Reference no: EM132358642

Manage Workforce Planning Assignment -

Assessment Task 1: Written Questions

Provide answers to all of the questions below:

1. Explain how the ABS Labour Force Survey can be used by an organisation to assist in workforce planning.

2. Outline the purpose of the Labour Market Information Portal and give two examples of information included in the Portal that can assist with workforce planning.

3. Explain the purpose of the National Skill Needs List and how it can be used for workforce planning.

4. Outline the key provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009.

5. Outline the minimum entitlements of National Employment Standards that have to be provided to all employees.

6. Explain the purpose of enterprise agreements.

7. Explain the use of modern awards in workplaces.

8. Identify at least two examples of modern awards using the Fair Work Ombudsman website. Write down the name of the award and the minimum wages under the award and minimum working hours.

9. Outline the role of trade unions in the Australian work relations system and indicate whether employees are required to join a union.

10. Outline the role of the Fair Work Commission in Australia's national workplace relations system.

11. List two sources of expert advice that could be used when seeking industrial relations advice. Include the name of the organization and the services they provide.

12. Describe the purpose of the labour force participation rate and how it can assist in analysing the labour force.

13. Describe the purpose of the employment to population rate and how it can assist in analysing the labour force.

14. Outline two commonly used forecasting models that can assist with identifying future workforce needs.

Assessment Task 2: Develop a workforce plan project

Task summary  - This assessment task requires you to conduct research and develop a workforce plan for King Edward VII College. You will also be required to communicate the rationale for, as well as objectives of, the plan to the CEO.

This assessment is to be completed in the simulated work environment in the RTO.

Carefully read the following:

King Edward VII College was established in 2010. The College is based in the Melbourne CBD and it offers a range of courses in management, marketing, human resources and international business. It currently has around 500 students enrolled across all of its courses.

The College is very popular due to its competitive pricing structure, innovative teaching methods and state of the art facilities.

Due to its success, the College plans to establish two additional campuses, one in Brisbane and one in Sydney. The Brisbane campus will commence in October 2018 and Sydney in early 2019. Campus locations are already in place, with the process being overseen mainly by the CEO and Finance Manager. No staff have been employed as yet, but it is anticipated that each campus will require a receptionist, a student services officer and 4 trainers.

All other staff functions will be completed by existing staff at the Sydney campus until such time as student numbers increase substantially.

It is anticipated that maximum student numbers at the new campuses will be up to 50 students per campus.

The College currently employs 24 staff members. That includes the CEO, a Marketing Manager and a Marketing Assistant, Human Resources Manager, Finance Manager, Administration Manager, Office Assistant, Receptionist, Academic Manager, Student Services Officer and approximately 14 trainers.

Information about the staff, including employment status, age, gender and cultural background is provided in Workforce Information 2017.

All staff are employed via individual contracts, and there is no enterprise agreement in place.

Complete the following activities:

1. Research workforce requirements

Review the scenario information, as well as the Strategic and Operational Plan and Workforce Information 2017.

Identify sources of information that you can use to research workforce supply in the education sector as in the scenario information and as indicated below.

Make notes in relation to:

• The organisation's requirements for a skilled and diverse workforce as reflected in its strategic objectives.
• Workforce issues as identified in the Strategic Plan and that must be reflected in workforce objectives.
• Workforce objectives that are required to meet the overall strategic objectives.
• Workforce characteristics of King Edward VII College staff, including employment status, age, gender and culture.
• Assessment of staff turnover rate and whether the rate is acceptable or not.
• Factors affecting workforce supply, including economic conditions, industry trends, skills and labour shortages, unemployment rate and competition for workers. Your analysis should be both general, as well as specific to the education sector within which King Edward VII College operates.
• The industrial relations framework that applies to King Edward VII College workforce.

Your notes should be comprehensive, as you will need to use them to complete the workforce plan template that you have been provided with.

2. Develop a workforce action plan

Using your research and the notes that you have made, develop your workforce plan.

The workforce plan that you develop must address:

• Purpose of the workforce plan
• Strategic objectives and key workforce requirements
• External environment analysis to identify external factors that impact on the company and its workforce
• Industrial relations relating to the education and training industry, as well as King Edward VII College
• Analysis of current workforce characteristics and profile using workforce information provided.
• Future workforce needs
• Gap analysis to identify the gaps between future workforce need and existing workers
• Workforce plan objectives, including attracting and retaining skilled staff and workforce diversity and cross-cultural management.
• Key workforce plan issues and actions.
• Communication and consultation strategy to assist with organisational changes.
• Contingency plans so as to ensure that the organization can access skilled labour in the event of unplanned events.

Use the Workforce Action Plan Template to guide your work.

3. Send an email to the CEO (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should introduce and summarise the contents of the attachment, seek their feedback and for the place, date and time of a meeting to discuss it.

Attach your workforce action plan to the email.

4. Meet with the CEO to establish agreement on workforce action plan.

This part of the assessment requires you to meet with the CEO (roleplayed by your assessor) to discuss the workforce plan you have developed and seek their input.

Print off a copy of your workforce action plan to take with you to the meeting.

Take notes on the CEO's feedback, as you will be expected to update your action plan with this in the next activity.

Before concluding the meeting, ensure that you have the CEO's approval and endorsement of your plan.

You should gain their agreement and support for the plan's objectives and proposed performance indicators.

During the meeting, demonstrate effective communication skills including:

• Speaking clearly and concisely
• Using non-verbal communication to assist with understanding
• Asking questions to identify required information
• Responding to questions as required
• Using active listening techniques to confirm understanding

5. Revise the Workforce Action Plan

Update your Workforce Action Plan, incorporating the CEO's feedback from the meeting. Name this document Revised Workforce Action Plan.

6. Send an email to the CEO (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should introduce and summarise the meeting and the contents of the attachment, and seek their approval.

Attach your revised workforce action plan to the email.

Assessment Task 3: Diversity objectives implementation project

Task summary - In this assessment task, you are required to review initiatives in the Workforce Plan for King Edward VII College relating to recruitment and diversity. You will also assist the College in being recognized as an employer of choice, and implement the required actions.

This assessment is to be completed in the simulated work environment in the RTO.

Review the following information from the King Edward VII College Workforce Plan:

Issue/need	Action	Outcomes	Resources	Timelines
Attract and retain a diverse workforce/be known as an employer of choice regarding diversity	Update recruitment, selection and induction procedures to increase diversity of employees	Organisational capacity to fill vacancies	Human resources	End 2018
Acknowledging and celebrating calendar days that relate to workplace diversity	Develop a calendar of events	Various important dates and cultural events are advertised and celebrated	Human resources	End 2018

Complete the following activities:

1. Update Recruitment, Selection and Induction Policy and Procedures to increase diversity Review the scenario information above, as well as the Recruitment, Selection and Induction Policy and Procedures for King Edward VII College.

Use the internet to research best practice for increasing diversity through improved recruitment and selection practices.

Update the recruitment, selection and induction policy and procedure to reflect best practice procedures for increasing diversity in recruitment and selection.

7. Send an email to the CEO (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should introduce and summarise the contents of the attachment. The email text should outline the importance of diversity in recruitment and selection as well as key changes that you have made to the Policy and Procedures.

Attach your Updated Recruitment, Selection and Induction Policy and Procedures to the email.

2. Develop a diversity calendar for 2019

Review the scenario information above.

Research important dates for diversity and cultural events occurring in 2019 in Sydney. Identify at least 6 important dates and develop a calendar of events. For each event, identify how the College will celebrate that day or event.

Your calendar may be developed in any format, as long as it addresses the above content requirements.

3. Send an email to King Edward VII College staff (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style. It should introduce and summarise the contents of the attachment.

The email text should explain the purpose of the calendar and advising staff to note the dates in their calendar.

Attach your diversity calendar to the email.

Assessment Task 4: Workforce planning implementation project

Task summary - In this assessment task, the student is required to implement a number of actions from the Workforce Plan for King Edward VII College to assist in meeting agreed objectives for training, redeployment and redundancy, as well as succession planning and being an employer of choice.

Review the following information from the King Edward VII College Workforce Plan:

Issue/need	Action	Outcomes	Resources	Timelines
Ageing workforce, general attrition	Succession planning to ensure that key roles are identified. Nominate internal candidates who can fill the roles. Develop a training plan for identified individuals.	Organisational capacity to fill vacancies as they arise	Human resources	End 2018
No formal policies and procedures in place for retirement and redeployment.	Develop a retirement and redeployment policy	Formal processes in place for retirement and redeployment	Human resources	End 2018

Carefully read the following:

It has been identified that a critical position within the College is the Human Resources Manager. That means that if this position is vacant, it would have a significant impact on the organisation. While it has been identified that there is no shortage of Human Resources professionals, it is considered that the specialized nature of human resources within the College means it would be preferable to develop the talent from within.

A current employee, Jackie Smith, has been identified as an employee with potential for the role. Jackie has recently returned to the workforce and is working in an administration role. However, prior to leaving the workforce to bring up her children, Jackie was working in a human resources officer role. Jackie applied for the administration position as she only wanted to work part-time. However, it has been identified over time that Jackie may like to move into a full-time position and it has identified that she has the potential to do this.

Jackie has recently completed a self-assessment against a Role Competencies Statement in order to identify areas that she would need to develop in.

Complete the following activities:

1. Implement succession planning program

Review the Role Competencies Statement. Develop a career development plan for Jackie using the Career Development Plan Template.

The opportunities that you identify for Jackie should include a range of opportunities, including job assignments that develop a candidate's competencies, coaching and mentoring and formal training.

The career development plan you develop should include at least six opportunities to be completed over the upcoming 12 months.

2. Develop redundancy and redeployment policy and procedures.

Assume that it has been identified that there is no formal process in place within King Edward VII College for redundancy and deployment. Previously, redundancies or redeployments have not been identified as issues in the workforce plan, but now a formal process is required.

Develop King Edward VII redundancy and redeployment policy and procedures that include:

• Introduction
• Aim of policy
• Key principles
• Definitions of redeployment and redundancy
• Redeployment procedure
• Redundancy procedure, including entitlements as per the Fair Work Act

Use the Redundancy and Redeployment Policy and Procedures Template to guide your work.

3. Send an email to your assessor.

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should introduce and summarise the contents of the attachments.

Attach your career development plan, and your redundancy and redeployment policy and procedures to the email.

Assessment Task 5: Workforce plan review and evaluation briefing report

Task summary - This assessment task requires the student, in the role of Human Resources Manager for King Edward VII College to review the workforce plan, as well as evaluate workforce trends.

This assessment is to be completed in the simulated work environment in the RTO.

Assume the following objectives for the workforce plan:

Issue/need	Action	Outcomes	Resources	Timelines
High staff turnover within the first six months of employment	Develop a strong orientation and induction program that supports and develops new staff   Appoint mentors to support new staff	Turnover reduced by at least 10% in the first year.	Human resources	End 2016
Building internal capacity through a strong learning program	Identify professional development needs of each staff member and implement a formal program of professional development.	Turnover reduced by at least 10% in the first year.   Employee satisfaction with professional development.	Human resources	End 2016
Increase diversity within the workforce	Identify diverse media networks where positions can be advertised.   Explore options for flexible working arrangements.	Increase the number of females in the organisation by 20%.	Human resources	End July 2016

Complete the following activities:

1. Develop a survey

Assume that, as part of the monitoring strategies that have been implemented as part of the workforce plan in the scenario, you are required to develop an organisational climate survey. While the organisational climate survey is designed to seek feedback in relation to the new initiatives outlined in the workforce plan, the intention is to also gain feedback on overall employee satisfaction to assist with future workforce planning initiatives.

Design a survey using SurveyMonkey that:

• Includes at least 12 questions about general satisfaction with the workplace.
• Includes at least eight questions about satisfaction with new initiatives.
• allows employees to provide an answer based on a five-point scale.

2. Send an email to all staff (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should introduce and outline the purpose of the survey, give the link to the survey and give an appropriate deadline for completing it.

3. Develop a workforce plan review and evaluation briefing report

You are required to develop a workforce plan review and evaluation report. Your assessor will provide you with a template to use.

Your report should be written in clear and concise English and address the following components:

An analysis of workforce information data

Review the workforce information for King Edward VII 2018 provided to you and compare it to the 2017 data to identify:

• Current staff turnover rate
• Workforce characteristics, including age, gender and cultural background.
• Comparison with 2018 data to identify changes and to assess performance against 2017 data.

A review of external trends

Using the Labour Market Information Portal, review current employment projections for Australia, as well as for the Australian education and training sector. Based on your review of the data, identify labour supply trends and areas of undersupply or oversupply relevant to the College and the likely impact of these trends on the demand for labour in relation to the College's workforce.

A review of government policy

Identify at least two government policy initiatives that affect labour demand and supply. Outline each of the policy initiatives that you have identified and how it affects labour demand and supply.

An analysis of focus group results.

Assume that, in addition to the survey you developed, you have already conducted a focus group to determine employee's satisfaction. Review all of the comments from the focus group and comment on overall employee satisfaction, as well as areas of need that should be considered as part of an ongoing review of workforce planning objectives.

Analysis of exit interviews.

Review all of the comments from the exit interviews and comment on reasons for leaving and that should be considered as part of an ongoing review of workforce planning objectives.

Effectiveness of the workforce plan

Based on your analysis above, evaluate the effectiveness of the workforce plan in terms of the objectives specified in the scenario information. Identify changes required to objectives and document at least two new objectives and actions for the upcoming year.

4. Send an email to the CEO (your assessor).

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

It should introduce and a brief outline of the purpose of the report.

Attach your briefing report to the email.

Attachment:- Manage Workforce Planning Assignment File.rar