Dilbert Scenarios
Over the years, the air in Boca Raton has been getting progressively worse. Your company, Initech Enterprises, a large tech firm (HQed in Boca), recently received an announcement from AQMD (a division of the EPA), about the issue. To reduce air pollution, the AQMD is requiring all big employers to offer incentives that encourage employees to participate in AQMD’s Trip Reduction Plan (TRP). Initech faces huge fines if they can’t get a significant number of employees to share rides, take the bus, or ride a bicycle to work.
After studying what other large companies were doing, Initech developed a number of incentives to entice employees to leave their cars at home. One incentive offers employees who maintain a 75% rate of participation in ride-share/trip reduction programs for a period of six months one full work-day off with pay. The start date for this incentive is December 1. Other incentives include preferential parking near building entrances. These special parking spaces are for car pools only, and a parking pass is required. Another incentive involves bus passes. Employees who use public transportation will receive a subsidy of $25 per month. Employees will also get a free round-trip transit pass for the first month. This pass applies only to workplace commuting, of course.
Employees receiving this message might want more information about the program. They may also want to sign up for the incentives mentioned here. If so, they should contact Chris P. Bacon (c.bacon@initech.com, Initech’s AQMD liaison) before November 1. Another incentive is the provision of a subsidy for van pools. Initech will help obtain a van and will provide a $150 per month subsidy to the van pool. What’s even more terrific is that the van-pool driver will have unlimited personal use of the vehicle off company time. A final subsidy involves bicycles. Employees who bicycle to work will receive $25 per month as a subsidy. Initech Enterprises will provide bicycle racks, locks, and chains.
As director of Human Resources at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, you received an unusual request. Several employees asked that their spouses or friends be allowed to participate in Dunder Mifflin intramural sports teams. Although the teams play only once a week during the season, these employees claim that they can’t afford more time away from friends and family. Over 100 employees currently participate in the eight coed volleyball, softball, and tennis teams, which are open to company employees only. The teams were designed to improve employee friendships and to give employees a regular occasion to have fun together.
If nonemployees were to participate, you’re afraid that employee interaction would be limited. And while some team members might have fun if spouses or friends were included, you’re not so sure all employees would enjoy it. You’re not interested in turning intramural sports into “date night.” Furthermore, the company would have to create additional teams if many nonemployees joined, and you don’t want the administrative or equipment costs of more teams. Adding teams also would require changes to team rosters and game schedules. This could create a problem for some employees. You do understand the need for social time with friends and families, but guests are welcome as spectators at all intramural games. Besides, the company already sponsors a family holiday party and an annual company picnic.
You and your friend bought $75 tickets to “Cookie Monster Jam Summertime Slam” concert featuring Bad Mutha Goose and the Jumpin’ Jack Sprats. These two high-energy bands were to perform at Lauderdale Lakes Park. But when you arrived for the concert August 4, neither the Geese nor the Sprats appeared. Instead, three decidedly not-ready-for-prime-time groups filled in. You had been looking forward to this concert for seven weeks. After the concert started, you and your friend stayed through two acts to see whether the talent might improve. It didn’t. You remember seeing newspaper advertisements publicizing the Geese/Sprat performance as recently as the day of the concert. When you left the Lauderdale Lakes Park parking lot after your early exit from the concert, you saw a small poster describing a “change in the talent” for the evening’s concert.
When you called to demand a refund, you were told that a change had been announced prior to the concert. You were fuming! How could a tiny poster be sufficient to announce a major change in talent? You also learned that Lauderdale Lakes could not refund your ticket price because you had stayed for the concert. You felt that they should have paid you to sit through the lame performance!
What a scam! They advertised big-name groups and then filled in with three no-name talentless garage bands. Adding insult to injury, they refused to refund the ticket price!
In the heat of your fury, you write an angry letter to express your frustration and resentment over your treatment. You want your money back.