XIM
BHUBANESWAR
ZORRO ENGINEERING WORKS LIMITED
In December 2002, Mr. Ashok Dayal, Factory Manager of Zorro Engineering Works, Faridabad, was reviewing the performance of Mr. Aseem Bose, Personnel Officer in his factory. Mr. Bose had joined Zorro in January 2002, and was completing his one year probationary period on January 1, 2003.
Zorro Engineering Works was put up in 1948 for the manufacture, sale and service of diesel pump-sets for agricultural use. Inspite of a promising start, the growth of the company had been slow, and in recent years, the unit had been facing financial and labour problems. This had resulted in losses during the period 1996-2000. As a result, in April 2000, the previous Factory Manager had resigned, and Mr. Ashok Dayal, a Mechanical Engineer with 10 years line experience in shop floor production management had been recruited as the new Factory Manager.
On joining, Mr. Dayal set about reorganizing the internal working of the unit and introduced new reporting and control procedures. The production, commercial and administrative functions were placed under the charge of three experienced officers, all reporting to Mr. Dayal, so that each could be given full responsibility for the departments under their control. As a result of these and other similar efforts, the company had began to turn the corner by end of 2000, and was now showing signs of recovery both in profits and the internal working environment.
During the process of reorganization, Mr. Dayal had noticed that a number of changes were required in the Administration and Personnel department. The Factory did not have a Personnel Officer at all, and most of the personnel work of recruitment, promotion, transfers, salary administration, etc., was being shared between Office Superintendents in the Production and Commercial departments and the Administrative Officer.
Since Mr. Dayal wanted to introduce a more scientific and centralized system of Personnel Management, a new post of Personnel Officer was created and Mr. Bose, a young diploma holder in Personnel Management was recruited. Mr. Rajesh Kumar, the Senior Administrative Officer was elevated to the position of Administration Manager, with the Personnel and Administrative Officers reporting to him. A partial organization chart of Zorro Engineering Works as on December 2002, is shown in Exhibit 1.
During the course of the one year that Mr. Bose had been working in Zorro, he had been in very close touch with the Administration Manager. However, since Mr. Dayal had himself been very busy looking after the production and financial problems, he had not been able to give his full attention to personnel, administration, and industrial relations matters. His contact with Mr. Bose had, therefore, been somewhat infrequent.
By the end of 2002, however, production problems had been overcome and Mr. Dayal began giving more attention to the commercial and administrative functions. The previous wage agreement with the over 1500 workers and 450 staff was due to expire by March 2003, and there was already signs of growing unrest. The number of complaints and grievances regarding partiality, injustice, nepotism, etc. in the recruitment, promotions, transfers, incentive payments, pay scales, etc., was again increasing. Mr. Dayal expected that inter-union rivalries and resultant pressures on management would soon increase. He was therefore anxious that the internal functioning of the personnel, industrial relations and administrative sections be geared up immediately to take care of the expected increase in workload.
In order to help in the review and streamlining of work being handled by the Administration Manager, Mr. Dayal requested that the personal files of officers working under Mr. Kumar be sent to him, along with their duty lists. The first officer whose case came up for review was Mr. Aseem Bose, Personnel Officer. Along with other papers, Mr. Bose’s file contained his performance evaluation report for 2002. Mr. Dayal was surprised to find wide disparities between the self-appraisal report submitted by Mr. Bose, and the detailed assessment done by Mr. Kumar. (See details given in Exhibit II)
It appeared to Mr. Dayal that the appraisal system and the form used did not help him to make an independent assessment of Mr. Bose’s work. He, therefore, sought the “informal” opinion of the Administrative Officer, and Mr. Bose’s subordinate officers in order to get a clearer picture. The general comments of these four officers are given in Exhibit III.
1. Mr. Dayal was keen on improving the appraisal system being used in Zorro.
2. He was also wondering what action he should take on Mr. Bose’s performance evaluation report for 2002.
Exhibit I
PARTIAL ORGANIZATION CHART OF ZORRO ENGINEERING WORKS LTD.
Factory Manager
(Mr. Ashok Dayal)
Production Commercial Administration
Manager Manager Manager
(Mr. Rajesh Kumar)
Personnel Administrative
Officer Officer
(Mr. A. Bose)
Staff
Enquiry Labour Medical Office
Officer Officer Officer Clerk
(Part-time)
Enquiry Asst.
Clerk Labour
Officer
EXHIBIT II
ZORRO ENGINEERING WORKS LIMITED
Performance Evaluation Report - Commercial Officers
Part A
PERSONAL DATA (To be filled in by the Personnel Department)
1. Name : Mr. Aseem Bose
2. Age : 32 years
3. Qualifications : B.A., LL.B., Dip. in Personnel Management
4. Experience : 1995-99 Office Assistant, Attendance and Pay Office,
Prima Pvt. Ltd., Ghaziabad.
1999-01, Assistant Personnel Officer, A One Industries, Faridabad
January 2002 to date: Personnel Officer, Zorro Engineering Works
5. Date of Joining : January 1, 2002
6. Designation : Personnel Officer
7. Reporting to : Mr. Rajesh Kumar, Administration Manager
Part B
SELF APPRAISAL (To be filled in by the officer being evaluated)
“During the last one year as Personnel Officer, I have looked after the entire labour welfare, legal and industrial relations work in the factory. The work has been done as per the list of duties assigned to me by the Administration Manager. The Enquiry Officer, Labour Officer, Medical Officer, and Assistant Labour Officer have been reporting to me, and I have also been in very close touch with the Administration Manager, and other senior officers in the factory. Direct contact with the labour unions has also been one of my important duties.
I am happy that even though a new post of Personnel Officer was created when I joined, I have fully established the Personnel Department. At the time of joining, there was no coordination between officers looking after the personnel work. As a result, the Production and Commercial Managers had to contact the Factory Manager directly, for solving problems connected with workers and staff. Now, however, all managers come to me with their problems and I give them decisions. Because they know that I am incharge of the Personnel Department, and listen to their problems, even the workers come to me when they have any problem with their foreman. I give prompt attention, immediately ring up the foreman’s manager, and get their problems solved.
The labour welfare activities (sports, recreation, canteen, fair price shop, credit society, etc.) have also been improved and all workers are happy. As a result, the discipline within the factory has improved and the number of charge sheets issued every month has decreased. I have also started a suggestion scheme so that the complaints and grievances of workers can be handled quickly.
The working of the legal department has been improved and the number of charge sheets pending with the department has gone down from 40 in February 2002, to only 15 now. This prompt disposal of pending inquires has given the workers a feeling that justice will be promptly given to them in future also. I therefore expect that my close contacts with union leaders will help the management to negotiate a suitable wage agreement before March 2003.
I am extremely thankful to my manager, for his full guidance and encouragement in my work. He has appreciated my work a number of times and this has helped me to gain the cooperation of the Administrative Officer, Labour Officer and other officers in the department. I am also thankful to the Factory Manager for his guidance at all times.
I am looking forward to increased responsibilities next year. At present the personnel work of recruitment, salary administration, promotions, incentives etc., is being handled either by the Administrative Officer, or within the Commercial and Production departments, by respective Office Superintendents. Since this work should be the prime responsibility of the Personnel Officer, I hope that the management will include these functions as part of my regular duties. In that case the routine work of labour welfare can be handled by an Assistant Labour Welfare Officer recruited for the purpose.
I would like to again thank the Administration Manager and Factory Manager for their guidance and encouragement at all times.
Signature : -sd-
Name : (Aseem Bose)
Designation : Personnel Officer
Date : November 15, 2002
Part C ASSESSMENT BY IMMEDIATE SUPERIOR
I Personal Qualities
1. Integrity : Very good
2. Punctuality : Very good
3. Honesty : Very good
4. Discipline : Very good
5. Attendance : Very good
6. Tact : Poor
7. Initiative : Fair
8. Leadership : Average
9. Personality : Average
10. Health : Very good
11. Communication
Oral : Very good
Written : Average
12. Relationship with Superiors : Very good
Colleagues : Average
Subordinates : Poor
13. Cost Consciousness : -----
14. Ability to get work from others : Poor
II Major Strengths
Mr. Bose is a good desk worker, and has good talking abilities. He also has theoretical knowledge of labour welfare and personnel work.
III Major Weaknesses
He needs to improve his relationships with people and his ability to get work from others.
IV General Remarks
I am not at all satisfied with the work done by Mr. Bose. He gives opinion and advice without proper study of the problem. His relationships with subordinates and collegues are poor, and many officers have complained that he is impolite. The Labour Officers and Administrative Officer who have been working in our factory for 15-20 years, have also complained that he does not treat them respectfully.
A detailed list of duties had been given to Mr. Bose when he joined. My specific comments against each of the duties assigned are given in the extra sheet attached.
V Overall Rating
Below average
VI Recommendations
Not fit for confirmation.
Date: November 30, 2002 -sd-
Rajesh Kumar
Administration Manager
Comments on Duties Assigned to Mr. Bose
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Duties assigned to Comments on Performance
Mr. Bose
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A. Employee Benefit Programs
1. Canteen The Unions are not satisfied. I had asked him to get the workers involved in the management of their canteen, so that there would be no complaints against the running of the canteen. This has not been done.
2. Cooperative Society The previous manager of the fair price shop run by the Employees Cooperative Society had resigned 2- 3 months ago. No suitable replacement has been found yet. The employees are complaining.
3. Employees Credit Society There were complaints that the elections were not held properly.
4. Medical Scheme The part time doctor takes leave frequently and no advance notice is put up for employees. Sometimes complaints are received that the doctor does not come on time.
5. Sports Club The club was being monopolized by the clerical staff, and workers were not able to participate. The workers and clerks should both get equal opportunities and should play together. Only now a new constitution has been approved. However, no proper entertainment functions have been organized.
6. Library It opens for only two hours and has a peon who gets additional Rs. 100.00 for this work. Very few books have been added.
7. Printing of House Journal This is a quarterly and was under his charge for the first 6 months, but no issue was published. Now this work has been given to another officer in the Public Relation Section.
B. Union Relations
1. Industrial Relations The unions complain that he delays the answers to their letters. The union leaders do not have faith in him, and prefer to talk to the Administrative Officer or to me directly as they were doing earlier.
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Duties assigned to Comments on Performance
Mr. Bose
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2. Grievance Procedures The grievance procedures has not been made till today. An ad hoc procedure is being followed.
3. Conciliation, Industrial Tribunal, He does not provide information to the
Labour Courts, Arbitration, Payment Conciliation Officer, Industrial Tribunal, Labour
of Wages Inspector Courts and Arbitrator in time.
4. Enquiries The work of enquiries and charge sheets has been improved by the Enquiry Officer.
5. Personnel Planning and Evaluation
a. Assessment of strengths and He should make periodic assessment of
weaknesses of the company’s strengths and weaknesses of our
personnel policies and practices personnel policies and practices and
assist in the formulation of better
policies. This is not being done.
b. Conduct of Morale Surveys
c. Preparation of manuals and
organization charts
d. Job analysis and job evaluation
6. Complete guidance to all departments, He has theoretical knowledge only.
regarding all labour laws, provident fund,
gratuity etc. Also, preparation of appeal
cases and subsequent follow through.
C. Any other duties allotted Since he has not done even the above tasks, the question of assigning other duties does not rise.