Management and Organisation Assignment 2024

Apply the key principles of human resource management in the key functional areas of employee resourcing, development, rewards and relations. Have the ability to work with others to solve problems, exercise initiative, and take personal responsibility while working through uncertainty and change.

The portfolio of tasks for the assignment: TASK :-

1: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS (1000 words) Case Study: Leadership and Organisational Change at Avalon Foods Avalon Foods, a medium-sized food manufacturing company based in the UK, had long enjoyed success with its traditional management practices and stable workforce. However, due to increasing competition, changing consumer preferences, and advances in technology, the external business environment was evolving rapidly.

The company was struggling to keep up, and employee motivation was declining. Profits were stagnating, and leadership knew something needed to change if Avalon Foods was to remain competitive in the modern marketplace. To tackle these challenges, the company’s CEO, Rita Almeida, decided to implement a series of organisational changes. Rita’s leadership style was transformational—she believed in inspiring her employees to embrace change and strive towards a common vision. Her first step was to restructure the organisation to make it more flexible and responsive to the market.

Avalon Foods moved from a traditional hierarchical structure to a flatter, team-based structure. Employees were organised into cross-functional teams, each responsible for specific product lines, giving them more autonomy and ownership over their work. Rita also recognised the need to foster a more inclusive culture to increase motivation and job satisfaction. Historically, Avalon Foods had been dominated by male managers, and diversity and equality initiatives were minimal.

Under Rita’s leadership, diversity and inclusion became a top priority. She launched several initiatives, including mentorship programmes for women and minority employees, unconscious bias training for managers, and a new diversity task force charged with ensuring fair recruitment and promotion practices. In addition to promoting diversity, Rita understood the importance of motivating employees during this period of change.

To do this, she adopted a democratic leadership style, encouraging open communication and involving employees in decision-making. Rita regularly held town hall meetings where employees could voice their concerns and provide input on the direction of the company. She also introduced a new rewards system that tied bonuses and promotions not only to individual performance but also to team success and contributions to the company’s diversity goals.

Despite Rita’s efforts, the transition wasn’t without its challenges. Some employees, especially those accustomed to the old hierarchical structure, were resistant to the new team-based model. They felt uncertain about their roles and responsibilities in the new system and feared that the increased emphasis on diversity could impact their own opportunities for advancement. Additionally, not all managers were comfortable with the democratic leadership approach, preferring the more directive style they had used in the past.

To address these concerns, Rita implemented additional support mechanisms.Managers were given training on leadership styles and change management, and employees were offered workshops on working effectively in teams and adapting to organisational change.

The HR department played a key role in helping to reskill employees and ensure that the new performance management system was fair and transparent.