Course Title: Manage employee relations

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2016

Course Code: BUSM8004C

Course Title: Manage employee relations

School: 650T Vocational Business Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5302 - Diploma of Logistics

Course Contact: Tim Wallis

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5423

Course Contact Email: timothy.wallis@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Maroun Chamoun

maroun.chamoun@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 80

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This course is suited to those who respond to industrial conflict and grievances, with a well-established, sound theoretical knowledge base in human resources management and industrial relations. They may or may not have responsibility for supervising the work of others but are authorised to oversee industrial relations in the organisation.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSBWRK510 Manage employee relations

Element:

1. Develop employee and industrial relations policies and plans

Performance Criteria:

 

1.1 Analyse strategic plans and operational plans to determine long‑term employee relations objectives

1.2 Analyse existing employee relations performance in relation to workforce objectives

1.3 Evaluate options in terms of cost-benefit, risk-analysis and current legislative requirements

1.4 Work with the management team to develop industrial relations policies and plans

1.5 Identify the skills and knowledge needed by management and the workforce to effectively implement these strategies and policies

Element:

2. Implement employee relations policies and plans

Performance Criteria:

 

2.1 Develop an implementation plan and contingency plan for the employee relations policies and strategies

2.2 Make arrangements for training and development for identified needs to support the employee relations plan

2.3 Undertake associated employee relations activities to reach agreement on changes required by policies or implementation plan

2.4 Ensure procedures for addressing grievances and conflict are properly documented

2.5 Communicate key issues about procedures for addressing grievances and conflict

2.6 Review employee relations policies and plans to establish whether they are meeting their intended outcomes

Element:

3. Manage negotiations to resolve conflict

Performance Criteria:

 

3.1 Train individuals in conflict-management techniques and procedures

3.2 Identify and where possible alleviate or eliminate sources of conflict or grievance according to legal requirements

3.3 Check documentation and other information sources to clarify issues in dispute

3.4 Obtain expert or specialist advice and/or refer to precedents, if required

3.5 Determine desired negotiation outcomes, negotiation strategy and negotiation timeframes

3.6 Advocate the organisation’s position in negotiation to obtain agreement

3.7 Document and if necessary certify the agreed outcomes with the relevant jurisdiction

3.8 Implement agreements

3.9 Take remedial action where groups or individuals fail to abide by agreements


Learning Outcomes


This course will develop the skills and knowledge required to manage employee and industrial relations matters in an organisation. It involves using a range of specialised technical and managerial techniques to plan, carry out and evaluate own work and/or the work of a team.

It includes planning and policy development for employee relations as well as negotiation, conflict management, dispute resolution and managing industrial relations.
 


Details of Learning Activities

A range of learning activities are planned for this course including self-paced and collaborative classroom based activities.

The self-paced activities will be delivered through various technology platforms and include your contribution to tutorial activities and interactive sessions.
The collaborative classroom based activities will include group discussion, group problem solving activities and opportunities to practice your skills in a simulated/real workplace environment.

We expect you to participate and contribute in all scheduled learning activities.


Teaching Schedule

 

Week Week Commencing Topics
1 4 July  (1) Course Induction
• Course delivery and assessment details
• Course support documents
• Online learning environment
• Grading
• Plagiarism
• Appeals
• Extensions
• Feedback
• Privacy
• Submission requirements
• Resubmission policy
• Where to get support
• Student responsibilities
(2) Pre-Training Review
• Includes skills analysis and Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfers
(3) Introduction to the course
 
2 11 July  Employee Commitement and Satisfaction
3 18 July

 Employee Commitement and Satisfaction

4 25 July

 Workplace Culture

5 1 Aug  Workforce planning
6 8 Aug

 Workforce planning

7 15 Aug

 Conflict Management

8 22 Aug  Conflict Management
  Mid Semester Break  
9 5 Sep  Presentations / Negotiations
 10 12 Sep  Employment Conditions
11 19 Sep  Employment Conditions
12 26 Sep  Workplace agreements
13 3 Oct

 Employee Relations strategies/policies and plans

14 10 Oct  Employee Relations strategies/policies and plans
15 17 Oct Revision and Review
16 23 Oct Resits and Resubmissions


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

N/A


Overview of Assessment

Students must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of a particular competency to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks.

Assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including assignments, journals, presentation and written or test. Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
 


Assessment Tasks

Students are required to complete 2 tasks. You must successfully complete both tasks to be deemed competent in this unit.

Assessment Task 1 – Conflict Resolution Blog
Date handed out: Week 3
Date and time due: Week 9
Group or Individual: This assignment is to be completed individually.

Purpose:
As a manager or small business owner in the Transport and Logistics industry it is important to understand how to plan and implement employee relations policies as well as effectively negotiate and resolve conflict and disputes. Successful management of industrial relations can avoid costly court proceedings and lengthy disputes that effect productivity.

Requirements:

You will complete the blog as shown on Blackboard from three perspectives

• First will be as the operations and resources director of a transport firm.
• Second will be as a contracted driver for the transport firm.
• Third you will represent the Transport Workers Union.

 


Assessment Task 2 – Policy Development and Implementation Strategy
Date handed out: Week 1
Date and time due: Week 14
Group or Individual: This assignment is to be completed in groups of 1-3 persons.

Purpose:
As a manager or small business owner in the Transport and Logistics industry it is important to understand how to plan and implement employee relations policies as well as effectively negotiate and resolve conflict and disputes. Successful management of industrial relations can avoid costly court proceedings and lengthy disputes that effect productivity.

Requirements:
To demonstrate that you have the required skills and knowledge to effectively manage industrial relations in the workplace you will need to complete a Policy Development and Implementation Strategy for an area of industrial relations (e.g. unfair dismissal, workplace discrimination, bullying and harassment, provisions for staff leave, etc.)
 

This will be as a report minimum 3000 words with a in class presentation minimum 10 PowerPoint’s.


Assessment Matrix

Marking Guide (competency):
Vocational Education and Training (VET) is based on current industry needs and the focus on preparing you for the workplace. Because VET courses are informed by practical application of knowledge and skills, they are based on a system known as ‘competency based training’ (CBT). So when you are assessed in VET it is about whether you are competent to do the job, as well as having a firm grasp on the knowledge and skills required to do that job, as opposed to traditional curriculum based education settings that are often based on knowledge retention.

You need to demonstrate you are competent in each element of the unit of competency you are studying.

You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you whether you are competent or not and how well you are performing. Once competent in all elements of the unit you receive a competency grading.

Please refer to the Final Grades table below.

Marking Guide (Grading)
After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit; this gives you the opportunity to have the level of your performance formally recognized against industry standards and employability skills.


Final Grades table:

CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved – Graded
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for assessment

Further information regarding the application of the grading criteria will be provided by your teacher.
 

Other Information

Submission requirements:
You are required to meet the following criteria for all assessments. Failure to do so may result in you being deemed not-yet-competent:

• Submit all assessment tasks online through blackboard, and include the RMIT e-submission declaration (see below).
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date.
• Retain a copy of your assessment tasks.


Electronic Submission
When submitting work online, you need to include the cover sheet supplied by your teacher. This includes the following declaration:

RMIT Electronic Submission of work for assessment
I declare that in submitting all work for this assessment I have read, understood and agree to the content and expectations of the assessment declaration.
(URL: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/declaration)


Resubmissions:
If you are found to be Not Yet Competent (NYC) in an Assessment Task you will be allowed one resubmission to demonstrate competence. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission. The highest grade you will receive if your resubmission is successful is “CAG”.

Late Submissions
Students are required to submit assessment items and/or ensure performance based assessment is completed by the due dates. If a student is to be prevented from submitting an assessment item on time, by circumstances outside their control, they may apply in advance to the teacher for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days. To be eligible for an extension, you must lodge the extension form availabile at the following link with your teacher: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension

Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, the student must apply for special consideration. Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination. More information on special consideration and how to apply can be found here: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration

Final Date for All Assessments
No assessment tasks or resubmissions will be accepted after 5pm Friday, week 16.

Adjustments to Assessment
In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. Information on circumstances under which the assessment arrangements might be granted can be found at the following website: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/adjustment
 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview