Herman manages a production facility that makes furniture. He asked Missy, a shift supervisor, to reach a goal of producing less than 2 percent scrap during the past month, instead of the 9 percent usually produced on her shift. This goal seemed impossible since the industry averages 10 percent scrap, and the best month ever at Herman's facility still produced 5 percent scrap. Missy's shift did not reach the goal, producing 6 percent scrap during the month. How should Herman respond?
A)He should fire Missy for falling short of an official goal, no matter how unrealistic it was.
B)He should give Missy a chance to cut scrap to one percent next month or face consequences.
C)He should avoid punishing Missy for missing the goal and recognize that she still had an exceptional month.
D)He should tell Missy it is all right because goals do not really mean anything.
E)He should require Missy to work unpaid overtime to cover the excess scrap produced on her shift.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The best choice is to avoid punishing Missy for missing an unrealistic goal and recognize her efforts for still having an exceptional month. It is important for managers to set achievable goals for their employees as unattainable goals can lead to demotivation and dissatisfaction. It is also important to recognize and appreciate the effort put in by employees towards reaching these goals, even if they fall short. Punishing an employee for missing such a goal would be unfair, demotivating, and counterproductive. Therefore, the best course of action would be to acknowledge the effort put in by Missy and work with her to set more realistic goals for the future.

Herman Manages a Production Facility That Makes Furniture