Explain how you would handle this situation if you were Charles Renfold.
Considering the importance of the report, I would ask Darlene to compile it or rather she faces a disciplinary action since she has never complained about the smoke before and her colleagues were still smoking then. Shaw (2010) states that “just cause requires that reasons for discipline or discharge deal directly with job performance”, Renford had asked Darlene to perform her duties which she is refusing to do so. By refusing to perform her task she should face a disciplinary action. As her supervisor I should not let her neglect her duties, she should continue with her duties as I try to decide how to solve the problem she has raised. Though it moral duty for companies to cater for the health and welfare of the employees, the way Darlene is trying to act at this situation is not correct. Her colleagues have been smoking for a long time yet she had not reported this before.
To prevent the situation from going out of hand I would have a close session with the two groups of employees (smokers and non-smokers) and try to argue it how the smokers can continue with their habit without affecting their counterparts. I would also explain to the employees that smoking is not allowed in the offices, although it is not banned. I would explain to them how their colleague is unable to compile the report because of the cigarette smoke in the file room and try find if there is someone who can assist her compile it because the report was already late. Lastly I would advise Darlene to be reporting some issues earlier before she decides to take an action. I would make her understand that some problem cannot be solved instantly and therefore should be reported in good time so that they could be approached in the right time and provide a sound solution.
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Describe the policy on smoking that you would recommend to Redwood Associates.
It is good to introduce a smoking policy at Redwood associates so that the non-smokers do not feel offended by the smokers. I would recommend a policy that allows smoking only at designated areas. The policy I would recommend would prohibit smoking in all enclosed areas within the company. This includes private offices, conference rooms, rest rooms, lunch rooms, in the vehicles and all other enclosed facilities(Silva, 2003). The designated smoking areas in the company should be outdoors. It should be located on west side of the company compound to avoid smoke from spreading to the buildings. No one should be allowed to smoke along any path way or walk way leading to or from the designated smoking area.
Employees should not be allowed to smoke at picnic tables and outdoors areas such as the parking lot. This condition should be included in the policy because smokers might thin all outdoor areas are fit for smoking. In the policy I would recommend, I would urge the company to include a clause that even though the company has made smoking areas available for the smokers, it has no legal responsibility to do so and anyone who chooses to smoke should do so at his/her own risk. The policy should not add breaks to the smokers; they should know how to squeeze their smoking time in their day to day schedule. The company should also provide containers in smoking designated areas so that the smokers can dispose their remains in a proper manner. This will help in keeping the company environment neat and clean. All the smokers in the company should be made to understand that if they do not comply with what is provided in the policy, they will face a disciplinary action that can even lead to the termination of their employment. By so doing all the smokers will be forced to follow the policy strictly because I think they would not like to lose their jobs.
Explain how this case would change if what bothers Darlene is not old smoke but the smell of Alice’s perfume or Frank’s body odor.
If what bothers Darlene was Alice’s perfume or Frank’s body odor, this case will be totally different from the one of old smoke. This will be so because these smells do not pose a health problem to everyone in the company like the smoke. It will be a personal matter which can be easily solved through consensus between the affected parties. If this was the case, I do not think Darlene would have gone to her supervisor to report it because she could have explained her problem to her collogues and a solution would have been found easily even without involving any authority. Smoking poses a health problem to everyone in the company including the smokers, thus, it needed an authority to address it.
Furthermore, smoking is not something that can be stopped within a day and the best way to address Darlene’s situation was only going through an authority. Concerning the smell and the body odor, this is something which can be solved within a day and you do not need to involve any authority to address it. She could have informed her co-workers directly or indirectly and this could have been solved easily. The only thing needed to do was to spread her gospel and everything would have been solved. If Darlene reported such a case to the authority, her co-workers would see this as discrimination and this will automatically affect their morale and performance in their workplace and some of them can quit as they cannot accept such humiliation.
Explain whether it is fair or reasonable for companies to ban employees from smoking in their cars in the company parking lot.
In my opinion, I think it is reasonable for companies to ban employees from smoking in their cars in the company parking lot because everyone is using in the company is using it. Shaw (2010) states that “Moral standards are concerned with behavior that is of serious consequences to human welfare that can profoundly injure or benefit people” thus, the company should make sure that smoking is only allowed in designated areas where not everyone will be affected. Parking lot is used by everyone and smoking while in that area you will directly affect anyone who is around.
Even if you do it having closed the windows of your car, you will definitely come out of it allowing smoke to spread all over the parking lot. It is also hard to contain the smoke in your car so that it does not affect others. I also think that when you smoke in your car having closed the windows you will be doing yourself more harm. Smoking is a choice and whoever likes it should be ready to adhere to the rules and the regulations of the company he/she is working for. Any place in the company where both non-smokers and smokers are meeting is not fit for smoking. These places include offices, parking lot and conference halls. The company should implement a smoking policy so that it does not discriminate the smokers who are also contributing to the well-being of the company. Smoking areas should be provided and they should be located away from such places as offices and parking lots.