CASE 11 ANALYSIS:

Ellen YeeGordon WongBenny GuanCherrie (Jie Yi) YuanStephenie (Xing Qun) Yuan

A CASE OF DOING EXCELLENCE?

MISSION STATEMENT: “To advocate and provide for the protection of children, to support and strengthen families, and to promote the well-being of children in our communities”

THE FAMILY AND CHILDERN’S SERVICES OF GUELPH AND WELLINGTON COUNTY

• Also known as F&CS• Children’s Aid Society established in 1893 • Responsible for enforcing the province’s Child and Family Services Act

OBJECTIVES AND GOALS

• To investigate allegations or evidence that children who are under the age of sixteen years or are in the Society’s care or under its supervision may be in need of protection

• To protect, where necessary, children who are under the age of sixteen years or are in the Society’s care or under its supervision

• To provide guidance, counseling and other service to families for protecting children or for the prevention of circumstances requiring the protection of children

FUNDING

• By both the provincial and the municipal government in an 80-20 split

• Two thirds of the funding went to salaries, benefits and training of 61 full time staff members

SERVICES

• Hold various programs that prevent any circumstances that may lead to risk or harm to children

• provide child care, outreach to parents of newborn babies, employment readiness training, parent support groups, language classes for new Canadians, food distribution, and cooking clubs

STRUCTURE

SERVICE DEPARTMENTS

Family Services

Children’s Services

Resources

ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS

Finance and Information Services

Human Resources, and Community Relations

CENTRAL ISSUES

EXTERNAL ISSUES

• Funding cutbacks of 1.25% for the current year• Additional cutbacks of 5% for the next year• Payments to welfare recipients are to be reduced by 20%

INTERNAL ISSUES

• The lack of efficient communication between staff and higher level management• Issues of empowerment are somewhat ambiguous • Conflict between the staff’s view and the current environment of F&CS

SOLUTIONS AND ADVICE

• Introduce a new pay system to the F&CS

All staff will have a lower base salary than current amount

To compensate, bonuses will be issued to those withexceptional handling of cases / major contribution to cases

Bonus acts as an positive reinforcement which leads tomotivation

Employees gain both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards

FUNDING CUT-BACKS

SOLUTIONS AND ADVICE

• F&CS should promote the public to give donations for additional funding source

F&CS is a major part of the close and tight-knit community

Have donation boxes at the different programs to help increase awareness

• Programs can be held with a small fee

FUNDING CUT-BACKS

SOLUTIONS AND ADVICE

LACK OF EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION

• F&CS’ Effectiveness reduced due to lack of clear communication

Hold regular meetings to monitor the process of the organization and to clarify any uncertainties that employees may have

Staff meetings every 3 months

Management exclusive meetings every month

Encourage one-to-one discussion between manager-subordinate Regarding personal/workissues

Implement formal retreat approach and outdoor experience approach will help clarify staff roles

Benefits are worth the costs

SOLUTIONS AND ADVICE

STRUCTURE OF AGENCY

• Structural hierarchy gives rise to issues of empowerment (Not enough for workers)

Flatten down part of the management hierarchy

Span of control to be decreased

• Staff are confused about the roles that they are responsible for

Staff meetings gives an great opportunity for makingimportant decisions

• Complaints about the process controls

Policies, procedures and rules of F&CS should be reviewed and then changed accordingly

SOLUTIONS AND ADVICE

MOTIVATION

• Problem with using hierarchy of needs theory is that they can only be used on specific individuals only

needs theory and acquired

Worth the time and money To investigate all staff members

• Implementation of some components of the High Performance Organization Theory

Employee involvement and self-directing work teams

Employees will be able to make day-to-day decisions which affect them and their work

Address to specific needs

Assign different jobs/tasks to motivate

SOLUTIONS AND ADVICE

MOTIVATION

• Performance-Appraisal Method and 360 degree evaluation will help increase motivation

• Method of ranking, paired with comparison and forced distribution of the Performance-Appraisal method

Prevent employees from comparing themselves to each other

• 360-degree evaluation of employees by co-workers, customers, and those outside the work unit

Provide information about the abilities and attitudes of employees

Shows those evaluated their weaknesses and strengths

Allows employees to improve