Case Study A - AXS hotel management

AXS hotel management is a leading hotel management chain based in Australia that has recently adopted a workforce plan that includes a series of initiatives to expand the company. The new initiative provides a clear framework for the future development of the workforce.

The two main objectives of the workforce plan are:

Develop staff capabilities:

- the target includes enabling the workforce to gain skills and knowledge by providing

opportunities to train and develop existing staff to fill identified skill gaps

Recruit qualified staff:

- the target includes gaining qualified staff with the required skills and knowledge and experience to better enable the company to expand into a competitive market.

The management team had chosen the following method to analyse their strategic plan:

Skills gap analysis:

- skills gap analysis helps to assess the skills possessed by the current workforce and the gaps in these skills. This method can also help a company highlight the skills gap to determine future hiring needs.

Case Study B - AXS Workforce dynamics

Before the company act on the information obtained from the skills gap analysis, AXS hotel management had tasked Liam, the HR Manager to analyse the organisational environment and identify any emerging practices and trends that may impact the strategic plan to expand the company. He was asked to share his findings with the management team before moving forward.

His findings on the organisational environment are as follows: Emerging practices:

Changing technology: - Liam is aware that the company needs to ensure that the workforce is trained enough to use current technology

Recruitment sources:

- Liam has arranged a new contract with a professional recruitment agency to source local talent.

Current trends:

Diversity in the workforce:

- Liam found that the current workforce already has many people from different backgrounds and cultures and would like to continue to improve workplace diversity for the company.

Case Study C - Workforce training

Marie is an HR assistant for a large clothing supply chain company based in Perth. She has been asked to research training packages to improve the customer service skills of all the employees after a series of customer complaints.

The key organisational objective is:

- Update workforce skills in customer service.

She will need to establish the preferences of each of the department managers.

The options are:

- 'In-house' training provided by a private training provider for $3.500 for 20 employees. This will include 30 hours of learning to be conducted over two weeks on company premises

- A flexible online training package with a total of 30 hours of learning. Employees can complete this at any time, but it must be completed within three months for $4.000 for 20 employees.

Once the managers' preferences have been established, Marie will need to seek approval from the senior management team before implementing the chosen training package.

Potential risks:

- Employees may leave after receiving training - upgrading employee skills will make them more appealing to competitors

- Employees may not pass the required standard or refuse to take part - this may cause the company to lose some members of the workforce.

Case Study D - Update staff laptops

Sonia runs a successful copywriting services company based in Melbourne, employing 30 employees.

Recently she has become aware of employees complaining that their work laptops are becoming slow and hindering their work productivity.

From this, Sonia has produced a strategic plan that includes:

- The purchase of 30 new laptops

- Two options for laptop selection:

- a basic option for $499 for each laptop, giving a total amount of $14.970 - or a more expensive option with internet security for $600 for each laptop giving a total of $18.000

- A confirmation of stakeholders' preferences and approval on laptop selection

- Ensuring the company laptop policy is clear and accurate for employees

- A suitable way to monitor the strategic plan.

Case Study E - Teacher recruitment

Marcus is a HR assistant for a local secondary school and has been asked to search and employ two new teachers. Due to staff absences, there is priority to give the children consistency and stability.

The management team want the process to be completed by the end of the following month and the budget for the two new recruits has already been confirmed by the school governors.

Marcus will need to communicate the following strategic plan with the relevant school stakeholders to seek approval before commencing the recruitment process.

- The workforce key strategic objective is:

- the priority to employ two new teachers.

This must include:

- Identifying the current trends and emerging practices in teacher recruitment

- Identifying the risks associated with teacher recruitment - Identifying two lawful requirements for teacher recruitment - Identifying suitable sources for staff recruitment.

Activity 1A

To provide you with an opportunity to analyse strategic plans to determine strategic workforce

direction, objectives and targets.

Refer to Case Study A - AXS hotel management 1. Refer to the case study and identify the two objectives in the company's strategic plan.

2. Analyse the strategic plan in the case study and explain how the plan determines the workforce objectives.

Activity 1B

To provide you with an opportunity to analyse organisational environment and identify emerging practices and trends that may impact on human resource management in the organisation.

Refer to Case Study B - Workforce dynamics explain how the emerging practices and current trends will impact the way Liam manages the skills gap in the company.

Activity 1C

To provide you with an opportunity to identify future labour needs, skill requirements and sources of labour supply.

Refer to Case Study B - Workforce dynamics Refer to the Case Study and summarise the following:

- The future labour needs

- skills requirements of the workforce

- The source of labour supply.

Activity 1D

To provide you with an opportunity to identify new technology and its impact on job roles and

job design.

1. Identify one new technology that can impact your job role and job design and briefly explain it.

2. Identify two strategies that could be adopted to ensure the job roles and designs align with the new technologies.

Activity 1E

To provide you with an opportunity to review recent and potential changes to industrial and legal requirements.

You will need access to a computer and the internet to answer this question.

Using research to help you, identify and review two recent changes to industrial and legal requirements.

Summarise your findings.

Activity 2A

To provide you with an opportunity to consult relevant managers about their workforce

preferences.

Refer to Case Study C - Workforce training Discuss in detail the benefits of each of the following training options:

- In-house' training provided by a private training provider. This will include 30 hours of learning to be conducted over two weeks on company premises

- A flexible online training package with a total of 30 hours of learning. Employees can complete this at any time but must be completed within three months.

Activity 2B

To provide you with an opportunity to agree on workforce philosophies, values and policies with relevant managers.

Refer to Case Study C - Workforce training

Discuss in detail how workforce philosophies, values, and policies will support the organisation's training programme.

Activity 2C

To provide you with an opportunity to develop strategic objectives and targets for workforce

services.

Refer to Case Study C - Workforce training

Thinking about the training requirements of the company, explain the strategic objectives and targets you would set for the workforce.

Activity 2D

To provide you with an opportunity to examine options for the provision of workforce services and analyse costs and benefits.

Refer to Case study C - Workforce training

Refer to the case study and examine the options for the provision of workforce services in terms of the training and analyse the costs and benefits.

Activity 2E

To provide you with an opportunity to identify appropriate technology and systems to support agreed workforce programs and practices.

Refer to Case Study C - Workforce training List and explain two technologies and systems that would support the agreed workforce training programme in the case study.

Activity 2F

To provide you with an opportunity to contribute input from consultation into strategic

workforce plan and obtain senior management support for plan.

Refer to Case Study C - Workforce training Assuming you are to lead a meeting with senior management to obtain support for your training plan. Provide in detailed explanation of your preferred training package and why you believe it is the best option

Activity 2G

To provide you with an opportunity to analyse risks associated with strategic workforce plan and develop risk mitigation strategies.

Refer to Case Study C - Workforce training Analyse one risk associated with the strategic workforce training plan and develop a risk mitigation strategy for each.

Activity 3A

To provide you with an opportunity to work with relevant stakeholders and ensure that plan is

implemented according to organisational objectives.

Refer to Case Study C - Workforce training Explain how you will implement the training plan according to organisational objectives.

Activity 3B

To provide you with an opportunity to monitor and review the plan.

Refer to Case Study C - Workforce training Explain how you can monitor and review the training plan.

Activity 3C

To provide you with an opportunity to recommend adaptions to plan to account for changing

circumstances.

Refer to Case Study C - Workforce training

During the training period, it has come to light that 10% of the workforce have missed the training sessions due to staff absence. Briefly explain your recommended adaptions to the training plan to account for the changing circumstances.

Activity 3D

To provide you with an opportunity to evaluate and review performance against plan objectives.

Refer to Case Study C - Workforce training List two methods that can be used to evaluate and review performance against plan objectives of the workforce training.