REFLECTION

Today in class we talked about the job characteristics model. During the discussion I looked back on all of my jobs and could see that in different jobs I was placed in different scales of skills variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. It is nice to know that in my current job I am doing well in all of these areas.

CORE COMPETENCY

CONCEPT:

Core competency is a set of knowledge skills that make the organization superior to competitors ad create value for customers. This is the main thing you look for when hiring an employee

EMOTIONAL HOOK:

Not everyone has core competency as soon as they start. Most people in fact don't gain this until they have been with the company for awhile.

KEY POINTS:

Everyone wants to work and hire people that have core competency, they are the easiest to train, they work hard making your life easier, they get projects done faster and better; but most people don't always fully committed to the company to have core competency.

FACILITATED QUESTION:

Who would you hire: the person that all ready knows how to do the job very well, is cocky, rude, and not a team player; or the person that would need a lot training, is nice, willing to learn, full of team spirit? Who would you rather work with?

REFLECTION

I never knew how important it was to know what your job description entails. This way you know what exactly what the company and your boss expect of you. But you don't want it too detailed, because you don't want your boss to micromanage what you do.

EARLY-RETIREMENT

CONCEPT:

Another alternative to downsizing that companies are choosing to do is early-retirement. Companies are offering incentives to older workers to retirement so younger lower paid workers can work there way up the company ladder. One of the many problem with this is that some times more then they want to decides to accept the incentives and go into early-retirement.

EMOTIONAL HOOK:

I don't think I would like it as an employee that I would be expected to move up in the company do somebody else's work for less pay.

KEY POINTS:

Companies need to cut down on cost. People who have worked for companies the longest get paid the most. When long term employees leave they take a lifetime of knowledge.

FACILITATED QUESTION:

It's true that companies need to do something to lower cost, but what is the true cost of having the older generation out of the work force?

ARTICLE

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/your-money/28interns.html?pagewanted=2&emc=eta1

CONCEPT:

In this article it talks about how companies are turning to hiring interns rather then new employees. These interns are willing to work for little or no pay to get work experience. This ads new problems for the H.R. department.

EMOTIONAL HOOK:

What do you do if you are fresh out of college and trying to get a job, but no one will hire you cause you don't have work experience, you have a family to feed. Do you take a no pay internship to get work experience and hopefully after you find a job, or do you keep looking.

KEY POINTS:

In order for companies to continue to make profits and to keep the work load low for existing employees, they choose to hirer interns.

FACILITATED QUESTION:

Do you find it okay to have people work for you for free just to get work experience?

REFLECTION

Today we talked about employee empowerment and employee engagement. I work for a company that not say these lines but also puts them into practice. Its nice to know that I work for a company is looking to help its employees better themselves as well as the actual company.

CHAPTER 3 DISCRIMINATING AGAINST PREGNANT WORKERS

CONCEPT:

In this chapter we learned about the different ways not to discriminate. Age, gender, race are all things you should not discuss in a job interview, as well as on the job. Disabilities is another big thing that you can't discriminate, if you can easily change things at the job to accommodate their disability. Another one is pregnancy, this is another no-no question during interviews, and you should never fire anyone because of the pregnancy.

EMOTIONAL HOOK:

When my mom was first married she had been at her job for about 1 year. As soon as they found out that she was engaged they fired her, why you might ask: because you are going to get pregnant. Yes, that was the reason they gave, now back in the 70's that might be a reasonable thing to say, but if that were to happen now that company would be looking at a lawsuit. What happened in the time period for that action to once be okay and now its not?

KEY POINTS:

We now have laws protecting women from getting fired for becoming pregnant. Things like the FMLA, and Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 are there for this very reason. So now women not only get to keep their job if they become pregnant, but they also get to take time off once they have the baby.

FACILITATED QUESTION:

What would you do if you just hired a new girl. The job requires lots of traveling and being on your feet a lot. She starts training and the next day she informs you that she is pregnant. When she is further along in the pregnancy airlines will not allow her to fly, and she will not be able to stand for long periods of time. Do you keep the girl or try to hire a new person?

REFLECTION

Today in class we watched a movie about Pike Place Fish market. I have seen this before but I forget how inspirational it is. I gives me hope that when I am running things I can make a difference. The main thing I took away from the movie today was "people aren't numbers". I think if we all live by this we would treat people differently.

A DIVERSE WORK FORCE

CONCEPT:


We are all living in a new day, when we all come from different backgrounds. We all have different nationalities, different types and amounts of work expirence, and to stir up the mix even more you throw in age and gender to complete the ultimite working force.


EMOTIONAL HOOK:


So I started at my job at 19, I was by far the youngest person at my job, I was new and inexperince and this caused no problems. Now I am still the youngest person at my job, but I am one of the most experince person there; there are times when co-workers, doctors, and even patients that have a hard time with me because of my age, they feel I am too young and do not take into account the experince.


KEY POINTS:

We live in a large and yet small world. Its large because there are so many of us, and yet small for the fact that we interact with all sorts of people. Because of this we need to learn how to work together.



FACILITATED QUESTION:

How would you handle the situation if you were promoted over someone older then you?

ALL ABOUT ME

I am a smiple but happy person. I grew up in Orem, Ut. I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters; I am the second to the youngest in my family. Right now I live and work in Provo. I work in a dialysis center, and I have been there for almost 4 years. I hoping to graduate in 2 years in community health. I love to work hard and play hard, I love warm weather and being around family and friends.