Case Study: Location, Location, Location D.B. was preparing to schedule Lindsays annual performance review. Lindsay had been working for TaxRight for 5 years as a junior accountant and D.B. had taken over as their supervisor this past year. When reviewing the past years records, D.B. noticed that there had been a decline in Lindsays performance. Customers were complaining as requests were not being responded to in a timely manner, and Lindsays monthly reports contained numerous errors. For the past 10 months, Lindsay had been working from home. TaxRight had decided that employees could perform their work remotely and therefore offered this option to its workforce 12 months ago. Over 80% of staff had opted for this type of working arrangement and, thus far, D.B. had not heard from other supervisors that there were performance concerns about their employees. However, while Lindsay attended all scheduled online meetings, D. B. found it difficult to connect with Lindsay as emails werent promptly returned and phone calls were not answered right away. Calls always went to voicemail. D.B. wondered if Lindsays recent poor performance had something to do with their supervisory style. Or could it be that Lindsay just wasnt suited to working from home? D.B. also wondered if the annual performance review could be conducted online (this is how their biweekly meetings were done), or if Lindsay should be asked to come into the office for this conversation? The performance review was scheduled for next week, so D.B. knew that decisions had to be made quickly. Questions: 1.What could some of the reasons be for Lindsays poor performance over the past 10 months? 2. Should Lindsay be permitted to continue to work from home? Why or why not? 3. If Lindsay is to continue working from home, how should D.B. alter the performance management strategy and plans to ensure better outcomes? 4. Should D.B. ask Lindsay to come into the office for the upcoming performance review? What are key considerations in this decision?.

1. Case Study: Location, Location, Location
D.B. was preparing to schedule Lindsays annual performance review. Lindsay had been working
for TaxRight for 5 years as a junior accountant and D.B. had taken over as their supervisor this
past year. When reviewing the past years records, D.B. noticed that there had been a decline in
Lindsays performance. Customers were complaining as requests were not being responded to in a
timely manner, and Lindsays monthly reports contained numerous errors.
For the past 10 months, Lindsay had been working from home. TaxRight had decided that
employees could perform their work remotely and therefore offered this option to its workforce 12
months ago. Over 80% of staff had opted for this type of working arrangement and, thus far, D.B.
had not heard from other supervisors that there were performance concerns about their
employees. However, while Lindsay attended all scheduled online meetings, D. B. found it difficult
to connect with Lindsay as emails werent promptly returned and phone calls were not answered
right away. Calls always went to voicemail.
D.B. wondered if Lindsays recent poor performance had something to do with their supervisory
style. Or could it be that Lindsay just wasnt suited to working from home? D.B. also wondered if
the annual performance review could be conducted online (this is how their biweekly meetings
were done), or if Lindsay should be asked to come into the office for this conversation?
The performance review was scheduled for next week, so D.B. knew that decisions had to be
made quickly.
Questions:
1.What could some of the reasons be for Lindsays poor performance over the past 10 months?
2. Should Lindsay be permitted to continue to work from home? Why or why not?
3. If Lindsay is to continue working from home, how should D.B. alter the performance
management strategy and plans to ensure better outcomes?
4. Should D.B. ask Lindsay to come into the office for the upcoming performance review? What
are key considerations in this decision?