Understanding The Organization (B04) Jim Beam Scenario
Respond to the following case scenario by applying topics and theories learned from the current module.
Jim Beam fighting citation for bathroom-break policy
The Jim Beam bourbon-making plant in Bullitt County is fighting a state citation criticizing its policy on bathroom breaks for employees. Since October, line workers at the plant have been permitted to use the restroom only during lunch and two other times during the day - one before lunch and one after. They also are allowed one unscheduled toilet break per day, and can be disciplined for taking more, starting with a warning and escalating to dismissal after six incidents.
The old policy allowed workers to rotate off the line for short, unscheduled breaks
throughout the day, with no set number. The company changed the policy after it concluded that workers were taking advantage of the liberal break policy. The Labor Cabinet, in a citation issued in November, said Jim Beam is violating a federal labor law requiring employers to provide restroom facilities to employees. Jim Beam is appealing the citation. The cabinet did not propose a fine.
A hearing on the citation is scheduled next week in Bardstown. The distiller has filed a
memo with the Labor Cabinet, saying it "observed, documented and analyzed break habits of the employees" and consulted with a urologist to make sure that the new policy would be reasonable." The company said people with medical conditions get more leeway. But the United Food and Commercial Workers union that represents the approximately 100 production-line
workers said the urologist determined the breaks were not motivated by need, but most
likely by "smoking habits."
The union said 45 workers have been disciplined, some workers have begun wearing
protective undergarments and others have urinated on themselves because they were afraid to leave the line. "It's embarrassing to be a 36-year-old woman and have to justify your need to go to the bathroom," said Krystal Ditto, who said she has been disciplined five times and is one unscheduled bathroom visit away from losing her job. "Once you get the feeling you have to go, you sit there looking at the clock and see you have an hour to go, and it intensifies. I'm not going to sit there and be miserable." The company is holding its ground. "We feel our system provides reasonable breaks for all employees, and we're looking forward to explaining our position in detail next week at the hearing," said Stephanie Moritz, director of publications for Jim Beam, based in Deerfield, Ill.
Jo Anne Kelley, the union local's president, has worked at the Jim Beam plant for 34
years. She said the policy is degrading and that company officials have told some workers that they should "practice" going to the bathroom every two hours at home on the weekends to put themselves on a schedule. "Basically, we're being asked to train our bladders and other organs to meet their needs, not ours," Kelley said. "Your bodily functions don't have a time clock." In its appeal, Jim Beam said its break policy "effectively balances the medical needs of
employees with the company's need to maintain a productive workforce." (Adopted from Harvard Business Review, 2019).
The following items should be evident in your case assignment:
· Identify the key roles and organizational issues through a brief summary or introductory paragraph (this is not the abstract page).
· Integrate specific theories from the readings for the type of organization. You may use previous module readings when applying a specific structure/system.
· Provide your personal perspective on the case, applying theories, perspectives, and structures you along with alternatives that could be best integrated to address the participant’s concerns.
Sample Solution
Key roles and organizational issues
The key roles in this case are the line workers, the union, and the management of Jim Beam. The line workers are the employees who are most affected by the bathroom break policy. They are the ones who have to decide whether to risk being disciplined for taking a bathroom break or to hold it in, which can be both uncomfortable and unhealthy. The union represents the line workers and is fighting on their behalf to get the bathroom break policy changed. The management of Jim Beam is responsible for setting the bathroom break policy. They believe that the current policy is necessary to maintain productivity, but the line workers and the union disagree.
Full Answer Section
The organizational issues in this case are:
- The bathroom break policy is not aligned with the company's values. Jim Beam's values include "respect," "integrity," and "sustainability." The bathroom break policy does not respect the line workers' needs or their health. It also does not seem sustainable, as it could lead to increased health problems for the line workers, which could in turn lead to decreased productivity.
- The bathroom break policy is not fair. The policy disproportionately affects women, who are more likely to have to use the bathroom more often. The policy also disproportionately affects people with medical conditions, who may need to use the bathroom more often.
- The bathroom break policy is not effective. The policy is not achieving its goal of maintaining productivity. In fact, it is having the opposite effect, as the line workers are becoming more stressed and less productive because they are worried about being disciplined for taking a bathroom break.
Theories from the readings
The following theories from the readings are relevant to this case:
- Organizational justice: Organizational justice is the perceived fairness of the procedures and outcomes of an organization. The bathroom break policy at Jim Beam is not perceived as fair by the line workers, as it disproportionately affects women and people with medical conditions. This lack of fairness is contributing to the stress and decreased productivity of the line workers.
- Constructivism: Constructivism is the theory that people create their own reality through their interactions with the world. The line workers at Jim Beam are creating a reality in which they are afraid to take bathroom breaks because they are worried about being disciplined. This fear is having a negative impact on their health and productivity.
- Systems theory: Systems theory is the theory that organizations are made up of interconnected parts that work together to achieve a common goal. The bathroom break policy at Jim Beam is part of a larger system of policies and procedures that are designed to maintain productivity. However, the bathroom break policy is not aligned with the other policies and procedures in the system, which is contributing to the stress and decreased productivity of the line workers.
Personal perspective
I believe that the bathroom break policy at Jim Beam is unfair and ineffective. It is not aligned with the company's values, it is not fair to the line workers, and it is not effective in achieving its goal of maintaining productivity. I think that the company should revise the policy to allow line workers to take bathroom breaks as needed. This would be more fair to the line workers and it would also be more effective in maintaining productivity.
Alternatives
There are a number of alternatives that Jim Beam could consider instead of the current bathroom break policy. These include:
- Allowing line workers to take bathroom breaks as needed: This would be the most fair and effective alternative. It would allow line workers to take bathroom breaks when they need to, without having to worry about being disciplined.
- Allowing line workers to take a set number of bathroom breaks per day: This would be a compromise between the current policy and allowing line workers to take bathroom breaks as needed. It would give line workers some flexibility, but it would also put some limits on how many bathroom breaks they could take.
- Installing more bathrooms in the production area: This would make it easier for line workers to take bathroom breaks without having to leave the production area. This could help to reduce the stress and anxiety of the line workers.
- Educating line workers about the importance of taking bathroom breaks: This could help to change the culture around bathroom breaks at the company. It could help line workers to feel more comfortable taking bathroom breaks without feeling like they are being judged.
I believe that the best alternative for Jim Beam is to allow line workers to take bathroom breaks as needed. This would be the most fair and effective way to address the concerns of the line workers.