Acquiring & Assimilating
Employees
The Dilemma of UPS
Analysis of UPS-A
Introduction:
In 1987, UPS was faced with a dilemma. Increasing competition required the company to revamp its computer infrastructure in order to maintain its share of the market. The need for employees with highly specialized skills was obvious; however the company had a long standing policy of internal development. Should the company acquire these new employees quickly from outside the organization, or spend valuable time in training and developing the current employees? How would new employees be assimilated into the unique UPS culture?
Problem Statement:
UPS needed to improve its Data Processing Department, which required people with high tech skills. The current employees at UPS did not have the needed skills. Training and development could help create the needed talent, but that would take time. UPS could acquire the talent from outside the company, going against one of their core policies of internal development of employees. How should the company go about filling the new positions?
Causes:
The Policy Book was created in 1929 to "standardize [UPS] traits and other corporate ideals." Although it was continually revised, it was used "as a template from which all new policy was made." (Sonnenfeld & Lazo p. 3) Some of the cornerstones of the book were employee ownership, communication, internal development of employees, and customer service. The need for the specialized skills related to all of these policies.
Financial success of the company was linked to virtually all employees through various profit-sharing plans. (Sonnenfeld & Lazo p.9) Due to this employee ownership, what was best for the company was also best for the employees.
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