What’s in a job? For most workers, jobs entail specific and routine work activities. These work activities generally take place on the employer’s premise where many different people come together to achieve certain goals. There should be, however, one common element to all work activities—whatever occurs in the office should be related to organizational efforts. Every once in a while, though, this concept evades some employers. When it does, it may be a costly lesson for the organization. Consider the lesson learned at Federal Express regarding an incident that happened in FedEx’s Middletown, Pennsylvania, facility  Marion Shaub worked for FedEx at its Middletown facility. At the time of her employment, Shaub was the only female tractortrailer driver who worked for FedEx in this facility. Although being the only female in this often male-dominated job initially brought about some gentle kidding, the jokes and actions by fellow employees gradually turned ugly. Shaub was often subjected to anti-female comments and questioned as to why she wanted to work a man’s job. Shaub tried to ignore the comments directed toward her, but they became more pronounced and mean-spirited. Although she was attempting to do her job to the best of her abilities, the comments got nastier. She eventually saw them as threats against her. And that’s where, in Shaub’s mind, the line had been crossed......

Questions:
1. Where do you believe HR failed Marion Shaub in this case? Explain.
2. What do you believe FedEx must do differently to ensure that such an event does not occur again?
3. What effect on (a) corporate image and (b) attracting female employees to the organization do you believe this case has had on FedEx? Describe.