Chapter 8 - Employees Dissatisfaction, Grievances, And Complaints Flashcards
Employees have at one time or another had real or imagined grievances or dissatisfactions. It is important for every supervisor to be sensetive to these situations. Experience has shown that such dissatisfactions often result from supervisory practices perceived by employees as
A. A threat to their personal rights
B. A threat to their fair treatment
C. An infringement on their right to privacy
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
As a supervisor you have become aware that there are dissatisfactions among a number of your subordinates. they have not expressed them openly. It would be most correct to state that
A. Dissatisfactions have their most serious consequences when verbalized
B. Even when not expressed, dissatisfactions can have the same effect as if they were verbalized
C. In most cases, a problem is not considered a problem unless it is made in some formal manner
D. The expression of a problem generally means more than the actions taken to solve it
B. Even when not expressed, dissatisfactions can have the same effect as if they were verbalized
Officer Smith comes to you, his supervisor, with a problem. After hearing what the officer has to say, you realize that the problem exists only in his mind. It would generally be best for you to
A. Show concern and furnish advice to put his mind at ease
B. Tell the officer exactly why there is no real problem
C. Ask the officer how he thinks the problem should be solved
D. That the officer for bringing the problem to your attention and suggest a reply will be forthcoming
A. Show concern and furnish advice to put his mind at ease
Employee complaints, grievances, and dissatisfactions arise from factors that in a broad sense can be categorized into all of the following areas, except
A. The working environment
B. Various types of management failures, including harsh, abusive, arbitrary methods
C. An employee’s failure to understand his own shortcomings
D. Misunderstandings about policies and procedures of the organization
C. An employee’s failure to understand his own shortcomings
Which of the following areas would management be justified in overlooking?
A. Wasted time
B. Abuses of equipment
C. Arbitrary enforcement of rules
D. None of the above
D. None of the above
When surveyed, a significant number of police officers opposed the manner in which organizational rules were enforced more than the rules themselves. Which of the following practices was the more frequent cause for complaint?
A. Inconsistency of supervisors in enforcing all organization rules
B. Self-defeating punishment for failing to follow rules and regulations
C. Supervisory failure to explain particular rules as they pertained to the organization
D. Failure of supervisors to follow the same rules which officers were expected to follow
A. Inconsistency of supervisors in enforcing all organization rules
When does a person have a property interest in his or her position?
A. When a tenured employee has a legitimate claim to his job that is conferred by statute, contract, or existing rules
B. As soon as he or she has passed a probationary period
C. When he or she is hired
D. Never, employees do not have such interests
A. When a tenured employee has a legitimate claim to his job that is conferred by statute, contract, or existing rules
An employee’s liberty interest is involved when
A. He or she is denied a property interest in his or her job
B. Job dismissal significantly damages his or her reputation so that he or she cannot get another job
C. His or her job discharge was made public, resulting in stigmatizing the employee to the extent of being unable to gain another job
D. B & C Above
D. B & C Above
Recently, police officers have insisted on more procedural safeguards to protect them against “management infringements” on their personal rights. Supervisors should exercise great care when involving themselves in the purely personal off-duty conduct of their subordinates. For the most part, courts have ruled that an employee cannot be penalized for his acts unless it can be proved that such conduct
A. Interfered with maintaining good order within the organization
B. Is related to his performance of duty, impaired his efficiency, and was commonly known to be prohibited
C. Seriously interfered with the organization’s operational efficiency
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
How do authorities generally feel concerning the transfer of “problem” officers within a department?
A. More often than not it corrects the root causes of the problem
B. Transfers never serve the purpose for which they are intended
C. It is desirable - the first positive step towards that officer’s dismissal
D. While it may correct a problem, it more often merely shifts it to another supervisor or place
D. While it may correct a problem, it more often merely shifts it to another supervisor or place
Sergeant Brown has not been satisfied with Officer Smith’s performance since the officer has been assigned to the unit six months ago. The sergeant has counseled the officer, given him additional training, and taken every reasonable step to make him an asset to the unit. At this point, would a transfer be appropriate and why?
A. No; never transfer a problem employee
B. Yes; it would appear as if a change in environment may be the only solution
C. No; why transfer an officer with only six months of unit experience
D. Yes; transfer him to a unit with more difficult demands than the one to which he is presently assigned
B. Yes; it would appear as if a change in environment may be the only solution
Captain Jones has noticed several manifestations of dissatisfaction among a number of his subordinates. Increasing absenteeism, a growing innattention to duty, and indifference to job requirements are a few. Now that the captain has recognized the signs of discontent, what is the first step he should generally take?
A. Re-evaluate each supervisory officer
B. Request a general meeting to discuss grievances
C. Try to determine the cause of the problem
D. Meet with his supervisor and discuss the problem
C. Try to determine the cause of the problem
Police of a small department were unsuccessful in their attempts for a salary increase. The demand was rejected because of the community’s financial condition. As a result the feeling among the patrolmen was almost to the point of being hostile. Of the following, which action would not be recommended for a supervisor?
A. Temper the hostility with wise counsel
B. Avoid taking sides over the issue
C. Commiserate with the patrolmen over the problem
D. Advise the patrolmen of the proper way to express their grievances
C. Commiserate with the patrolmen over the problem
Officer Smith comes to you, his supervisor, and asks if he can discuss a problem he has. He goes on to say the problem involves an incident where he believes a fellow officer took money from a motorist in lieu of giving him a summons. Generally, this would constitute a
A. Contractual grievance
B. Noncontractual matter
C. Contract violation matter
D. Matter for arbitration
B. Noncontractual matter
Rules and regulations construed by patrolmen as being an infringement on their personal rights are a major cause of discontent. Of greater concern is
A. How such practices can be dealt with without the loss of one’s position
B. Why such rules and regulations were allowed to come into being
C. The fact that management does not abide by its own rules
D. The manner in which such rules and regulations are enforced by management
D. The manner in which such rules and regulations are enforced by management
