Question

It has come to my attention that many of you are lying on your time cards. If you come in late, you should not put 8:00 on your card. If you take a long lunch, you should not put 1:00 on your time card. I will not stand for this type of cheat- ing. I simply have no choice but to institute an employee monitoring system. Beginning next Monday, video cameras will be installed at all entrances to the building, and your entry and exit times will be logged each time you use elec- tronic key cards to enter or leave. Anyone who is late for work or late coming back from lunch more than three times will have to answer to me. I don’t care if you had to take a nap or if you girls had to shop. This is a place of business, and we do not want to be taken advantage of by slackers who are cheaters to boot. It is too bad that a few bad apples always have to spoil things for everyone.

a. Analyze whether the message is an example of effective or ineffective communication.
b. Revise the message to: Provide practical information. Give facts rather than vague impressions. Present information in a concise, efficient manner. Clarify expectations and responsibilities. Offer compelling, persuasive arguments and recommendations.

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

. The message is an example of ineffective communication because it may lead to more cheating or creation of new ways of cheating due to fear.   The intended result cannot be achieved even though the message has reached  the intended persons,. The message may even force efficient workers to quit.

Another issue, though it is legal is that the employees will lose privacy and would feel that they are always tracked. The good apples will feel offended that their privacy has reduced though no fault of theirs, while the bad apples will fall in line

2. The messageought to be

"About 50% of the registered entry times are false reason being that in the period of 8 am to 9 am, only 50-60% of staff is available in office. But the time cards shows 90% of the employees are in office; this form of activity is called cheating. Hence, all the employees should be asked to put correct time on time card while entering and leaving the office. Please enter the personal time off like shopping or napping in the time card so that exact working hours of overall office can be calculated.

Monitoring system which will log in the entry and exit times will also be put in place; as this would be very helpful for employees as some cheaters behaviour should not lead to suspicion on other employees. Hence, would make all of you to comply with new system."