Efficiency and effectiveness of tsa employees

Assignment Help HR Management
Reference no: EM13923153

Read the Case: Can the TSA Secure Top Flight Performance, which can be found in the Doc Sharing Area, and do the following:

Summarize the case in 1-2 paragraphs.

Explain which of the HR practices described in the case you think contribute to greater efficiency and effectiveness of TSA employees. Why? Recommend at least two other practices which could be employed to increase efficiency and effectiveness of TSA employees. Justify your response.

Explain which of the HR practices described in the case you think can contribute to ethical behavior by TSA employees. Why? Recommend at least two other practices which could be employed to encourage ethical behavior of TSA employees. Justify your response.

Explain at least 3 practices you would recommend to ensure TSA follows equal employment guidelines. Justify your response.

Write a 2- to 3-page paper in Word format. Apply current APA standards for writing style to your work.

CASE: Can the TSA Secure Top-Flight Performance?

If you've flown in the United States recently, you've passed through security checkpoints staffed by the Transportation Security Administration, a federal agency created in November 2001 to protect all modes of transportation. TSA agents are best known for scanning baggage and screening persons headed for gates in the nation's airports. Most travelers appreciate the concern for safety following the 2001 terrorist attacks, but many also grumble about times they have encountered a TSA employee who was unpleasant or seemed capricious in enforcing rules.

For its part, TSA management has been challenged to maintain a workforce that is knowledgeable, well qualified, ethical, and vigilant about identifying risky persons and behavior. Occasional news reports have identified lapses such as items stolen from luggage (perhaps when TSA agents are inspecting checked bags) and claims that security screeners have cheated on tests of their ability to spot smuggled weapons.

In a recent year, TSA received an average of 1,443 claims for lost, stolen, or damaged items, affecting a small share of the 65 million passengers who travel each month. Geoff Rabinowitz, a business traveler whose laptop computer disappeared from one of his bags, worries that theft by TSA or airline employees could signal a huge security risk: "If they can get away with taking something out of bags, what can they put in bags without getting caught?" Lauren Suhre lost jewelry and sees theft as a sign of poor management: "I can't imagine working for them." TSA responds to such complaints by noting that it has a zero-tolerance policy for employees caught stealing and investigates charges aggressively.

Cheating on security tests is another problem that raises ethics questions. One report said agents at airports in San Francisco and Jackson, Mississippi, allegedly were tipped off about undercover tests to be conducted. According to the allegations, TSA employees described to screeners the undercover agents, the type of weapons they would attempt to smuggle through checkpoints, and the way the weapons would be hidden.

What is the TSA doing to improve the professionalism of its employees? Many of the efforts involve human resource management. One practice involves the design of jobs. TSA wants employees to see themselves not just as "screeners" who sit in airports but as part of a larger law enforcement effort. So that job title was eliminated and replaced with the term security officers, and career paths were developed. The agency also improved its training in job tasks such as interpreting X rays and searching property. It added performance-based pay to its compensation plan, so high-performing employees are rewarded in a practical way. Such changes have helped reduce employee turnover substantially. A survey also found greater job satisfaction among TSA workers.

These improvements are no small achievement, considering that government agencies have tended to lag behind many businesses in creating a focus on high performance. In a government agency, which is not ruled by sales and profits, it can be difficult to develop measurable performance outcomes-measuring what individuals and groups actually achieve, rather than merely tracking their day-to-day activities. As a result, employees may not always see how their individual efforts can help the agency achieve broader goals. Without this vision, they have less incentive to excel.

TSA, part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has tried to become an exception, a performance-oriented government agency. Marta Perez, chief human capital officer of DHS, says TSA defined its overall objective as "to deploy layers of security to protect the traveling public and the nation's transportation system." To achieve that objective, the agency set specific goals for individual airports, including goals to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of airport screening, as well as safety targets. For example, one goal is that the wait time for 80 percent of the passengers going through airport security should be 10 minutes or less. Individuals at each airport have specific goals aimed at achieving the airport's overall goals. According to Perez, the goals help employees and managers talk about what is expected and how they will be evaluated.

SOURCES: Mark Schoeff Jr., "TSA Sees Results from Revamped People Practices," Workforce Management, December 11, 2006, p. 20; Bill Trahant, "Realizing a Performance Culture in Federal Agencies," Public Manager, Fall 2007, pp. 45-50; Tom Belden, "Reports of Thefts from Luggage at PHL," Philadelphia Inquirer, August 27, 2007, downloaded from General Reference Center Gold, https://find.galegroup.com; and Thomas Frank, "Investigation Looks at Airport-Screener Testing," USA Today, October 5, 2007, https://find.galegroup.com.

Questions

1. Which, if any, of the HR practices described in this case do you think can contribute to greater efficiency and effectiveness of TSA employees? What other practices would you recommend?

2. Which, if any, of the HR practices described in this case do you think can contribute to ethical behavior by TSA employees? What other practices would you recommend?

Reference no: EM13923153

Questions Cloud

Describing an initial public offering for global firm : Write a 750 to 1,000 word paper describing an initial public offering for a global firm.
Explain the primary purpose of an erp system : Explain what is meant by ERP and explain the primary purpose of an ERP system. Use examples to support your answer
Develop value chain for organisation with which you familiar : Identify and develop the value chain for an organisation with which you are familiar. Outline the implications of your study for competitive advantage.
Conduct an interview with an employee : Conduct an interview with an employee (preferably a supervisor or manager) at your current job or a previous job. If you have no prior work experience, you may interview a family member or friend who is currently employed.  You have just been prom..
Efficiency and effectiveness of tsa employees : Which, if any, of the HR practices described in this case do you think can contribute to greater efficiency and effectiveness of TSA employees? What other practices would you recommend?
What strategy conclusions can you draw : Take the value added and other data for Glaxo Smith Kline and outline the value chain for the company. Develop the value system within which the company operates. What strategy conclusions can you draw?
Updating of the organization strategic plan : Action:  As the C.E.O., it is time to embark on the annual updating of the organization's strategic plan.  The last major revision to the strategic direction was completed three years ago.
What do your observations mean for strategic management : Identify the core competencies of fashion companies in general and Louis Vuitton in particular. What do your observations mean for strategic management development at Louis Vuitton?
Modelling integration of mnch commodity : Modelling integration of MNCH commodity logistics and supply chain management on outcomes of MNCH services at service delivery points in Nigeria.

Reviews

Write a Review

 

HR Management Questions & Answers

  Human resourcesit is often stated that human resources

human resourcesit is often stated that human resources deals with the problem not the cause of the problem - please

  Write a paper on beardwell hrm

Write a paper on Beardwell (2004) HRM can be viewed as part of the strategic managerial function in the development of business policy, in which it plays both a determining and a contributory role and is particularly so for multinational firms.

  Opening a new foreign production plant

You are the total rewards director for a large domestic manufacturing company. The CEO has announced that they will be opening a new foreign production plant next year in Mexico.

  What can you and fellow employees do to improve the outcomes

What can you and fellow employees do to improve the outcomes of your organization Pinellas County Florida US through improved understanding, actions, and outreach to the Hispanic community

  Show american disability act

American Disability Act - Evaluate a court case on ADA that has reached a verdict, how did the court case interpret the law as written?

  How could such misunderstandings be averted

Discuss how differing frames of reference affected this misunderstanding. How could such misunderstandings be averted?

  Individual incentive plans

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of individual incentive plans, team incentive plans, variable-pay plans, and group incentive plans. Provide examples of each plan.

  Equal employmentemployment laws are intended to protect the

equal employmentemployment laws are intended to protect the rights of classes of people who have been underrepresented

  Analysis of all of the aspects of an applicant

Selecting the right person for an open position requires an analysis of all of the aspects of an applicant, including his or her past experience (knowledge, skills, and education), his or her application and resume, and the interview responses.

  Management of learning and change

Identify examples within your organization of how performance management is achieved through the management of learning and change.

  What is the employee free choice act

How will it help or hurt companies? What is your opinion of the act as far as how it will affect the workplace and work force? (facts to back it up if possible) Please be as detailed as possible and cite all sources.

  Human resources and related issues1 what are some of the

human resources and related issues.1. what are some of the key aspects of strategic organization development work and

Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd