Toni Berdit is the Washington D.C., area supervisor for Quik-Stop, a chain of co
ID: 2746385 • Letter: T
Question
Toni Berdit is the Washington D.C., area supervisor for Quik-Stop, a chain of convenience stores. She has full responsibility for managing the seven Quik-Stop stores in Washington. Each store operates with only one person on duty at a time. Although several of the stores stay open all night, every night, the Center Street store is open all night Monday through Thursday but only from 6 A.M. to 10 P.M. Friday through Sunday. Because the store is open fewer hours during the weekend, money from sales is kept in the store safe until Monday. Therefore, the time it takes to complete a money count on Monday is greater than normal. The company has a policy that when the safe is being emptied, the manager has to be with the employee on duty, and the employee has to place each $1,000 in a brown bag, mark the bag, and leave the bag on the floor next to the safe until the manager verifies the amount in each bag. Bill Catron worked the Sunday night shift at the Center Street store and was trying to save his manager time by counting the money prior to his arrival. The store got very busy and while bagging a customer’s groceries Bill mistook one of the money bags for a bag containing three sandwiches and put the money bag in with the groceries. Twenty minutes later, Toni arrived, and both of them began to search for the money. While they were searching, a customer came back with the bag of money. Quik-Stop has a general policy that anyone violating the money-counting procedure could be fired immediately. However, the ultimate decision was left up to the supervisor and his or her immediate boss. Bill was very upset. “I really need this job,” Bill exclaimed. “ With the new baby and all the medical expenses we’ve had, I sure can’t stand to be out of a job.” “You knew about the policy, Bill,” said Toni. “Yes, I did, Toni,” said Bill, “and I really don’t have any excuse. If you don’t fire me, though, I promise you that I’ll be the best store manager you’ve got.” While Bill waited on a customer, Toni called her boss at the home office. With the boss’s approval, Toni decided not to fire Bill. 1. What signal might the decision not to fire Bill give to other store managers? 2.Quik-Stop had a general policy that anyone violating the money-counting procedure could be fired immediately. What would Toni be forced to do if the company had a rule regarding money-counting procedure?
Explanation / Answer
1)
Not firing the said person means not enforcing the policy in place for such incidents. It can give others message that the supervisor is not enforcing the policy. Also, it will give the message that the policy is flexible in nature and is not rigid.
This perception can lead to distressing situation when other managers will seek such actions for there or their employees’ acts.