{"id":52,"date":"2020-09-03T09:10:10","date_gmt":"2020-09-03T13:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/chapter\/5-6-cases-and-problems\/"},"modified":"2020-10-06T07:41:13","modified_gmt":"2020-10-06T11:41:13","slug":"5-6-cases-and-problems","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/chapter\/5-6-cases-and-problems\/","title":{"raw":"Mini-Case","rendered":"Mini-Case"},"content":{"raw":" \r\n
\r\n

Mini Case: Recruiting at the Great Mattress Company\r\n<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nObjectives<\/strong>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • Understand how to use low data for HR planning.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Understand how an HR problem can be solved efficiently by using data.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n \r\n

    Part A. Individual analysis<\/h3>\r\nRead the following background data on the Great <\/em>Mattress Company<\/em>.\u00a0 Using the information provided, think about the implications of this information for future recruitment at the company.\r\n\r\n_____________________________________________________________________\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe Great <\/em>Mattress Company<\/em> is a leading bed-in-a-box mattress company in Canada. The concept of mattress-in-a-box has revolutionized the industry by allowing customers to\r\n\r\ngo online to research, select, and buy a mattress. With no showrooms and in-home 120+ night sleep trial Canadians are waking up to the reality that it really is\u00a0possible to buy a better mattress at a better price.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe company is very successful and sales have risen sharply in the past few years. This has generated a need for more customer service representatives.\u00a0 The advertisement for customer service representative contains the following qualification:\r\n\r\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ability to type 40 words per minute\r\n\r\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Must be available to work occasional nights, holidays and weekends\r\n\r\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Experience in customer contact\r\n\r\nThe job involves answering the telephone, referring customer calls to a supervisor, and some selling of additional services.\u00a0 The salary is $14.50 an hour for a 30-hour workweek.\u00a0 Customer service \u201creps\u201d, as they are called, work 4 days of 7-hour shifts per week.\u00a0 They do not receive any fringe benefits.\r\n\r\nThe majority of the workday is spent talking with customers on the telephone regarding account or delivery problems with their mattress.\u00a0 Billing errors consume about 50 percent of the reps\u2019 time. Most of the remaining time is spent responding to customer complaints such as late or improper delivery, or nondelivery.\u00a0 Examples of these complaints are: \u201cmy mattress was supposed to be delivered today, but it did not arrive\u201d,\u00a0 \u201cI want to return my mattress but the box is no longer usable\u201d,\u00a0 \u201cmy mattress is the wrong colour\u201d. Most of the subscribers who call to register complaints are not friendly.\r\n\r\nWhile the company has been able to successfully recruit new customer service reps, turnover in the position is very high.\u00a0 The Director of Human Resources has prepared recruitment data (next page).\u00a0 The data shows that 200 applicants from all recruiting sources had to be screened to produce 40 who accepted a job offer.\u00a0 Within 6 months of hiring, over half of the new hires had resigned from the newspaper. Exit interviews with departing customer service reps revealed many reasons for their dissatisfaction with the job:\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n
    \r\n
      \r\n \t
    • All customer service reps are required to work one Saturday and one Sunday a month.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Seventy-five percent of calling customers are irate about things for which the customer service reps have no control.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Customer service reps must sit for long periods of time, talking with customers on the phone. Physical movement is restricted.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Customer service reps have little contact with other people in the company.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • The work environment is hectic and noisy.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Customer service reps have not been trained to respond to billing complaints.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Supervisors monitor a sample of calls taken each day and often contradict what the customers service rep say to customers.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\nThe director of Human Resources has asked you to analyze the recruitment and selection process and the related data, and to make specific recommendations.\u00a0 Enter the yield ratios (i.e., percentage of people from the previous step who made it to the subsequent one) for each step in the recruitment and selection process based on the data presented.\u00a0 Think about the implications of these data for future recruitment at the company, and answer the questions on the form.\r\n\r\n \r\n

      Part B. Group analysis<\/h3>\r\nIn groups, members should review each other\u2019s forms and then attempt to reach consensus on the questions.\u00a0 Analyze the recommendations is the context of the turnover problem, the potential effects on other HR programs, and the cost of implementation.\u00a0 Justify specific recommendations with relevant research.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nDATA COLLECTED BY THE HR DEPARTMENT\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
      Recruitment Source<\/strong><\/td>\r\nNumber of applicants<\/strong><\/td>\r\nPotentially qualified<\/strong><\/td>\r\nInterviewed<\/strong><\/td>\r\nQualified and offered the job<\/strong><\/td>\r\nAccepted job<\/strong><\/td>\r\n6-month survival<\/strong><\/td>\r\nRecruitment cost per offer<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      Newspaper ads<\/td>\r\n120<\/td>\r\n100<\/td>\r\n50<\/td>\r\n38<\/td>\r\n23<\/td>\r\n5<\/td>\r\n$500<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      Walk-in applicants<\/td>\r\n40<\/td>\r\n20<\/td>\r\n19<\/td>\r\n8<\/td>\r\n7<\/td>\r\n5<\/td>\r\n$250<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      Public employment agency<\/td>\r\n \r\n\r\n40<\/td>\r\n \r\n\r\n30<\/td>\r\n \r\n\r\n19<\/td>\r\n \r\n\r\n13<\/td>\r\n \r\n\r\n10<\/td>\r\n \r\n\r\n5<\/td>\r\n \r\n\r\n$300<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      Total<\/td>\r\n200a<\/td>\r\n150 b<\/td>\r\n88 c<\/td>\r\n59d<\/td>\r\n40e<\/td>\r\n15 f<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
      a.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 95 males, 105 females\r\n\r\nb.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 72 males, 78 females\r\n\r\nc.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 42 males, 46 females<\/td>\r\nd.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 39 males, 20 females\r\n\r\ne.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 25 males, 15 females\r\n\r\nf.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 14 males, 1 females<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n \r\n\r\n_______________________________________________________________________\r\n\r\nQuestions<\/strong>\r\n\r\n \r\n
        \r\n \t
      1. What conclusions can you draw from the recruiting data?<\/li>\r\n \t
      2. What strategies should the Great <\/em>Mattress Company<\/em> consider to reduce the high turnover rate?<\/li>\r\n \t
      3. What additional studies should be done based on this data?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

         <\/p>\n

        \n

        Mini Case: Recruiting at the Great Mattress Company
        \n<\/strong><\/h4>\n
        \n

         <\/p>\n

        Objectives<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        • Understand how to use low data for HR planning.<\/li>\n
        • Understand how an HR problem can be solved efficiently by using data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Part A. Individual analysis<\/h3>\n

          Read the following background data on the Great <\/em>Mattress Company<\/em>.\u00a0 Using the information provided, think about the implications of this information for future recruitment at the company.<\/p>\n

          _____________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          The Great <\/em>Mattress Company<\/em> is a leading bed-in-a-box mattress company in Canada. The concept of mattress-in-a-box has revolutionized the industry by allowing customers to<\/p>\n

          go online to research, select, and buy a mattress. With no showrooms and in-home 120+ night sleep trial Canadians are waking up to the reality that it really is\u00a0possible to buy a better mattress at a better price.<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          The company is very successful and sales have risen sharply in the past few years. This has generated a need for more customer service representatives.\u00a0 The advertisement for customer service representative contains the following qualification:<\/p>\n

          \u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ability to type 40 words per minute<\/p>\n

          \u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Must be available to work occasional nights, holidays and weekends<\/p>\n

          \u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Experience in customer contact<\/p>\n

          The job involves answering the telephone, referring customer calls to a supervisor, and some selling of additional services.\u00a0 The salary is $14.50 an hour for a 30-hour workweek.\u00a0 Customer service \u201creps\u201d, as they are called, work 4 days of 7-hour shifts per week.\u00a0 They do not receive any fringe benefits.<\/p>\n

          The majority of the workday is spent talking with customers on the telephone regarding account or delivery problems with their mattress.\u00a0 Billing errors consume about 50 percent of the reps\u2019 time. Most of the remaining time is spent responding to customer complaints such as late or improper delivery, or nondelivery.\u00a0 Examples of these complaints are: \u201cmy mattress was supposed to be delivered today, but it did not arrive\u201d,\u00a0 \u201cI want to return my mattress but the box is no longer usable\u201d,\u00a0 \u201cmy mattress is the wrong colour\u201d. Most of the subscribers who call to register complaints are not friendly.<\/p>\n

          While the company has been able to successfully recruit new customer service reps, turnover in the position is very high.\u00a0 The Director of Human Resources has prepared recruitment data (next page).\u00a0 The data shows that 200 applicants from all recruiting sources had to be screened to produce 40 who accepted a job offer.\u00a0 Within 6 months of hiring, over half of the new hires had resigned from the newspaper. Exit interviews with departing customer service reps revealed many reasons for their dissatisfaction with the job:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

           <\/p>\n

          \n
            \n
          • All customer service reps are required to work one Saturday and one Sunday a month.<\/li>\n
          • Seventy-five percent of calling customers are irate about things for which the customer service reps have no control.<\/li>\n
          • Customer service reps must sit for long periods of time, talking with customers on the phone. Physical movement is restricted.<\/li>\n
          • Customer service reps have little contact with other people in the company.<\/li>\n
          • The work environment is hectic and noisy.<\/li>\n
          • Customer service reps have not been trained to respond to billing complaints.<\/li>\n
          • Supervisors monitor a sample of calls taken each day and often contradict what the customers service rep say to customers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

             <\/p>\n

            The director of Human Resources has asked you to analyze the recruitment and selection process and the related data, and to make specific recommendations.\u00a0 Enter the yield ratios (i.e., percentage of people from the previous step who made it to the subsequent one) for each step in the recruitment and selection process based on the data presented.\u00a0 Think about the implications of these data for future recruitment at the company, and answer the questions on the form.<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            Part B. Group analysis<\/h3>\n

            In groups, members should review each other\u2019s forms and then attempt to reach consensus on the questions.\u00a0 Analyze the recommendations is the context of the turnover problem, the potential effects on other HR programs, and the cost of implementation.\u00a0 Justify specific recommendations with relevant research.<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

            DATA COLLECTED BY THE HR DEPARTMENT<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
            Recruitment Source<\/strong><\/td>\nNumber of applicants<\/strong><\/td>\nPotentially qualified<\/strong><\/td>\nInterviewed<\/strong><\/td>\nQualified and offered the job<\/strong><\/td>\nAccepted job<\/strong><\/td>\n6-month survival<\/strong><\/td>\nRecruitment cost per offer<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Newspaper ads<\/td>\n120<\/td>\n100<\/td>\n50<\/td>\n38<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n$500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Walk-in applicants<\/td>\n40<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n19<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n$250<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Public employment agency<\/td>\n <\/p>\n

            40<\/td>\n

            		 <\/p>\n

            30<\/td>\n

            		 <\/p>\n

            19<\/td>\n

            		 <\/p>\n

            13<\/td>\n

            		 <\/p>\n

            10<\/td>\n

            		 <\/p>\n

            5<\/td>\n

            		 <\/p>\n

            $300<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

            Total<\/td>\n200a<\/td>\n150 b<\/td>\n88 c<\/td>\n59d<\/td>\n40e<\/td>\n15 f<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

             <\/p>\n\n\n\n
            a.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 95 males, 105 females<\/p>\n

            b.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 72 males, 78 females<\/p>\n

            c.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 42 males, 46 females<\/td>\n

            		d.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 39 males, 20 females<\/p>\n

            e.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 25 males, 15 females<\/p>\n

            f.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 14 males, 1 females<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

             <\/p>\n

            _______________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

            Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

              \n
            1. What conclusions can you draw from the recruiting data?<\/li>\n
            2. What strategies should the Great <\/em>Mattress Company<\/em> consider to reduce the high turnover rate?<\/li>\n
            3. What additional studies should be done based on this data?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"menu_order":7,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-52","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":45,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/52","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/52\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":334,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/52\/revisions\/334"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/45"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/52\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=52"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=52"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbooks.concordia.ca\/hrmcanadian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=52"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}