Case Scenario: Entitlement Mentality “Ruth, the VP of finance, is frustrated. One of her best employees, Bill, is being stubborn on a matter that deeply concerns Ruth. Bill is a 26-year-old newly appointed accounting manager. Bill has an MBA, is a CPA, and just started with the organization 18 months ago as assistant accounting manager. Ruth thinks his appointment to manager about a month ago indicates a rapid rise within the company. Ruth was with the organization for 12 years before she was appointed to her current position, and she put in many weekends and late evenings along the way. Bill met with Ruth yesterday on a topic he has raised three previous times: flexible hours and telecommuting. Although the company hours are 8am – 5pm Monday through Friday, Bill wants to work 10am – 7pm two days a week and work from home three days a week. No other employee in the 200-employee company has ever insisted on a schedule such as this. Bill insists that, if this can’t be worked out, he’ll accept another offer he has received from a competitor company. He has told Ruth he wants an answer today.”

Questions for Discussion Do you believe Bill is being unreasonable in his request? Why or why not?

Do you think some embedded personal/generational beliefs are getting in the way of resolving this problem?

If so, what might they be? How will this decision affect the culture of the organization in both a negative and positive manner?

In your opinion, do flexible hours impact stress levels at work? What options would you suggest to come to a win-win solution? *Gravett, Linda & Throckmorton, Robin, Bridging the Generaton Gap, Page 147-148 (2007).