at a large hospital, was experiencing increasing frustration with mechanic Jeff Thompson. Morton considered Thompson a good mechanic, and this opinion was usually reinforced by the consistently high quality of Thompson's preventive maintenance work and by his success in accomplishing difficult repair jobs.
Morton's frustration centered about Thompson's apparent lack of motivation. Thompson always had to be told what to do next after completing each job. If he were not so instructed, he would take a prolonged break until Morton sought him out and gave him a specific assignment.
Morton's frustration peaked one day when a small plumbing problem got out of hand and suddenly became a large problem. He knew that Thompson had to have seen the leaking valve because it was right beside the pump that Thompson had been servicing. However, when Morton asked Thompson why he had done nothing about the valve, Thompson said, "Plumbing isn't part of my job."
"You could at least have reported the problem." Morton said.
Thompson shrugged and said, "There's nothing in my job description about reporting anything. I do what I'm paid to do, and I stick to my job description."
"You certainly do," said Morton. "Jeff, you're one of the better mechanics I've seen. But you never extend yourself in any way, never reach out and take care of something without being told."
"I'm not paid to reach out or extend myself. You're the boss, and I do what you tell me to do. And I do it right."
"I know you do it right," Morton agreed. "But I also know that you sometimes stretch out the work. I know you're capable of giving a lot more to the job, but for some reason you seem unwilling to work up to your capabilities."
Again, Thompson shrugged. "I stick to my job description and do what I'm told."
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.