PRESERVING OUR TWELVE YEAR LEGACY AT CABLE & WIRELESS JAMAICA

Prepared for: Raymond Ivey VP Information Technology Cable & Wireless Jamaica Ltd.

Prepared by: Diane Williams Project Manager Cable & Wireless Jamaica Ltd.

July 22, 2007

MEMORANDUM TO: FR: DATE: SUBJECT: Raymond Ivey, Vice President of Information Technology Diane Williams, Project Manager July 22, 2007 Preserving our twelve year legacy at Cable & Wireless Jamaica

As requested, please find enclosed the report on the impact of the forced closure of the Snack Cabinet on the second floor. The Snack Cabinet is a twelve-year legacy that has become a part of the culture here at Cable & Wireless, and I hope that your team and staff will understand and discuss this matter with the intention to find a mutual ground for compromise. I am grateful to the staff members who took the time to contribute to the report by giving their honest and candid opinions in the questionnaire. Thank you for the opportunity to work on the project because as a new employee it has allowed me to better understand and appreciate the culture and needs of my fellow coworkers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PICTURE: 1. The Snack Cabinet found in the IT. Department on the 2nd Floor FIGURES 1. Respondents views on the factors (benefits) in having the Snack Cabinet 2. Distribution of respondent on the corporate building 4 5 PAGE 2

PRESERVING OUR TTWELVE YEAR LEGACY AT CABLE & WIRELESS JAMAICA

INTRODUCTION Cable & Wireless Jamaica has always encouraged their staff to be involved, innovative, and self-reliant. On June 11, 2007 the Senior Management of the Information Technology Department forced the closure of the staff operated Snack Cabinet, which was located in that department found on the second floor, Their decision gives rise to a number of concerns for the Senior Management of the I.T. Department. There are as follows: 1. The employees were left with a feeling of being alienated from the decisionmaking. Instead of the process being consultative and democrative, it was carried out in an autocratic and dictatorial manner. 2. Resulted in the unavailability of light snacks for purchase outside of the operating hours of the company canteen. 3. Employee demotivation in cases where they would work outside of their normal working hours. This is because they would have to consider the inconvenience and inaccessibility associated with getting sustenance in the form of a light snack while at the office. This report aims at highlighting the considerable impacts and benefits gained from having the snack cabinet. It describes the conditions under which it was operated and the inconveniences being experienced since its closure. The Senior Managements reasons for forced closure are then analyzed and recommendations made to adjust their concerns. In preparing this report I spoke with Elizabeth Rhule, a Senior Applications Analyst who led the day to day operations of the Snack Cabinet, and Juliet Herman the Head of

Department of Information Technology who gave the directive for the closure. A questionnaire was developed and administered. A total of fifty questionnaires were distributed in each department on the corporate building, this was used to gather the candid opinions of these employees. A comparison was done to determine the types and prices of snacks offered by the Snack Cabinet versus the Company Canteen. In concluding, I will give recommendations and reasons to why the Senior Management Team should consider reviewing their decision to close the Snack Cabinet. THE SNACK CABINET The operations of the Snack Cabinet The Snack Cabinet began operation in 1995. The idea developed out of the increased work demands of the staff in the companys I.T. Department. These staff members at times had irregular and extended working hours that were very unpredictable based on the nature and importance of their job function. The Snack Cabinet was located in the Middle of the second floor. It comprised of a filing cabinet identical to those used for actual filing found throughout the company. The Cabinet was not labeled for its use and could not be easily identified, as it blended in very well with the other office furniture and fixtures.

Picture 1: The Snack Cabinet found in the IT. Department on the 2nd Floor

The Snack Cabinet was fully staff operated. It was never operated as a business where profits could be gained. There was no markup on the cost price of the snacks, so they were sold at very affordable prices considerably less than that in the Company Canteen. The Snack Cabinet carried a variety of snacks for all taste buds and desires. These included cookies, cupcakes, cornflakes, chips, chocolate bars, purified water, juices and milk. The Snack Cabinet was not manned. It was based on self- service which could not work without teamwork, honesty, trust, and of course organization. In addition to the variety of snacks the cabinet was equipped with a price list, purchase form that kept track of each purchase details and a moneybox, all of which were kept in the first drawer of the Cabinet. Staff members in that department volunteered to replenish the stock of snacks as needed. Benefits of the Snack Cabinet 1. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Snack Cabinet never closes. 2. Allowed staff to purchase light snacks in an easily accessible and convenient manner. 3. The staff is not required to go off the compound to get snacks. 4. If a staff member does not have the cash at hand to purchase snacks, they have the option of leaving a credit/promissory note stating their details and intent to pay. 5. Outside of their direct job related functions. The staff single handedly operated the Snack Cabinet for twelve years and even though changes have consistently occurred in the organization no matter who comes and who goes the Snack Cabinet was a company wide interest. 6. The staff uses the Snack Cabinet as an alternative to the snacks available in the Company Canteen, which was open between the hours of 10am and 3pm Mondays to Fridays. 7. The Snack Cabinet did not pose as a financial threat to the company because the canteen although owned by Cable & Wireless Jamaica it was operated by Chungs Catering who received all the revenue earned. Senior Managements reasons for forcing the closure

The Senior Management has given the following three reasons for their decision to force the closure of the Snack Cabinet: 1. Its operations were inconsistent to the companys cooperate image. 2. It was viewed as a distraction in the Information Technology Department. 3. It posed a security threat in the department, which is supposed to be a highly secured environment. This is because most of the visitors to the second floor came to the Snack Cabinet. How does the staff feel In evaluating the responses from the questionnaire. I found that of all the factors considered such as price, variety, quality and convenience fifty nine percent (59%) of the respondents thought that convenience was the main benefit gained in the operation of the Snack Cabinet.

Respondents views on the factors (benefits) in having the Snack Cabinet

Variety 15%

Quality 8% Convenience Price Variety Quality

Price 18%

Convenience 59%

Figure 1: Respondents views on the factors (benefits) in having the Snack Cabinet

I also found that of the fifty questionnaires administered to each department on the building most responses came from the department who tend to have irregular and extended working hours. These departments included: Information Technology, Customer Service, Engineering and Operations.

Distribution of respondents across the corporate building

50 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 39 48

45 I.T. Marketing 25 17 Customer Service 23 Operations Sales Admin & HR Finance Engineering

10

Figure 2: Distribution of respondents across the corporate building

Of the fifty respondents in Information Technology Department thirty five of them which amounts to seventy five percent felt demotivated by the decision and believed that it is unlikely that they will be willing to work outside of their regular working hours.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Cable & Wireless Jamaicas most valuable asset is their staff. The Snack Cabinet was conceptualized and supported for twelve years because it provided a genuine benefit to all staff members. It is therefore important that the Senior Managers consider the needs for which the Snack Cabinet was introduced, and reconsider their decision for closing it. In order to do this, I recommend that the Senior Management schedule a meeting with Mrs. Elizabeth Rhule and two other representatives who assist in it operations. The purpose for

this exercise is to understand and discuss both points of views. I would also recommend that after you have heard their views you ask them to consider the following: 1. Move the cabinet to a less security sensitive floor/ department on the building. 2. Place the cabinet in the company canteen which is on the ground floor and adjacent to the security post. 3. Place non-profit vending machines at strategic points on the building. Because these recommendations may be unpopular with employees, the Senior Management should make a conceited effort to explain the importance in maintaining a high level of security in the I.T. Department based on the nature of its operations. You should ask Rodney Davis to communicate the agreed course of action to the staff and express his understanding of their needs, and implore on them the need for Employee Corporation.

APPENDIX A

Statement of Purpose

1.

Question: Answer:

Who is/are my audience?

2.

Question: Answer:

What is my relationship to my audience?

3.

Question: Answer:

What does my audience need (technical, emotional, procedural)?

4.

Question: Answer:

Did he/she/they ask for my document?

Question: Answer:

What is subject?

6.

Question: Answer:

What will my audience think and feel about my subject

7.

Question: Answer:

How should I treat my subject?

8.

Question: Answer:

What do I want my audience to do as a result of reading my document?

APPENDIX B

SNACK CABINET QUESTIONNAIRE Good Day: Effective June 9, 2007, the Snack Cabinet located on the 2nd floor was permanently closed. This decision, made by the Senior Management of the Information Technology Department has been view differently by everyone. In an effort to get your opinion and views on this matter, please take the time to respond to these questions: 1. To what Department do you belong? I.T Marketing Sales Engineering Admin & HR Operations Finance

Customer Service

2.

How often did you use the Snack Cabinet? Daily Weekly Monthly Rarely

3.

Please state the items you would normally purchase

_________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

4.

What was you main reason (factor) for using the Snack Cabinet?

Convenience 5.

Price

Variety

Quality

Do you frequently work irregular and/or extended hours? Yes No

6. If you answered yes to question 6, does the decision by the Senior Management to close the Snack Cabinet demotivate you from working irregular and/or extended hours at the office? Yes 7. No

Would you consider other alternatives to the Snack Cabinet? Yes No

8.

Please State your recommendations.

_________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

APPENDIX C

SNACK CABINET PURCHASE FORM No. Name Date Snack Qt y Amt. Paid Amt. in Change Signatur e

REFERENCES