Charlotte D Alcomendas

BSA 1.2A

TASK PERFORMANCE IN OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT (TQM)

I. Background

South Korea’s Solar Cell, a successful solar product manufacturer, faces a wave
of employee turnover. Exit interviews reveal a demoralized workforce feeling undervalued
and assigned tasks that don’t utilize their skills or align with their passions. Further
challenges include budgetary overspending due to potentially unreasonable or unrealistic
allocations in some departments. Additionally, employees exhibit resistance to change,
complaining about increased workloads that lack proper compensation.

II. Statement of the Problem

a. A solar cell manufacturer can control or eliminate employee attrition by valuing them.
They shall provide proper training and communicate with them so they will be aware
of the task delegated to them. Management must make them feel they are involved in
everything and give importance to each of them so they can prevent overspending, as
hiring new employees over and over again will be expensive due to repeated trainings
and seminars.

b. They must first plan what changes they will need and communicate them immediately
to their employees. Communicate it to them clearly so they’ll easily understand and
be aware that there will be changes in their responsibilities. After that, they must ask
for the feedback and suggestions of each employee so they’ll feel heard. Note that
changes must be attainable, so they won’t be hard to perform. Lastly, provide them
with training that will help them acquire the necessary skills for such a
position. Management mustn’t put them in tasks they aren’t knowledgeable of since
it can cause a lot of risk.

c. Based on my evaluation, solar cell manufacturers will need these steps:

• Step 1: Commit to SPC. They must be passionate about improving their
manufacturer continuously; it will cost them a lot of money and effort, so they
should think of it wisely and be consistent with the progress.
• Step 2: Train the SPC Committee. Proper training is required for them to achieve
success. Educate them on what should be focused on.
 • Step 4: Set SPC objectives. Objectives must be set for the organization, and they
must be centered on resolving the issues.
• Step 5: Identify target processes. The management must identify the areas that
need improvement so they can also determine what possible solutions they will
need.
• Step 9: Flowchart the process. The organization must provide a graphical
presentation of the process so they can include the expected process, inputs and
outputs, and the proper steps that must be taken.
• Step 15: Determine process capability. As they implement the changes, they must
monitor them regularly so they’ll know if these changes are effective or if they still
need enhancement so they can solve them immediately.

III. Areas of Consideration

They must consider employee retention, provide adequate training for them, and
provide a reasonable and accurate allocation of budget in each department. Value their
employees and avoid implementing changes that they aren’t aware of, so they won’t be
resistant to them.

IV. Alternative Courses of Action

A.Conduct an employee satisfaction survey. Identify specific areas where employee

morale or engagement is lacking.
Advantages :
• They can address issues they might have missed and make data-driven
decisions to enhance the employee experience.
• It will foster open communication and trust.
• Creates a positive work environment.
Disadvantages :
• If answers in surveys weren’t given attention, the employees may lose their
trust.
• Requires resources and is time-consuming.
• It is hard to analyze all the data due to the vast number of employees.

B.Implement a recognition and reward program. Publicly acknowledge and reward

employee achievements.
Advantages :
• Boosts employees and encourages them to do more
 •
It motivates individuals and teams to achieve higher performance goals, which
leads to increased productivity.
• They are most likely to be satisfied with their jobs.
Disadvantages :
• May lead to unhealthy competition among coworkers
• Requires financial investment
• Overly frequent or generic recognition can become meaningless.

V. Recommendation

In my view, the best course of action is to conduct an employee satisfaction survey.

Surveys help identify the root causes of low morale or engagement, allowing targeted
solutions. This is more effective than recognition programs, which might address
symptoms without understanding the underlying issues. Additionally, the survey itself
demonstrates the company’s interest in employee feedback and fosters trust and open
communication. The data gathered allows for data-driven decisions to improve the
employee experience.

VI. Management Lessons Learned

Five Key Takeaways from the Solar Cell Manufacturer Case:

▪ High employee turnover due to feeling undervalued and unutilized leads to wasted
resources on repeated training and lost productivity.

▪ Clearly communicating changes, the reasons behind them, and being open to
employee feedback is key to overcoming resistance and fostering a sense of
involvement.

▪ Implementing statistical process control (SPC) requires a commitment to

continuous improvement and data analysis. However, focusing solely on process
improvement without addressing employee concerns can be ineffective.

▪ Conducting employee satisfaction surveys allows solar cell manufacturers to

understand the root causes of low morale and make data-driven decisions to
improve the employee experience, leading to higher retention and productivity.

▪ Recognition programs can be a valuable tool, but they are most effective when
implemented alongside efforts to address employee concerns and create a
positive work environment.