Questions 181-185 refer to the following
memos. From. The Managing Director
To: All Office Staff Date: 27 April, 2009
Subject: Efficiency of Productivity in the Office
As a result of the productivity survey carried out in the factory, more
rapid and more efficient ways of operating are now being applied. In the theory,
productivity has been increased by over 50 percent. The management intends to
apply these same methods to office staff in order to reduce costs. Our company
must adapt in a competitive world. We aim to find ways of avoiding unnecessary
actions by all staff. We therefore propose to pay a month’s extra pay to any
person who in the management’s opinion has put forward the most practical
suggestion to improve a particular office routine. All suggestions should be
sent to MDS office before the end of month.
Dear Managing
Director, Following your memorandum of 27 April our department
suggested that we should install the automatic coffee machines in the offices of
each division, which we think would greatly help us with our work
efficiency. My personnel officer informally asked a
representative sample of office workers a number of questions. He asked
whether 1. they drank coffee during their break,
2. they made it themselves or brought it with them from home,
3. they would be in favor of a shorter coffee-break, 4.
they would use an automatic coffee-machine if available. We can
summarize the results as follows: 1.65% said they enjoy a good
cup of coffee, 2.0nly 5% brought their own coffee with them
from home, 3.25% would be in favor of a shorter coffee-break
and finishing earlier, 4.15% said they would use the automatic
coffee-machine. But most added: if the coffee was cheap. On 30
April, during a routine meeting with the chief union representative, I mentioned
that in some departments the coffee-break was lasting a lot longer than is
actually allowed. The representative’s answer was not very helpful. They had
some ambiguity about it. She said the union would always insist on the
coffee-break being left as it is. There is a point beyond which no negotiation
would be possible without asking all the union members in the company their
opinion. In conclusion, it seems important to draw the board’s
attention to possible difficulties which the rapid installation of
coffee-machines could bring. We need to discuss the problem a little longer and
with more people before taking any action, it would seem.
Sincerely yours, Personnel Manager What does the union’s representative think of the coffee-breaking
time
A. Her answer was helpful to the suggestion.
B. She accepted the personnel manager’s opinion in the union meeting.
C. She agreed to decrease the coffee-breaking time.
D. She stuck to the present coffee-breaking time.