Executive Summary
The case study entails the relationships between managers and employees in the workplace and strategies that can be used to keep the employees engaged and motivated. In particular, the case involves Lowe, who has been working as a manager in an organization in Chicago and gets a transfer to work in Paris. Lowe has big plans for his new workplace and the employees in the workplace. He intends to meet all the employees in the new workplace and interact with them to plan practical duties execution to enable the company to perform better in the French market.
In order to get a chance to meet all the employees and interact with them, Lowe opts to organize a party in his apartment (WowEssays, 2021). He organizes a big party to which all the employees in his new workplace are invited. Lowe hopes to get a chance to communicate his ideas and ways of administration to help the company remain competitive and profitable in the market.
However, his strategy of bringing the employees together to discuss company issues does not materialize. His perception of the party entirely differs from that of most employees. Most employees perceive the party’s intention as a show of wealth for the new manager (WowEssays, 2021). As a result, most feel uncomfortable and unable to socialize freely with colleagues in the manager’s apartment.
Besides, Lowe does not get the appropriate opportunity he thought he would get to share his ideas with the employees. His excitement and contentment of the meeting turn out negative because the culture and meaning of social events in France differ from the meaning of social meetings in the United States. The manager did not take time to study the social organization in France and how social events should be approached in order to achieve the intended purpose. Work culture differs from country to country, which explains why a particular strategy might work in one country and fail in another.
Theoretical or Conceptual Interpretation of the Case
The human relations theory provides conclusive information about management and the interaction between employees and managers in a business organization. Before introducing any organizational change, managers should acquaint themselves with the work environment and culture in the new workplace (Nicotera, 2019). For instance, workplace culture differs from country to country, which explains why managers must learn the cultural and social practices in different work environments.
Employees get motivated when their employers fully meet their social and cultural expectations. Employees also perform better in workplaces where the relationship between them and their managers is good (Yusuff & Odubanjo, 2020). Employees must feel valued to perform as expected and help their organizations achieve the set goals and targets. The human relations theory, therefore, prioritizes the relationships between employers and employees and defines the strategies that employers can use to ensure the needs and expectations of all employees are fully met.
Theory and Case Connection
The case study and the human relations theory are interrelated. In the case study, Lowe failed to understand the social and cultural expectations in the French market, which deterred him from achieving his goals and targets concerning the employees. Mr. Lowe ought to have established the status of the French market and practices that should be practiced in order to avoid contradicting the social and cultural practices in the new work environment.
The human relations theory drives managers and employers towards implementing practices that ensure the well-being of employees is met, and their motivation remains high (Kusmaningtyas & Erfiana, 2019). Lowe should have taken enough time to identify the best strategy to bring the employees together to exchange ideas and plans for the company’s future. Besides, he should have researched and enquired about the best way to organize parties involving company employees to ensure the intention of the party is met. Lowe did not prioritize the concepts explored in the human relations theory.
References
Kusmaningtyas, A., & Erfiana, P. (2021). The Effect of Workload and Emotional Intelligence on Nurse Performance: In the Perspective of Human Relations Theory.
Nicotera, A. M. (2019). Human relations theory. In Origins and Traditions of Organizational Communication (pp. 106-127). Routledge.
WowEssays. (2021) Free Case Study About The Road to Paris. Web.
Yusuff, M., & Odubanjo, A. (2020). Effect of social media marketing and human relations management on brand loyalty in Nigerian telecommunication industry. LASU Journal of Employment Relations & Human Resource Management, 2(1), 141-157.