Deck 13: Risk Management and Worker Protection

Question 1

HR Ethics: What Is the Real Cost of Your iPhone?
Companies try to find low-cost suppliers. In some cases, this leads to suppliers in developing countries that take advantage of local workers.
-How can consumers learn about supply chain issues and worker safety concerns when shopping for electronic devices? How could an HR department help?

Answer 1

Students' answers will vary. News agencies and the Internet can provide information about problems, such as earthquakes and political unrest that could cause supply chain issues. HR can track events in places where suppliers are located.

Question 2

HR Ethics: What Is the Real Cost of Your iPhone?
Companies try to find low-cost suppliers. In some cases, this leads to suppliers in developing countries that take advantage of local workers.
-What can companies do to ensure that their suppliers comply with worker safety and health regulations? How should HR professionals ensure that safety and health are key issues in the workplace?

Answer 2

Students' answers will vary. Students should consider requiring reports from suppliers and making unexpected visits to manufacturing locations. HR professionals can use their expertise to evaluate the workplace facilities.

Question 3

HR Competencies & Applications: Calculating Incidence Rates
Key Competencies: Critical Evaluation, Business Acumen; HR Expertise: Organization/Technology & Data, Workplace/Risk Management
Incidence rates can be calculated to compare safety results of two organizations.
incidence rate = (number of injuries and illnesses × 200,000) ÷ employee hours worked
-How might safety committees use this information when working on accident prevention programs? Could an HR department provide any assistance?

Answer 3

Students' answers will vary. Students could consider that the ability to compare incidence rates will help determine when improvement efforts are working. HR departments track incidents.

Question 4

HR Competencies & Applications: Calculating Incidence Rates
Key Competencies: Critical Evaluation, Business Acumen; HR Expertise: Organization/Technology & Data, Workplace/Risk Management
Incidence rates can be calculated to compare safety results of two organizations.
incidence rate = (number of injuries and illnesses × 200,000) ÷ employee hours worked
-How might reward programs for managers take into account incidence rates for injuries and illnesses? What could HR professionals do to facilitate any changes made to the reward system?

Question 5

HR Competencies & Applications: Dangers of BYOD
Key Competencies: Communication, Consultation; HR Expertise: Organization/Technology & Data; Workplace/Risk Management
Bring your own device (BYOD) policies are becoming common. Security policies should be established for devices that enter the workplace.
-How can companies encourage employees to report when their devices are compromised? How could HR departments assist with these efforts?

Question 6

HR Competencies & Applications: Dangers of BYOD
Key Competencies: Communication, Consultation; HR Expertise: Organization/Technology & Data; Workplace/Risk Management
Bring your own device (BYOD) policies are becoming common. Security policies should be established for devices that enter the workplace.
-What is your opinion on using your own mobile phone or tablet to perform your job duties?

Question 7

What can first-line supervisors do to help control workers' compensation costs, and how might they be rewarded for doing so?

Question 8

What should an employer do when facing an OSHA inspection?

Question 9

As the HR manager of a distribution and warehouse firm with 600 employees, you plan to discuss a company wellness program at an executive staff meeting next week. The topics to cover include what a wellness program is, how it can benefit the company and employees, and the process for establishing it. To aid in developing your presentation to the executives, consult the website www.welcoa.org and other applicable websites you can locate.

Question 10

What should be included in disaster planning for a large employer in Annapolis, Maryland, that is concerned about natural disasters such as floods and snowstorms that might shut down the company and parts of the city?

Question 11

The number and magnitude of data breaches have been increasing at retailers, banks, government agencies, and other institutions. The management team at your company has decided to develop plans for dealing with data security breaches. Because your company has many employees who telecommute and you employ a high percentage of contract and temporary employees, there are many factors to consider.
-What policies would you recommend to help ensure that insiders (including direct and indirect workers) do not steal sensitive corporate data or compromise the integrity of the computer system?

Question 12

The number and magnitude of data breaches have been increasing at retailers, banks, government agencies, and other institutions. The management team at your company has decided to develop plans for dealing with data security breaches. Because your company has many employees who telecommute and you employ a high percentage of contract and temporary employees, there are many factors to consider.
-Write a suggested procedure for dealing with computer and data access when an employee (including direct and indirect workers) terminates employment. What steps should be taken to protect the company's IT data?

Question 13

Case: Companies Partner to Promote Active Work Cultures
Employee wellness is tied to business growth-a realization that is making a number of corporations promote employee health by changing the sedentary lifestyle of employees through the use of activity-permissive workstations in their offices, thus creating a win-win situation.
-What are some of the major benefits of using office furniture and workstations to promote employee health? Are there any associated challenges?

Question 14

Case: Companies Partner to Promote Active Work Cultures
Employee wellness is tied to business growth-a realization that is making a number of corporations promote employee health by changing the sedentary lifestyle of employees through the use of activity-permissive workstations in their offices, thus creating a win-win situation.
-What rewards might be offered to employees for using sit-stand desks and treadmills to promote fitness in the workplace? How could you further motivate them to focus on these health and wellness initiatives?

Question 15

Case: Companies Partner to Promote Active Work Cultures
Employee wellness is tied to business growth-a realization that is making a number of corporations promote employee health by changing the sedentary lifestyle of employees through the use of activity-permissive workstations in their offices, thus creating a win-win situation.
-Using Zillow Group and Humana as examples, how would you promote health and wellness by encouraging employees to be more active? What kinds of results would you expect to see?

Question 16

Building a Culture of Safety
This case investigates how a construction firm implemented a comprehensive safety program for its employees and subcontractors. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-What could be done to increase front-line workers' reports of violations? Why might they be reluctant to report violations they witness?

Question 17

Building a Culture of Safety
This case investigates how a construction firm implemented a comprehensive safety program for its employees and subcontractors. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-What rewards might be offered to front-line workers for working safely and preventing injuries? What rewards might be offered to job site managers who safely lead projects?

Question 18

Building a Culture of Safety
This case investigates how a construction firm implemented a comprehensive safety program for its employees and subcontractors. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-Visit the Messer Construction company website at http://messer.com/process/safety4site. How has the Safety4Site program impacted Messer's business outcomes? Has the company been awarded any recognition for its efforts?

Question 19

Wellness Programs Help the Bottom Line
This case explores the positive individual and organizational benefits of wellness programs. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-What are some factors that you consider to be important predictors of successful wellness programs?

Question 20

Wellness Programs Help the Bottom Line
This case explores the positive individual and organizational benefits of wellness programs. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-What types of activities should companies include in a wellness initiative to increase employee participation?

Question 21

Wellness Programs Help the Bottom Line
This case explores the positive individual and organizational benefits of wellness programs. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-Which of the success factors for wellness programs identified in the case do you think is the most important? Which factor is the least important?

Question 22

Data Security
This case explores the different challenges associated with managing data security. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-How would you communicate a data security policy that required software checking of employees' emails?

Question 23

Data Security
This case explores the different challenges associated with managing data security. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-What elements should a data security policy for a bank include?

Question 24

Data Security
This case explores the different challenges associated with managing data security. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-Employee data theft most frequently occurs with new employees or when an employee has given notice and is leaving. How would you deal with these two very different issues?

Question 25

What's Happened to Bob?
This case concerns warning signs of possible alcohol use and the consequences at work. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-What actions, if any, should Jack Otto take?

Question 26

What's Happened to Bob?
This case concerns warning signs of possible alcohol use and the consequences at work. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-Identify some ways that the company and Jack have contributed to the existing problem with Bob.

Question 27

Communicating Safety and Health Success
This case provides information on the success of safety and health efforts in the workplace. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-Identify how these two firms have incorporated elements of safety management and health promotion described in this chapter into their programs.

Question 28

Communicating Safety and Health Success
This case provides information on the success of safety and health efforts in the workplace. (For the case, visit MindTap at www.cengage.com/login.)
-Discuss how the reductions in injuries can be used to justify the expenditures on the various programs in NorthStar and Cox.

Question 29

On the Job Video: Stew Leonard's-Health & Safety
This short video will help reinforce key points and may prompt additional discussion from the class.
-What kinds of wellness programs does Stew Leonard's have? What are the advantages of such programs for the company?

Question 30

On the Job Video: Stew Leonard's-Health & Safety
This short video will help reinforce key points and may prompt additional discussion from the class.
-Why, if Stew Leonard's has a director of safety, is it important for them to also have a safety committee that includes team members on the store floors?

Question 31

On the Job Video: Stew Leonard's-Health & Safety
This short video will help reinforce key points and may prompt additional discussion from the class.
-All of the people in the video talk about how important it is for the company to control health care costs. Do employees gain anything when health care costs are lowered, or is it just the company that benefits?