The manager at a construction site observes that he is spending a great deal of time interviewing prospective employees. This is due to the large amount of absenteeism and turnover among his skilled workers. On questioning exiting employees he discovers that many of them quit because they feel the work place is too dangerous. In particular, several foremen have stated that the need to get the job done quickly is more important than a few rules, and have gone as far as to mock the courage of workers who question this attitude.
-What is the best way for the manager to control the deviant behavior of the foremen?
A) ordering the foremen to conform with the required safety standards
B) finding out why the foremen place a greater importance on finishing the job than in safety
C) firing the foremen and promoting new foremen from the current pool of workers
D) taking over the work of the foremen himself
E) instituting training classes for the foremen on the importance of safety

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Simply ordering the foremen to conform to safety standards may be ineffective if they do not understand why safety is important. Firing the foremen and promoting new ones may also not solve the problem if the culture of prioritizing speed over safety persists. Taking over the work of the foremen himself would not be a feasible solution in the long-term. Instituting training classes for the foremen on the importance of safety would be a good way to address their attitude towards safety and help them understand why it is crucial to prioritize safety in the workplace. However, finding out why the foremen prioritize finishing the job quickly over safety should be the first step in addressing this issue. This will help the manager understand the root cause of the problem and develop a targeted solution to address it.

The Manager at a Construction Site Observes That He Is