There are two sections complete both sections in this assignment:

Section one:

The Conference Board reported that between 1987 and 2009, four key indicators of job satisfaction declined dramatically; (a) interest in their work, down 18.9 percent; (b) job security, down 16.5 percent; (c) Interest in co-workers, down 11.6 percent; and (d) Satisfaction with their supervisors, down 9.5 percent. (Reported in HR Magazine, February 2010, p. 13.). I would point out that in 2009 a substantial number of employees were paying more for their health insurance if they even had insurance.

Search the Internet for at least three current research articles or reports on what employees want from their jobs and their leaders or the current state of employee morale. Write a one-page report summarizing your findings.

Section Two: Nedra the Negativist

Read the following statement from Fred Roberts, the operations supervisor at Barry Automotives Dublin plant:

The most challenging person I work with is Nedra. She has so many redeeming features. For one, she is a workaholic and passionate about quality work. But she is a pessimist and sees only the worst in every situation. Recently, there was a quality discrepancy reported by a customer, and we were asked to solve the problem. As a member of the quality-improvement team, instead of working with us to figure out ways to improve the production process, Nedra claimed the production operators do not know how to use their brains to do the work right. In a whining and complaining tone, I can still hear her say, Its such a simple procedure, and we have to deal with their inability to read the spec sheets. Its just not right! Those people in person can never find us any good employees.

Everyone is fair game for Nedras complaints. About a month ago, the company experienced a significant machine downtime due to a mechanical failure. I can hear Nedra now: Its either the lousy people, the old equipment, or the incompetent maintenance supervisor. She stores mistakes from the past and cant let go of them. For example, two years ago, Lee Kim, a good employee in the maintenance department, made a severe setup error that resulted in over $50,000 of the product being run with the wrong specs. We ended up with two bins of scrap. Lots of people could have caught the mistake in a timely fashion, but no one did. Kim was suspended without pay for two weeks, and we used the error to illustrate why we need to follow our in-process controls. But Nedra wont let up. Its been over two years, and she is still obsessed with Kims mistake.

Ive tried to deal with Nedra by developing a positive attitude and smiling. But that doesnt seem to work. Nedras negativity is destroying the teams spirit.

Yesterday was the last straw. Three months ago, I was chosen to head a project team to develop a new database to improve our customer tracking. Initially, Nedra suggested striving for the optimal solution rather than a satisficing one.

The team worked diligently despite Nedras negativity. I did everything I knew to get her off the bench and into the game. However, she was not open to our ideas and unwilling to make any suggestions. Her only contribution was to develop the worst-case scenarios of every request we came up with. I noted Nedra's words during the past week in the team meeting: We cant do it! Our people arent intelligent enough to do anything that sophisticated. The machines will break down. Its not possible. We dont have enough money to do the job right. I came very close to losing it.

Ive never known anyone with such a bad outlook on life. I had nothing to prepare me for this in my college or professional training. What should I do?

Using the Internet, find at least three sources for how to work with negative people. Review each site for suggestions on coping with this behavior, and write your research findings. Based on the findings, do the case analysis, and list the three best options for Fred Roberts. Rubric Some rubric (1) (1) Some rubric (1) (1) Criteria Ratings Pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeFormat/Layout 5 pts Full marks Includes all required layout components and is presented in a particularly attractive manner, enhancing readability and content 3 pts 50% Includes all required layout components in the standard format 0 pts No Marks Missing one or more required components OR lacks readability due to formatting choices 5 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeContent Delivery 5 pts Full marks Provides a rich and full presentation of information; demonstrates subject matter knowledge 3 pts 50% Clear and competent presentation of information and effective use of business knowledge 0 pts No marks Inaccuracies in information presentation or lack of clarity in presentation of business knowledge 5 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOrganization 4 pts Full marks Information is organized in a fully effective manner; presents strong introduction, expressive body, and purposeful conclusion 2 pts 50% Information is organized competently, with thesis, supporting information and conclusion. 0 pts No marks Missing or ineffective elements. 4 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSentence Structure 3 pts Full marks Sentences effectively constructed with no grammatical errors 2 pts 50% Sentences effectively constructed with 12 minor grammatical errors 0 pts No marks Repeated errors in sentence structure or grammar 3 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMechanics 3 pts Full marks Spelling, capitalization and punctuation errors free 2 pts 50% 12 minor errors in spelling, punctuation or capitalization 0 pts No marks More than 2 errors 3 pts Total Points: 20