Answer one
A good supervisor is the one who understands the problems of the subordinates and tries to solve them. However, one cannot interfere in the subordinate’s personal life, but can try to sort out matters at workplace. In this case, Jan’s personal matters are affecting her performance at work. Moreover, she is developing negative attitude at workplace that is also affecting work performance of fellow friends. Therefore, supervisor must take immediate corrective actions. Some actions are suggested as follow:
- Listen to the issues of Jan that she is facing belonging to her home and work. By listening to her issues, supervisor will be able supervisor to understand the reasons due to which she has been showing negative behavior at workplace.
- Jan must be motivated positively by offering rewards, or increased compensation at workplace might change her negative behavior towards her colleagues.
- The supervisor must also frequently contact and guide Jan if she is facing any issues regarding work.
- Jan must be warned to correct her negative behavior at workplace.
- The supervisor could divert work responsibilities of Jan for time being due to her disturbance with personal problems.
- Jan could also grant her holidays for a week so that she can take a break and relax for some time.
- Jan could also assign such task to her that requires collaboration with fellow workers that will require her to behave positively with them.
Thus, a positive change Jan’s behavior after implementing proposed actions by supervisor would also impact the performance of an overall team positively. However, ignoring her and her problems by the supervisor and his team could make her more dissatisfied at the workplace that affects her performance negatively at workplace.
Answer two
As the behavior of Jan is affecting the team’s performance, therefore, the supervisor is required to adopt and implement necessary actions that could change her behavior positively. Thus, in order to motivate Jan at workplace, the following two motivational theories can be applied.
Reinforcement theory could be applied that states that diverse behaviors of an employee could be controlled by offering them rewards. In this case, the supervisor can take the following actions:
- Relate work behavior with the rewards that will encourage Jan to adopt positive behavior at workplace. Make the work of Jan more interesting and assign her task that requires coordinating with other team members that will encourage her to adopt positive behavior with her team members.
- The supervisor could encourage team to positively respond to Jan and allocate symbolic rewards that will be received by team after successful completion of a given task.
- The supervisor must treat Jan individually and communicate with her frequently that will ensure her to behave positively and sort out any query that she has.
- The supervisor must encourage and recognized Jan’s participation at workplace so that she feels being an important part of the organization.
- The supervisor must give Jan timely and accurate feedback regarding her work performance and behavior.
Another theory that could be applied is Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory that is defined in the continuum of dissatisfaction or satisfaction. The following actions can be taken by supervisor to motivate Jan at workplace.
