When Harry Met Stacey

Lantican, Rose Ann Abital

HBO 101 sat 7-10am

Case Study: When Harry met Stacey

Summary

Stacey Freidman work as a literary agent for four years with one of the largest literary agencies New York. Her job entails matching up authors and their manuscripts with book publishers. She has about two dozen establish authors whom she represents in negotiations with the publishing houses. She has no social life, except for that which rotates around her work. Her enthusiasm appears to have a positive impact on her job performance and she is considered as the best young agent in their office. Harry Nelson is an acquisitions editor with one of the publishing houses with whom Stacey negotiates. Harry is about the same age as Stacey but that is about all they have in common. For him his job is just a job that provides him a good life, security, benefits and the stress is not too much. He has his own family that why he balanced his time to set his priorities.

1. Time Context

The problem is occurred in the media industry of New York City. Two different workers with different perspective about life and work.

1. Viewpoint

I’m analyzing the problem based on a Human Resource Manager viewpoint. As a Human resource manager it is my responsibility to maintain and enhance the organization's human resources by planning, implementing, evaluating employee relations, human resources policies, programs, and practices. Oversee the recruiting, interviewing, and hiring of new staff, consult with top executives on strategic planning, and serve as a link between an organization's management and its employees.        

1. Statement of the Problem/s

How important is work-life balance for every employee? And what are the big motivation factors for the employees?  Does every motivated employee have experience Work-life balance in their workplace?

1. Objectives

1. To increase employees motivation and engagement in helping the organization in building a better workplace.
2. To help employees achieve work-life balance.
3. To know the factors really motivates employee.

1. Areas of Consideration

Stacey Friedman is a job & career oriented women, she spend most of her hours including break time doing her work and she’s not taking any vacation for the last four years. She is single, so all her time and attention are devoted to her work and it really makes her happy. She’d rather be working on her books and reading manuscripts rather than doing anything else. Harry Nelson is family oriented person, he’s trying to have a work-life balance. For him, his job is just a job. The company that he’s working for provides him a good living, secured life and generous benefits that enables him to travel, profit sharing plan and retirement. Stacey have all the time in the world compare to harry. She can work for longer hours while Harry strictly works for forty hours a week. Harry takes long vacation and Stacey is not.

1. Alternative courses of action

1. Work-life balance as a key for Business success. It is important in every organization to promote work-life balance by creating Work-life balance program. The myth that exists with both employers and employees, achieving work-life balance will have an adverse effect on a business. A belief exists that it will mean fewer hours, less work, and lower productivity. This has led to a further belief that visibility equals productivity and that the longer employees spend at work somehow reflects their commitment and value to the business. So employees arrive early and leave late believing this is the way to get on. Increasing workloads and consequent longer working hours also contribute to poor work-life balance. Inevitably, resource planning that fails to consider the needs of employees will have a negative impact on work-life balance.  
2. Motivation is an important factor which brings employees satisfaction. This can be done by keeping into mind and framing an incentive plan for the benefit of the employees. Monetary and non-monetary incentives, Promotion opportunities for employees, Disincentives for inefficient employees are some big factors in motivating employees to do their job in the best way they can.

1. Recommendation

Work-life balance can be the tool to retain and motivate employees. In my own opinion, not all motivated employees has experience work life balance, but employees who achieved work-life balance are the most motivated.

The concept of work life can be two way street. Work-life balance doesn’t create less work, it simply allows employees to rearrange their work hours to fit their life priorities. Work-life balance should be an opportunity for every employees to do what is the most important in each moment and as manager taking a leadership position in offering Work-life balance program before it is demanded, the opportunity to set ground rules as well as becoming an innovator in Human Resource. Work-life balance can increase the productivity in the work place and improve the work environment in general.