Manage Employee Relations Assignment -
Portfolio Builder SECTION 1 -
An organisation needs to be able to manage its employee relations. An effective organisation develops and implements employee and industrial relations policies and plans.
Throughout their operations, organisations will encounter situations in which they have to manage employee and industrial conflicts and grievances. The manner in which they manage these situations will greatly influence their success.
Please complete all the tasks, activities, research assignments and major projects in this portfolio for successful completion.
There are three assessment tasks, each made up of a series of activities; three research assignments and a major project.
A. ASSESSMENT TASKS
1. Develop employee and industrial relations
2. Implement employee relations policies and plans
3. Manage negotiations to resolve conflict
B. RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS
1. Enterprise and workplace bargaining process
2. Australian Industrial Relations System
3. Source of expert advice
C. MAJOR PROJECT
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
Consider an instance where you were working in either a casual, part-time or full-time position.
During that time, was there ever an instance during which you were unhappy with the way you were treated or spoken to or with the duties you were asked to perform? Was there ever a time when you were unhappy or concerned with your working environment?
Did the organisation for which you were working for have documentation you could review in this particular unhappy or concerned situation? (Example: was there a bullying or WH&S policy and procedure that you could read?)
What action, if any, did you take in the situation? (Example: did you have a discussion with your colleague or supervisor about the way she or he was interacting with you?)
What was the outcome of the situation? (Example: did the person responsible apologise, or was other action taken?)
1. Develop employee and industrial relations
Today is Monday, 25 October. You have just attended a HR meeting that was run by Harmony Hire. Harmony was letting the department know that the finances of WAMco continue to improve and grow with the lower Australian dollar and more U.S. export contracts being signed. Harmony took the time to emphasize that this success is contingent on managing employee and industrial relations within WAMco. A happy workforce provides security for WAMco employees and the company itself.
While this information still swirls around in your head, you are sitting at your desk, taking some time to kick back and relax. It is amazing to get a couple of minutes of relaxation at WAMco. A message pops up on your screen; it is an email from Harmony. You knew the relaxation time would not last for long.
1.1. Analyse strategic and operational plans
Analyse both the strategic and operational plans to determine what long term employee relations issues WAMco's senior management have included in the plans. In the space below, document the five employee relation issues that you have determined from your analysis of both plans.
1.2. Analyse employee relations against workforce objectives
Analyse the existing employee relations performance in relation to the WAMco workforce objectives. Provide an analysis of whether the workforce objectives listed below, are being met and what your recommendation is for steps that could be taken to address each issue.
1.3. Evaluate options using cost-benefit analysis
Using a cost-benefit analysis, evaluate the two options: employees working from home, and job sharing. In the table below, list the benefits and costs associated with each option. Once you have listed the benefits and costs, evaluate whether the option should proceed. To evaluate each option, examine its costs and benefits and make an evaluation regarding whether it is better for WAMco to proceed with the option, or go no further with the option.
1.4 Evaluate options using risk analysis
Now, the third option, the delivery of workshops on self-managed superannuation funds (SMSF), needs to be evaluated by conducting a risk analysis. The question to be answered by the analysis is, can the workshop be delivered by a manager or does it need to be delivered by an external industry expert?
1.5 Evaluate options in terms of current legislative requirements
For each of the three options, evaluate at least one current legislative requirement that should be considered, for instance, anti-discrimination or privacy acts. Provide an evaluation of why that legislative requirement is applicable or important to the option. Refer to the Support Document and conduct your own individual research to help you complete this activity.
1.6. Work with management to develop policies and plans
With the management team altogether, you set about developing industrial relations policies and plans. Harmony wants to know why it is important to work with WAMco's management team to develop these policies and plans, when this could be undertaken alone by the Human Resources department.
In the space below, document why it is important to work with the senior management team when developing policies and procedures.
1.7. Identify skills and knowledge needed by management
In this activity, you will identify the skills and knowledge needed by management and the workforce to effectively manage with each of the employee and industrial relations situations described in the attachment that Tom Cranky has sent you.
Complete the following for each of the situations described in the table below.
- Identify the skills and/or knowledge required to implement strategies or policies to successfully manage the situation
- Identify the policy that is most relevant to the situation (all policies can be found in the WAMco Support Document)
An example of a situation might be a line manager who only appears to promote Australian-born workers on his team. The skills and knowledge that he requires are an understanding that team members should be promoted according to merit, and the manager needs to be able to determine the skill levels of his team members. The relevant strategy for this situation would be to, "Continue to treat all staff members equally, respect their workplace rights, provide a healthy work culture and adhere to the WAMco code of conduct". The relevant policy would be Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination policies.
Portfolio Builder SECTION 2 -
2. Implement employee relations policies and plans
"Employee relations are like completing a jigsaw, one piece at a time. I've identified the skills and knowledge required by management, and now, it is time to develop an implementation and contingency plan for employee relations policies and strategies," you say, happily talking to yourself.
Your Star Trek theme song is playing from your mobile phone. You pick it up to see an SMS from Harmony.
2.1. Develop an implementation plan for the employee relations
In this activity, you will develop an implementation plan based on the strategy that Harmony outlined in her SMS. For further information on implementation plans, refer to the WAMco Support Document.
Complete each of the missing components of the plan shown attached.
2.2. Develop a contingency plan for the employee relations
WAMco understands that not everything goes according to plan all of the time, and with that in mind, the company would like you to produce a contingency plan for the rostering requirements. For further information on contingency plans, refer to the WAMco Support Document.
To produce the Contingency Plan, answer the questions.
An example has been completed to help you complete this task.
2.3. Undertake activities to reach an agreement on changes
While the committee is working on the third stage of the implementation plan, changing to the new rostering system, they should undertake other activities, such as involving the union when discussing the changes that will occur to their employees when the plan is implemented.
Answer the following questions as they relate to the implementation plan. For further information on the role of unions at WAMco, refer to the WAMco Support Document.
Why is it important that WAMco's Human Resources Department involve the union when making changes to the employee's rostering system?
What associated employee relation activities will you do to implement the changes to the rostering system? Examples of employee relation activities include email, consultation meetings, and group discussions
2.4. Make arrangements for training and development
In the tables attached, make the arrangements for addressing the performance gaps. For further information on different types of training that can be undertaken to address performance gaps, refer to the WAMco Support Document.
As Harmony has asked YOU for YOUR arrangements, the decisions are completely up to you. Just remember that your decisions must be achievable and realistic to what Harmony is asking for.
2.5. Check that the procedures are properly documented
It is important that all WAMco procedures are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are up to date and contain everything that they need to include. In this activity, you will review the WAMco Grievance and Conflict Procedures.
To conduct the review, you will complete the checklist below. The checklist includes every component that must be included in the procedure. For each component answer Yes if it is included in the Grievance and Conflict Procedures, or answer No if the component is not included in the WAMco Grievance and Conflict Procedures.
2.6. Fill up the gaps to ensure proper documentation
By answering No to a number of the components in the checklist of the previous activity, you have identified gaps in the procedure. In this activity, you will insert the missing components (those components that you answered No to in the previous activity) into the appropriate sections of the procedure below.
2.7. Communicate key issues to stakeholders role- play
In this activity, you will communicate WAMco's Grievance and Conflict Procedure to the stakeholders of WAMco.
There are a number of steps to complete this activity.
1. Ask for help from a workmate, friend or family member to help you with a roleplay. Ask the person (or people if you are able to find a group prepared to help you) to play the part of a stakeholder of WAMco.
2. Use a webcam, mobile device or camera, and video yourself as though you are explaining the WAMco Grievance and Conflict Procedure to the stakeholder (the person helping you).
3. Get the person helping you to respond realistically and ask any questions that they may have. You need to respond to at least two questions
If you prefer, you can use an audio recording instead of video.
2.8. Review employee relations policies and plans
In this activity, you will use the HR statistics and the employee feedback to review the WAMco Grievance and Conflict procedure to determine whether it meets its intended outcomes.
The quantitative outcome was to reduce union negotiations by 40%, and the qualitative outcome was to have a procedure that was clear to all employees and provided all of the necessary steps for an employee to resolve a grievance or conflict situation.
Using the HR statistics and the employee feedback, answer the questions below to review the procedure.
Does the first statistic (50% decline in the need for negotiation with unions...) establish the procedure as a success?
Does the second statistic ( 60% decline in staff grievances and conflicts being reported) establish the procedure as a success, or could there be alternative explanations for this statistic?
Does the employee feedback imply that the procedure is meeting its intended outcomes? Justify your answer.
What areas, if any, need to be addressed in the procedure?
3. Manage negotiations to resolve conflict
Last week, it was brought to your attention that a manager raised his voice to a WAMco employee in the Finance Department, and it quickly escalated into a conflict situation. Thankfully, there was a manager close by who had been trained in conflict management techniques and procedures.
Conflict is, to some degree, inevitable in a company, and it has occurred before at WAMco.
You decide to send an SMS to Harmony since she is at a Human Resources Conference for the day. In the SMS you ask Harmony for her opinion on your plans to create a number of conflict scenarios and use them as a way to train managers.
3.1. Train individuals in conflict management
For each situation, describe what YOU think the employee's reaction to the situation would be, identify a conflict management technique that would be appropriate to use in the situation and finally, describe the most appropriate conflict management procedure that would be used to handle the situation.
Refer to the Support Document for information on Conflict management techniques and procedures and do your own research to help you complete this activity.
3.2. Identify and alleviate sources of conflict and grievance
In this activity, you will use the survey results to review and identify the main sources of conflict and grievances at WAMco.
There are a number of steps to complete this activity.
1. Use the survey results to identify the main sources of conflict and grievances at WAMco.
2. Identify at least one option to alleviate or eliminate the source, keeping in mind relevant legal requirements that WAMco must follow.
An example has been completed to help you complete this task.
3.3. Check documentation to clarify issues in dispute
The following issues have arisen at WAMco, and the employment agreement needs to be checked to determine the next step to be taken by management. For each of the following issues, indicate what the employment agreement states and identify the next step that should be undertaken by management to successfully handle the issue.
3.4. Obtain expert or specialist advice
WAMco needs specialist advice from a workplace relations expert to work through the current conflict with employees complaining about their current travel situation to the new manufacturing plant.
In the space below, identify at least 5 areas of expertise that would be needed to help manage the current conflict with employees (two have been done for you as examples).
Refer to the WAMco Support Document for further information on workplace relations experts.
3.5. Determine negotiation outcome, strategy, and timeline
To move the negotiation forward, the following three points must be determined.
- Negotiation outcome
- Negotiation strategy
- Negotiation timeline
Use the WAMco Support Document and your own thoughts (and research) on how to best move the negotiation forward to determine the three points.
3.6. Advocate the organisation's position to obtain agreement
In this activity, you will advocate WAMco's position and how they will address the employee's concerns so that an agreement can be obtained. To do this, review the negotiation points and produce an outcome to advocate on behalf of WAMco. Your proposed outcome should lead to an agreement between the employees and WAMco.
Your outcome should answer the following questions.
- What must WAMco achieve from the negotiation?
- What negotiation points need to be immediately addressed, but will not stall the negotiation?
- What is YOUR proposal to successfully end the negotiation?
3.7. Document the agreed outcomes
Produce a document that outlines the specifics of the agreement that you advocated for in the previous activity. The document should summarise the agreement (the one that you advocated for in a previous activity) by outlining the terms of the agreement.
3.8. Implement an agreement
The agreement must be implemented. In the space below, document what you think is the best way to implement the plan that you advocated for and was agreed to in the previous activities (in particular activity 3.6)
3.9. Take remedial action
Answer the following questions to determine what remedial actions WAMco can take to deal with the situation that has just arisen.
What remedial action can be taken by WAMco as a consequence of some employees failing to abide by the agreement?
What options can WAMco present to the employees who have decided not to work at the new plant?
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS -
1. Enterprise and workplace bargaining process
Conduct online research and refer to the WAMco Support Document and provide a brief summary of what is involved in enterprise and workplace bargaining processes. Provide all the links and references.
2. Australian Industrial Relations System
Conduct online research and summarise the roles and responsibilities of the three key entities in the current Australian industrial relations system mentioned below. Provide all the links and references.
3. Source of expert advice
Conduct online research and identify at least four sources of expert advice in employee and industrial relations. For each source that you identify, provide a brief description of what the source is. Provide all the links and references.
MAJOR PROJECT -
Tom and Jane Tomkins started a family owned, fast food restaurant named TJ's in Liverpool, NSW in 2011. TJ's, since opening, has been very loyal to WAMco, by exclusively only stocking WAMco soft drink, despite better offers from the larger companies in the soft drink marketplace.
TJ's prides themselves on outstanding sandwiches, pies, and quiches, with a unique selling point of being set up like a New York deli, setting it apart from any other fast food restaurant in the area.
Often the staff they employ are young adults that have limited or no experience in the food industry. Regularly, staff will join the team after working at McDonalds for a period of time.
To take advantage of the growth they have been experiencing, Tom and Jane have decided to extend their menu to include a range of American style chowders and gourmet hot dogs. To attract even more customers, they have decided to extend their operating hours from 8.30am to 6.30pm; an increase of three hours in the afternoon.
The increased customer base, due to the additional menu items and hours of operation, has resulted in an incredibly busy restaurant for the existing staff. TJ's currently has two full-time staff with four to five casuals assisting during the lunch time rush.
Tom and Jane both feel that business was booming and everything was progressing very well for them and the restaurant.
Both Tom and Jane have previously worked in vastly different roles to what they find themselves currently working in now. It was a holiday to New York that initiated the change and the start of TJ's. As a consequence, Tom and Jane were unprepared and unaware of employee and industrial relations, but that has recently started to change.
Tom started to notice a number of issues after the additions to the menu and the extended hours, including staff absenteeism, higher than expected levels of sick leave being taken and a high rate of staff turnover, all of which were having an effect on the service and product being offered to customers. For the first time since opening, business growth has flattened and online reviews are beginning to show an expanding number of customer complaints.
Tom has developed an excellent relationship with the WAMco sales representative. This representative has promised to put Tom in touch with WAMco's HR Department to assist with the situation he and Jane find themselves in.
Harmony Hire from WAMco HR, has suggested that Tom and Jane both complete the following activities.
You are required to compile all of the following activities and prepare a report. This report should include the following three sections
Section 1: Develop employee and industrial relations policies and plans.
- The strategic and operational plans for the TJ's and the effect that these plans will have on employee relations.
- Current staff performance in relation to the objectives of the business.
- The risk and cost to TJ's, if this performance is maintained.
- An industrial relations policy and procedure for TJ's.
Section 2: Implement employee relations policies and procedures
- An implementation and contingency plan for TJ's employee relations policies and strategies.
- The type of training that Tom and Jane both need to effectively manage their staff.
- Reasons for the change in staff behaviour since the changes to the menu and extended hours.
- A grievance and conflict procedure that staff at TJ's can follow.
Section 3: Manage negotiations to resolve conflict
- The type of training that Tom and Jane both need to be able to effectively deal with staff grievances and conflict.
- The steps that can be taken to alleviate the current situation at TJ's.
- The actions that will be taken if the situation with staff arises again.
Attachment:- Assignment Files.rar