CH-14 Jobs and the Design of Work – Organizational Behavior: Science, The Real World, and You : Book Guide

14. JOBS AND THE DESIGN OF WORK REVIEW QUESTIONS: suggested answers Define a job in its organizational context. Answer: A job is a set of specified work and task activities that engage an individual in an organization. Describe six patterns of working that have been studied in different countries. Answer: In Pattern A, the value of work comes from performance of activities for which people are accountable and self-directed. Work is devoid of negative affect. Pattern B people define work as an activity that provides a positive affect and identity. It contributes to society and is not unpleasant. Pattern C people view work as an activity where profits accrue to others by performance. Work is strenuous and somewhat compulsive. Pattern D people define work as a physical activity directed by others, and usually devoid of positive affect. Pattern E people see work as unpleasant physically and mentally strenuous activity. In Pattern F, people define work as an activity constrained to specific time periods that does not create positive affect when performed. Work is defined most positively and with the most balanced personal and collective reasons for participating in the Netherlands. In contrast, work is least positive in Germany and Japan. Describe four traditional approaches to the design of work in America. Answer: Work simplification is the standardization and narrow, explicit specification of task activities for workers. Job enlargement and job rotation involve increasing the number of tasks in a job and systematic shifting of workers from one task to another over time, respectively. Job enrichment designs jobs by incorporating motivational factors into them and increases the amount of responsibility in a job through vertical loading. The Job Characteristics Model focuses on five core job characteristics and three critical psychological states. Identify and define the five core job dimensions and the three critical psychological states in the Job Characteristics Model. Answer: The five core job dimensions include skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. Skill variety is the degree to which the job requires multiple skills and talents. Task identity is the completion of an identifiable piece of work. Task significance is the degree to which the job has a substantial impact. Autonomy is freedom and independence. Feedback is clear and direct information on job performance. The critical psychological states are experienced meaningfulness of work (the job is valuable and worthwhile), experienced responsibility for work outcomes (personal accountability), and knowledge of results (an understanding of how well one is performing the job). What are the salient features of the social information processing (SIP) model of job design? Answer: The SIP model has four salient features. First, other people provide cues that help workers decipher the work environment. Second, other people help workers judge what is important in a job. Third, other people tell workers how they see those workers’ jobs. Fourth, both positive and negative feedback from others helps workers understand their feelings about their jobs. List the positive and negative outcomes of the four job design approaches considered by the interdisciplinary framework. Answer: Table 14.2 provides a comprehensive summary of the outcomes of these approaches. Outcomes of the mechanistic approach include decreased training time and less likelihood of errors, as well as lower job satisfaction and lower motivation. The motivational approach results in higher job satisfaction and higher motivation, but also involves increased training time and a greater chance of errors. The biological approach results in less physical effort and fatigue and higher job satisfaction, but requires higher financial costs because of the necessity to change equipment in order to achieve those reductions. Outcomes of the perceptual/motor approach include reduced likelihood of accidents and errors, and decreased training time, as well as lower job satisfaction and motivation. Job Enrichment: • Positive: Increases employee motivation, satisfaction, and performance by providing more autonomy and varied tasks. • Negative: Can lead to role overload and stress if not managed properly. Job Rotation: • Positive: Enhances skill development and reduces monotony by allowing employees to experience different roles. • Negative: May cause temporary decreases in productivity and adjustment challenges. Job Enlargement: • Positive: Reduces job monotony by expanding the range of tasks and responsibilities. • Negative: Can lead to role ambiguity and increased workload without necessarily improving job satisfaction. Job Simplification: • Positive: Increases efficiency and reduces training time by focusing on specific, repetitive tasks. • Negative: Can lead to decreased job satisfaction and motivation due to lack of variety and challenge. How do the Japanese, German, and Scandinavian approaches to work differ from one another and from the American approach? Answer: The Japanese approach to work is collectivist in nature, while the U.S. approach is highly individualized. The Japanese work system emphasizes strategic and cooperative working arrangements. Americans emphasize personal identity and social benefits of work. The German approach values a highly educated workforce and emphasizes a highly efficient hierarchical work environment. The social democratic tradition in Scandinavia stresses social concern over efficiency, with numerous laws supporting the rights and health conditions of workers. Describe the key job design parameters considered when examining the effects of work design on health and well-being. Answer: Key job design parameters include: worker control through opportunity to control aspects of work and the workplace, machine and task design, and performance-monitoring feedback systems; uncertainty reduction by providing timely and complete information, clear and unambiguous work assignments, improved communication, and employee access to information sources); conflict management through participative decision making, supportive supervisory styles, and sufficient resources; and task/job design improvement by enhancing core job characteristics. What are five emerging issues in jobs and the design of work? Answer: Five emerging issues in jobs and the design of work include telecommuting, alternative work patterns, technology at work, task revision, and skill development. DISCUSSION AND COMMUNICATION QUESTIONS: suggested answers Is there ever one best way to design a particular job? Answer: In the context of the existing technology at any one point in time, there may be one best way to design a job. However, rapidly changing technology and the challenges of global competition make it essential that workers and managers constantly seek to improve on whatever job design may currently be in place. What should managers learn from the traditional approaches to the design of work used in the United States? Answer: Scientific management helps us understand how to make jobs more efficient. Job enlargement and job rotation aid in understanding the importance of eliminating boredom in jobs. Job enrichment provides knowledge about how to make jobs more motivating. Job characteristics theory points out features that workers want in jobs, and links those features to important psychological states those workers experience. Is it possible for American companies to apply approaches to the design of work that were developed in other countries? Answer: It will be particularly important for American companies to consider and apply some of these approaches as (1) they continue to increase their interactions with companies in other countries, and (2) the diversity of the U.S. workforce assimilates more and more individuals from other countries and cultures. What is the most important emerging issue in the design of work? Answer: Telecommuting has eliminated the need for many people to travel to work. Alternative work patterns have made it easier for employees to manage work/home conflicts. Technostress is a phenomenon related to modern technologies, and it should be minimized in any job redesign effort. Skill development will be at a premium as employers try to minimize the gap between the skills demanded by new technologies and the capabilities of the workers. The most important emerging issue in work design is the integration of automation and artificial intelligence (AI). As technology advances, there's a need to balance automation with human work to ensure job quality and safety. This shift requires redesigning workflows to complement both human and machine capabilities. Furthermore, addressing ethical concerns and training employees for new roles are critical. Emphasizing adaptability and continuous learning will be essential for future work environments. Read about new approaches to jobs, such as job sharing. Prepare a memo comparing what you have learned from your reading with one or more approaches to job design discussed in the chapter. What changes in approaches to jobs and job design do you notice from this comparison? Answer: This assignment can generate excellent class discussion as students share what they have learned about new approaches to jobs. Students may also have personal experiences with some of these new approaches that can add depth to the discussion. Additional discussion can focus on the advantages and disadvantages of these new approaches to job design for organizations and employees. Memo: Comparison of Job Sharing with Traditional Job Design Approaches Subject: Comparison of Job Sharing and Traditional Job Design Approaches Overview: Job sharing, where two or more employees share the responsibilities of a single full-time position, contrasts with traditional job design approaches that emphasize individual roles with fixed hours. Unlike traditional models, job sharing offers flexibility and can enhance work-life balance. However, it requires careful coordination and communication between sharers. Traditional job design focuses more on task specialization and hierarchical structures, while job sharing promotes collaboration and adaptability. This shift highlights a trend towards more flexible and employee-centered job designs. Interview an employee in your organization or another organization and develop an oral presentation about how his or her job could be enriched. Make sure you ask questions about all aspects of the employee’s work (e.g., what specific tasks are done and with whom the employee interacts on the job). Answer: As students present how jobs could be enriched, challenge them to be specific about the actual job they are discussing and to explain how the enrichment recommendations they made will potentially improve outcomes for the employee and for the organization. Presentation on Job Enrichment Subject: Enhancing Job Enrichment for [Employee's Name] Overview: In my interview with [Employee's Name], I found that their job involves [specific tasks] and frequent interactions with [colleagues/clients]. To enrich their role, I suggest incorporating more variety in tasks to reduce monotony, offering opportunities for skill development, and increasing involvement in decision-making processes. Additionally, fostering a collaborative work environment and recognizing their contributions could enhance job satisfaction and performance. Implementing these changes can lead to increased engagement and productivity. Based on the materials in the chapter, prepare a memo detailing the advantages and disadvantages of flextime job arrangements. In a second part of the memo, identify the specific conditions and characteristics required for a successful flextime program. Would you like to work under a flextime arrangement? Answer: Students should consider the advantages and disadvantages of flextime job arrangements from both the employee’s and the organization’s perspective. Encourage any students who have worked under a flextime arrangement to share their experiences with the class. Memo: Advantages and Disadvantages of Flextime Job Arrangements Subject: Analysis of Flextime Arrangements Advantages: • Increases employee satisfaction and work-life balance. • Enhances productivity and reduces absenteeism. • Attracts and retains talent by offering flexibility. Disadvantages: • Can complicate team coordination and scheduling. • May lead to potential inequalities among employees. • Requires clear guidelines to prevent misuse. Conditions for Success: • Clear policies and communication. • Reliable tracking and reporting systems. • A supportive management approach and team collaboration. I would be open to working under a flextime arrangement as it offers flexibility and can enhance personal productivity. ETHICal dilemma Carson’s options are to leave Jen’s job the way it is or to redesign the job by splitting the region and adding a second person. Using consequential, rule-based, and character theories, evaluate Carson’s options. Answer: Consequential – If Carson leaves Jen’s job as it is, the current levels of efficiency and timely service will continue, at least until Jen’s burnout begins to take a serious toll on her ability to function in the job, at which point Carson will have to bring in a new person for the job. If he redesigns the job, efficiency and timely service may suffer somewhat initially as people get used to new processes, but may return to its current levels before too much time passes, and Jen will get some much-needed relief from the stress of her job the way it is. Rule-based – Carson’s primary responsibility is to provide the most timely service possible to the firm’s clients. He may also feel some self-imposed obligation to ensure that Jen doesn’t suffer from the demands of her job. Character – Carson seems to care about Jen and wants to help her. He can do this by redesigning the job. What should Carson do? Why? Answer: Carson should redesign the job, despite the potential for temporary reductions in efficiency and timeliness. Those two factors will likely return to their current levels once the disruption of the transition settles down and people get used to the new processes. Redesigning the job helps prevent Jen (or whoever is in the job) from suffering from burnout and helps the company by reducing turnover in that position, which also negatively effects efficiency and timeliness every time a new person has to be brought in to replace a burnout victim. Carson can still fulfill his obligation to provide the most timely service possible even though it may suffer slightly during the transition. Finally, redesigning the job seems to fit Carson’s value system and his concern for Jen. EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES 14.1 Chaos and the Manager’s Job In recent years there has been a flurry of books and articles about how organizations and the way they are changing. The questionnaire in this exercise is an entree into the new world of what managers and leaders are actually doing these days in organizations. It is titled “A Manager’s Job.” It has been administered to nearly 500 MBA students and young managers, about equally divided between men and women and for the most part between the ages of 23 and 33. About 20 percent of the respondents have been from countries other than the United States. To experienced managers, the items on this questionnaire are familiar territory. Students will have to think about it a little differently from the way that beginning managers approach it, but regardless of level of experience, the point can still be made. The point is a simple one: we aren’t prepared for the sort of world this questionnaire portrays. The “culture” doesn’t prepare us: our management textbooks and classrooms don’t prepare us. Experienced managers, however, consistently report that this questionnaire mirrors their work environment very well. How do respondents do on the questionnaire? One who would enjoy it very much would end up with a 4.0 average. One who finds each item “very unpleasant for me” ends up with a zero. The range is narrow, and no particular subpopulation of age, sex, experience, or nationality seems to do better or worse than any other subpopulation. The average score is between 1.5 and 1.6—a D+/C- sort of grade. The range is between about 1.0 and 2.2. However, most young people are unprepared for life in such organizational worlds. They think management and leadership are something different from this. What do they think these are? What mythology of the managerial job do they hold? Some myths of management that may be operating include: The myth of one person called “the manager.” The myth that what the leader leads and the manager manages is a single, relatively autonomous organization. The myth of control through hierarchical chain of command. The myth that organizational culture is not important to organizational success. The myth of some product or service as the primary output of the organization. The myth that analysis and study are the most important means of understanding organizations. SOURCE: D. Marcic, “Option B. Quality and the New Management Paradigm,” Organizational Behavior: Experiences and Cases, 4th ed. (Minneapolis/St. Paul: West Publishing, 1995): 296-297. 14.2 A Job Redesign Effort Instructor's Notes: An obvious model to use is the core Job Characteristics Model. Students have a tendency to consider only one or two of the characteristics. Point out that this often leads to a more disgruntled employee than if nothing had been attempted. ALTERNATIVE EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISE They Want Me To Go To Singapore To Be A Manager! Instructor's Notes: Many students may be globally conscious, yet do not want to be assigned to work internationally. This exercise aids students with a dilemma that they might encounter. Students are able to share their concerns and anxieties while trying to remedy Joe's problems. In addition to the previous questions, you may wish to have students spontaneously respond to the question about how to solve his problem with his mother, his family, and his guilt at being viewed as lacking motivation. He is living out other people's expectations, and has action anxiety. This is a good role play exercise. Joe can interact with his supervisor, the Human Resource department, and his mother. * SOURCE: Adapted from Connie Bowman, Defense Logistics Agency They Want Me To Go To singapore To Be A Manager! Joe Pratt is a manager for a major appliance manufacturer, Whirlwind Corp. His boss has just informed him that in 2 months he will be sent overseas to Singapore to head up marketing for the Washer/Dryer Division based there. His overseas assignment will last 2 years. His boss told him that he would be part of a management team of 4 managers from Germany, Singapore, and Japan. His boss also told him that he would send over the company's Overseas Assignment Orientation booklet and information about housing. If he had any other questions prior to his departure, Joe should call his boss or the Human Resource department. After the conversation with his boss, Joe didn't know what to think. He hadn't expected an overseas assignment. He has never been overseas and his boss didn't say anything about training. An overseas assignment was not really appealing to him and he could never understand why anyone would want to spend time living anywhere but the United States. He was also worried about what his family would think, since his mother was a senior manager in another city. Joe had secured the position without her assistance, yet he realizes that he has benefited by having such a visible name connected with her success. Joe is confused. He wanted to make a career with this company, but wonders if he has the motivation necessary. In addition, he doesn't want to disappoint his parents, since they, no doubt, will be thrilled with the advancement opportunity. 1. If you were Joe's supervisor, what information about job enrichment could you provide Joe? 2. What information about how jobs are viewed in Japan would benefit Joe in Singapore? 3. What other specific training information would be beneficial to Joe? EXTRA EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES The following alternative exercises to supplement the material in the textbook can be obtained from: Marcic, Dorothy, Seltzer, Joseph, & Vaill, Peter. Organizational Behavior: Experiences and Cases, 6th Ed. South-Western College Publishing Company, 2001. Job Design Exercises. p. 185-189. Time: Part A – 30 minutes, Part B – 25 minutes. Purpose: To explore the dimensions of the job enrichment model and to consider how jobs can be redesigned. Emily Fife and Learning a Living. p. 191-194. Time: 60 minutes. Purpose: To consider job descriptions and job design under conditions of continual change and widespread interdependence of jobs. TAKE 2 BIZ FLIX: Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls PPT Slide 32 Organizations Discussed: Julia Rossmore’s Law Firm Monty (Idris Elba), a hardworking automobile mechanic, loses custody of his three daughters to his evil ex-wife, Jennifer (Tasha Smith). He begins working as a chauffeur for Julia (Gabriele Union), an upper class attorney. Their relationship develops both romantically and professionally as she represents him in his court battle. The film twists and turns around Monty’s past but closes in an unusual and happy way. Job Design: Monty the Limousine Driver This sequence begins with a panning shot of Julia’s condominium building. The camera pans down to the Doorman (Steve Coulter) and Monty standing by the limousine. This sequence ends after Julia and Monty arrive at the courthouse. Julia says, “Next time follow my instructions, okay?” Monty responds, “Yes ma’am.” as he gets out of the car. What to Watch for and Ask Yourself PPT Slide 36 This chapter opened with a discussion of “job” and “work.” Apply that discussion to the film sequence. Include in your analysis the pattern of social interaction between Monty and Julia. Answer: Monty and Julia each have their own jobs. Monty’s job is a chauffeur for Julia. Her job is that of an attorney. The “work” aspects for each of them vary over the course of a day. Monty drives over specific routes and waits to pick up Julia. Her “work” focuses on different clients, court appearances, and legal recommendations. Their social interaction during this film sequence features hostile reactions by Julia. Apply the job characteristics theory to the film sequence. What is the level of each core job characteristic for Monty’s job? Calculate his Motivating Potential Score using the formula that appears earlier in this chapter. Answer: Using simple notation such as “low (2),” medium (4),” and “high (6),” the following estimates the core job characteristics of Monty’s job. The calculated Motivating Potential Score (MPS) appears after the estimates. Skill variety: Medium—driving the car is not difficult for Monty but he also must attend to Julia’s requests and demands. Task Identity: Medium—Monty does the entire job from beginning to end. Task significance: Medium—it is important for Julia to get to her destinations is a timely way. Monty also must drive safely. Autonomy: Low—He cannot drive entirely by his own desires, as shown by Julia’s comment at the end of the scene. Feedback from the job itself: High—Monty knows whether he is driving correctly and well. Monty’s MPS = 4 + 4 + 4 x 2 x 6 = 48, a low level of Motivating Potential. Estimate the levels of each critical psychological state for Monty. Use Figure 14.1, “The Job Characteristics Model,” as a guide to your estimate. Use “low,” “middle,” or “high” for your estimate. Answer: The job characteristics associated with experienced meaningfulness of the work and experienced responsibility for outcomes of the work are each low to medium. These two critical psychological states are not strong or high for Monty. It is likely that Monty’s knowledge of the actual results of the work activities is high because of the high level of feedback from the job itself noted above. WORKPLACE VIDEO: Camp Bow Wow Video Case Synopsis Nearly everyone who has been to camp has vivid memories of the woodsy adventure. There are the cabins, the camp counselors, the campfire treats, the wide open spaces, the incessant barking of the furry four-legged camp goers—well, at least these are the sights and sounds for visitors of Camp Bow Wow, the fastest-growing doggie day-care center in the United States. Founded little more than a decade ago by dog-lover Heidi Ganahl, Camp Bow Wow is a safe, happy place where people can take their pets when no one is home to care for them. For dog owners who work in the daytime, the Boulder, Colorado-based franchise offers premier doggie day-care services. For pets that need to stay a little longer, Camp Bow Wow has overnight boarding with spacious cabins and comfortable cots. Each day, the experienced counselors at Camp Bow Wow supervise dozens of canine campers. Pooches receive plenty of personal attention, including grooming, outdoor exercise, food, baths, and medical support. A few years ago, Sue Ryan, a Camp Bow Wow franchisee, handled all the ins and outs of managing the doggie day camp. Once the job became overwhelming, however, Ryan hired experienced pet care worker Candace Stathis to be camp counselor, and, later, general manager. “Candace is good with the dogs, good with the customers, good with the employees, and she can manage the administrative part of the operation—she does a little bit of everything,” Ryan said of the managerial top dog. To keep camp running as efficiently as possible, Stathis maintains a strict schedule for doggie baths, nail trimmings, feedings, and play time. Staying on schedule is no easy task, however, especially during the busy holidays and summer months, or whenever the pets get territorial. Stathis says that while dogs get in occasional tussles, all camp staff members are trained to handle hairy situations. “It’s part of the job; we are all really prepared to deal with it,” says Stathis. For franchise owner Sue Ryan, delegating jobs to competent employees equals less worry and more time for personal relaxation. Ryan says she can finally dream of taking time off to travel the world. For Candace Stathis, however, managing a Camp Bow Wow is all about doing work she loves. “I love the people, I love the dogs, and I wouldn't change anything for the world,” Stathis says. Discussion Questions and Solutions How do the tasks of managers and camp counselors differ at Camp Bow Wow? Answer: At Camp Bow Wow, managers and camp counselors have distinctly different tasks. Whereas the lower level counselors take care of dogs, answer phones, and book reservations, managers manage people and oversee the tasks assigned to subordinates. “What I do,” said manager Candace Stathis, “is make sure all the operational stuff goes off without a hitch—so, making sure that the dogs all get fed, that they get the meds when they're supposed to, that the staff is taking care of the dogs the way they are supposed to, and making sure that everybody is attentive to the pets. You're managing the dogs, but you're also managing the people.” How does Camp Bow Wow utilize a form of job rotation to keep camp counselors satisfied with their jobs? Answer: Camp Bow Wow’s camp counselors perform a variety of jobs, from answering phones and administering medicines to grooming pets and cleaning the kennel. Performing a variety of tasks helps workers overcome the problems of work specialization. This form of job rotation, where workers rotate from animal care to office jobs, motivates employees who may get bored with repetitive tasks. In addition, this job rotation also helps employees develop new skills and work experiences for career development. Using the job characteristics model, explain why the employees of Camp Bow Wow love their jobs. Answer: According to the job characteristics theory, high work satisfaction and motivation are the product of three critical psychological states: experienced meaningfulness of the work, experienced responsibility for outcomes of the work, and knowledge of the actual results of work activities. Working with animals at Camp Bow Wow provides meaningfulness through high task significance (sense of caring for animals) and clear task identity (dog care tasks have a clear beginning and completion). For camp counselors, meaningfulness also comes from using a variety of skills for such tasks as dog care, managing phones, making reservations, or cleaning the kennel. The task of grooming, feeding, exercising and nursing dogs also provides a sense of responsibility and knowledge of actual results—key factors in high job satisfaction. CASE SOLUTION: Alternative Work Arrangements: What Does the Future Hold? Linkage of Case to Chapter Material Various alternative work arrangements exist for use in businesses and other types of organizations; included among the options are compressed work weeks, flexible work schedules, telecommuting, and job sharing. This case focuses on alternative work arrangements in general rather than on a particular one exclusively; however, telecommuting does receive additional attention. The case revolves around the potential advantages and disadvantages that are associated with alternative work arrangements, and the factors that are contributing to an increased use of various alternative work arrangements by employers. With respect to the various advantages and disadvantages that are identified in the case, the positives seem to outweigh the negatives. “Organizations that offer flexible working arrangements are, and will continue to be, employers of choice.  Employees consistently rank flexible schedules high on their list of desired benefits; employers who are reluctant to offer these popular perks will find themselves falling short in the bidding wars for talent.” The case identifies three underlying factors that are driving the movement toward the increased utilization of alternative work arrangements in many different workplaces. These factors are: (a) the needs, desires, and expectations of workers for greater flexibility at work; (b) fuel costs and fuel consumption associated with commuting, and the related carbon footprint impact; and (c) the restrictive impact of the 2008-2009 economic recession on job opportunities. The case concludes by pointing out that many nations have experimented successfully with various flexible work programs and some countries have enacted legislation promoting alternative work arrangements. It then poses the question: “Will the United States government and American businesses be adequately prepared to meet future economic challenges, at least in part, by embracing the movement toward increasing use of alternative work arrangements?” Suggested Answers for Discussion Questions How can employees benefit from alternative work arrangements? How can employers benefit from alternative work arrangements? Answer: For employees, the potential benefit of alternative work arrangements include: favorable effects on perceived autonomy, the resolution of work-family conflicts, better job performance, enhanced job satisfaction, and reduced stress. Among the beneficial outcomes of alternative work arrangements for employers are the following: increased employee retention, loyalty and morale; higher productivity; improved recruiting of highly qualified workers; decreased employee tardiness and unscheduled absences; and maximum use of facilities and equipment. The students should be encouraged to think of other potential benefits of alternative work arrangements for both employees and employers. For example, the instructor could focus on a particular alternative work arrangement, such as telecommuting, and have the class brainstorm a list of potential benefits that might accrue to themselves and their employer if they worked in a telecommuting arrangement. What are some of the possible negative outcomes for employers and/or employees regarding alternative work arrangements? Answer: Some of the negative outcomes associated with alternative work arrangements are: the challenges associated with making these programs work for both employer and employees; handling issues regarding employee training, work monitoring, and performance evaluation; maintaining lines of communication with bosses and co-workers; and changing the attitudes of managers that are uncomfortable with anything other than traditional working arrangements. As with Question 1, the students should be encouraged to think of other potential disadvantages of alternative work arrangements for both employers and employees. Again, the instructor could focus on a particular alternative work arrangement, such as telecommuting, and have the class brainstorm a list of potential disadvantages that might accrue to themselves and their employer if they worked in a telecommuting arrangement. What types of factors are influencing organizations to consider using alternative work arrangements? Explain how alternative work arrangements can address the problems/issues that are raised by these factors. Answer: The needs, desires, and expectations of workers for greater flexibility at work are driving organizations to consider embracing alternative work arrangements. Younger workers give priority to their personal lives or at least try to balance their personal lives and work lives, rather than being work-centric as their parents were. Older workers may choose to stretch their retirement date based on some combination of lifestyle choice and recent market developments. Alternative work arrangements, such as compressed work weeks, flexible work schedules, job sharing, part-time employment, and telecommuting can provide the flexibility needed for younger workers to simultaneously pursue career interests and personal interests. These alternative work arrangements enable younger workers to juggle their work schedules so that they can respond effectively to the multiple demands in their lives. Alternative work arrangements also can benefit older workers by enabling them to respond to multiple demands as well as to gradually withdraw from gainful employment rather than abruptly terminate it. This can help workers ease into retirement while cushioning its economic impact. Additionally, organizations benefit through the retention, though on a limited time frame, of the valuable experience and contributions of the seasoned veterans. Do you think the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 will be useful for the Federal government and its employees? Do you think it will have a beneficial impact for America in general? Explain your answer. Answer: The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (H.R. 1722), which applies to the United States government’s workforce, “provides a framework for agencies to better leverage technology and to maximize the use of flexible work arrangements, which will aid in recruiting new Federal workers, retain valuable talent and allow the Federal government to maintain productivity in various situationsincluding those involving national security and other emergency situations.” This Act is an important step in supporting alternative work arrangements for federal government employees. Although passage of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 sends “an important message to private sector companies about the many benefits of telecommuting and other alternative work arrangements,” unfavorable economic conditions could constrain the growth of telecommuting in the private sector. Should the availability of alternative work arrangements for private sector employees in the United States be mandated by law? Why or why not? Answer: According to the case, many nations have experimented successfully with various flexible work programs, and in some countries laws have been enacted to make alternative work arrangements more accessible to employees. Although the United States has enacted legislation that applies to employees of the federal government, Congress has not enacted such legislation with respect to the private sector. However, the changing demographic composition of the American workforce could bring about consideration of such legislation for the private sector. With the changing needs, desires, and expectations of the workforce, there may be increasing pressure to mandate alternative work arrangements as an employment option. Clearly, the possibility of legislatively-mandated alternative work arrangements in the United States is speculativeeven though other nations have traveled that path. Nonetheless, consideration of the possibility provides an excellent opportunity for students to discuss and debate what role, if any, that government should play in fostering the usage of alternative work arrangements in American businesses and the extent to which such opportunities should be available to the American workforce in general. In discussing this question, consideration should be given to the following observation in the case: “Organizations that offer flexible working arrangements are, and will continue to be, employers of choiceEmployees consistently rank flexible schedules high on their list of desired benefits; employers who are reluctant to offer these popular perks will find themselves falling short in the bidding wars for talent.” SOURCE: This case solution was written by Michael K. McCuddy, The Louis S. and Mary L. Morgal Chair of Christian Business Ethics and Professor of Management, College of Business, Valparaiso University. Solution Manual for Organizational Behavior: Science, The Real World, and You Debra L. Nelson, James Campbell Quick 9781111825867