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Running Head: PCA: Structure Framework

PCA: Structure Framework

Jessica Kostyk

OGL 481

September 6, 2020
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PCA: Structure Framework
PCA: Structure Framework

Situation Restated:

The situation that I have chosen to dissect further happened a few weeks ago at my job

with Michael Kors. My role is Key Holder which is a leadership position. I oversee what

happens on the sales floor, help with team development, and handle customer issues. An

employee from a different store came in asking if my coworker and I felt his outfit violated the

company’s personal appearance policy. We felt extremely uncomfortable because this person’s

pants were way too tight and came in accompanied with a large man. I did what I could to get

them out of the store without drawing unwanted attention towards us. Shortly after, I was

reached out to by our HR department about the situation and was assured our feeling of comfort

was of importance. Later, our personal appearance policy was updated, but there was no update

on how to handle the situation we were faced with and our district manager requested I not

repeat the situation to others.

Structure Influence:

The structure at Michael Kors is quite organized. We are provided our own intranet that

holds all the information relating to employees, policies and procedures, visuals, product

knowledge, and operations that we need. Corporate also provides employees with scripts and

roleplay workshops that help strengthen clientele relations and improve personal development.

This helps us feel better prepared when talking with customers or clients and also more

comfortable when coaching employees in the moment. Michael Kors is an organization that

“exists to achieve established goals and objectives and devise strategies to reach these goals”

(Bolman, Deal, 2017, Pg. 48). Leaders of the store are given freedom to create their own strategy

for the day that will lead their store to success. Each store has their own team of various
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PCA: Structure Framework
personalities and selling techniques, so the way circumstances are handled may vary. Michael

Kors takes pride in diversity, honors flexibility, encourages participation, and strives for quality.

Furthermore, my company is one that embraces vertical coordination which is where “higher

levels coordinate and control the work of subordinates through authority, rules and policies, and

planning and control systems (Bolman, Deal, 2017, Pg. 56).

The influence my organizational structure had on my situation was that I did not feel I

was prepared for the situation I was put in or understood how to properly and professionally

handle the occurrence. When a store manager from another store called to ask about the

situation, she did not offer insight on how she would’ve responded other than saying, “maybe

you should check again with your SM”. Our personal appearance policy is something that is

taken seriously to help ensure the comfort of not only customers or clients but of employees as

well. I felt ill-prepared for how to respond to someone who comes in with high energy and

already is aware they are breaking dress code but wants to challenge it anyways. Our store is

considered a luxury brand and employees are who represent the brand the most. With as much

information provided about how to close a sale, build clientele, and coach employees, I was

surprised there was little to no action planning on how to handle conflict that involves employees

breaking policy.

Alternative Action Recommendation:

Reflecting off the structural frame of my company, I would recommend that the personal

appearance policy be something that is reviewed at least once a month with employees. Even if

the employee works for an outlet store, the personal appearance policy remains the same for all

people who are employed by Michael Kors. I’ve found that when a refresher on policies and

procedures is provided, it becomes easier to hold each other accountable because everyone
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PCA: Structure Framework
knows their expectations. Employees of our brand are encouraged to dress with style but are also

expected to dress with class in mind. I believe that a recap once a month on our personal

appearance policy would eliminate employees challenging the structure of the company.

Additionally, having an action plan on how to respond to uncomfortable situations is

something that should be added to the intranet for employee review. Naturally, we are unable to

be prepared for every situation, but when it comes to a policy that helps uphold the image of the

brand, conflict management is something that should be considered. It would be helpful to have

some roleplaying scenarios where employees can practice how they can respond to conflict at an

internal level. Since the company already provides charts and templates for how to improve

team/personal development, there should be a chart providing steps on how to combat internal

conflict. I would also let it be known it is ok to talk about an uncomfortable situation with fellow

employees so long as the information shared is for educational purposes and not for gossip. I

recognize that preventing gossip can be challenging but an opportunity to learn shouldn’t be

something to shy away from.

Do Different Reflection:

When I reflect upon what I would do differently in the situation I was put in, there are a

couple of things I would do differently. First, I would not have wrote down on paper that I did

like his outfit. I knew right away the employee’s pants were way too tight but felt the need to

provide a positive to the situation because I could tell the person was bothered that his outfit was

called out in question. Even though I liked the employee’s style, I should not have put it in

writing because it proved that I supported his outfit choice and the personal appearance policy

violation. As a leader in the company, it is part of my responsibility to ensure the image of the

brand is upheld and cherished- not questioned or challenged. While I was taking my coworkers
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PCA: Structure Framework
feelings of concern and discomfort into consideration, I neglected to think about how my actions

may look to upper management.

Also, I would make it a point to ask how I could have better handled the situation

considering my circumstance. I never received a follow-up on what I could have or should have

done differently, nor was told why it was in our best interest to not review what had happened

with the rest of my team. The employees at our retail store locations are the operating core that

keeps the company going. In order to perform at our best, we should be prepared and included on

anything that may have an effect on our store or performance.