Coastal County of Clerk Problem Solution

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas

        The stakeholders involved in this scenario are the employees and their families, the Amber Beach residents and the court employees, and Accord and Munger and how their relationship affects all of the above.  The employees have had a relaxed work schedule under the old regime and they have been able to leave work to tend to any family needs as they arose.  The dilemma here is under the new regime, the employees have to be more accountable for their time spent in the office.  Accord wants to know where they are at all times and is holding the managers responsible for tracking their whereabouts.  This dilemma is causing issues among the employees because they believe if they make up their time during the week, they should be able to take care of their family issues.

        The second stakeholder group in this scenario involves the residents and the court employees.  There has been some discussion about the lack of technology that the court uses and how this is affecting the residents.  By updating their current operations, Accord is forcing the employees to become trained on new processes that will help the residents.  The dilemma is that the employees like the way things were and need to change to a more customer oriented mindset and change with the times.

        The third stakeholder group is Accord and Munger.  The conflicts that have arisen between the two have affected the entire court as well as the community.  Munger’s lawsuit is public and he has used the press to get try to get the community on his side.  Accord’s way of running the show has affected every part of the way Munger works.  With this new management style, Munger could not take care of his elderly parents the way he wants to and has forced Accord to let him go.  Accord would have everyone believe that the reason he was let go was because the technology that will be implemented will make Munger’s position redundant.

Frame the “Right” Problem

The managers and the employees need to find a way to get along with Accord and his new rules and regulations.  They also need to jump into the technology era and stop resisting change.  By them taking on the new vision of Internet business and willing to learn how to use the new processes, the managers and employees will do better at resolving their conflict.  At the same time, Accord, with the help of his HR department will need to see eye-eye to agree on a conflict management plan.

Describe the “End-State” Vision

Accord has the opportunity to become a local leader in customer satisfaction.  His efforts to bring the town online and cut out the trips to the courthouse will increase customer satisfaction across the town and permit for easier processes across the board.  He also has the opportunity to improve employee satisfaction by giving them a voice.  He can put together a conflict resolution plan that should diffuse any issue that arises in the workplace.

Identify the Alternatives and Benchmarking Validation

There are programs that have been used by other companies that can be looked at as a solution to Coastal employees’ disputes.  The topics to look at are alternative dispute resolution with respect to equal opportunity, every day minor mishaps, and wrongful termination.  All three of these topics are addressed daily by businesses everywhere.  Employers need to be cognizant of their company policies as well as employment laws and protection for their employees.

Halliburton “gives all employees an improved process and flexible options for airing and settling workplace conflicts” (Halliburton, 2005).  Halliburton offers employees an opportunity to deal with workplace grievances through their Dispute Resolution Program (DRP).  It is mandated by the management that all employees use the DRP program to settle disputes, which led to a decrease in litigation expenses of about 80% during the first two years of the program.  

     Lowe’s and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. have used a different way to resolve their conflicts.  Lowe’s uses a five step method of solving conflict before it gets to the point in which non-judicial or judicial means are needed.  The five-step method includes (1) insist on objectivity through the process by focusing on performance not personality, (2) Encourage participants to solve the problems themselves without drawing others in, (3) Argue the business case by pointing out that the conflict is hurting the working environment and hindering customer service, (4) Gain agreement on what must change and (5) Hold people accountable by creating a timeline of when the change needs to be accomplished. Lowe’s has been very successful in avoiding the need for ADRs through the use of their five-step method to resolving workplace disputes (Anderson, 2006). Meanwhile, Wal-Mart has implemented a time clock in each of its stores to ensure that their employees are taking the required amount of rest breaks throughout their shift.

Evaluate the Alternatives

        All the alternatives addressed and primarily risk free with the same goal, to increase technology, customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction.  Using computers to do the work and websites so the customers can complete their errands online, is a very realistic and achievable goal.  It may take some time and cost a little bit more than the court and town are used to, but in long run, it will be better for everyone concerned.

Make the Decision

Accord and his managers know that it takes time and money to implement major changes within any organization.  They need to effectively manage the three phase process so that they can be in control of the situation.  Implementing technology in phases is going to be time consuming and costly, but it is the best way to handle the situation.  This will hold the risk to low by ensuring that the systems are working and that the customer is happy.  If there is a glitch, it is better to find it on the first phase than to implement all and find it then.

Develop and Implement the Solution

Accord needs to meet the deadline of introducing the new technology thus increasing customer satisfaction as well as implementing a conflict resolution plan thus increasing employee satisfaction.  The first thing he needs to do is make a plan and put deliverables and timelines against his plan.  By giving deadlines, he will make the employees accountable for their part in the plan and assuring them that they have their own fate in their hands.  The court is behind on the technology side from the beginning of the plan, so everything will need to be implemented from scratch.  Accord will have 15 days to train his employees on the implementation process and schedule and what they will be responsible for.  He will also have 15 days to develop his conflict resolution plan so that everything is completed within the first 30 days in office and he can steer the court in the right direction.

Evaluate the Results

        When a new plan is put in place, resistance will follow if the plan is not laid out in a way that fosters a positive change.  The change should be evaluated on its effectiveness and must be regulated so that it can be tracked to ensure success.  The court should see an increase in customer satisfaction and employee productivity if the plan is launched in the appropriate way.  Accord should see immediate results within the first 30 days of his implementation plan.

Conclusion

Accord has gotten off to a rough start with his employees when he took the position of Clerk of Court.  He needs to get back on track and gain the employees trust and prove to them that he does have their best interests in mind.  The benchmarking research provided Accord with some ideas of how to implement his plans.  By researching these companies, he saw what worked and what did not work as well and how to go about bringing the court back together.  If the court is able to implement the new technology, increase customer satisfaction, and increase employee satisfaction, Accord will be able to lead an effective, efficient business and productive government office in Amber Beach.

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References

Anderson, M. (2006) Conflict Resolution. .

Dana, D. (2001). Conflict Resolution. : The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Greenhouse, S. (2008).  The New York Times: Walmart to Pay $54 Million to Settle Suit Over Wages.

Halliburton Company (2008). Retrieved from .

University of Phoenix. (2010). Coastal County Clerk of Courts. University of Phoenix.

Wilmot, W. W., & Hocker, J. L. (2007). Interpersonal Conflict (7th ed.). : The McGraw-Hill Companies.

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Table 1

Issues and Opportunities Identification

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Table 2

Stakeholder Perspectives and Ethical Dilemmas

Table 3

Analysis of Alternative Solutions

Table 4

Risk Assessment and Mitigation

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Table 5

Pros and Cons of Alternative Solutions

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Table 6

Optimal Solution Implementation Plan

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Table 7

Evaluation of Results