Read Case: "When Jennifer Turned Grouchy"

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do," said Mary Stone to Mark Carter,

"but as your assistant I feel I've got to point out-again-that we have a problem that's generating lots of grief."

"I know," Mark responded with more than a trace of annoyance. "I'm trying to take it the way you mean it, and I've heard about it from others as well. I know we have a problem with Jennifer, but I don't know how to deal with it."

"But it has to be dealt with. As receptionist, she's in a position to make a first and lasting impression on a number of people, and she's generating a trail of complaints from patients and physicians and other staff about her curt, rude treatment of them. It's been going on for weeks, and it's getting worse. Now she's starting to mix up appointments."

Mark said, "I'd hoped that whatever was bugging her would pass, but she's just gone from bad to worse. And it's really too bad; she's been here a long time and this is only recent."

"One of us should talk with her and try to find out what's going on."

Mark said, "I've tried. Last week I gave her a chance to talk in private. I even asked if I could help in any way, but she told me that nothing was wrong. The way she said it, she might as well have told me to mind my own business. But she's wound up tight, and there's obviously

something going on in her life that wasn't there a few weeks ago." "Well, something is certainly wrong," said Mary, "and something's got to be done. Our receptionist has become sullen and ill-tempered, and the department's starting to suffer."

Instructions

Develop a tentative approach to the problem presented by the grouchy receptionist. Be sure to provide reasonable opportunity for correction of behavior and that you account for:

• Possible ways to help the employee with the problem
• The necessarily progressive nature of any disciplinary action contemplated The needs of the department and its customers

How would you help the employee with this problem? Would you need to provide any disciplinary action? If so, what? If not, why? What are the needs of the department and its customers? Post your thoughts and respond to two of your classmates.