Modern Industries Ltd.

(MIL) in Bangalore is an automobile ancillary

Industry. It has turnover of Rs. 100 crores. It employs around 4,000 persons.
The company is professionally managed. The management team is headed by
a dynamic Managing Director. He expects performance of high order at every
level. It is more so at the Supervisory and Management levels. Normally the
people of high calibre are selected through open advertisements to meet the
human resource requirements at higher levels. However, junior-level
vacancies are filled up by different types of trainees who undergo training in
the company.
The company offers one-year training scheme for fresh engineering graduates.
During the first six months of the training, the trainees are exposed to
different functional areas which are considered to be the core training for this
category of trainees. By then, the trainees are identified for placement against
the available or projected vacancies. Their further training in the next quarter
is planned according to individual placement requirements.
During the last quarter, the training will be on-the job. The trainee is required
to perform the jobs expected of him after he is placed there. The training
scheme is broadly structured mainly keeping in mind the training
requirements of mechanical engineering graduates.
Mr. Rakesh Sharma joined the company in the year 1983 after his B. Tech .
degree in paint Technology from a reputed institute. He was taken as a trainee
against a projected vacancy in the paints application department In MIL, the
areas of interest for a trainee in Paint Technology are few. Hence, Mr.
Sharma’s core training was planned for the first 3 months only. Thereafter, he
was put for on-the-job training in the paints application department. He took
interest and showed enthusiasm in his work there. The report from the shop
manager was quite satisfactory.
The performance of the trainee is normally reviewed once at the end of every
quarter. The Training Manager personally talks to the trainee about his
progress, strengths and shortcomings. At the end of the second quarter, the
Training Manager called Mr. Sharma for his performance review. He
appreciated his good performance and told him to keep it up. A month later
Mr. Sharma met the Training Manager. He requested that his training period
be curtailed to 7 months only and to absorb him as an Engineer. He argued
that he had been performing like a regular employee in the department for the
last one quarter. As such, there was no justification for him to be put on
training anymore. Further, he indicated that by doing so, he could be more
effective in the department as a regular engineer. He would also gain seniority
as well as some monetary benefits as the trainees were eligible for a stipend
only. The regular employees were eligible for many allowances like
conveyance, dearness, house rent, education, etc. which was a substantial
amount as compared to the stipend paid to a trainee.
The Training Manager turned down his request and informed him that it was
not a practice of the company to do so. He told him that any good performance
or contribution made by the trainees during the training period would be duly
rewarded at the time of placement on completion of one year of training.
Further, he told him that it would set a wrong precedence. Quite often, some
trainees were put on the job much earlier than the normal period of three
quarters for several reasons.
Thereafter, Mr. Sharma’s behaviour in the department became different. His
changed attitude did not receive any attention in the initial period. However,
by the end of the third quarter, his behaviour had become erratic and
unacceptable. When he was asked by the Department Manager to attend to a
particular task, he replied that he was still on training and such task shouldn’t
be assigned to a trainee. According to him, those jobs were meant to be
attended by full-time employees and not by trainees.
The Paintshop Manager complained to the Training Manager about Mr.
Sharma’s behaviour and he was summoned by the Training Manager. During
the discussions, Mr. Sharma complained that while all the remaining trainees
were having a comfortable time as trainees, he was the only one who was put
to a lot of stress and strain; the department was expecting too much room
him. He felt that he should be duly rewarded for much hardwork; otherwise, it
was not appropriate to expect similar work output from him. The Training
Manager tried to convince him again that he shouldn’t harp on rewards as he
was a trainee; his sole concern should be to learn as much as possible and to
improve his abilities. He should have a long-term perspective rather than such
a narrow-minded approach. He also informed him that his good performance
would be taken into account when the right occasion arose. He warned him
that he was exhibiting negative attitude for which he would be viewed
seriously. His demand for earlier placement was illogical and he should forget
it as he had already completed 8 months and had to wait only for 4 months.
He advised Mr. Sharma that the career of an individual had to be seen on a
long-time perspective and that he should not resort to such childish behaviour
as it would affect his own career and image in the company.
Mr. Sharma apparently seemed to have been convinced by the assurance
given by the Training Manager and remained passive for some time. However,
when the feedback was sought after a month, the report stated that he had
become more perverted. He was called again for a counselling session and was
given two weeks time to show improvement. At the end of those two weeks,
the Training Manager met the Department Manager, to have a discussion
about Mr. Sharma. It was found that there was absolutely no reason for Mr.
Sharma to nurture a grievance on poor rewards. It was decided that he should
be given a warning letter as per the practice of the company and, accordingly,
he was issued a warning letter. This further aggravated the situation rather
than bringing about any improvement. He felt offended and retaliated by
thoroughly disobeying any instruction given to him. This deteriorated the
situation more and the relationship between the manager of the department
and the trainee was seriously affected In cases of rupture of relationship,
normally the practice was to shift the trainee from the department where he
was not getting along well so that he would be tried in some other department
where he could have another lease for striking better rapport. But
unfortunately, in the case of Mr. Sharma, there was no other department to
which he could be transferred, since that was the only department where his
specialisation could have been of proper use. By the time he completed his
training, he turned out to be one who was not at all acceptable in the
department for placement. His behaviour and involvement were lacking. In
view of this, the Department Manager recommended that he be taken out of
the department. When Mr. Sharma was informed about it, he was thoroughly
depressed.
One of the primary objectives of the Training Department is to recruit fresh
graduates who have good potential and train them to be effective persons, in
different departments. They are taken after a rigorous selection process which
includes a written test, a preliminary and a final interview. During the training
period, their aptitudes, strengths and weaknesses are identified. Their
placement in departments is decided primarily on the basis of their overall
effectiveness there. Here is a case where the person happened to be hard-
working in the beginning but turned out to be a failure in the end. The
Training Manager was conscious of this serious lapse and was not inclined to
recommend his termination. But at the same time it was difficult to retain a
person whose track record was not satisfactory. He still felt that a fresh look be
given into this case but he was unable to find a way out. He was now faced
with the dilemma whether to terminate or not to terminate Mr. Rakesh
Sharma.
Questions:
(a) Where did the things go wrong?
(b) What options are open for the Training Manager other than termination of
Mr. Sharma?
(c) How could you put Mr. Sharma back on the right track?