HR CASE STUDIES Flashcards
Outsourcing using contractors
UberEats hires its delivery riders as contractors rather than employees
By doing so, UberEats avoids legal obligations such as the minimum wage rates, WHS requirements and workers compensation, despite the dangerous working conditions present on busy roads
UberEats provides up to $400,000 in compensation for families of delivery riders who are killed, which is less than ½ the legal requirement for employees under the NSW law
Legal-WHS AND WORKERS COMP
UberEats hires its delivery riders as contractors rather than employees
By doing so, UberEats avoids legal obligations such as the minimum wage rates, WHS requirements and workers compensation, despite the dangerous working conditions present on busy roads
UberEats provides up to $400,000 in compensation for families of delivery riders who are killed, which is less than ½ the legal requirement for employees under the NSW law
Legal- Employee contract (Min Wage Rates)
An average 7-Eleven worker in Australia is paid ½ the award rate
7-Eleven employed migrants on student visas and such employees feared they would be threatened with deportation if they reported 7-Eleven to the FWC
From a joint investigation into 7-Eleven stores in 2015, Four Corners and Fairfax Media had found systemic underpayment of wages and the doctoring of payroll records
7-Eleven had to repay over $110m in wages to its staff
7-Eleven now uses centralised payroll systems, preventing its franchisees from changing workers pay rates
Awards
An average 7-Eleven worker in Australia is paid ½ the award rate
7-Eleven employed migrants on student visas and such employees feared they would be threatened with deportation if they reported 7-Eleven to the FWC
From a joint investigation into 7-Eleven stores in 2015, Four Corners and Fairfax Media had found systemic underpayment of wages and the doctoring of payroll records
7-Eleven had to repay over $110m in wages to its staff
7-Eleven now uses centralised payroll systems, preventing its franchisees from changing workers pay rates
Ent Agreements
In 2021, the union representing Sydney Trains began negotiating a new enterprise agreement
The union demanded that Sydney Trains could not outsource any more work, that domestic violence leave entitlements would be increased, and changes that would reduce safety standards could not be made
Following slow negotiations, the union started a work ban where staff refused to change tasks once a shift started and refused to check Opal cards
In response, the NSW government announced a lockout and suspended train services for a day
In arbitration in March 2023, the FWC decided on a pay raise of over 4%, which is more than 1% above the NSW government’s maximum offer
Stakeholders
In 2021, the union representing Sydney Trains began negotiating a new enterprise agreement
The union demanded that Sydney Trains could not outsource any more work, that domestic violence leave entitlements would be increased, and changes that would reduce safety standards could not be made
Following slow negotiations, the union started a work ban where staff refused to change tasks once a shift started and refused to check Opal cards
In response, the NSW government announced a lockout and suspended train services for a day
In arbitration in March 2023, the FWC decided on a pay raise of over 4%, which is more than 1% above the NSW government’s maximum offer
Wplace disputes
In 2021, the union representing Sydney Trains began negotiating a new enterprise agreement
The union demanded that Sydney Trains could not outsource any more work, that domestic violence leave entitlements would be increased, and changes that would reduce safety standards could not be made
Following slow negotiations, the union started a work ban where staff refused to change tasks once a shift started and refused to check Opal cards
In response, the NSW government announced a lockout and suspended train services for a day
In arbitration in March 2023, the FWC decided on a pay raise of over 4%, which is more than 1% above the NSW government’s maximum offer
Anti Discrimination and EEO and Ethics and CSR
Chevron has recruitment and outreach programs that target underrepresented groups including the ‘Women in Engineering’ training courses
Chevron also establishes support committees for different groups like the Indigenous Employee Network and the ENABLED Network for employees with disabilities
In 2019, Chevron earned a perfect score on the Disability Equality Index and was ranked in the top 100 Best Places to Work on Glassdoor
Economic
In response to the economic recession due to Covid-19, UNSW asked staff to take leave without pay or to earn holiday leave, rather than paying them their full wage
UNSW also made 10% of its employees redundant
Technological
UNSW uses technology like Zoom software and remote access logins for staff to work from home flexibly
The use of online and recorded lectures have reduced the number of lecturers and tutors UNSW employs
UNSW has invested $239m into technology for over a span of 5 years
Between 2011 and 2015, there was a 25% increase in online postgraduate education and the trend continues to grow
Social
In response to social influences, UNSW have a Flexible Workplace Champion who acts as a change agent to encourage staff to take advantage of flexible start times, part-time and remote work options
This was especially useful during the Covid-19 shutdown
Job Design
Software company Atlassian’s engineers work in teams across areas of expertise
Staff have full control over how they spend their time
Atlassian holds 24 hour hackathons where employees stop their work for a day and work collaboratively on nominated problems
Smart Company currently ranks Atlassian as having the 3rd best worker satisfaction in Australia
Atlassian owns 82% of the ‘bug and issue tracking’ industry
Acquisiton
Atlassian focuses on general skills in recruitment to ensure employees fit with the corporate culture
As part of external recruitment, Atlassian uses LinkedIn to advertise and headhunt talent, and uses a range of skills tests and interviews to select the best candidates
As part of internal recruitment, Atlassian has established two categories including recruiting those who are working towards a promotion as specialists in an area, and those who are being developed to become managers
Recruitment
Atlassian focuses on general skills in recruitment to ensure employees fit with the corporate culture
As part of external recruitment, Atlassian uses LinkedIn to advertise and headhunt talent, and uses a range of skills tests and interviews to select the best candidates
As part of internal recruitment, Atlassian has established two categories including recruiting those who are working towards a promotion as specialists in an area, and those who are being developed to become managers
Global Strategies
Atlassian is taking advantage of the government’s new Global Talent Scheme in order to employ skilled foreigners on more than $180,000 in wages
25% of Atlassian’s staff in Australia are on migrant visas
However, Atlassian was unable to globally access new staff during Covid-19
Development
Atlassian runs an annual Hack House to induct new graduates
Graduates complete a week-long camp of coding workshops, meeting their mentors, and working on challenges
At the end of the week, graduates then present their efforts to management
Atlassian uses a combination of in-person workshops, online courses, and job enrichment to continue upskilling their staff
Training and Dev
Atlassian runs an annual Hack House to induct new graduates
Graduates complete a week-long camp of coding workshops, meeting their mentors, and working on challenges
At the end of the week, graduates then present their efforts to management
Atlassian uses a combination of in-person workshops, online courses, and job enrichment to continue upskilling their staff
Perf Management
Netflix believes that performance management is too time-consuming and inefficient
Instead, Netflix uses the ‘keeper test’ to decide whether they should ‘fire a good employee when they think they can find a greater one’
For underperforming staff, they pay a severance package and dismiss them immediately, rather than spending time and money on training and managing their performance
Their annual staff turnover of 11% is still below the technology industry average, partly due to the high quality of colleagues and corporate culture
Rewards
Employees at Netflix can choose a percentage of their salary to be paid in shares
This means that many employees are shareholders where dividends and increase in share prices acts as a group reward
Netflix does not offer employee bonuses
Their HR team believe that mature employees do not need extra incentives but rather just need interesting work and training on how to do it better
Netflix also provides non-monetary rewards where they only keep high quality colleagues, have a behavioural leadership style, and offer flexible work arrangements
Maintenance
Netflix uses a behavioural leadership style where trust is key amongst employees
Their HR team focuses on recruiting talented and mature employees, rather than tracking everything they do
Hence, management have a slogan ‘context not control’ where managers should trust that the employee is the best person for that job, and the manager’s role is to provide them with what they need and then get out of their way
Staff also decide their own holidays, sick leave and working hours
Leadership Style
Netflix uses a behavioural leadership style where trust is key amongst employees
Their HR team focuses on recruiting talented and mature employees, rather than tracking everything they do
Hence, management have a slogan ‘context not control’ where managers should trust that the employee is the best person for that job, and the manager’s role is to provide them with what they need and then get out of their way
Staff also decide their own holidays, sick leave and working hours
Seperation
In 2017, a former software engineer published allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination from Uber’s senior management
Uber’s HR team failed to follow grievance procedures and covered up misbehaviour by “high performers”
In response to negative publicity, Uber lost $20b in share value and dismissed more than 20 employees, including the resignation of its CEO
Wplace Disputes-Resolution
In 2017, a former software engineer published allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination from Uber’s senior management
Uber’s HR team failed to follow grievance procedures and covered up misbehaviour by “high performers”
In response to negative publicity, Uber lost $20b in share value and dismissed more than 20 employees, including the resignation of its CEO
