Reference no: EM132603379

BSBMGT520 Plan and manage the flexible workforce - Business College at International House

Task 1

Question 1 Describe the 5 steps involved in workforce planning. (100 words)

Question 2 What is the national standard and the legislation related to flexible workforce arrangements and describe: (180 words)
a) what are 3 eligibility requirements for making a request
b) what are 3 reasonable grounds for refusing a request

Question 3 What are the 2 major challenges in implementing flexible workforce arrangements and describe one strategy to address each challenge. (80 words)

Question 4 Describe 2 ways flexible workforce arrangements can be supported. (80 words)

Question 5 Describe one strategy for resolving the issue of reduced communications with staff who work away from the office. (80 words)

Question 6 Describe 3 ways to engage flexible workers with the rest of the organisation, its culture and goals. (60 words)

Scenario

Bounce Fitness is a chain of fitness centres with centres in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. Starting with only 4 centres in 2012, Bounce Fitness has grown to over 20 centres and is planning to continue growing by 1 - 2 centres per year over the next 5 years.
Each centre is staffed by the following:
• A full time manager
• A part time administrative assistant
• 2 - 3 casual personal trainers
• Casual staff who deliver specific classes such as yoga, pump, cross fit, circuit training and other classes
As well as growth in the number of centres, membership numbers within each centre is also growing. The international market research company IBISWorld predicts that fitness centre revenues will grow at an annualised 1.8% over the half decade through to 2022/23.
In order to better manage the mix of work arrangements, Margaret, the CEO has asked you to put in place the processes to effectively manage flexible workforce arrangementsas part of your role as HR manager.

Part A - Flexible Work Arrangements Business Case

Margaret has asked that you firstly prepare a preliminary report to provide her with an overview of flexible work arrangements in general industry and also, more specifically how it relates to Bounce Fitness. You will then use this business case to inform the organisation's policy and procedures relating to flexible working arrangements.

Your report will include the following headings:
• Executive Summary
• Overview of Flexible Work Arrangements
• Potential Benefits
• Future Workforce Requirements
• Management and Staff Capability Requirements
• Possible Issues

Use the spaces provided below. Prepare a professional report suitable for presenting to the CEO.

1. Executive Summary (100 words)
Write an executive summary which aligns to the content of your report (this is completed after the body of the report is written).

2. Overview of the Flexible Workforce (100 words)

(a) Provide an overview of the flexible workforce and describe each of the following flexible arrangements.
• Part time employees
• Casual staff and contractors
• Offsite employees (telecommuters)
• Volunteers

(b) Also describe the labour market trends in flexible workforces.

3. Potential Benefits (40 words)
Describe at least 3 benefits of flexible workforces and how these benefits relate to Bounce Fitness.

4. Future Workforce Requirements (60 words)
Describe the likely workforce requirements for Bounce Fitness to achieve its goals for memberships and growth.You will also need to consider fitness industry trends. You can refer to Appendix 1 - the Fitness Industry Employment Trends and Appendix 2 - Group Fitness Model and conduct your own research if necessary.

5. Management and Staff Capabilities (60 words)
Describe the skills and knowledge and capabilities managers and staff will require to enable flexible workforce arrangements.

6. Possible Issues (40 words)
Outline at least 3 issues related to flexible workforce arrangements and at least 1 strategy to deal with each issue.

Part B -Flexible Workforce Arrangements and Policy

7. Prepare an individual flexibility agreement for the personal trainers. Fill in the table below and consider the following:
a) Members generally book training sessions between the hours of 9 am and 11 am and 4 pm and 8 pm. Other sessions outside these hours can be booked by agreement with trainers.
b) Group classes run Mondays to Thursdays between 12 pm and 12.45 pm and 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm
c) Personal trainers will be paid for the hours they spend training members or delivering group classes only
d) Personal trainers are not required to be on-site if there are no sessions or classes booked. However, they can use the personal trainer office.
e) Preparations for sessions and group classes are done in the trainers own time and it is the trainer's responsibility to leave the group training room clean and tidy after use
f) Pay rate is $55 per hour
g) Personal trainers have full access to all gym facilities for personal use

8. Prepare a policy describing how centre managers can maintain team communications, cohesion, cooperation and performance. This policy will be circulated to all centre managers to help them manage the flexible working arrangements of their staff and maintain high standards of service and performance. Use the template below and include the following in your policy.
a) Purpose of the policy
b) A description of the flexible working arrangements
c) A communications strategy to help centre managers maintain team communications, cohesion, cooperation and performance. Include examples of how you can do this in a face to face situation and how this can be done using technology. Describe how this will be done and how often.Provide one example of how you would accommodate staff who cannot attend meetings through the use of technology.
d) A description of the enabling technology that centre managers can use to maintain communications with staff and help in managing staff in flexible work arrangements
e) Responsibilities of staff in responding to and initiating communications and general workplace duties
f) A description of how performance management will be undertaken
g) A description of coaching services that will be available for centre managers and for centre staff

Part C - Managing Flexible Workforce Arrangements

9. Jim, the manager at the Melbourne city centre has made a request to HR to reduce work hours to a 0.8 time fraction. Accepting this request would potentially pose problems for the running of the centre.
a) Under what circumstances can an employee make this request?(80 words)

b) Suggest 3 options for dealing with this request, with one option being to refuse the request.(80 words)

c) Select the best approach. Assume you have discussed this with Jim and that he has agreed. Draft a written response to Jim informing him in writing of the agreed work arrangement. (80words)

10. You have recently received a request from a part time admin assistant in the Brisbane centre. The request is as follows:
"My child care arrangements have changed and I now need to work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, instead of Monday, Thursday and Friday".
You are happy to agree to the request. The only issue is that there is a team meeting on Fridays. Provide a written response for the employee approving the request, confirming the revised days and a suggestion for accommodating the team meeting.

11. Jan, the marketing manager in head office has an exceptionally long commute and has requested a telecommuting arrangement for two days a week to save time and reduce the stress of peak time travel. A proposal which includes an analysis of the amount of time spent on face-to-face tasks and individual-based tasks has been undertaken. A convincing argument has been made that a telecommuting arrangement would enable all tasks to be effectively undertaken, while also improving work-life balance and well-being.
Jan's request has been approved. Describe what technology Jan will require to work from home. (60 words)

12. Describe how you will advise centre managers to monitor and review the flexible workforce arrangements.(60words)

13. Describe how you can support staff with flexible work arrangements by answering the following:
a) Describe 3 ways that you can create a culture within Bounce Fitness that supports the flexible workforce.(60words)

b) Describe 3 ways that you can ensure part time and casual staff feel a part of the team they work with and with the overall Bounce Fitness organisation (60words)

c) Describe 3 ways you can prevent discrimination against staff with flexible work arrangements(60words)

14. One of the issues with flexible work arrangements, especially where there is a large number of casual staff such as personal trainers relates to the protection of corporate knowledge and information and intellectual property. Draft a clause that can be included in employment contracts and work plans that address the following:
a) Privacy of members' information(60words)

b) Intellectual Property(60words)

15. List the questions that you would ask in a feedback form that centre managers can use to obtain staff's views on the flexible working arrangements. Your feedback form should include at least 8 questions that address the following:
• Access to required tools
• Communications with manager and team members
• Feeling part of the team and organisation
• Support from the organisation
• Benefits to them and the organisation
• Productivity improvements
• Any issues

Attachment:- Plan and manage the flexible workforce.rar