Critical Decision Making in a Company

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Decision Making in a Company

Decision making process is a very crucial aspect of an organization or company that takes place at all levels. The manager is not always right in single-handedly making a decision and it is therefore advisable to seek advice or consult other stake holders before arriving at a decision based on the situation at hand (Saaty, 2008). Identifying the problem to be solved is the most important aspect of decision making. Failure to identify the problem can lead to serious errors in the decision. Usually, companies have certain rules and regulations that are supposed to be adhered to whenever critical decisions are to be made.

In this particular decision regarding compulsory drug test for all employees, several aspects must be considered. The interest of the company must be protected because without it, the employees, the managers and all the stakeholders would not exist. Therefore, the decision should mainly be dominated by the good of the long-term future of the company. Secondly, since this test is not one of the policies of the company, it has serious legal concerns for employees. This is because a compulsory drug test with clear guidelines of when it should be carried out and the consequences of the result are not outlined in their handbook. Therefore, carrying out such a test will only be possible if the employees give an informed consent (Pettigrew, 2014). According to the federal laws, the employer cannot force an employee to take a drug test or conversely test them. In addition, in case an employee fails the drug test, based on an illegally obtained sample, he or she cannot be disciplined or dismissed.

As the human resource manager in the company, I would advise the chief executive officer to implement the decision of carrying out compulsory drug test on all the employees. However, the management must explain clearly to the workers the reason for carrying out the test and make them understand that it is for the good of everyone, including them. Secondly, the employees must be assured of the privacy of their results and the actions management plans to take once the results are out so that they do not feel their interest are being violated. Based on the criteria that had been previously outlined in coming up with difficult decisions involving employee relations, this decision will ensure both the interest of the employees and those of the company are protected. By carrying out compulsory drug test on all employees, it will ensure there are no cases of discrimination as this would lower employees’ self-esteem and overall morale towards work. Therefore, the company cannot be charged with discrimination whatsoever if the decision is plan is executed and the managers ensure every employee undergoes the test, whether suspected of drug abuse or not.

Secondly, if the decision is implemented, it has to be a new company policy. This will ensure it protects the interest of future employees and future management. As such, any individual who wishes to work with the company must accept the policy of having to undergo drug tests whenever there is need to do so. This eventually will ensure that all persons working in the company do not involve themselves in any form of drug abuse that can endanger their lives, lives of other fellow workers or make the company incur a lot of losses. In addition, this will ensure the company establishes a long-term solution to accidents and losses as a result of drug abuse by employees. Therefore, all workers who seek to work for the company in future will be subjected to agreeing to adhere to the company’s policies prior to being hired.

If the results of the tests are used to ensure better employees’ performance at work through counseling there will be improved performance in the company in general (Bogacz, Brown, Moehlis, Holmes & Cohen, 2006). Secondly, it will make the outside community know the company as one that is concerned with the health and safety of its employees and which does not practice discrimination in any ground. In conclusion, I believe the decision, if well-implemented, will ensure an overall improvement in the conduct, productivity and commitment of employees. The supervisors will therefore have less problems dealing with the employees. In addition, the company will have more profits and no unnecessary expenditure in compensating avoidable losses.

ReferencesSaaty, T. L. (2008). Decision making with the analytic hierarchy process. International journal of services sciences, 1(1), 83-98.

Pettigrew, A. M. (2014). The politics of organizational decision-making. Routledge.

Bogacz, R., Brown, E., Moehlis, J., Holmes, P., & Cohen, J. D. (2006). The physics of optimal decision making: a formal analysis of models of performance in two-alternative forced-choice tasks. Psychological review, 113(4), 700.