Centurion General Insurance Company (Earlier case name :The Past Comes Knocking)

Abstract

The case concerns a situation in a plant where a HR manager finds that a candidate for a job opening is someone with whom she has a troubling history. She approaches the General Manager, Operations and shares the details of her experiences and her concerns about this person’s candidature. She frames it as a matter of threat to the safety of vulnerable women and young girls in the plant community as the position involves close engagement with the residents of the plant township. However, the boss dismisses her concerns, saying she should leave the past behind and move on. In the light of the participative management style of the company, she insists on consulting the rest of the plant management team in the matter. He agrees to do so and sends an email asking for the views of the team. However, he treats her concerns summarily in his email and frames the issue very differently from her. Although the HR manager is worried how the team will respond given the way in which Ramesh has presented the issue.