1. Review the assessment scenario, the business documentation, including policies and

procedures and the templates provided:

o Appendix 1 - Scenario

o Appendix 2 - Legislation, regulation, standards and codes

o Appendix 3 - Grievance policy

at the end of this document

o Policies and Procedures - provided in Appendices and in separate files

o Templates:

1 - Email in Task 3.1

2. Read each scenario and address it as instructed.

Complete the following activities:

Task 3.1 Manage difficulties and networks to support effective work relationships

Address the following scenarios.

Scenario 1

An employee has complained to you that the marketing manager has not made any effort to

accommodate non-Christians in this year's Christmas celebrations. The employee feels excluded and

disappointed that an opportunity to bring the team together has instead divided the team along

religious lines.

Address the following in the format of personal planning notes:

Outline why the marketing Manager's behaviour conflicts with JKL Industries', values policy and/or

procedures.

Identify the relevance of one piece of relevant legislation (Appendix 2) in the matter.

Describe how you would approach the Marketing Manager and any suggestion you would make to

resolve the issue fairly and consistent with organisational policy.

Describe what communication style you would use when meeting with the Marketing Manager to

address the issue in person.

Develop a step-by-step plan to address this problem.

Record your answer in the space below.

Scenario 2

As a change management consultant, you feel that you need to develop contacts with people internal

to the organisation, such as managers, and external people, such as suppliers, business networks,

managers' networks and mentors.

How would you approach networking to achieve goals?

Describe how networking with internal and external people could help you build positive

relationships to achieve organisational and professional goals. What networking or networks would

you suggest?

Record your answer in the space below.

Scenario 3

The Sales Manager approached you, asking you for guidance. The sales team is relatively new and

inexperienced. He feels that they would benefit from networking. Sam and Alex, two team members

of the Sales team, need to build relationships with customers, suppliers and fellow salespeople to

achieve personal development and organisational goals.

Sam: Has issues with internal and external suppliers who consistently miss delivery dates and won't

cooperate in keeping costs down for customers. Consequently, he has problems with his own

customers; he feels suppliers don't understand his needs as a client. Sam finds conflict hard and

avoids getting angry, hoping the problem will resolve itself. Sam feels he would benefit from hearing

how others negotiate terms with suppliers. Right now, however, he has very little respect for them as

they've let him down.

Alex: Has issues with customers who don't understand a good deal when they see it. He's also tired of

chasing 'deadbeats' for settling accounts on credit. Alex would like to know how others deal with such

'fools' and still maintain a sense of self-respect.

How would you suggest the Sales Manager leads Sam and Alex to realise their professional goals

and related organisational goals over the next three months?

Develop a brief networking plan to support Sam and Alex

Record your answer in the space below.

Provide evidence of the implementation of the action plan.

Example: email to a different department to arrange a networking opportunity; a screenshot of a

suitable training course the team members could attend; an email to Sam and Alex providing some

advice and inviting them to participate in mentoring sessions with you.

Record the evidence in the space below:

Scenario 4

You would like to involve the emotional intelligence expert (David Red) that attended the meeting

(Task 2.2) to deliver a series of workshops on emotional intelligence to the management team.

an email to the expert to establish a working relationship and to network with him, ask about

the opportunity to deliver three workshops and suggest some topics related to emotional intelligence

that you would like to see addressed in the workshops.

Use Template 1 to write the email.

Template 1 -Email

Email to emotional intelligence expert

To:

Cc:

Bcc:

Subject:

Date email is sent:

Attachments:

Appendix 1 - Scenario

JKL Industries overview

XYZ Pty Ltd trading as JKL Industries is an Australian-owned company, selling forklifts, small trucks

and spare parts to industry. They also have a division that leases forklifts and small trucks.

The company's head office is in Sydney and has branches in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and

Canberra.

Change

After 12 years in business, focusing on forklifts and small trucks, JKL Industries has negotiated the

sales rights to a range of medium and large trucks from an overseas supplier. This

opportunity will provide JKL Industries with an advantage in range over its competitors.

Sales results over the past five years have indicated strong growth in forklift and truck sales,

which have averaged 10% sales growth per annum. The rental market has been in decline

for the past three years due to the reduced costs of these vehicles and some taxation benefits to

industries who purchase these vehicles.

Taking the sales rights opportunity will, however, entail some significant changes, including

significant changes to the current organisational structure. The company will reposition itself

to focus solely on retail sales and service and exit the rentals market, in which forces such as

competition and consumer choice reduce potential profitability.

In accordance with the organisation's values, JKL Industries intends (to the extent feasible) to recruit

from within the company and up-skill or re-skill existing employees presently working in

rentals who wish to remain with the company.

Given the company's previous history of employee grievances overpay and conditions and current

plans to restructure, JKL Industries has identified poor communications and an organisational

climate of conflict as a risk to business goals.

Moving forward, the organisation intends to build and maintain a positive organisational culture,

reduce risk and achieve organisational goals through:

developing an effective policy framework for managing internal communications and

consultation, in accordance with organisational objectives, business ethics, and compliance

requirements

communicating and building support for organisational initiatives and objectives

managing information flow to:

o provide managers and employees with at-hand information to perform their work

responsibilities

o communicate ideas for improvement (top-down and bottom-up)

o facilitate feedback both to and from employees and management on relevant

work performance and outcomes of consultation

Establish policies to ensure that the organisation's cultural diversity and ethical values

and adhered to

Ensure that effective internal and external workplace relationships are developed and

maintained

Establish process and systems to ensure that conflict is identified and managed

constructively in accordance with the organisation's policies and procedures

Communication and consultation issues

An internal management review of the organisation has uncovered the following issues:

A lack of an overarching approach to information management that helps to promote common

understanding of team goals and organisational values and to build strategic relationships.

Slow responses to internal and external customer needs.

Slow and ineffective communication of and implementation of ideas for improved processes.

Ineffective or no use of modern communication technologies and social platforms.

Inadequate consultation, resulting in risks to compliance (particularly WHS consultation

requirements) and too little bottom-up information flow from employees to management. This

latter results in poor organisational take-up of improvement ideas identified by teams and

individuals at lower levels of the organisation and by customer-facing managers and

employees.

Inconsistent application by managers of grievance procedures posing a risk to employee

relations.

Poor sense of employee engagement, empowerment and accountability for work performance.

Poor general awareness of (and therefore poor support of) organisational goals, ethics, values.

Diversity Issues

An internal management review of the organisation has uncovered the following issues:

Poor leadership on the part of managers and low accountability and sense of personal

responsibility for results on the part of both managers and employees.

A lack of interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity and emotional intelligence among managers

and employees.

A lack of trust.

A lack of awareness of relevant policy and legislative requirements for diversity and business

ethics.

A culture of chronic conflict, characterised by:

o resistance to change

o hostility

o passive aggression

o avoidance of conflict, while leaving issues unresolved

o issues that are apparently resolved and agreed flaring up repeatedly.

Networking issues

As a consultant, you have noted:

A lack of awareness of internal and external networking opportunities.

A lack of understanding of the purpose/s of networking and its relation to individual, team

and organisation-wide goals.

A lack of understanding of how to take advantage of networking opportunities through use

of interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.

No internal communities or social platforms through which functional or cross-functional

teams can discuss professional issues, and share insights and perspectives.

Your role

You are a change management consultant. You have been engaged by JKL Industries to support

the current change initiatives. The CEO asked you to:

Develop processes to support workplace relationships Develop processes to support workplace

relationships

Assist with establishing an organisational culture that celebrates diversity

Improves internal and external networks

Identify and resolve difficulties in workplace relationships

Develop process and systems to manage conflicts constructively

Support staff during the change process through guidance and counselling

Assist the organisation through the change process using leadership and management expertise

Note that the senior management team may be resistant to changes. In particular, they are concerned

that a new approach to organisational management, especially in communication, may result in a less

cohesive organisation.

You will need to ensure your communications strategy, plans and processes address organisational

issues, while using your highly developed interpersonal skills to engage and motivate the senior

management team to embrace changes.

At the same time, you will have to support and nurture workplace relationships at all levels of the

organisation.

You can count on the support of the HR Manager for any issue/concern related to HR and the

Marketing Manager for the implementation of the communication plan (example: preparing/proofreading/

designing and distributing communication to staff through approved channels).

Business and Strategic planning FY2020-2021

Mission

JKL Industries is an Australian-owned company selling forklifts, small trucks and spare parts to

industry. We deliver value to customers and investors through our highly trained, motivated, and

expert workforce.

Vision

JKL Industries believes in developing and unlocking the potential of its people to allow the company to

become the leading supplier of forklifts, small, medium and large trucks in Australia.

Company values

JKL Industries is committed to:

performance excellence

value for investors, customers and employees

personal and professional development

diversity

sustainability.

Strategic planning

Goals Strategic Objectives Operational Objectives

Provide value to

investors and

owners

Increase overall profitability by

10% over next three years.

Reduce costs through negotiations with

suppliers.

Reduce costs through HR management

efficiencies.

Increase revenue by through providing

increased customer value.

Exit underperforming markets; JKL

Industries will withdraw from the rental

market and close the rental division

within the next 18 months.

HR partners with business to

help business achieve financial

goals.

HR completes scan of external

conditions and market/industry forces

impacting competitiveness and

capability development.

Provide value to

customers

JKL Industries will continue to

sell and service forklifts and

expand their market share by

7% within the next 12 to 18

months.

Provide quality customer service.

JKL Industries will expand existing

branches to include the sale of medium

and large trucks within 18 months.

HR partners with business to

help business meet customer

needs.

HR partners with front-line managers

to help them meet the needs of

customers through motivated,

competent and well-equipped staff.

Conduct workforce

planning through

FY 2020-2021.

Provide required training to

meet workforce needs

Deliver training to up-skill rental

employees.

Deliver ongoing training for employees.

Deliver leadership training for future

generation of leadership.

Complete

implementation of

staff planning for

FY2020-2021.

Recruit. Conduct workforce planning through FY

2018-2019.

Complete implementation of staff

planning for FY2017-2018.

Conduct skills audits and needs

analysis for all roles to be filled by

recruitment strategy.

Ensure all critical roles are filled to

meet revenue targets.

Become an Employer of

Choice.

Provide personal development plans for

all employees.

Goals Strategic Objectives Operational Objectives

Retain managerial talent through

rewards, promotion and training.

Provide best in industry programs

incentives and HR services.

Enhance employee and industrial

relations.

Implement new grievance and dispute

resolution procedures.

Complete enterprise bargaining.

Manage performance and

adherence to organisational

values.

Complete twice-yearly performance

reviews.

Communicate organisational values and

code of conduct.

Build culture of excellence: eliminate

discrimination and promote diversity in

JKL's workforce.

Promote levels of diversity in workplace

proportional to percentage of

population.

Continuously

improve operations

and management

efficiency

Monitor performance in all

areas of strategy and

operational efficiency.

Monitor management inputs, such as

completion of reporting and coaching

requirements.

Monitor stock turns of forklifts, trucks,

etc.

Monitor HR service delivery efficiency.

Operational Plan

JKL Industries intends to implement operational plans to realise strategic objectives. Key aspects to

operations include human resources and workforce planning, performance management, physical and

financial resources and workflow.

Human resources

The organisation is currently using a HR business partner model with a human resources officer

aligned to each of the three key business areas: Sales, Rentals and Service.

The Managing Director reports to the Board of Directors and is based in the Sydney head office, along

with the Operations Manager, HR Department and the Finance and Administration teams. The HR

Manager reports to the Operations Manager and heads up the HR centres of excellence that include

recruitment, learning and development, and employee relations and services. At each of the statebased

sites there is a branch office consisting of an office building, warehouse, service department

and sales office. The HR officers (Business Partners) report to both the HR Manager at head office and

their respective managers in the branches.

JKL Industries employs over 190 personnel.

A summary of human resources at each location in FY 2016-2017 appears below:

Sydney head office

Personnel:

30 full-time and casual sales and customer service people (10 sales consultants; 5 rental

sales consultants; 5 mechanics; 3 apprentices, 3 HR officers; 3 administrative assistants

accounts manager and 2 accountants

senior management team (3) + 1 branch manager (operations manager, HR manager,

finance and administration manager)

CEO and managing directors.

Branches

Each branch employs the following personnel:

30 full-time and casual sales and customer service people (9 sales consultants; 4 rental

sales consultants; 5 mechanics; 3 apprentices, 3 HR officers; 3 administrative assistants

branch manager.

Office requirements

Sydney head office

size: 15,000 square metres (~70% space available for sales and rentals; ~25 available

for servicing)

large mezzanine office space (occupied by Senior Management Team)

loading bay with large capacity.

Branches

average size: 12,000 square metres (~70% space available for sales and rentals; ~25

available for servicing)

large mezzanine open-plan office space with separate access (was previously rented out

to a telemarketing company)

loading bay with large capacity.

Operating capital requirements

JKL Industries requires approximately $13 million in working capital to sustain the business and

ensure it meets all opening and ongoing financial obligations.

Operational expenses

Wages, salaries $6,000,000

Consultancy fees $150,000

Communication expenses $120,000

Marketing $2,400,000

Premises expenses $3,000,000

Insurance $356,000

Depreciation and amortisation $540,000

Office supplies $180,000

Training $180,000

Total expenses $12,926,000

Insurance requirements

JKL Industries will have to incur costs for business liability insurance. The estimated cost for this

requirement is $356,000 per year.

Operational workflow

Sales

1. Negotiate with suppliers.

2. Receive and warehouse products.

3. Provide service and information to customers.

4. Receive payment.

5. Arrange delivery of items (if required).

Rentals

1. Conduct market research to determine needs.

2. Negotiate with suppliers.

3. Receive and warehouse rental products.

4. Provide service and information to rental customers.

5. Receive payment.

6. Arrange delivery of items (if required).

Service

1. Conduct market research to determine needs.

2. Negotiate with suppliers.

3. Receive and warehouse service supplies.

4. Provide service and information to service customers.

5. Receive payment.

JKL Industries accepts cash, EFTPOS and major credit cards. Credit terms are available for trades.

Operating hours

JKL Industries operates Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, and will be operational year-round

except federal and state holidays (as they apply to each branch).

Appendix 2 - Legislations, regulations, standards and codes

Privacy Act 1988

Spam Act 2003

Do not Call Register Act 2006

Competition Act 2010

Australian Consumer Law

Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010

Advertising Standards Bureau

Anti-Discrimination law

Appendix 3 - Grievance Policy

Purpose

This policy provides details of XYZ Pty Ltd (XYZ) approach to grievance.

The grievance procedure enables the Company to ensure that any problems, complaints or concerns

raised by employees are dealt with in a fair, timely and consistent manner. If an employee has a

grievance or complaint regarding:

1. their work, working conditions, pay and benefits, working hours; or

2. discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, gender

reassignment, marital status or ethnic origin; or

3. treatment by colleagues including harassment and bullying; or

4. their health and safety or a breach of statutory employment rights; or

5. any other issue affecting their employment,

it should be raised in line with this procedure.

Complaints in respect of disciplinary action taken by the Company should be dealt with as an appeal

under the disciplinary procedure.

Informal Procedure

Employees should, where possible, discuss the grievance or complaint with their immediate manager

on an informal basis first. The manager will discuss any concerns with the employee and attempt to

resolve the matter within a reasonable timescale. Where it is not possible for the employee to talk to

their immediate manager, or if the grievance concerns him or her, the employee should instead talk to

the next most senior person or the HR Manager.

Where the informal procedure is used, both parties should keep a written record of the meeting

including what was discussed and any proposed action.

If the grievance has not been resolved or cannot be settled informally, the matter should be dealt with

in accordance with the formal grievance procedure.

Formal Procedure

Written Statement

The aggrieved employee must first send a written statement detailing the nature of the grievance to

the employee's line manager without unreasonable delay.

Where it is the line manager who is the subject of the Grievance, the employee should instead send

the written statement to the next most senior person or the HR Manager.

Grievance Meeting

Upon receiving the written statement, the employee's line manager will arrange for a formal meeting

to be held in order to discuss the grievance. The formal meeting will be held without unreasonable

delay and usually no longer than 3 working days after the statement of grievance is received.

The meeting must not take place if the line manager has not had a reasonable opportunity to consider

their response to the information.

Before the meeting, a thorough investigation of the facts relating to any allegations must take place.

Any requests for anonymity and confidentiality should be taken seriously.

The employee may, following a reasonable request, be accompanied by a colleague, a suitably

certified trade union representative or an official employed by a trade union. The companion may not,

however, answer questions on behalf of the employee.

The employee's chosen companion will be able to address the meeting to put or sum up the

employee's case, as well as confer with the employee during the meeting. They may not, however,

answer questions on the employee's behalf, address the meeting if the employee does not wish them

to do so or prevent the Company from explaining their case.

The Company reserves the right to refuse to accept a companion whose presence may undermine the

grievance process.

The line manager, employee and their companions shall make every effort to attend the meeting. If

the employee fails to attend the grievance hearing without explanation or seems to make insufficient

efforts to attend, then the hearing may proceed in the employee's absence.

If possible, the employee should explain how they think the grievance could be resolved.

If a further investigation of the matter is required then the meeting should be adjourned to a later

date before a decision is taken about how to deal with the employee's grievance.

Outcome of meeting

Following the meeting and investigation and without unreasonable delay, the line manager shall set

out in writing the outcome of the hearing and any action they intend to take to resolve the grievance

(if appropriate).

The line manager shall also inform the employee of their right to appeal if they are not satisfied with

the action taken.

Any action taken shall be monitored and reviewed, as appropriate, to ensure it effectively deals with

the issue.

Appeal

Employees have the right to appeal where they feel their grievance has not been satisfactorily

resolved.

The request for an appeal must state the grounds for the appeal and should be submitted to the CEO

in writing within 3 working days of receiving written confirmation as to the outcome of the grievance

meeting.

The line manager will arrange a further meeting to discuss the appeal within a reasonable time of

receiving the request for an appeal. The employee will be informed of the time and place of the

appeal in advance.

The appeal will be dealt with impartially and, wherever possible, will be chaired by a manager who

has not previously been involved in the case and is of increased seniority to the one who dealt with

the original grievance. This appeal hearing is not a re-hearing of the original appeal but a

consideration of the specific areas of dissatisfaction in relation to the original grievance.

The employee has the right to be accompanied at the appeal meeting and the outcome of the appeal

meeting shall be communicated to the employee in writing within 5 working days. Decisions made at

this point are final and the grievance procedure is concluded.

Confidentiality

Grievances will be handled with as high a degree of confidentiality as is practicable.

Confidential records of the grievance will be kept in the employee's personnel file in accordance with

Data Protection legislation. Copies of meeting notes will be provided to the employee, although the

Company reserves the right to withhold certain information (e.g. to protect a witness).

Special Cases

Where a grievance is raised during the disciplinary process, the disciplinary process may be suspended

so the grievance can be dealt with first.

The above procedure shall not be used for collective grievances.