Report: Solving Attitude and Punctuality Problems in Banking

This report examines the critical issues of employee attitude and punctuality within a banking context, highlighting their significant impact on organizational performance. It explores the negative consequences of poor attitude and lack of punctuality, such as delayed transactions and poor customer service. The report details a comprehensive approach to problem-solving, including data collection methods like interviews, focus groups, surveys, and analysis of pre-existing data and personal observations. It proposes solutions such as dialogue, suspensions, and, as a last resort, layoffs. The report outlines a decision-making process, including defining the problem, identifying causes, generating ideas, selecting the best solution, taking action, and monitoring outcomes. It emphasizes the importance of communication and evaluation in implementing and assessing the effectiveness of the chosen strategies, providing a detailed framework for addressing and mitigating these crucial workplace issues.

Running Head: Solving Problems and Making Decisions 1
Solving Problems and Making Decisions
Institution
Lecturer
Student
Course
Date

Solving Problems and Making Decisions 2
Staff Attitude and Punctuality Problems
Attitude is a very crucial factor that affects the performance of an organization. It can lead to the
positive progress or break down the organization to its knees (Pickens n.d.). Most business
ventures that have been encountered with attitude problem from their workforce have constantly
posted poor results in terms of business outcomes. Attitude refers to the general perception and
the personal drive the employees exhibit in their quest to fulfill organizational goals.
On the other hand punctuality is closely related to attitude. It refers to the strict adherence of the
company employees to the outlined schedule by the management. In the banking sector,
punctuality is a crucial factor and it is a priority for meeting the customer expectations. When the
banking staff attitude dips to a negative level, it results in the subsequent outcomes such as the
dropped punctuality levels, which is a negative sign for a banking organization.
Right attitude is required for general smooth operations of the banking services, and punctuality
also ensures perfect adherence to the organizational schedule. While punctuality is a more visible
and measurable problem that can easily be detected by the management; it is not easier to detect
a level of attitude among the employees and their morale (Rao & Rani 2014).
Keeping the employees happy is the work of the management, but keeping the right attitude
depends on the employee’s decisions on what suites them the most (Hussain & Ahmad 2012). It
is down to the personal decision for employees to change their attitude after the organization’s
efforts, but the risks of the punctuality can easily be mitigated by the management itself.
Attitude problems and punctuality problems have a significant negative impact on the banks’
performance. It leads to delayed transactions, poor service delivery to the customers and also
poor organizational environment. The subsequent ultimate results are the banks’ poor
performance.

Solving Problems and Making Decisions 3
Gathering of the Information
To wholesomely understand the basis of this problem, it is important to review the possible
contributing cause of the poor attitude among the employees and the problem of punctuality
(Denut 2011). In an organizational banking set up which involves busy schedules and customer
service; such attitude using the following techniques could prove crucial:
Use of Interviews and Focus Groups
The interview focuses on the direct responses of the subject. Hence, conducting direct interviews
with each specific employee is a great measure. The interviews involve the management asking
each and every employee questions that relate to reasons of their change in attitude that has
resulted into poor performance. In this case, the management would conduct a 20-minute
interview with every head of the departments for a period of 1 week to establish what is required.
Then the focus group interviews would then follow, which will consist of an optimum number of
5 people each divide into accountants, cashiers and the other workers. The group interviews
would be conducted for a period of 2 weeks. The time frame involved is expanded to ensure
accurate compilation of the data from the interviews. The interviews and focus groups would
cost the organization an estimated total of $1000 for the arrangements, the set up, and the
interview materials. From the interview data, the organization will identify the common
problems and develop the possible solutions.
Activity Time frame Cost
Interviews One week $200
Focus groups Two weeks $300
Compilation of data Two weeks $300
Interview and focus groups summary.
Conducting a Short Survey

Solving Problems and Making Decisions 4
A short questionnaire for the employees is necessarily important. This involves their needs, their
feelings and their opinions. The employees are not required to write their names on the
questionnaire sheet, to enhance confidentiality and independence. This information obtained
from the questionnaire is very crucial as it further provided complimentary data to that of the
interview, and if the comparisons bring out some similar results, it is a huge step towards
identifying the possible solutions.
Use of the Pre-existing Data or Survey
The existing data was compiled from all the available organizational documents. The documents
which consist of the organizational records, including disciplinary and the employee
performance provides valuable information towards arriving at an appropriate solution.
Personal observation
Al though observing could only give what is visible, it is a great complement to the other
methods, as it provides visible evidence of what is going around, and this is one of the greatest
ways the management could use to establish the problem and devise possible solutions.
Below is a summary of the techniques and the process.
Data Collection
Method
Activity
involved
Time
Frame
The
Objectives
Total
Coast
Interviews Conducting
interviews with
the departmental
heads
On week Establish
possible
problems.
$200
Focus Groups Conducted in Two weeks Determine their $300

Solving Problems and Making Decisions 5
groups of five.
Included cahiers,
accountants and
other workers
problems,
opinions for
possible
solutions
Short Survey Administering of
the short
questionnaires.
Two weeks To establish the
employee
positions and
attitudes
$200
Pre-existing Data Reviewing the
data by the
management
Two weeks To establish any
past similar
problem
$200
Personal
Observation
Monitoring the
employee
behaviour and
attitudes
All the time
during the
process.
To establish the
employee
behavior patterns
No cost
A summary of the data collection techniques suitable for the organization.
Interpretation and the possible solutions
From the data obtained, the management establishes a range of problems that helps them come
up with possible solutions. Poor attitude in most cases is a reaction to poor treatment and
management which leads to a less happy workforce. If there are persistent delays in pay of
salaries, poor working environment full of pressure, harassment and less appreciation; then there
is a possibility of slow retaliation from the employees. All these problems must be captured in
the data collection process and to offer a room for mitigation.

Solving Problems and Making Decisions 6
The possible solutions to this menace needs to take a comprehensive approach. The problem
might lie with the banking employees in this matter; but the top management has a determining
hand in this as well. Therefore, the most appropriate solutions involves persuasive means of
addressing the problems such convening regular meetings for the employees to raise their
concerns, addressing the staff welfare accordingly, improving working conditions among others.
Other punitive and coercive measures may include laying-off poorly performing employees
among others (Oregon State University 2013). All these require shrewd leadership skills.
Summary of the Options
There are numerous ways of solving the management related problems and their causes. But it
has to take a systematic approach from understanding the causes to arriving on the solutions.
Therefore, the following are the summary of the options to follow in tackling the attitude and
punctuality problems within a banking context (Shen et al. 2009).
Dialogue
Dialoguing is the best way of mitigating the risks associated with the poor attitude shown by the
staff as well as lack of punctuality on the job. After establishing the possible causes and
weighing on their impact, sitting down around the table as a team is the more harmonized way of
dealing with discontent within an organizational set up. This form of democratic and all inclusive
approach ensures a harmonized approach with a 50-50 situation from the management and the
staff. Dialogues have been widely used to solve employee problems within boardrooms the
world over, and it is the best option for dealing with such problems.

Solving Problems and Making Decisions 7
Suspensions
The role of suspension is to temporarily stop one from working, to go mirror in bid to make you
reflect and reform. It is a common practice used by many executives to instill discipline among
their staff. It is a risky approach, but very effective when used in a better way. It should be
among the last options of problem solving options.
Lay-offs
This is the most dangerous option the management can take against the staff with poor attitude
and punctuality problems (Phelan 2012). It signals the extent of damaged relations between the
management and the staff. It is widely used to get rid of the toxic workers, but it leaves a sour
taste. Laying-off of the staff should always be on the bottom list of problem solving options.
Decision Making Techniques to Arrive on the Best Solution
1. Define the Problem
Poor attitude and the punctuality problems within the banking is the major problem. In the
process of evaluating the problem, the first and foremost step is to determine what type of the
problem is troubling the organization and then setting up appropriate measures of tackling the
problem before it spreads (LeDuc et al. n.d.).
2. Determining the Causes
The root cause of the poor attitude and lack of punctuality must be established. Every problem
originates from a cause, and understanding these causes provides the best ways of sealing the
loopholes within the organization that might be responsible for the employee troubles.
3. Generating the Ideas
After determining the root causes of the poor attitude among the staff and lack of punctuality on
the job, then the generation of ideas which helps in mitigating the problem are required. The

Solving Problems and Making Decisions 8
greatest problem-solving methods used to generate ideas include mind mapping and
brainstorming.
4. Selecting the Best Solution
The best solution for the problem requires a careful analysis. After coming up with numerous
ideas, the trade-off analysis is essential for selecting the best solution. This can be done by
comparing the options you have and the top ranking (dialogue) will form the best solution in
solving the attitude problem.
5. Taking Action
This is the final stage of decision making process and it involves the taking action that is,
implementing what you have arrived at by sitting around the table to solve the problem.
The implementation and Communication of Decisions
The communication of the planned decision would take a communication of the decision criteria,
using the 5ws of implementing and communicating the decision (Wenxiu 2015). This requires a
well thought process to arrive to a conclusive decision and it would involve the 5ws of
communicating the decisions. The first is who needs the communication being directed to? In
this scenario, the banking staffs are the main subjects who need a clear view about the attitude
problem and punctuality at the work by the management. Then when the message should be
communicated? The management should plan an appropriate time for dealing with the critical
management matters within the banking context to avoid interference with normal operations.
Then there will be what was to be communicated? The important matters during the dialogue
between the management and the staff would be about how to solve the attitude and punctuality
problem. Lastly is where was the decision communicated and by who? This would happen in the
boardroom and the bank’s management would be responsible for communicating the action.

Solving Problems and Making Decisions 9
Monitoring and Evaluating the Outcomes
The outcomes of the decision made within the dialogue context in the boardroom can be
evaluated over time to see the impact of decision on the staff members regarding the attitude and
punctuality problems. Evaluation enables the management to determine their current position at
that particular time and the extent of effectiveness of their decision and it involves two main
techniques which is outcome evaluation and the impact evaluation. Outcome evaluation
measures the long term and short term outcomes of the decision made while the impact
evaluation measures the strength of the decision, that is, the difference of what happened after
making the decision and what might have happened had the management ignored the attitude and
punctuality problems among the staff members (Kusek & Rist n.d.).

Solving Problems and Making Decisions 10
References
Denut, D 2011, 'Problem Solving', Brady: When Performance Matters Most. Available at:
https://www.lean.org/FuseTalk/Forum/Attachments/PowerPoint%20-%20Problem
%20Solving.pdf
Hussain, M & Ahmad, M 2012, 'Mostly Discussed Research areas in Human Resource
Management (HRM) – A A Literature Review ', International Journal of Economics and
Management Sciences , vol II, no. 3, pp. 10-17.
Kusek, JZ & Rist, CR n.d., 'Ten Steps Ten Steps To a Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation
System', A Handbook for Development Practitioners: World Bank.
LeDuc, J, Williams, L, Hatch, N, Altmann, J, Draghi, T & Godt, D n.d., 'Problem Solving Tool-
kit', Team Four. Available at: http://emda.wi.gov/docview.asp?docid=15096
Oregon State University 2013, 'Classified Layoff Process: Supervisor Guide', Office of Human
Resource.
Phelan, AB 2012, 'Phelan Business Review: Why Are We losing All Our Good People',
Contemporary issues in HRM.
Pickens, J n.d., 'Attitudes and Perceptions', Chapter 3. Available at:
http://healthadmin.jbpub.com/borkowski/chapter3.pdf
Rao, VMS & Rani, SS 2014, 'A Study on Performance Appraisal Errors of Public Sector Bank
Managers in Chennai City', Proceedings of the Second International Conference on
Global Business, Economics, Finance and Social Sciences (GB14Chennai Conference).

Solving Problems and Making Decisions 11
Shen, J, Chanda, A, D'Netto, B & Monga, M 2009, 'Managing diversity through human resource
management: an international perspective and conceptual framework ', The International
Journal of Human Resource Management, vol XX, no. 2, pp. 235–251.
Wenxiu, P 2015, 'Analysis of New Media Communication Based on Lasswell’s “5W” Model ',
Journal of Educational and Social Research , vol V, no. 3, pp. 245-250.