11.5 Apply Your Knowledge
As a Human Resources professional, you have learned the benefit of providing psychological safety to your employees. Now, it is your turn to practice this skill.
Read – the following case study. Create a script that demonstrates your ability to provide employees with psychological safety.
The Company:
The Metal Manufacturing CorporationThe People:
Rosa Francesco (She/Her) Human Resources Manager
Luigi Giovanni (They/Them) Inventory Analyst
Valentina Giulia (She/Her) Inventory Coordinator
The Scenario:
The Metal Manufacturing Corporation produces frames for high-end bicycles. Every November, Valentina coordinates the annual inventory count. This is a two-day event, and every manufacturing team member is trained to complete an accurate inventory count. Valentina works closely with Luigi to ensure the inventory count is completed on time and every product is counted twice to ensure accuracy.
While Luigi was checking the completed inventory count sheets, they noticed a significant number of missing frames. Luigi is confused and wonders how they could be missing 20 bicycle frames. Luigi decides to look into this matter and counts the frames. They came up with the same result: there are 20 missing frames.
Luigi alerts Valentina of the missing frames, and she is extremely concerned. Valentina knows the organization has a number of procedures in place to ensure each frame is tracked to prevent loss. In order for 20 frames to go missing, there has to be at least one or more employees involved in a plan to divert company procedures. Luigi recalls seeing one of the forklift drivers moving frames into a quality quarantine area used to store frames with a potential quality issue. Luigi wonders if those were the missing bicycle frames.
Luigi and Valentina are nervous about bringing this forward as they realize one of their co-workers is going to be in big trouble, maybe even terminated. They realize they have no choice but to speak with Rosa in the Human Resources department. Luigi and Valentina hope they don’t get in trouble, and they don’t want anyone to know they brought this forward to management.
Employee Observations and Customer Observations:
“Every time I take part in our yearly inventory count, it seems like bicycle frames are missing. What is going on around here?”
“When they delivered our bicycle order last week, it was short 20 bicycle frames. When I asked the company what happened to my order, they said they had an internal issue and would deliver the 20 outstanding frames as soon as possible. I might have to consider switching my business if The Metal Manufacturing Corporation can’t fill my orders on time.”
The Conversation:
This conversation is between Rosa (the Human Resources Manager), Luigi and Valentina. You are playing the role of Rosa. Your job is to provide Luigi and Valentina with psychological safety as they describe their discovery of the missing bicycle frames.
The Exercise:
