The Changes the Organization Is Intending to Take up to Improve Its Work Environment - Assignment Example

Management Provide leadership Across All the Organization E-mail to the manager jenkins@macville.com Subject: Re: Response to WHS Incident Concerning Mr. Gary Dear Sir, Following the incident that occurred in Brisbane recently with an employee Gary King, I’m pleased to give my response to it from the organizational point of view. First and foremost, Gary is one of the best employees we have around at MacVille and in the Australian espresso coffee machine trade at large. Therefore, the organization considers the incident as unfortunate and wishes him a quick recovery and will support him through his treatment whenever possible. However, the organization is in the process of undertaking certain measures to ensure that everything is in place, working conditions are improved and employees enjoying working for MacVille throughout their entire lives without the working conditions posing any threat to their lives. I would highly request you to check on the attached report on the fundamental issues and changes that are required of our organization. I hope that you look at it well and consider taking up the possible changes. Best Regards REPORT ON TASK ONE This is a report on some of the changes the organization is intending to take up to improve its work environment. To begin with, the organization is set to embark on harnessing its employees’ talents through o-job training by the experienced on the job areas such as Gary. If this happens, the company will not have to depend on just a few good individuals to operate effectively, but will have a lot of options to exploit when one person or few other individuals get into conditions that they cannot deliver well to the organization. This is a step that the company is intending to take to become foster the habit of being proactive in all situations. The company also would not like to retain older employees for longer and still give them the technical jobs that are suitable for younger and energetic chaps. Of course, the organization is there to stay even longer than its employees, therefore, for better continuity and sustainability of the organization, more good employees are required. Secondly, having learnt that Gary has had a chronic low back condition for the last 25 years and has been on employment for 30 years now, it means that Gary must have acquired the low back pain during his first five years of duty. According to WHS laws, persons with conditions like that of Gary should not attend to hard duties such as of machine maintenance or lifting. Also being aware of discrimination, such people also have the rights to employment just as they have the rights to feed and live. I would therefore recommend that Gary be given a supervisor position o that he can be able to oversee duties, train, and mentor the other young workers he works with in this department. In this way, he will not have to struggle in order to attend to his duties and at the same time, he will not sit back and do nothing but help other people be like him. Thirdly, after realizing that Gary has been working with difficulties, frequently taking breaks for him to nurse his condition, it would be my desire that everyone who works as a technician in the warehouse be provided with certain special conditions. One, they need to be given frequent breaks in between their daily duties so as to avoid too much straining. They also need to be provided with special low benches on which they can work easily rather than higher ones available which give them hard time to work on. The company should also employ more technicians to avoid situations whereby, instead of having the two-person lift rule standing, sometimes this does not become the situation on many customer visits. Lifting 50kgs by an individual is dangerous and should be avoided as such could be the contributors of the chronic back pains of the workers such as Gary. Easy access shelves should be constructed in the warehouse to enable the technicians store their tools and access them easily. The seat in the van should also be changed to something comfortable to allow the technicians to travel long distances as they transport the machines. The technicians should be allowed to rotate their duties, as this will help them not be on repetitive tasks for such a long time in a similar position. The tasks need to be made flexible so that the technicians will be able to get some rest and work on various positions. The company should also adopt the new electronic technologies to allow the repairs to be done on-sit, without having to dismantle the machine as this also makes the technicians to have hard tasks for no good reason. The WHS laws also require that the working conditions should be made more flexible with breaks in between to give the workers some rest. I hope that the organization takes up the response in good faith and implement it so that we can avoid similar cases like that of Gary in the future. Case study 2 Meeting Minutes with the Manager: Date, Board Room, Brisbane Members Present: Human Resource Manager Others Present: Undergraduates, Graduates and Senior Employees Proceedings This meeting was called to explain to the candidates seeking for employment positions at the new Company Branch in Sydney, about the positions required. The company will require undergraduates, graduates and senior workers to fill the positions that will be newly created at our new branch to be established in Sydney. There would be a position for accountant manager and accounts assistant who will be attached to the accounting managers. The manager will be reporting to the plant manager, and will have the duties of maintaining the books of accounts of the company, assisted by the assistant. Maintenance manager position and this will be responsible for the maintenance of the customers espresso machines in cong=junction with their maintenance assistants. The warehouse manager position where this manager will be responsible for documentary, inward and accuracy and soundness of the warehouse affairs. This will be assisted by the warehouse assistants. The human resources position who will be charged with the responsibility of taking care of human resources functions and administrative functions such as hiring, training, firing and promoting activities. These will also be assisted by the human resources assistants The company therefore welcomes applications from all interested candidates fit for the positions above. Presentation to fresh graduates looking for employment, undergraduates seeking intern positions and experienced workers who need to transfer to Sydney Summary Report MacVille is a company which believes in progress. For that reason, we would like to inform you that, the company is planning to open up one of its operation centers in Sydney which will supplement the one that is already in operation in Brisbane. All the operations that will take place in Sydney will of course remain in line with our strategic objectives, mission statement and vision of the company. As you as aware, our overall objective and mission of the organization is to provide espresso coffee machines that meet the efficiency, reliability and sustainability needs of the cafes/restaurant clients who in turn will reward us with profits so that our stakeholders and the communities in which we operate can be able to prosper. Our vision is to become the best espresso machine provider in the whole continent, and the world at large. We found it very necessary to embark on this mission of opening up a new business center in Sydney since this is one of the opportunities of growth in both profits and market share for our company. The new branch will be used to move the organization’s import/export base to Sydney so that it remains in line with the organization’s overall goals. When this new establishment is done, the organization will have a three year objective of being the number one volume importer in the market for imported espresso coffee machines. Currently, the largest market for this product in Australia is the Sydney market which we are trying to exploit. We also have a strategic objective of achieving a profit margin of 5% in the next three years once the establishment is on operation. The third strategic objective for this new establishment is to achieve its environmental objective reduction in its carbon footprint by 10% within the next three years. All these shall be done to help the organization achieve its strategic goal of providing customers with high quality products, extraordinary services and competitive price. It is for this reason that the organization is planning to recruit new employees to fill in the new opportunities that shall then present themselves in Sydney once we get to operation. In that line, the organization has the following vacancy positions that it would like to fill before the establishment kicks off. Accounts manager; who will have to report to the general manager and is responsible for credit control, sound maintenance of accounts receivables, internal control system and preparation of budgets. The accounts manager will have an accounts clerk whose responsibility will be to enter data and manage accounts receivable and accounts payable systems. Warehouse manager is the next position and he will also have to report to the general manager. He will be responsible for documentary, accuracy, and inward soundness of good, safe, storage and handling of warehouse merchandise and timely dispatch of merchandise in accordance with customer’s orders. We will also have the warehouse staff who will be assigned to the warehouse manager and their duties will be to manage the goods, inward storage, and dispatch. The next position will be that of the maintenance manager who will be responsible for maintenance of customer machines, regular maintenance programs, safety of operations and spare management. There will be one espresso machine technician assigned to the maintenance manager to conduct regular maintenance and emergency repairs of the espresso machine. The company then expects applications from all qualified candidates who feel that they can occupy the positions. The management positions will be occupied by already experienced workers who will want to transfer from Brisbane to Sydney while all other positions can be occupied by fresh graduates seeking for employment. Our organization is also committed to providing intern positions for undergraduates who are looking for positions. The organization is at the same time committed to meeting all the conditions for compliance together with business registration, obtaining workers registration requirement under NSW’s legislation requirement as well as complying with WHS laws based on state legislation. We are therefore looking forward to working with you. Assessment 2 The work conditions at PURA have always included job sharing for some of the part time staff, flexible employment conditions where one could even work from home on any day when there is no scheduled meeting, and workers have had casual work attires. However, as your team leader, I would like to inform you that all that is no more. The management has decided to make certain changes here and there so as to spin-off the work unit as a whole and also to make it a stand-alone business entity. This, the board is doing o make the business to be more flexible and creative in meeting the customers’ needs and hopefully to reduce the friction between our tem and the rest of the workers in the organization. a) Summary report What I have to inform you is that, the adjustments will come along with several organizational changes that will affect our former operations and conditions. First, the new entity will be called PURA-IT and this entity will maintain the same board members as they were before in PURA to ensure that the new entity stays as an important part of the PURA range of services. Our team will remain as it is with me as the team leader, however, one of the senior managers from PURA will join the team as the CEO of the team and a small team of admin staffs will work together with the CEO to provide administrative duties to the team. The new location of the company will be in the new Brisbane City Council Green Square, North the CBD in Fortitude Valley where there is one train station, or approximately 15 minute s walk on foot to the main offices. This new environment has not yet been fully developed as the board would want to give a chance to each team to own the place and decide on the most suitable work environment of their choices. All the work teams will be required to work from the work site and not from home as it has been before. This will be required to move for a period of 12 months from inception t enables the workers to develop a working culture in their new environment. There is a requirement that the work team to begin operating in its new form, with 10 business days so as to align with the commencement of the new financial year. All the staff entitlements and employment accruals will be carried over to the new establishment; however, there will be a requirement to sign a new contract for we will be working for a new company. There will be a $1500 bonus for signing the new contract with the new Company and a further $4500 in bonus for remaining with the new company for the first 12 months. There will be a condition for renewing the contract after every 12 months, not as it has been on permanent terms as this will give the management the opportunity to review and change the teams in case they are not functioning well in the new environment. The employees will have the liberty to choose to move on with the new company or to remain with PURA and be deployed to other departments. There is also the need for you to propose any need or technology requirement that will help the team to work well in software development. You will provide me with your feedback on the new developments which I will be required to report back to the board. b) Groups: the group is used to the current working conditions; however, it will be forced to work from the new working site and not from home as they are used to. The team will be forced to sign new contracts which will be renewable after every 12 months, contrary to the permanent basis that has always been the case. The team will also have to make their own working sites and be forced to walk for 15 minutes to work or take a train. c) Risk management; there will be the risk of losing one’s position if they did not perform after the first 12 months. This will mean that workers will be forced to function well under the new work environments and deliver for them to secure future chances in the new work environment. d) The team members have felt that, the new working conditions are generally tough and certain adjustments would be required. For instance, they are used to working from home and they feel this should not change. However, they will be willing to work in shifts to enable others work from home as the others report to the working sites. The team also feels that, it will not be necessary for them to sign new contracts since they were already employed on permanent basis. The team also feel that the need for touch screens will be necessary to enable them work effectively and efficiently. e) E-mial: To all concerned parties: Re: Concerning the change in our Organization Following the new changes that have been proposed by the board, we feel that it will be good to allow the change to take place, but only with certain adjustments in the new policies. Through the change, our company will be meeting the requirements that organizations should give their workers the freedom to choose to work under certain conditions or not. The organizations should also ensure that any changes that will affect the welfare of the employees directly are only carried out after the employees are made aware of such changes and they agree to them. I feel that new technologies should be put in place to necessitate digital operations to enable our company be competitive in the external environment. The organization is committed to seeing all its workers be in the most desirable workplaces and help in achieving its strategic objectives and its uplift its core values. Part 2 Roles: Accounting Manger: the manager will be responsible for budget preparations, maintaining account receivables and accounts payables. The accounts clerks will help the managers by entering data and keeping books of accounts. Maintenance manager: duties will be to ensure that espresso machines are duly maintained and spare parts required are availed. They will be assisted by maintenance technicians whose work will be to service the customers’ machines and ensure their good operations. Warehouse manager will have the duties of keeping the machines and ensuring the storage is done accordingly, required resources are availed as planned and they will be assisted by the warehouse assistants. To ensure that these employees work well, they will require training by the already experienced workers. Resources: Accountants will require books, computers, receipt books, vouchers, check books and invoices. Warehouse assistants will require helmets, apron, shelves, and ample space. Maintenance department will need spare parts, tools and shelves Environment: The work environment that will be required by all these employees should be a flexible work environment that allows them to have rests between their work and they should be provided with necessary and comfortable equipment that will make them work without any discomfort. The teams should be provided with enough team members to allow them execute their duties effectively. There should be leaves for the team members as required and there should also be shifts so that employees do not work themselves to exhaustion. Assessment 3 Report about interpersonal skills 1. Interpersonal and Leadership Skills For the managers, they should have clear leadership skills which will be enforced by good communication, listening, analysis and decision making skills. The communication skills will be necessary to allow good and ample communication between the managers and their juniors in order to allow proper flow of events in each department. Good listening skills will be necessary as these will allow the team members to learn how to take instructions carefully and be able to execute their duties in the right way with the correct instructions. The teams will also be able to make informed decisions considering, they will be able to run the company in order to achieve its overall goals and objectives. Skills and Knowledge: For those working under the accounting department, they should be equipped with accounting skills of making and maintaining the books of accounts. They must have a background knowledge on accounting where they must have been examines by the recommended or recognized public accountants body. The warehouse personnel should have stock taking skills and knowledge, store keeping and procurement skills to be able to manage the warehouse effectively. The maintenance personnel should be able to have knowledge on the espresso machine, its operation and repair techniques. The workers should be equipped also with soft skills such as communication and listening skills to be able to learn from others. Human resource personnel should also be equipped with a knowledge background in human resource management, dealing with human beings or behavioral management skills as well as training skills. They need to know how to keep files, carry out trainings and holding seminars. Professional Development Training is one of the ways through which employees can be able to develop themselves professionally. This can be done on job, through job rotation as well as attending seminars. MONTHS DUTIES SKILLS 6-12 Payroll and HR Functions Overseeing WHS Functions for warehouse Overseeing marketing activities During this period, management skills, leadership and supervision skills were developed These were enabled through the leadership and management training courses that were offered. Apart from that, other courses were also developed through couching and mentoring experience 12-18 Working as a leader in my own unit Skills developed included, time management, work priorities management, self leadership and self management as well as creative thinking and problem solving skills. On the other hand, I got the opportunity to develop business communication skills, interpersonal, conflict resolution, influencing skills, report and proposal writing skills, professional presentation, negotiation as well as the experience of dealing with difficult people. My sales and customer service skills also got a chance to improve including sales training, sales experience sales team management, and individual and team marketing experience. I also developed my training skills including designing and facilitation experience Read More