Product details

Digital Logistics Systems (DLS), as is true of many companies, never considered the possibility of workplace violence. However, a near fist fight in the Advertising/ Promotions department brought the issue firmly to the attention of Tom Ross, the department manager. By chance, the incident was overheard by Sarah Davis, the HR manager. Ross and Davis meet over the issue, where it is agreed that Ross will handle the disciplinary action for the employees while Davis will develop a workplace violence prevention plan. Davis recognizes that not only will she need to develop the plan, and develop a program to implement it, perhaps her biggest task will be in convincing upper management of the necessity of adopting the plan. The primary subject matter of this case concerns human resource management, workplace violence, and organizational politics. The case can be used to explore the intricacies of developing a HR workplace violence policy and getting that policy adopted by upper administration. Students are asked to develop a written workplace violence prevention policy. Developing such a policy requires them to research the elements which should be included in such a policy, to develop a plan of action to implement the workplace violence policy, to identify the critical issues of risk/liability to the company’s officials, management’s responsibility and legal liability for maintaining a safe work environment, and how to get senior management to ‘buy off’ on the plan. The case has a difficulty level of three. The case can be presented and discussed in two to four class periods depending on the number of issues considered. Students can be expected to spend about 10 hours of outside preparation to be fully prepared to complete the case.