OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Human Resource Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the human resource frame
2. Apply the human resource frame to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

I work as an electrical sales associate at the Home Depot. Recently, there was a drop in
my department’s on-shelf availability score. The solution that management had decided
on was to perform all bay packdowns (stocking the low and empty spots on the shelves)
as full bay packdowns (removing all items down from the overhead, stocking everything,
then putting the remainder back up.) The problem is that such extra work limits my
ability to provide customer service throughout my shift. As the decision was made by the
district manager, I must comply and have no say otherwise.

2) Describe how the human resources of the organization influenced the situation.

The situation seems to have stemmed from the district and store managers following
assumptions on the employee’s motivations. Bolman & Deal cite Douglas McGregor’s
Theory X. That “subordinates are passive and lazy, have little ambition, prefer to be led,
and resist change” (McGregor, 1960, as cited in Bolman & Deal, 2021). Management
decided to simply force more work upon the employees to solve the issue of low shelf-
availability (empty spots on shelves). They assumed that the issue was bred by employee
laziness. That without being given orders, the employee would not stock the shelves more
thoroughly on their own volition. That the employee would not work at all if not being
ordered to do so directly.
I see the issue not as one of employee laziness, but of a lack of motivation. There isn’t
much incentive at all to stock shelves thoroughly. We clock in each day, check the list of
bays that require packdown on the Sidekick app, then stock the bays. We receive no
rewards or recognition for stocking well. But we are reprimanded if the list of bays to
stock isn’t finished by the day’s end. This causes employees to work the bays as quickly
as they can so that they aren’t punished. Because of this, thoroughness is put to the
wayside. Many items that need to be stocked are looked over.

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 3) Recommend how you would use the human resources for an alternative course of
action regarding your case.

I would use human resources to improve the situation by promoting more of an incentive
toward stocking the shelves thoroughly. I would propose management to follow
McGregor’s Theory Y. That “the essential task of management is to arrange conditions so
that people can achieve their own goals best by directing efforts toward organizational
rewards” (McGregor, 1960, as cited in Bolman & Deal, 2021). To promote a culture of
accountability and incentive-based motivation. Even something as simple as recognizing
employees for doing a great job in stocking shelves would be enough to get employees
more involved. A monthly competition honoring the department whith the most stocked
shelves would be a great way too.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about this frame.

After learning about the human resources frame, I have learned the importance of
motivation and how incentives are a great way to foster that. Knowing what I know now,
I would have come up with a possible incentive plan to stocking shelves and discuss it
with my supervisor to discuss with management. I would also share my knowledge of
McGregor’s theories with them in hopes that it teaches the importance that incentives
bring to the workplace.

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 Reference
McGregor, D. (1960). as cited in Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Reframing organizations:
Artistry, choice, and leadership. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.