Assessment 2: Case Studies
Instructions for Students
Students are required to examine five (4) case studies and provide written responses to questions. Students must answer all questions. Most questions require short answers although some questions require a more detailed response. Students may use various sources of information including: text books, learning workbooks, other documents and the internet and they must list their sources.
Case Study/Answer
1 Case Study 1
As you have just won a position as a team leader, one of the areas that is weighing heavily on you is the safety of the staff in your team. You are very concerned about this area of work because in your last organisation many of the staff seemed to be sustaining quite debilitating injuries because the Manager was more focussed on the budget and didn’t seem concerned about the staff and the fact that so many of them were getting injured on the job. You were just really thankful that none of the clients seemed to sustain any major injuries.
In this new role you know that you must keep an eye on the budget so that you are able to provide all of the services your organisation guarantees to offer, however, you also know that, for the safety of the staff and your own peace of mind, you need to ensure that all of the practices are safe for both staff and clients.
a) List down 4 main points you would consider while establishing what the current practices are?
b) How could you identify if the procedures and practices are of a standard that will ensure the staff and clients are safe? (Max. words: 100)
c) List down any five approaches you would use to involve the staff in your team with this investigation?
2 Case Study 2
As part of this new role you are asked by HR (Human Resources) to participate in the strengthening of a new team by participating in the employment of three (3) new staff who have very specific skills in computing and IT to support additional tasks the organisation is about to transfer to this team.
a) List down any 6 steps involved in the process the organisation needs to adhere to prior to the employment of new staff.
b) What do you and the other interview panel members need to take into consideration when interviewing the candidates, and when making your decision about who to appoint? (Max. words: 150)
c) What is the process that needs to happen internally once a successful candidate has been decided on? Who follows up on these processes? (Max. words: 150)
d) Describe briefly the process of induction for new employees and the information, policies and procedures they would need to know. (Max. words: 150).
e) List down any three staff development options available to ensure a staff members’ ongoing professional development?
3 Case Study 3
As part of the ongoing improvement of the organisation there is a review of all Policies and Procedures that happens in a cyclical process. This cycle occurs every 18 months. Each Policy and attached procedure is reviewed for currency, any changes in legislation, best practice and appropriateness for the organisation and the goals of the organisation.
You and your team have been asked to review a number of the Policies all which revolve around the sustainability of the workforce and the environmental impact of the organisation within the community.
a) List down any 4 steps involved in the process you would use to review these policies and procedures. Briefly describe in few line how would you involve your team in the process and decision making?
b) After gathering your evidence, if you believed that some of the practices were not only below the industry standards but could quite possibly cause serious harm to either your staff or their clients, list down any three steps involved in the process you would use to improve them?
c) Who would you enlist the help of to improve these practices and how? List down any four.
d) If you were unable to find anyone internally with the level of knowledge or expertise to initiate, support or establish a new or updated set of policies, procedures or practices, what could you do to resolve this problem? Max. words: 100
e) List down any five communication modes you would use to make sure that the staff, as well as any other members of the organisation, were made aware of what was going on with the changes to practices?
f) How could you manage the staff who just wanted to keep doing what they had always done? Max. words: 100
4 Case study 4
You have been appointed as the new manager at Pharmacy warehouse.
The new sales figures have just come in and they are not good. Feedback suggests that the products are not the cause of the problem, as the 12 national Pharmacy shops have advised that the range of products exceed their expectations in terms of quality and price and customers are happy.
In order to find a solution, you personally visit the warehouse team.
You notice that morale is very low. Several weeks ago, a member of their team was injured when a wall of stock fell on him due to a shelf snapping into pieces.
After WorkSafe Australia investigated it was concluded that the company hired to supply and build the shelving, did not fulfil its duty of care in supplying and installing fit for purpose materials. As a result, both the supplier and Pharmacy were fined. Staff have developed a negative attitude towards the organisation for hiring the company who erected the shelves.
PART A
Your first aim as the new manager is to suggest ways in which to change the negative attitude with a view to ultimately improving the poor sales performance.
a. List down any 4 stakeholders who may be able to assist you in changing the low morale of staff.
b. List down any 4 staff development and training initiatives you could implement, in order to give the team the skills to be more able to address issues?
c. List down any 4 recognition options do you believe that team members should be given to build
confidence and morale?
d. List down any 5 ways which will help you determine whether any of the training, coaching or mentoring that was provided is successful?
e. List down any 4 support services you should ensure the team is provided with?
PART B
After three months, two members of your team are not responding to the changes made internally and have not taken advantage of the opportunities to improve their negative attitude. Their negative attitude is also having an impact on the rest of the team.
a. Describe briefly the steps in the performance counselling process. Max. words: 150
It has been revealed that Pharmacy warehouse does not an adequate policy for the termination of employees.
b. In accordance with legal and organisational requirements, discuss what you will need to do to initiate and terminate a member of your team’s employment. If necessary, set the procedure out in a flow chart. You should refer to Fair Work Australia when providing your response.
URL Address: www.fwa.gov.au .
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