Whirlpool Corporation Case Analysis
Though it can be argued that the rights of employees to a healthy and safe working environment need to be guaranteed at all cost, the reality is that there are numerous factors that prevent organizations from achieving a perfect and safe working environment for their workers. Corporations are operating under squeezed budgets, the strategic management is facing the challenge of minimizing costs, and shareholders require maximum returns on their investments. Above all, most businesses are operating under tough economic realities, and they are expected to remit taxes to their respective governments. These factors will help us in understanding the differing viewpoints as argued by an objective, subjective and reasonable person over the rights of the Whirlpool Corporation workers who have continually raised safety concerns as they work in a dangerous assembly plant characterized by falling objects and a huge overhead wire mesh suspended from the ceiling that can fall off anytime when maintenance is carried out. Already, in the past numerous workers sustained serious injuries, and one actually died while carrying out maintenance on the suspended screens.
Subjective Person
For this individual, he or she is likely to hold non-factual beliefs that are out of sync with the reality. An example is the supervisor who asked the Virgil Deemer and Thomas Cornwell to perform maintenance services on the screen despite the safety concerns raised by the two workers. The subjective person likes to go with the rules and are at time detached from the reality on the ground. Their main focus is to see organizations achieve goals without incurring significant costs. Under the Whirpool case analysis, this individual is likely to argue that the employees are responsible for the injuries they sustain while carrying out maintenance services. They use the defense that the employers are not directly responsible for accidents because they are not the ones who trigger them.
Objective Person
These individuals like to base their arguments on factual realities. Under the Whirpool case, they are likely to support the argument that the management is responsible for injuries incurred by the works as they are carrying out maintenance tasks on the screen. They base their argument on the fact the management has the power to prevent future accidents because they were incurred in the past, therefore they needed to learn from past occurrences and install preventive mechanisms.
Reasonable person
The reasonable individual is one who takes into consideration of all the arguments raised by the objective and the subjective person. In this particular case, they would have advocated for the establishment of safety taking into considerations the conflicting goals and objectives of workers and the management.
Issues related to diversity and the choices employees make when they consider raising a family
The key objective of every employer is to provide quality jobs to their employees. Employees feel that a quality job is determined by workplace relationships, job security, work-life balance, competitive salaries and flexible schedules. When employees make choices of raising a family they can decide to negotiate for non-work roles such as flexible work practices so that they can be able to raise their families. The living wages such as minimum wages is a very important for an employee who considers starting a family. Most single parents are lowly paid and it is important that children are well fed, clothed and able to attend school comfortably. As employees work in organizations they are forced to make complex decisions regarding the institution’s treatment setting (Cullen, 2004).
Is family life a significant public benefit that ought to be recognized by corporations?
Work is very important for the average working American because most of their waking hours are spent at the workplace. Individuals together with their families need mutual support in order to be able to serve their clients and customers diligently. The work place in the recent times has recognized that the family is a significant public benefit that ought to be recognized by corporations. It is now evident that employees cannot separate their private life from their families. Organizations need to consider employee needs such as sick leaves, annual leaves and employees’ children's school activities in order to incorporate the family unit. There are challenges of integrating family life with work. These challenges that cut across socioeconomic levels can be felt by all employees. Most employed employees have spouses who are also employed. This has caused the roles that were designed for a couple such as taking care of small children to be left to the domestic workers (Achampong, 2008). This has caused many people to lack comfort in nuclear families which causes stresses and strains in marriage. The global economy that expects employees to be available at the workplace for longer hours has worsened the problems faced by the family unit such as shared responsibilities, by couples who are employed in the corporate world. Corporations are expected to nurture social capital called work-based communities. The work place is expected that people build lasting relationships based on mutual trust and respect. It becomes important for the organization to create a flexible schedule that accommodates working spouses who have families to take care of.
Do corporations have a duty to provide employees with flexible work situations to spend caring for their offspring?
Corporations have a duty to increase quality part time work especially to young working parents. The social benefit of encouraging people to work helps to provide a better balance between home and work. Most working mothers prefer to work online so that they can take better care of their offspring. Telecommuting has been embraced by most organizations because it reduces the time spent trying to get to the work place. Telecommuting has its disadvantages such as lack of control for the remote employee by the supervisor. Evidence has shown that organizations are facing huge losses because most employees are not able to concentrate at work especially if their families are affected. In order for organizations to create a cultural change and increase productivity, companies need to implement flexible working hours (Cullen, 2004). A wide range of programs and services have been tailor made to support a healthy workforce both physically and psychologically. The option of working the default hours 9 pm to 5 has been challenged over the years because employees are now better informed about their choices at the work place. Government employers and organizations that represent employees are on the forefront to present practical and strategic working hours. Companies now understand that employees are not robots and they have aging parents and children who need special care. Time off policies have also been created such as annual leaves and emergency leaves cater for their families. Corporate America has been left with no options but to come up with child care programs, pay part of the school fees for school going children for their employees and create flexible working hours for young parents.
What, if any, extra rights do you think should be granted to a soldier/new parent asked to ship overseas for possibly life-threatening military duty
Every person is entitled constitutional rights when they are engaged in protecting their state. As a new military employee, one is issued with an identification card and their immediate families are enrolled to receive medical care. Military life is full of challenges and it requires dedication, adaptability, sacrifice and commitment. The families of the military employees have rights especially if a family member is engaged in a life threatening military duty. They are enriched through regular communication with their family members, sharing decision making and engaging in family activities. The family should be insured in case of any eventuality and the benefits and compensation of the spouse should be given to the family. Most families are sometimes at a loss on whether they should agree if their family members can undertake work that is dangerous to their own lives. Many employees have no option but to adhere to the organization’s demand since they need to take care of their families. If an employee is to be relocated in another country they are enrolled in a Relocation Readiness program which helps to support them and their families during relocation. The programs offer simple orientations such as cultural barriers that they may encounter, counseling and household goods during shipment. Families of employees also have a right to be given financial benefits that may come with destabilizing the family unit (Boland, 2005).
References
Achampong, F. (2008). Workplace sexual harassment law principles, landmark
developments, and framework for effective risk management. Westport, Conn.: Quorum
Books.
Boland, M. L. (2005). Sexual harassment in the workplace. Naperville, Ill.: Sphinx Pub.
Cullen, K. (2004). Work and family in the eWork era. Amsterdam: IOS Press ;.
