Assessment 1 - Develop an employee relations strategy
Performance objective
For this assessment task, you will demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary for developing an employee relations strategy.
Assessment description
For assessment in this unit, you will complete a series of tasks based on the role of Human Resources Manager at Safety Traffic Co.
For this task, you will use the scenario and simulated business information provided to identify long-term employee relations objectives and analyse existing employee relations performance and strategic and operational plans to develop options for an employee relations strategy and policies. You will then evaluate these options in terms of cost-benefit and risk analysis and legislative requirements and prepare a proposal strategy for management to review.
Procedure
1. Review the Safety Traffic Co. simulated business information provided by your assessor.
2. Prepare a draft proposal of an employee relations strategy. For your draft proposal, you need to do the following:
a. Identify and describe three long-term employee relations objectives for Safety Traffic Co.
b. Analyse current employee relations performance.
c. Develop several employee relations strategy or policy options for each of your identified employee relations objectives.
d. Identify relevant Safety Traffic Co. stakeholders for each option and include a description of how they will be consulted.
e. Evaluate each option, including:
i. a cost-benefit analysis and an assessment of risk (include a completed cost-benefit analysis and risk assessment plan template, provided in Appendix 1)
ii. a determination of the likelihood of risk preventing the organisation meeting its objectives and the possible consequences of such an event on organisational performance.
f. Document and summarise the legislative requirements and key entities in the industrial relations system (courts, tribunals, etc.) and considerations for each option.
g. Include discussion of how your identified long-term employee relations objectives meet the needs of the organisation and how they address current employee relations issues.
3. Write a formal email to schedule a meeting for relevant stakeholders with Safety Traffic Co. to discuss your draft proposal.
4. Submit all documentation to your assessor as per the specifications below. Please keep copies for your records.
Note: For Assessment Task 2, you will need to refer to work submitted for this assessment task.
Specifications
You must submit:
• a draft proposal of an employee relations strategy, including a completed cost-benefit analysis and risk assessment plan (Appendix 1)
• a formal email to stakeholders to schedule a meeting to discuss the proposal.
Your assessor will be looking for:
• reading skills to interpret, critically analyse and apply appropriate strategies to construct meaning from organisational documentation
• writing skills to display knowledge of required structure and layout, employing broad vocabulary, grammatical structure and conventions appropriate to purpose and audience
• numeracy skills to extract and evaluate the mathematical information embedded in a range of tasks and texts to conduct risk and cost-benefit analyses
• ability to modify or develop organisational policies to achieve organisational goals and comply with legislative requirements
• ability to collaborate with others to achieve joint outcomes, playing an active role in facilitating effective group interaction, influencing direction and taking a leadership role on occasion
• ability to:
- sequence and schedule complex activities, monitor implementation and manage relevant communication when preparing a draft strategy
- use analytical techniques to identify issues and generate possible solutions, seeking input from others as required before making decisions or implementing solutions to conduct a cost-benefit analysis
- draw on the diverse perspectives of others to gain insights into current practices and opportunities for change in draft proposal.
Assessment 2 - Implement an employee relations strategy
Performance objective
For this assessment task, you will demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to implement employee relations options and identify and arrange for related training needs of personnel.
Assessment description
For assessment in this unit, you will complete a series of tasks based on the role of Human Resources Manager at Safety Traffic Co.
As part of Assessment Task 1, you developed an employee relations strategy proposal for Safety Traffic Co., which was submitted to the management team for review. You have just received an email confirmation that the top three most cost-effective options in your proposal have been approved.
You are now required to develop an implementation plan describing how the employee relations strategy will be actioned into work operations at Safety Traffic Co.
Procedure
1. Review the Safety Traffic Co. case study provided to you by your assessor.
2. Based on the most cost-effective employee relations option you developed (in consultation with your assessor) in the draft employee relations proposal in Assessment Task 1, develop an implementation and contingency plan for the employee relations strategy. See Appendix 1 for the implementation and contingency plan template.
Your plan should include:
a. the employee relations option being implemented
b. activities required for implementation
c. a timeframe
d. resources required
e. costs
f. people responsible for tasks
g. contingency planning.
3. Develop a training implementation plan that outlines training that will be delivered to: support the implementation of employee relations option; and improve site supervisors' skills in conflict management techniques. See Appendix 2 for the training implementation plan template.
Your plan should include:
a. learning objectives
b. required competencies
c. training methods
d. the number of training sessions
e. a proposed timeframe to complete the training.
4. Develop a monitoring and review plan describing how the employee relations strategy will be reviewed over the next 12 months. Identify how you will determine whether long-term employee relations objectives and current organisational needs are being met. See Appendix 3 for the monitoring and review plan template.
5. Submit all documentation to your assessor as per the specifications below. Please keep copies for your records.
Specifications
You must provide:
• an implementation and contingency plan for the employee relations strategy
• a training implementation plan
• a monitoring and review plan for the employee relations strategy and implementation.
Your assessor will be looking for:
• reading skills to interpret, critically analyse and apply appropriate strategies to construct meaning from organisational documents
• writing skills to display knowledge of required structure and layout, employing
broad vocabulary, grammatical structure and conventions appropriate to purpose and audience
• numeracy skills to extract and evaluate the mathematical information embedded in a range of tasks and texts for further analysis of previous cost-benefit analyses
• ability to modify or develop organisational policies to achieve organisational goals and comply with legislative requirements for training implementation
• ability to collaborate with others to achieve joint outcomes, playing an active role in facilitating effective group interaction, influencing direction and taking a leadership role on occasion
• ability to:
- sequence and schedule complex activities, monitor implementation and manage relevant communication
- use analytical techniques to identify issues and generate possible solutions, seeking input from others as required before making decisions or implementing solutions
- draw on the diverse perspectives of others to gain insights into current practices and opportunities for change
• ability to explain relevant industrial relations legislation or regulations
• ability to summarise knowledge of the current Australian industrial relations system and relevant federal, state and territory legislation, such as work health and safety, equal employment opportunity and anti-discrimination law.
Assessment 3 - Manage grievance and conflict situations
Performance objective
For this assessment task, you will demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to develop a grievance policy and procedure and implement strategies to achieve successful outcomes in grievance situations.
Assessment description
For assessment in this unit, you will complete a series of tasks based on the role of Human Resources Manager at Safety Traffic Co.
In Part A of this task, you will use the scenario and simulated business information to develop a grievance policy and procedure and a strategy for reporting and managing conflicts and disputes.
In Part B of this task, you will apply employee relations policies and plans in providing guidance in a report to the Operations Manager on how to resolve a workplace grievance and go about implementing a new collective agreement.
In Part C of this task, you will take the role of the Operations Manager (acting on the advice of the report in Part B) in an advocacy role-play with the HR Manager and the employee.
Procedure
Part A
1. Develop a grievance policy and procedure for Safety Traffic Co. Use the policy and procedure layout provided in Appendix 1 as a guide for the format. The grievance policy and procedure should include the following information:
a. Safety Traffic Co. expectations and standards for grievances and disputes.
b. A formal procedure describing how staff may lodge a grievance and have their matter handled, including internal and external escalation procedures.
c. A formal procedure for the manager, describing:
i. suitable responses to the initial dispute
ii. how to check documentation and other sources to clarify issues
iii. possible assistance and advice from internal and external sources
iv. negotiation strategy options
v. options for representation of the organisation's position
vi. documenting and certifying agreed outcomes
vii. implementation of agreements
viii. monitoring and review of agreed actions
ix. follow-up actions to manage possible breaches.
2. Submit all documentation to your assessor as per the specifications below. Please keep copies for your records.
Part B
1. Review the Safety Traffic Co. scenario describing a grievance situation (Appendix 2).
2. Develop a formal written report to the Operations Manager describing how the grievance must be managed in accordance with the organisation's policy and procedure and how a new collective agreement will be negotiated and implemented.
The report must identify the following information:
a. the source of the dispute
b. relevant legislation and principles that apply to the case
c. key parties involved in the dispute
d. actions required to avoid potential industrial action
e. valid information sources that serve to clarify issues with complainants
f. additional sources of support and advice, including employer associations and the Fair Work Commission.
In addition to the above information, you must describe how you would go about:
a. negotiating new working conditions with key parties to resolve the dispute using a formal collective agreement
b. advocating the organisation's position in negotiations with employees to obtain a new collective agreement that is fair for the employer and employees
c. documenting and certifying agreements with the relevant authority
d. implementing the new collective agreement
e. determining adherence to agreed actions and addressing any non compliance.
2. Submit all documentation to your assessor as per the specifications below. Please keep copies for your records.
Part C
1. Read the role-play scenario information in Appendix 3.
2. Plan to lead a role-played advocacy session as the Operations Manager with the HR Manager and Employee in response to the scenario. Your assessor may act alternately as HR Manager or Employee, or assign others to play the roles.
3. Arrange time and place with your assessor to perform your role-play.
4. Perform your role-play in accordance with the specifications set out below, ensuring you demonstrate advocacy, raise questions, use active listening techniques in oral communication, and collaborate with others.
Specifications
You must:
• submit a grievance policy and procedure
• submit a formal written report addressed to the Operations Manager detailing the grievance
• participate in an advocacy session role-play.
Your assessor will be looking for:
• skills to develop and follow a grievance policy and grievance handling procedures
• communication skills to advocate, consult, negotiate and mediate conflict
• demonstration of innovation and problem-solving skills to manage and resolve grievances and disputes
• demonstration of planning and time management skills to meet critical deadlines, sequence tasks, prepare submissions and present cases
• knowledge of enterprise and workplace bargaining processes
• knowledge of key entities in the Australian industrial relations system, including:
- courts and tribunals
- trade unions
- employer bodies
• knowledge of relevant federal, state and territory legislation, such as work health and safety, equal employment opportunity and anti-discrimination law.
Attachment:- Assessments.rar