BMPJ 6703

STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE

MANAGEMENT

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT 2
CASE STUDIES

Name : Julmah Binti Ahmad

Programme : Master in Management
Lecturer’s Name : DR Siti Aisyah
Word Count : 3,521 words maximum
Assignment Due : 3rd September 2019
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Firstly, this assignment is under strategic human resource management taught by Dr Siti Aisyah.
The writer felt that this assignment was brings her a lot of ideas. During the searching of
information for the case study, it does give a lot of new knowledge and information to him. It was
a brilliant experience to giving the opinions for the case study too. It such a long journey to settle
down this work as the writer also have a lot of work to be done. Thankfully, this assignment done
but hopefully it will get an appreciation and will look forward for the response.
Back to the assignment story, actually the assignment that are given to us consist of three case
studies with different situation in human resource field. As personal opinion it means a lot to the
writer as a worker in a company. The first one is about ethics in the company. Second case study
is about the interview situation and last one is about occupational and safety and health matter.
These three case studies were actually the writer have experience it. But before this, the matter
was not concerning to her but after searching for the answer then it does gives the writer ideas for
what happen before. The writer hopes that the checker will take into account he effort that being
put through this assignment. Hopefully the writer did answer all the question and can satisfy the
checker. A lot thanks to the lecturer Dr Aisyah have given us the experience to study and learn
this subject. Many thanks ahead and hope to see you again. Thanks a lot,
2.0 MAIN BODY

Case Study 1

ETHICS AT SYARIKAT ZUMAJU SDN BHD

Case Questions:
1. What should Lina tell the Board of Directors concerning integrity at Syarikat Zumaju? [10
Marks]
Integrity is one of the outmost fundamentals value that every employer seeks in the
new hires staff. It is the most valuable and precious attitudes that someone need to
possessed. Most employers will look at the attitudes as one of ethical foundation at works.
So in this case study Lina should tell the truth about the unethical behaviour of the
employees yet not having high integrity because they do the unethical things such as false
advertising their ads contains hidden agenda like they just want to attract many applicants
, unfairly overtime payments, telephone conversation being tapped without their consent
and the accountant staff need to source large loan for the company without the Board of
director’s approval ordered by the CEO and the staff also being blackmail for the dismissal
if he does not follow the order.
Thus, this is the problems in someone’s integrity. They behave like that because
their values are not strong enough and that turn it into habit and culture to the organization.
This is not good to the workplace environment. These unethical behaviour should not
appear in the organization in order to protect the right of employee and also the Board of
Director in the company. Poor ethics may lead to bad attitudes within the company. It is
recommended all the firm representatives at all levels affirm in writing that they are fully
aware, fully compliant, committed to reporting known violations and understand the
ethical guidelines. In order to proactively promoting the integrity and compliance, the
executives include the CEO should be evaluated and compensated. The board of director
should confirm the integrity policies are established by management and that appropriate
messaging is in place throughout the organization.

2. How should Lina go about ‘cleaning up’ Syarikat Zumaju? [10 Marks]
Lina should be cleaning up the unethical problem in that company by:
1. False advertisement
About the false advertisement, the writer guess Lina should do some modification
 of the advertising such as Lina can put a range for the salary. It is because every individual
have different skills and knowledge and ability. If the company find that the candidates is
suitable and have high knowledge, skills and ability it is not possible to gibe high salary
but if it has not meet that standard yet so the pay may be less but still in that range that is
standard for each level of education at least. Besides, the company could put some non-
statutory benefit that other company did not have. This can also attract many applicants
2. Overtime payment
First of all, Lina should ask the head of the department to list down which worker
required to stay back to do the extra work. Lina should see what are the main problems
actually to have that worker to do overtime work whether there is insufficient worker or
the worker does not possess enough skills and ability. If the worker need to stay then the
company should pay for the overtime work based on the Employment Act 1955 (My labour
law, 2019) stated that for any excess time work carried out in excess of the normal hours
of work, the employee shall be paid at a rate not less than one and half times his hourly
rate of pay. No employer shall require or permit an employee to work overtime exceeding
such limit as may be prescribed by the Minister from time to time by regulation made under
this act. In addition, Lina should send the worker to the training or program that taught
them about their rights legally so that they can know their rights and they cannot be bullied
as before at work. By understand their right the worker can ask the employer to pay them
accordingly and their hard work will be more appreciated so they won’t feel stress
anymore.
3. Telephone conversation were being recorded
Lina should have a right stand to let the senior manager about their telephone being
recorded by the order from CEO. Even so, the behaviour of tapping their phone was
actually not fully wrong because based on (Wolfe, 2019) stated that the employer has a
right to tapping the employee phone if it is business-related even though their boss was not
notice them at all. But, there are some problems there because when the CEO choose to
put a recording device into their phone secretly may overhear other thing than business
mean their personal matter. So that is why the CEO also should apologize to the worker
whose being recorded secretly by the employer. In fact, Lina should plan something else
and enforce new rules to that company so that the CEO does not need to monitor secretly
and the employees also would not feel unfair.
Next, the writer suggest Lina should take more psychology approach to deal with
the senior. It is because at the first place the CEO suspected the senior manager will be
 leaving the company and joining other company and they must have reasons why they
want to leave the company. So Lina should ask them nicely the reasons. Maybe there are
some matter that they disagree or they don’t like about the company in terms of benefit
they should have as a senior staff. So from the negotiation Lina can suggest the best
solution to both parties to have mutual benefit.
Besides, Lina can ask some of the senior manager to go to training to enhance their
knowledge, skills and ability so that they will be like a gold to the company. Sending them
to training also will let them to release their tension from being so long inside the office.
By bringing them out will let them feels new environment. This is one way to prevent them
from leaving the company. Also maybe Lina can suggest to the top management about
giving more benefit to care for the employee’s welfare and happiness of their life.
4. Complaint from the accountant.
Lina should tell the incident to the Board of Director. It is because as a human
resource manager she did not have that power to terminate the CEO yet she still new to the
company. Lina should ask also the accountant the one that are threaten by the CEO if the
accountant did not follow the order by the CEO she or he will be dismissed. So as the
suggestion Lina could ask the Board of Director convene meeting to discussed about the
issue matter. So Lina help the company actually because the CEO have not ask for
permission to the Board of director to source a large loan.
Case Study 2

ALI’S INTERVIEW AT SYARIKAT ZUMAJU SDN BHD

Case Question:
1. Identify the mistakes made by the interviewers in the case. [10 Marks]
First of all, the mistakes that I guess is the interviewers are being inconsiderate with
the interviewee such s to Ali and other candidates. They need to wait for too long for the
interview session. In fact, the information about the interview time also was not correctly
followed by the interviewer which is make the one that being interviewed have no idea to
wait for such a long time. Besides, the delay of the interview also was late to inform by the
company to Ali. He did not receive early announcement or information about the
interviewed being rescheduled. Furthermore, the interviewer was not apologizing for the
delay interview session. Only the receptionist apologizes for the delay.
Secondly, the interviewer was not asking the question that are related to the job
area or to the requirement of the job specification. Ali feels devastating because he did not
expect the question or the interview session will happen like he just done the interview.
Ali are so enthusiastic to give his opinion on the vacant job and what he can contribute to
the company but all the passion disappear as his opinion was not affect enough the panel
to give feedback instead the panel asking some other question which is so nonsense when
the panel asking about the tie’s colour the Ali wore that time. In addition, the way the
interviewer gazes also make the interviewee feel uncomfortable to be interviewed. The
stern-look that the interviewer give make Ali’s feel he done something wrong big even he
did not yet start to be interviewed. The unforgiving look make you really uncomfortable.
In addition to the fact, the interviewer also was not being professional especially when they
confuse about the candidates also when they whispering to each other will make other
people really uncomfortable. After that, when the interviewer asking Ali to sit down the
writer think the way the panel asking was rude. It is not the proper way to ask people to sat
down. The panel did not even use words please to show respect and politeness.
Next, writer guess the mistakes made during the interview session is the panel for
interview was not letting the one that being interviewed do the most of the talking. The
panel keep asking difference question without letting Ali answer the question from the first
question being asked first. Ali have no chance to giving his respond from the previous
question then the other panel asking other question more to Ali. Besides, Ali’s very
dishearten about the interview session. The panel of interview also was asking too much
 “story” question which is not appropriate to achieve the goals of the interview. Basically,
the interview session that being carried out was meant to choose the potential staff for the
vacant job with high knowledge, skills and many more. So if the panel asking about the
own opinion of the interviewee will make the interview successful because you can find
the right person for the right job.

2. How might the interview process be improved? [10 Marks]

The interview process can be improved by making good systematics and planned-
well interview. By designing structured situational interview might improve the interview
session. Based on the book (Dessler, 2017) structure situational interview is a series of job-
relevant question with predetermined answer that being ask to all interviewee by the
interviewers. Thus, to make structured interview, first of all the panel should analyse the
job. The panel should write the job description with a list of job duties. Identify what kind
of knowledge, skills and abilities should the interviewee equipped with any other
qualification that will be an extra added value for the hired one. Next, the panel should rate
the job’s main duties. By scaling and rating the priority of the duties will make an easier
to ask the question and receiving good view from the interviewee. Next step is the panel
should create the interview question. Within this step the panel can create question based
on the situational, behavioural, and job knowledge questions. After that, the panel should
create benchmark answer to the question given so that the panel can rate which answer is
the closest to them answered by the applicants. The panel also can develop ideal answer
for give rating such as excellent, medium and low answer to each interviewee. The panel
or any officer in charge should thoroughly explain the process to each candidate. The
selected candidates should know what to expect, when they will have interviewed, where
the place took place, who will be involve in the interview and so on. No trick or surprise
to the candidates. Remember, the first day of the job start when you contact the candidates.
The officer also should plan appropriate schedule based on the interview that have been
set. Do not change the schedule recklessly. It is because, you take other people time which
is will wasting their time by waiting for such a long wait. Time is gold anyway means time
is very valuable. Try to understand other people feeling. By using predetermined time and
plan question will make the interview go smoothly. Just asking the appropriate question to
meets you goals only so that you will not wasting anybody’s time.
Next, for the interviewer panel supposedly ask relevant question and listen to the
answer, opinion or views of the interviewee and then if the panel scare to lost track or
cannot hear clearly the interviewee’s voice the panel can record the responses of the
interviewees. Thus, by using the predetermine question will make the interview session go
as planned. In addition, the writer feel that the panel should give chance to the candidate
to provides their own opinions regarding the question or matter arise.
To conduct effective interview, the panel and the management should have a good
guideline so that the session will have good attributes to the company. First, according to
(Israel, 2012) in Forbes.com said the interview session should start slow, safe and personal.
Usually to begin the interview should start with question that are focusing on the individual
and not the topic at hand such as “where did the person come from,” or what was the first
job that he or she done after graduates?”. By relaxing the subject, the panel and should try
to build the interaction. Next, skills is important but attitude is everything. Need to run test
for the personality, interpersonal skills and interest. Remember, you are not seeking for the
best candidate from a specific area but you are looking for the perfect candidate for the
job.
Case Study 3
THE DISASTER AT SYARIKAT ZUMAJU SDN BHD

Case Questions:
1. Syarikat Zumaju is not complying with the Occupational Safety and Health Act in a number
of ways. Identify these. [10 Marks]
First of all, the company are not providing a safe workplace free of serious hazards
or danger. The company should ensure the safety at all areas especially for all employees
at the workplace as far as it is practicable. The company should enforce the safety
regulation especially when the employees do their work. For instance, when the man
slipped off in the pool of oil because there are leaking machine and the worst thing the
man’s two finger was cutting off when he tried to grab the machine but unfortunately it
clamped down on his hand. In other hand, there are no emergency instruction when the
accident happen such as if one of the part of body were injured what they should do to
prevent it becomes worst at least they can do something before the arrival of the ambulance.
Secondly, the employee does not get any clear training and information in layman’s
terms on the hazards of their workplace, ways to avoid harms and applicable OSHA
standards and laws. The worker also did not obtain and review documentation on work-
related illnesses and injuries at the job site as they did not have any idea when one of the
worker hand were cutting off.
Thirdly, the employer is not complying his or her obligations under the OSH act. For
instance, first and foremost provide a safe workplace free of serious dangerous. The
employer also did not provide the employees with safeguard and protective gear. In addition,
the employer did not notify the employees of any hazards and provide the training necessary
to address them and they did not post a list of OSHA injuries and citations plus the OSHA
poster in a place where employees will see them. The company also did not maintain and
keep the records of work-related injuries as they have not done any meeting regarding on
safety and health matter.

2. What steps would you recommend to overhaul the safety programme in the company? [10
Marks]
To overhaul the safety programme in the company maybe:
1. Elimination. It is effective solution. Most ideal strategy and should always be
attempted first. May mean discontinuing dangerous work practices or removing dangerous
substances or equipment. For instance, using machine to do repetitive manual activity,
discontinuing a noisy machine or dangerous process.
2. Prevention or reduction of exposure. Other options that can be used alone or in
combination to prevent or reduce exposure to dangerous. It may include engineering
methods.
3. Substitutions of material, process or equipment. By replacing the hazard with
one that presents lower chances of risk or maybe the one that can be manageable. For
example, change the leaking machine with new machine.
4. Modification or redesign of equipment, work process or work environment. This
method require a lot of discussion between employer and employee because it requires a
lot of thinking a ways how could the work could be done differently from before to make
the work more safer such as by rearranging aspects of workplace, modifying the location
of the equipment, combining the task so that no need to move to a lot of different work
station, changing the procedures that are dangerous to the worker it is mean eliminates the
hazard steps try to done the work maybe by machine only or done the work at morning so
that everyone can help to monitor to each other, or maybe the company can change the
sequence of the task in job or reducing the frequency of performing the dangerous work so
that the worker do not have to back and forth. Besides, maybe company can be placing
other people as a guards on moving parts of machinery.
5. Isolation or separation. Isolating or separating the dangerous from the worker
such as enclosing or guarding dangerous machine form the worker and then put barriers or
sign to any spilled substances until it being cleaned up.
6. Temporary last-resort or back up measures. This options may be lowest in
choices of control strategy.it is because it depends on appropriate human behaviour to work
adequately. It requires high management enforcement and commitment. It will be tending
to less effective too. Should not be relied on as primary means of risk control until options
higher up hierarchy of control strategies attempted and exhausted.
7. Administrative control. Reduction of exposure to danger through use of
procedures or instructions such as do the job rotation to minimize the exposure. Besides,
the company can instruct the worker to attend job training in safe work procedures. Or
maybe the company should limit the entry to dangerous areas.
8. Personal protective equipment. This one would be compulsory to every worker
to worn by them as their first defend to the hazardous work or areas. This protective gear
for the worker should and must be chosen correctly and maintained in good condition so
that can prevent them from the danger. For instance, in the case of the worker from cutting
station did not want to wear the gloves because it causes their hand itchy. So the company
should provide and choose the best materials for the gloves to prevent the danger at the
workplace.
3.0 REFERENCES

References
Israel, S. (2012, April 14). 9 tips on conducting great interviews. Retrieved from Forbes.com:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/shelisrael/2012/04/14/8-tips-on-conducting-great-interviews/

My labour law. (2019). Retrieved from http://www.mylabourlaw.net.

team, F. (2019). workplace safety: OSHA and OSH Act overview. Retrieved from FindLaw:
http://www.employment.findlaw.com

Wolfe, L. (2019, June 25). Is it legal for my boss to record my phone calls. Retrieved from The balance
careers: http://www.thebalancecareers.com