Scenario:
The operations manager at Overbridge LLC, Stacey Clapper, has asked you to analyze the results of a recently implemented schedule change. Three months ago, your company switched from a typical five-day work week to a four-day work week. The change was made to save money on gas and electric expenses.
Under the new arrangement, employees at Overbridge work 10 hour days, Monday through Thursday. With the current schedule, the plant and surrounding buildings are completely closed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The operations manager wants to know the following:
1) Have utility expenses actually decreased?
2) What do employees think about the schedule change?
You ask the accounting department to send you the gas and electric bills for the previous year. The data they send you is shown below:
Overbridge's Gas and Electric Expenses (2016-2017)
|
Month
|
Total Expense
|
|
August 2016
|
$41,028
|
|
September 2016
|
$47,896
|
|
October 2016
|
$50,723
|
|
November 2016
|
$28,848
|
|
December 2016
|
$25,656
|
|
January 2017
|
$24,121
|
|
February 2017
|
$23,489
|
|
March 2017
|
$29,984
|
|
April 2017
|
$28,483
|
|
May 2017
|
$24,473
|
|
June 2017
|
$27,678
|
|
July 2017
|
$31,637
|
|
August 2017
|
$36,537
|
|
September 2017
|
$42,328
|
|
October 2017
|
$45,468
|
You also start to analyze the data from an employee opinion survey your supervisor recently sent to all 2,000 employees at Overbridge LLC.
A total of 921 employees responded to the survey. Because the survey was a general opinion survey, your first step is to compile the relevant data for your project. The three key questions you analyze are as follows:
1. Do you like the new four-day work week? The breakdown in responses was as follows: 375 "Strongly Agree," 151 "Agree," 157 "Neutral," 138 "Disagree," and 100 "Strongly Disagree."
2. Do you think that the new four-day wek week has made you more productive? The breakdown in responses was as follows: 153 "Strongly Agree," 175 "Agree," 211 "Neutral," 199 "Disagree," and 183 "Strongly Disagree."
3. Do you recommend that Overbridge LLC continue with the four-day work week? The breakdown in responses was as follows: 247 "Strongly Agree," 202 "Agree," 236 "Neutral," 163 "Disagree," and 73 "Strongly Disagree."
The raw data tables from accounting and your compiled survey data are a great start, but you know you will need to present the data in a more visually pleasing format with appropriate headings for the final report.
Your task is to write a succinct (2-3 page) memo report to your supervisor, Stacey Clapper, discussing the impact of the schedule change on overall gas and electric costs, as well as the employees' perception of the schedule.
Hint: Use the survey data to construct at least one original graph (effective visual) in Excel. Then insert the Excel graph(s) into your memo to supplement your text. You should also ensure that the financial table is visually appealing (consider wrapping text around the table in the final report).
Be sure to use appropriate memo headings, include relevant discussion of the graph(s) and tables in the memo, and cite the sources.
Your supervisor will want to know that your data is credible and citing data sources (i.e. other departments) is a key step to establishing your credibility.
Attachment:- How to Write and Format a Memo.rar