Introduction
There were some changes in Apple Incorporated workplaces with the aim of improving working conditions for its employees. These changes were implemented to ensure that there was maximum utilization of man power and other equipment towards achievements of organizational goals.
Changes in the workplace were triggered by the need for effective workmanship aimed at providing enough products for consumers in the market. This came up due to increasing demand of Apple computers in the world markets.
This demand was instigated by the need to have machines that can share and access digital videos. Technological advancement in the world today has caused many firms to develop strategies aimed at protecting their market (Schermerhorn, 2005).
For instance, people have been forced to adapt various methods of communication where they can have live chats and video calls. These needs have caused many companies to change their setups with the aim of reaching their customers effectively.
Apple Incorporated changed its workplace set up and rules with the aim of ensuring that customers are given first priority in everything the organization does. These changes included scheduling of employees to make sure that there is continuity in production.
This means that duties were arranged in a way such that work stations will be occupied at all times. Some employees were required to report to their duties at night with others manning them during daytime.
Work was arranged exceptionally well so that every expert was allocated a given work to ensure that time is not wasted. In many cases, employees end up being underutilized in situations where they overcrowd at work stations.
Some tasks can be attended to by one technician at a time hence in cases where employees gather around work stations, a lot of manpower is wasted (Dubrin, 2012).
Apple Incorporated, therefore, developed a strategy to ensure that all employees work from individual work stations hence utilizing time and manpower to the maximum. As a result, this enhances productivity in work places because all employees meet their set targets.
Literature Review
Apple Incorporated works hard to ensure that employee rights are respected in order to enhance proper working relations among them. The management came up with an extremely vigorous program of addressing different needs of workers throughout their industries.
This was aimed at ensuring that employees received maximum attention from the management. This included problem solving hence makes them develop trust which promotes working relationships.
These changes were adapted following incidences where employees could complain that they are being victimized by their senior officers. This is particularly unfortunate for any organization because lack of respect leads to declining morale among employees (Dubrin, 2012).
In addition, these issues can cause workers to shift to other organizations where they feel respected and honored for the jobs that they do.
Furthermore, Apple Incorporated management came up with strategies of ensuring that employees are paid better wages that reflect the work they do for the organization.
This means that compensation schemes had to be revised to reflect individual performances and efforts in the organization.
The management advocated for improved standards of working environments. This means that all workshops and industries were adjusted to meet the requirements meant for factory setups (Daft and Marcic, 2012).
These adjustments targeted safety measures where escape routes were provided and alarm systems installed to alert employees in cases of dangers such as fire. Ventilation was considered to ensure that all employees are comfortable whenever working.
In fact, most work stations received air conditioning machines to ensure that employees adjust their surrounding temperatures whenever need arises. Supervisors were required to treat workers in a humane manner to ensure that their working environment is friendly.
This was important because, in some companies, senior officers harass their juniors making life unbearable in work places. Such situations affect productivity of employees as they work under pressure and this may increase chances of causing errors in their work pieces.
Work place code of conduct was set up to be observed by everyone in the organization. These are meant to guide operations of the organization in accordance with labor laws (Daft and Marcic, 2012).
These include antidiscrimination rules, which caution employees against discriminatory acts in the work place. For instance, recruitment of employees should follow an open and fair procedure that does not allow discrimination of qualified personnel.
Both male and female applicants are subjected to fair scrutiny to get the best candidate for the job. This discourages situations where qualified people are locked out of job position due to their gender.
In addition, there are rules set to guide recruitment and employment of experts to work in supplier firms based in various countries. These make sure that no one is discriminated against because of their race or color of the skin.
Apple incorporated ensures that everyone has equal rights of getting jobs with their organization at all times. All they require is qualified personnel regardless of where they come from, and they use this strategy to capture markets for their products.
In fact, they depend on local people to market their products since locals understand consumer behaviors of people in places where they grew up more than any other place.
Furthermore, the company developed worker empowerment programs whereby employees are given powers to raise issues without fear. This is meant to improve the quality of products offered by the company to the market.
For example, employees may come up with ideas aimed at improving efficiency of Apple computers or related software.
Empowering employees enhance confidence in whatever they think hence they may convene a meeting comprising of their colleagues and bosses to express their ideas (Schermerhorn, 2005). The organization may decide to adapt those ideas hence improving their devices.
This translates to getting customers as competition in the market calls for best products in terms of affordability and efficiency. Empowering employees result to development of confidence among workers hence improving productivity.
Another change in Apple’s work place is the creation of supplier employee education and development program. This has enabled the company to train all employees involved in handling of Apple devices across the globe.
The program ensures that employees work with the aim of maximizing market share hence they are given proper education on customer service. This involves educating them on how to respond to customer questions positively hence using the information to improve products.
Employees are encouraged to involve consumers before and after they purchase Apple devices in order to build trust among them hence earning loyalty.
Apple Company ensures that they treat workers in a humane manner, and they involve them in dialogue whenever there are issues hence motivating them to work towards achieving organizational goals.
Managing these changes is hugely crucial to the organization as both the management and employees need to understand each other hence improving their working relationships.
Employees need to be protected and respected in their work places in order to deliver quality services to the employer. This is important because a stressful work place makes people to regret ever working for the organization, and they may fail to meet the set quality standards.
This failure may be deliberate or due to negligence as workers lose the will to work for the organization.
Analysis
Currently the company is trying to adapt some changes aimed at improving work places for employees. For instance, the current situation where work stations are crowded makes working environment unfriendly for the employees.
The company is working hard to ensure that the situation is improved in order to achieve the set goals of creating standardized working environments. In addition, there was discrimination experienced in recruiting workers in some countries where they run supplier firms.
The situation affected the company immensely by tinting its image in the eyes of its customers (Daft, 2007). Managers decided to come up with a strategy of auditing all firms to find out how some operations are effected.
Auditors have uncovered a lot of dirty games played by firms’ managers and senior officers in those countries. T
he recommendations made by auditors are being taken seriously to ensure that organizations get back to the right track. For instance, employee recruitment process has been made to be open and fair to everyone to avoid incidences where people get discriminated.
It has been observed in the recent past that employees were forced to work for more hours. In addition, they were unfairly compensated hence calling for immediate actions to be taken. In response to this, the organization has ensured that proper scheduling is done to ensure equity.
This means that employees are supposed to work for given hours and allowed to go and rest. They have come up with shifts where some people work during the day while others work at night. Employees are entitled to some off days alongside the annual leave from work.
In fact, the company has opted to observe labor laws strictly to ensure that employees receive optimum care as outlined in labor acts (Daft and Marcic, 2012).
Finally, the Apple Company has decided to adapt employee education and development with the aim of team building. This helps employees to reach customers without problems as they are given appropriate skills on how to approach potential and existing customers.
Synthesis
The company has decided to use several alternative means to implement changes in the work places. These include involving workers in improvement programs by emphasizing on dialogue with the leaders.
This means that organizations can set up forums with their employees where they learn about burning issues from workers. In fact, reasoning with employees is highly crucial because they are on the ground hence providing the best recommendation aimed at improving their work places.
The company has decided to use private auditors to find out what happens in their firms. These auditors make use of company employees and management to gather information that helps them in drawing their conclusions regarding the changes in work places.
Employees are expected to give information regarding their satisfaction in their work places in order to highlight any problems they experience.
Confidentiality is promised, and this encourages them to give all information to auditors since they are assured that the information cannot be used against them in future (Daft and Marcic, 2012).
The Apple Company has decided to contract other companies to help in supplying their devices to various parts of the world. This helps them to ease the burden of employing many employees leading to poor management in terms of compensation.
This happens where the company is torn between paying better salaries and minimizing cost. They opt to outsource so that they can share the responsibility of improving work places with other organizations.
In fact, they have been able to implement most of the recommendations highlighted by auditors hence improving working conditions for their workers.
Conclusion
Apple incorporated decided to evaluate its organization management and operations in order to improve working conditions for their workers.
They came up with several steps aimed at finding out weaknesses in their systems in order to handle them hence improving conditions of their employees.
The company was determined to implement changes in order to make their work places better hence developing several strategies aimed at improving their work stations. These included ensuring employees are entitled to fair treatment by their leaders (Daft, 2007).
They provided safe and friendly working environment to ensure that employees get comfortable work places. Employees were involved in teambuilding activities to ensure that they develop a sense of brotherhood in the work places.
The company made critical decisions, which included hiring private auditors to find out all issues affecting their workers. They wanted to get the correct information regarding the situation at work places in order to set the way forward.
As a result, they came with code of conduct for workplaces which included antidiscrimination rules. This was meant to ensure equity in recruitment of officials and other workers.
References
Daft, R. L. (2007). Management. New York: Cengage Learning.
Daft, R. L. & Marcic, D. (2012). Understanding Management. New York: Cengage Learning.
Dubrin, A. (2012). Narcissism in the Workplace: Research, Opinion and Practice. Michigan: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Schermerhorn, J. R. (2005). Management. Pennsylvania: J. Wiley.