Needs Assessment

Since 1982, the H.G. Morgan Consulting Firm, has fostered understanding of the profession's scope and purposes; provided a forum for confronting common challenges in today's Corp. Human Resource Departments. The H.G. Morgan Consulting Firm, owned and founded by, Mr. Horace G. Morgan is a high quality boutique of consultancies specializing in employee communication and Workplace Legislation. Mr. Morgan has a BA MBA in HUMAN Resource Management a HR professional with 30 years HRM experience: 15 years in corporate HR roles and 10 years in HR consulting. As one of Michigan's largest consulting firms, with over 500 full time employees and offices located in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Pontiac and headquarters in the heart of downtown Detroit in the Renaissance Center. The Morgan Consulting firm has been highlighted in the July 1997 issue of Fortune Magazine as one of the countries top ten consulting firms. The H.G. Morgan Firm has consulted for such companies as Ford Motor Company, Goodyear Tires, Motor Wheels Corporation, and Bike Tech Designs.

On November 2, 1998, the H.G. Morgan consulting firm was retained by Ms. Ashley Brown, President of Human Resources Department at Mazda North America located in Flat Rock, Michigan. The company's task is to investigate numerous complaints filed by Mazda's employees and the local UAW officials regarding the termination of over seventy individuals. The Local (UAW) official claim's that the company on a continuously basis improperly and unlawful has ended their members employment due to unexcused absences. They also, state that the termination are the result of the Mazda's Human Resources Department incompetence in the area of effectively informing their employees of the companies policy and procedures regarding attendance and medical leaves.

Mr. Smith sites the cast regarding, Mr. Brian Johnson as one of many examples of complaints lodged against the HR department. In two separate incidents, Mr. Johnson was ordered by his doctor to remain off work due his personal illness. Both times Mr. Johnson had someone report to the company with written documentation showing that he was under a doctors care and unable to report to work. Each time the correct person in the HR department was not given the information, and in both incident Mr. Johnson's employment was terminated in error.

On November 20, we begin our task by have Mr. Rodney Smith a consultant for H.G. Morgan interview 25 employees that had been hired by Mazda within the past 5 months. We asked each of them the following questions to find out if they were knowledgeable about the company's policy regarding attendance and approved leaves.

Questions

1. What department should you first contact if you are unable to report for your assigned shift? Where you inform of any alternative person to contact?

2. What is the number of day you have to report your absences before your employment will be terminated with the company do to unexcused leave?

3. What type of documentation must you provide the company to support your absence from work if it exceeds the allowable period?

4. How many days or hours of training were you given regarding the policy and procedures on COBRA, HIPAA, and FMLA? Did the company provide you with any written handed outs for your personal records regarding these policy?

The responds to the question were as followed: question (1) 10 out of the 25 employees replayed that they knew to call the HR dept if they were unable to report to work or to contact the company guard gate if no way was available in the HR department. Five other employees out were unsure of whom they should contact. The remaining 10 employees thought they should report their absence to the immediate supervisor of the department. Question (2) Seven of the 25 employees responded 5 days, nine responded 3 days, six responded two Ð... days and the remaining three were unsure. Question (3) 15 of the 25 employees were aware that some type of documentation must be provided to the company as to why there were off. The remaining 10 employees were unaware that documentation was required. Question (4) all 25 employees responded that they did not recall hearing the information de regarding benefits in their two hour training class. The remaining 15 of the 25 employees did recall receive a booklet entitle benefits. However, the copies were of very poor and hard to read. The remaining 10 employees stated that they had never received a booklet.

Mr. Smith also, interviewed the staff in the HR department, which consist of four individuals and asks them the following questions.

1. What information is given to new hires regarding company policy and procedures on attendance and approved leaves?

2. To whom are new hires informed to contact should they need to report off from work? Are they also, given an alternative person to contact?

3. How many hours or days do new hires receive training on company policy? Who in this department does the training for new hires?

4. What written information is given to new employees to retain for their personal records?

5. How often are new booklets printed for handouts regarding company policy and procedures?

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