Question

A vice president (VP) of HR has responsibility for multiple manufacturing sites and is responsible for teams of HR managers and generalists that support each location. All locations operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day. These teams cover all shifts, providing support. Each location is in the process of rolling out updated policies, including enhancements to the company's progressive disciplinary process and an ethics policy that focuses on commitment to mutual respect, ethical decision making, and integrity.

One day, after the VP of HR has left her office, she receives a call from a site HR generalist. The generalist tells the VP that when he returned from his dinner break, the HR office appeared to have been ransacked. Books were thrown on the floor, and name tags were torn off doors and thrown into the trash. The generalist also reports that when security checked the cameras, they reached the conclusion that the site HR manager had done the damage and then had left the facility.
The VP knows that the site HR manager has a volatile personality and has been counseled about it previously. The VP also has recently discovered that the manager has been drinking routinely after work and wonders if the ransacking of the office occurred when the manager returned to the office after a drinking session.
What is the first step the VP should take before proceeding to the factory?
Answers
A. Call the HR manager to discuss the incident, conveying concern that this behavior is inconsistent with the organization's values and policies.
B. Call security to notify them of her pending arrival and request to meet to review the surveillance coverage.
C. Call the local police to request their presence at the site to bring forward charges of property destruction against the manager.
D. Call the site general manager to inform him of the situation, advising that the HR manager will be terminated.

Answer 1

The VP of HR should first call security to review the surveillance footage of the HR office incident before taking any further action to ensure an objective understanding of events, in line with the company's commitment to ethics and integrity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first step the VP of HR should take before proceeding to the factory is B. Call security to notify them of her pending arrival and request to meet to review the surveillance coverage. This action is necessary to gather all the facts and ensure that the HR office incident is addressed with proper evidence. The VP needs to approach the situation objectively, collecting information from security footage, and understanding the context of the situation without making immediate assumptions about the HR manager's behavior.

Once the VP has reviewed the surveillance and confirmed the details of the incident, it would be appropriate to take further action. This action may involve discussing the incident with the HR manager to convey concern if it appears necessary based on the evidence, or coordinating with the site general manager about appropriate responses, which could range from counseling to disciplinary action, keeping in mind the updated policies on ethics and disciplinary processes.

It is important to ensure that the response is consistent with the company's values of mutual respect, ethical decision-making, and integrity; and that it complies with company policy and legal requirements regarding disciplinary procedures.