GENERAL MANAGEMENT

Case 1:

Ellen Crenshaw – A dissatisfied banker

Ellen Crenshaw has been employed by Third State bank since her graduation from State University five years ago. At State University, she received a degree in general business and came to work for the bank in its management-training program. The program, which lasted for one year, gave her an exposure to all phases of the bank’s operation. Form the training program, Crenshaw was assigned to the bookkeeping and records department as the assistant manager. Two years ago, she was promoted to manager of the same department.

Several complaints and dissatisfactions have been building up in her mind since she completed the training program four years ago, but she has been reluctant to mention them. Her feelings have become so strong however, that she has now sought out her supervisor, Parker Ferrell, assistant vice president for bank operations, and is telling him several things she finds disturbing about her job with the bank. The following statements are part of her conversation with Ferrell:

I don’t know about everyone’s salary here at the bank, but I do know that my salary and some other women’s salaries are somewhat lower than many of the men’s salaries. I know for a fact that some of the male college graduates hired for the training program last month are being paid only a few dollars per month less than what I’m being paid, and I have five years of experience working with the bank. The pay scale seems to be unfair to women.

It also seems to me that women are treated unfairly when job assignments are given out. Women always seem to get the secretarial, clerical, routine jobs, while the men get the more exciting, prestigious jobs. And it looks to me like women are being routinely diverted into staff jobs where they are to act as ‘’helpers’’ while men are channeled into line jobs, where  they  have  real  decision-making  authority.  I  think  men  believe  all  women  enjoy routine work, but it just isn’t true. Some women may, but I for one would enjoy something that challenges my abilities more fully.

That brings me to another point. I think women are being bypassed for promotions to better jobs. I’ve applied for a transfer to the personal loan department and to the savings department on two different occasions, but I was turned down, and the jobs were given to men just coming out of the training program. I was given no reasons for the rejection of my requests except that I was needed in my present position.

Questions:

1. Which of Ellen Crenshaw’s complaints on the surface appear to be valid if they are true? Why? Which ones (if any) are not reasonable? Why?

2. What misconceptions does the case reveal in the attitudes many people have toward women at work?

3. If Mr. Ferrell uses the correct counseling techniques, what will his attitude and comments be during  the  conversation  with  Ellen?  If  these  complaints  accurately  portray  the situation in the bank, what steps should the bank take to correct the problems? Please be specific.