Human I. Resources Research Project of Forte by Xxxxxxxxxx and Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
The purpose of our project is to analyze the procedures of the human resources department at Forte Power Systems
in the following areas: recruitment, employee benefits, employee relations/discipline, training, health and safety, and
compensation. In addition, we will make recommendations concerning any areas in the human resources
department that should be improved upon.
Forte is a subsidiary of Southwire, one of the worlds largest wire and cable manufacturers and the 88th largest
privately owned company in the United States. Forte is the branch of Southwire responsible for producing medium
and high voltage power transmission cable. Southwire Company employs 4,120 workers; 200 of those workers are
employed at the Forte plant. Southwire operates 21 facilities in the United States and one in Mexico; in addition,
they also sell many products and technologies to companies overseas. One in five buildings in the United States
contains Southwire products.
Our contact at Forte is Kristi Smith. She is the human resources manager at Forte Power Systems. Her office
phone number is [phone]. Fortes address is 6771 Highway 78, Heflin, AL 36264.
We chose to do the project on Forte because Derrek worked there for over a year and a half and has worked for the
parent company, Southwire, for five years. His father has also worked for Southwire for over 30 years, so he is fairly
familiar with its policies and its people.
II. Description of Organization and Its Personnel Function
The function of the human resources department at Forte is primarily to address issues regarding the relationship
between the company and its employees. The human resources department (hereafter referred to as the HR
department) exists to ensure that all company policies are carried out and enforced fairly and equally among all
employees. The HR department also handles issues concerning payroll, job placement, pay raises, promotions,
employee discipline and absenteeism, and any complaints or issues that employees may have. In addition, the HR
department is in charge of allocating sick leave and vacation days to employees.
The HR department at Forte is fairly small; only two employees at Forte work solely in that department. This is
because some of the human resource duties for Forte are performed at the company headquarters in Carrollton,
Georgia. The HR department work is divided between the two employees. Our contact, Kristi Smith, handles the
administrative and policy issues with the employees. The other HR employee handles the payroll and any issues
employees might have with compensation, pay raises, or bonuses.
Kristi stated that the day-to-day duties that she performs as the HR manager at Forte are fairly unpredictable. On
any given day she might address employee complaints, work with consultants, and help develop or implement new
training programs or new HR policies. While most days deal with a variety of issues, there are some duties that she
performs on a daily basis. Attendance tracking is one of her daily duties. This is for spotting employees who have
problems with attendance or frequent tardiness, but it is also used for rewarding employees with perfect attendance.
She also monitors employees who are on FLMA leave to ensure that they get their allotted time off and to ensure that
employees are not abusing the system. Kristi also has to make changes to the company wide human resources
information system (HRIS) whenever changes occur within Fortes personnel. She performs some duties less
frequently but still on a regular basis. One such duty is the Manpower Report. This is the way Southwire monitors
the number of employees it has on the payroll as well as the classifications of those employees.
III. Description of Existing Systems
A. Recruitment/Hiring:
Hiring for Forte is carried out through Southwire Companys headquarters in Carrollton, Georgia. Actual searching
out and recruiting of potential employees is rarely done; instead, most of the employees are walk-ins that are hired
initially for low-level jobs. In the cases where Southwire does advertise job openings, it is usually done online
through sites like www.careerbuilder.com or www.monster.com. Southwire also works with local colleges to provide
intern positions to students. Some positions that Southwire doesnt want to fill with full time employees are
outsourced to temporary employment agencies. Applicants for full time employment at Southwire must initially fill out
an application on a computer. The application screens out applicants who are ineligible for jobs at Southwire due to
criminal history or certain disabilities that would prevent them from performing essential job duties. After completing
the application, the potential employees must take an assessment test. This test further screens the applicants by
testing their abilities to follow complex directions, determining what skills they might possess which would benefit the
company, and asking them a battery of questions designed to help determine whether or not they would make good
employees. Southwire always attempts to hire employees who are the best fit for the company, not only from the
standpoint of having the proper skills and abilities, but also based on their morals and work ethic.
After this screening process, the HR manager for all new Southwire personnel, Robert Clark, interviews the potential
applicants who remain. If the job the applicants are applying for is at Forte, the HR manager at Forte is sent a list of
applicants and becomes involved in the selection process. After Mr. Clark and Mrs. Smith have narrowed the
applicant pool to only a few persons, these last applicants are taken to a mock factory where they are asked to
perform the job duties of the position they are applying for. Their performance level is monitored and compared to
benchmarks that have been established for a particular job. After this, an applicant is selected to fill the position.
They are then given a physical and a drug screen before they are officially hired.
After their initial hiring, all new employees at Forte and Southwire are considered to be on probation for six months.
If the managers at Forte decide that the employee is not a good fit for the job or has potential disciplinary problems,
the new employee can be fired without being subject to the disciplinary standards in place for a worker not on
probation.
B. Benefits:
Forte offers its employees a wide range of benefits. All employees, from the date of their hire, are covered with
comprehensive Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance. The insurance package selected by Forte covers visits to
traditional doctors and hospitals but also focuses on preventative and alternative medicine, such as chiropractic care
and acupuncture. Employees are able to choose from a wide range of healthcare providers throughout the country,
so even if they are traveling, they will have access to doctors and hospitals that are covered by their insurance. For
employees within driving distance of company headquarters, Southwire maintains a private doctors office and
pharmacy. These facilities are open only to employees of Southwire, Southwire retirees, and the immediate family of
employees. Visits to the Southwire doctor are provided at extremely low cost, requiring only a $10 co-pay from the
patient. The Southwire medical system not only treats the sick, it serves to educate employees about health risks
such as obesity and diabetes and attempts to prevent employees becoming afflicted with these problems. The
facility also provides physical exams and preventative treatments for patients. The pharmacy works with the medical
center to provide low-cost medications for employees. They stock only generic medications that are available for a
$10 co-pay.
In addition to the insurance and medical center, employees at Forte have access to the Wellness Center, a full
workout facility that is located onsite at Forte. This facility provides employees with free weights, cardiovascular
equipment, a basketball court, a softball field, and a track for running. In addition, several fitness and exercise
classes, such as yoga, are offered to employees free of charge. Membership at this facility is available only to
employees, not family members.
Employees of Forte and Southwire also have access to the Employee Learning Center. The company intends for the
learning center to be used by employees to keep up with new technological developments. Personal growth and
development courses, such as foreign language courses, are also offered. The learning center includes classrooms
with instructors, computer based classes with self-directed programs, and a variety of books and videos for personal
development. In addition to the learning center, employees at Forte have the benefit of educational assistance from
the company. Full time employees with at least one year of continuous service for the company are eligible to
receive full tuition reimbursement for college or any diploma or degree programs at vocational or technical
institutions. They may also be reimbursed for any career related training programs or seminars they wish to attend,
as long as it is approved by the HR manager.
Employees at Forte may also opt to participate in the Southwire Company Profit Sharing and Retirement Plan and
Trust, which is the 401K plan for Southwire. Hourly employees are also eligible for Southwires pension plan.
Employees are vested with this benefit after five years of employment. This ensures that after retirement, Fortes
employees will have additional income to supplement the Social Security checks they will receive from the
government.
All employees at Forte are eligible for vacation. The amount of vacation an employee receives is directly related to
the number of years he has worked there. As page 26 in the employee handbook shows, employees with one year
of service get two weeks of vacation, employees with ten years get three weeks, and employees with twenty or more
years get four weeks of vacation. Employees with less than one year of service on January 1 will receive a pro-rated
amount of vacation days. All employees will additionally receive three floating holidays to be used at their discretion.
C. Employee Relations/Discipline:
Forte follows a progressive discipline system. The exact specifications of this system are outlined on page 39 of the
employee handbook. Forte divides infractions of work rules into four different categories: verbal warnings, minor
violations, major violations, and intolerable violations. Coinciding with these infractions, there are four available
disciplinary actions: verbal warning, first written warning, second warning, written and discharge. A verbal warning is
usually the first step in any disciplinary action, provided that the employees infraction wasnt a serious violation and
that it is not a recurring problem. A minor violation of work rules is usually the second step in the discipline sequence,
frequently resulting in a written warning. If a prior violation is already on the employees record, then more serious
discipline may result. Major rule violations are serious and usually involve the suspension of an employee,
especially if there has already been a written warning. Intolerable violations are major violations of company policy
and usually result in the firing of the employee.
Deciding which disciplinary actions are appropriate is usually left somewhat to the discretion of individual managers
and supervisors, particularly for less serious violations. Major and intolerable infractions are usually reported to
higher levels of management and where decisions concerning the appropriate course of action are made. Repeated
violations of the same work rule, even for minor infractions, can lead to the same corrective actions taken for major or
intolerable infractions. Infractions remain on the employees record for one year; after one year, they are dropped off
and are no longer taken into consideration when an employee applies for a different position or when they violate
additional company rules.
In most cases where disciplinary actions affect an employees pay, such as suspensions or firings, employees who
have worked at Forte longer than six months have the right to appeal said disciplinary actions. If an employee
wishes to appeal a disciplinary action, both the employees supervisor and the human resources manager must be
notified. A board composed of the employees peers is then assembled and given the facts of the case. The board
has the authority to overturn, change, or uphold the disciplinary action that was taken. If the decision is overturned,
the employee is given back pay for any time missed from work and their job is reinstated in the case of termination.
Some cases are not eligible for the peer review process. These include sexual harassment, failed drug tests, being
convicted of a felony, fighting, or repeated violations of the attendance policy. In addition to the employment
protection offered by the peer review system, employees with ten or more years of service at Forte cannot be fired
without the approval of the CEO.
Here are some examples of infractions comprising minor, major, and intolerable rules. Minor: Leaving regularly
assigned work area without permission; Dozing unintentionally. Major: Sleeping, intentionally hiding or making a
bed; Refusal to follow instruction or perform assignment. Intolerable: Actions endangering life; major theft; willful
damage to company property.
D. Training:
Employees at Forte must be well trained and well educated concerning their job; therefore, training at Forte begins
during the hiring process. As mentioned previously, one of the final stages for potential employees before they are
hired is performing job tasks in a mock factory. This is when potential employees are shown the basic skills they will
need to perform jobs at Forte and Southwire. If they are hired, new employees are put on a training schedule for the
first four weeks of employment. At Forte, that means that they will work five days a week for nine hours a day on day
shift. They work directly under an employee who has worked in that position for over a year. For the first week, the
new employee is not allowed to actually operate any equipment; they are only allowed to observe and assist the
experienced operator. After the initial week is over, the new employee begins to operate the equipment under the
supervision of an experienced employee. At the end of the four-week training period, the employee is given a
performance review by a supervisor. This includes informing the employee which areas he is doing well in and which
areas he should try to improve upon. After this, the employee is moved to his regular shift and begins working on his
own.
Employees who have been with Forte for at least six months are encouraged to become cross-trained on additional
jobs. This includes both formal and informal training. Informally, employees who are not busy due to machine
maintenance or down time are encouraged to observe and assist other employees and learn how to operate their
machinery. Once they have at least twelve hours of documented experience on a particular machine, that employee
is eligible to fill in for operators of that machine who are on sick leave or take vacation. This is beneficial to
employees because if they are performing a job which pays more than theirs does, they will receive the higher pay
while they are performing that job. Additionally, this is a good way for employees who want to work more overtime
hours. Informal training on equipment is also sometimes taken into account when bidding for promotions.
Forte also offers formal training to employees who wish to obtain certain jobs. For example, electrical and
mechanical millwrights must undergo formal training from Forte, and they must also pass a certification test.
Employees may also volunteer to receive medical training and pass a certification test to become first responders or
EMTs. First responders receive a minimum of sixty hours of training, while EMTs require at least 200. Employees
who opt to take part in this training receive a stipend in their paycheck.
Forte also encourages its employees to pursue higher education and training seminars. It offers tuition and textbook
reimbursement for employees who maintain a 2.5 grade point average. Employees are also encouraged to take
foreign language and other enrichment classes from the Employee Learning Center.
E. Health and Safety:
Employee safety is one of the most important focuses at Forte. In fact, Fortes first listed core principle is, Safety:
Avoiding injuries will always come above everything else. Management takes the safety of employees very
seriously. In fact, many of the rule violations that are classified as intolerable are violations concerning safety rules.
The first step Forte takes towards protecting the safety of its employees is enforcing mandatory drug and alcohol
screenings. In addition to a drug screen during the initial hiring process, all Forte employees are subject to random
drug and alcohol tests. Much of the equipment at Forte has the potential to be deadly, so any violation of the drug
and alcohol policy results in termination.
Horseplay and unsafe behavior are taken very seriously at Forte. Any employee seen violating safety rules or
engaging in an activity that is unsafe will receive, at minimum, a written warning. Employees who do something that
puts their or someone elses life in danger risk being suspended or possibly being terminated depending on the
infraction.
Employees at Forte are required to wear safety equipment designed to keep them safe from common hazards in an
industrial plant. All employees are required to wear safety glasses which are provided free of charge to employees.
If an employee requires prescription glasses, these are also supplied through an optometrists office. Forte pays for
the glasses themselves, while the employee must pay for the office visit to the optometrist. Any safety glasses
damaged or broken through normal wear are replaced for free by Forte; although, if they are broken through
carelessness or are lost, employees are required to pay for them. Prescription safety glasses may be replaced for
free every two years if they are broken on the job or if the employee needs a new prescription.
Employees are also required to wear steel-toed shoes at all times while in the plant. This is to protect the employees
from having their feet or toes crushed by any falling heavy objects and from reels rolling across the warehouse floor.
The reels can be heavy enough to sever toes or crush the bones in a foot, so it is imperative that safety shoes be
worn at all times. Hearing protection in the form of earplugs is also mandatory in many sections of the plant where it
is common for ambient noise levels to be above 80 decibels for extended periods. These are also supplied by Forte
free of charge for employees. Yearly hearing exams are mandatory for employees and the results are tracked to
detect any progressive hearing loss.
Many other safeguards to prevent employee injury are in place. These include automatic cut offs for equipment,
safety guards, railing near dangerous moving machinery, and seat belts on forklifts. Safety is the responsibility of
employees as well as the company, so it is important for employees to make use of the safety equipment that has
been provided. Employees are also expected to wear their clothing in an appropriate manner in order to lessens the
risk of being injured by equipment. These precautions include tucking in shirts, pulling back long hair, and avoiding
wearing clothing and jewelry that could be easily caught in moving machinery. Gloves, hard hats, face shields,
respirators, aprons, and other safety equipment are also made available to employees at no cost.
Many studies have been done on the equipment at Forte and Southwire to minimize the risk of injury to employees.
Through special design characteristics every effort has been made to limit the possibility that employees could be
caught in or hurt by equipment. Many of the machines have sensors to detect whether or not the operator is in the
proper position for operating the machinery. If these sensors are tripped, the machine shuts down automatically.
Additionally, Forte has implemented what is called a lock out, tag out policy. Any equipment that is being worked on
by maintenance personnel must be locked out, and tagged out. This means that the machinery is disabled in its
main control panel, which is then locked shut with two different keys. One of the keys is in the possession of
whoever is working on the machine. This ensures that the machinery cannot be restarted while someone is inside
the machinery. A tag must also be placed on the control panel indicating that maintenance personnel is servicing the
machine.
Forte is interested in the general health of its employees as well as their safety while they are at work. That is why a
full service gym is provided for employees. Employees are encouraged to exercise regularly and to take part in one
of the company sports teams. Forte sponsors softball and basketball teams to help keep employees fit. Employees
also have access to a 24-hour nurse line to answer any medical and health questions they might have without having
to go to the doctors office or emergency room.F. Compensation: