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Case Study – WORLDUCATION Worlducation is a social startup that manufactures tablet computers for primary school students. They not only...
Case Study – WORLDUCATION |
Worlducation is a social startup that manufactures tablet computers for primary school students. They not only focus on the hardware, but they also have a competitive team creating software, content, and activities to better engage and educate the students.
Worlducation aims to change the way children learn at school by implementing artificial intelligence technology that can follow up on each child’s progress and adjust to their needs as they learn, creating the optimal path learning experience.
What makes Worlducation completely different from their competition is that they envision a world in which every child learns how to read and write – a world without illiteracy. Given this vision, for every classroom that buys their products, they donate and train a classroom somewhere around the world that can’t afford the same technology. Furthermore, they connect the two classrooms (those who bought the products and services and those who received the donation) so that they can grow together and collaborate throughout their learning cycle.
Worlducation headquarters are in Sydney’s CBD but they have a development team in Bulgaria, a manufacturing team in Hong Kong, and operation and sales and marketing staff in Colombia, Egypt, Iceland, Russia and the Philippines.
Worlducation is in a period of expansion and needs to ensure that it can access enough qualified staff at its Sydney CBD headquarters. Over the last 12 months, the company has found it challenging to attain and maintain adequately trained staff.
During this time Worlducation has experienced a range of staffing issues including workplace bullying, harassment and multiple staffing complaints fuelled from employee differences. Worlducation recognises its talented and diverse workforce as a key competitive advantage. Their business success reflects the quality and skill of our people.
Specific information that may be used as for Section 1 of the Project Portfolio
It is the responsibility of all team leaders to develop diversity within their teams and work plans. Team leaders are required to adhere to legislative and organisational requirements.
Worlducation has a call centre (located at headquarters). The call centre falls under the management of the Sales and Marketing Manager but is led by the call centre team leader (you). Call centre staff answer calls from customers, resolve simple queries and perform administrative tasks.
You team consists of three of the following people (your assessor will assign three to you):
Assessor: Assign students with three of the following. Vary how you assign the team members to discourage collusion.
Team member | Information |
Valerie Salter (28 years old) | Valarie has recently married and converted to Judaism. Her husband follows the Jewish faith and converting was something she felt was important to her new relationship. Valerie has lived in Sydney, NSW all her life and values tradition. She has moral objections to the LQBTIQ community. Valerie has mentioned that she would like to leave work early on Friday afternoon to begin to observe the Sabbath, but some of the staff have heard her discussing it and are upset that they won’t be afforded the same right to leave early on a Friday. |
An Giang (38 years old) | An is an Australian citizen, but both her parents were born in Vietnam. An is transgender and was born male. An has experienced misgendering (people referring to her using the incorrect pronoun). An is suspicious of all religions based on their views of the LGBTIQ communities. |
Christiano Sousa (22 years old)
| Christiano has recently moved to Australia from Brazil. English is his second language (Portuguese is his language of choice) and he played semi-professional soccer before joining Worlducation. Christiano now volunteers at the local soccer club coaching children and would like to leave work early on Thursdays to coach from 3:30pm. He loves soccer so much he cannot understand why anyone would watch or play another sport. Christiano has been teased about his accent. |
Elise Everton (55 years old) | Elise has worked at Worlducation since it started in 2016. She has a strong knowledge of the business and good relationships with the customers. Elise is Australian and has never travelled oversees before. She was diagnosed with depression about a year ago. She did not tell the until three months ago, when was signed off on sick leave. She returned to work last week but is overwhelmed. She has requested to only take calls and only work half-days (9am to 1pm). |
Yarran Waru (30 years old) | Yarran is an Aboriginal man who grew up in a remote QLD territory. For high school, Yarran received a rugby scholarship and attended a prestigious private bordering school in Brisbane and is a member of the school’s “Old Boys Club”. Yarran works flexible hours from home two days a week (Mondays and Wednesdays) to help care for his children. Some staff members do not think he will be able to take customers calls in a professional manner with his young children nearby. |
The HR Manager has forwarded the following information to all team leaders to assist them develop diversity in their teams.
Useful legislative links about Workplace Diversity: Fair Work Act 2009 This act prohibits discrimination against a person who is an employee, or prospective employee, because of the person's race, colour, sex, sexual preference, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, family or carer's responsibilities, pregnancy, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin in awards and agreements and in the termination of employment. Website: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00785 Age discrimination Age Discrimination Act 2004 It is unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of age. Website: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00746 Disability discrimination Disability Discrimination and Other Human Rights Legislation Amendment Act 2009 It is unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of disability. Racial discrimination Racial Discrimination Act 1975 It is unlawful to discriminate in employment on the grounds of race, colour, national or ethnic origin. Website: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00089
Equal employment opportunity The Equal Opportunity Act 2010 Website: https://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/the-law/equal-opportunity-act Sex discrimination Sex Discrimination Act 1984 It is unlawful to discriminate in employment on the grounds of gender, marital status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, or to sexually harass another person. Human Rights Human Rights Commission This site contains information on Human Rights, Disability Rights, Racial Discrimination, Sex Discrimination and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice. Website: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/ Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 This sets up a mechanism to deal with complaints of discrimination in employment through the Australian Human Rights Commission. |
Specific information that may be used as for Section 2 of the Project Portfolio
The Sales and Marketing Manager met with you (Call Centre Team Leader) to discuss the work to be done for the next months. Together you agreed on the following:
Deliverable | Tasks/Activities | Due by: |
Summarise weekly calls | Update feedback register Summarise call information Write a report **This activity can only be done at the head office | Close of business each Friday. |
Follow up unresolved queries | Source solution Communicate with client | Close of business each Friday. |
Rearrange call centre desks for better lighting | Move desks nearer to windows | End of month. |
Team building | Arrange team building session (two weeks to arrange) Attend team building session | End of month. |
Compile a list of clients | List all clients on MS Excel spreadsheet | End of month. |
All team members can perform the task/activities. Task and activities are assigned evenly amongst the call centre team members.
Diversity Policy |
Introduction
Worlducation recognises its talented and diverse workforce as a key competitive advantage. Our business success reflects the quality and skill of our people. Worlducation is committed to seeking out and retaining the finest human talent to ensure top business growth and performance.
Diversity management benefits individuals, teams, our company, and our customers. We recognise that each employee brings their own unique capabilities, experiences, and characteristics to their work. We value such diversity at all levels of the company in all that we do.
Worlducation believes in treating all people with respect and dignity. We strive to create and foster a supportive and understanding environment in which all individuals realise their maximum potential within the company, regardless of their differences. We are committed to employing the best people to do the best job possible. We recognise the importance of reflecting the diversity of our customers and markets in our workforce. The diverse capabilities that reside within our talented workforce, positions us to anticipate and fulfil the needs of our diverse customers, both domestically and internationally, providing high quality products and services.
Worlducation is diverse in many dimensions. Our diversity encompasses differences in ethnicity, gender, language, age, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status, physical and mental ability, thinking styles, experience, and education. We believe that the wide array of perspectives that results from such diversity promotes innovation and business success. Managing diversity makes us more creative, flexible, productive, and competitive.
Recruitment
As a responsible community member, Worlducation recruits people from all over the world. We believe that our employees from many different cultural, linguistic, and national backgrounds provide us with valuable knowledge for understanding and reflecting our customers in local markets.
To achieve and fully benefit from a diverse workforce we have established outreach programs to identify individuals from under-represented backgrounds for recruitment.
Career development and promotion
Worlducation rewards excellence and all employees are promoted based on their performance. All managers are trained in managing diversity to ensure that employees are treated fairly and evaluated objectively.
Community programs
Worlducation recognises that there are distinct demographic groups that have long been disadvantaged. We recognise that racism, ageism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination are problems both for our organisation and society. Worlducation is committed to tackling cultural stereotypes both within and outside our organisation. We have clear reporting procedures for any type of discrimination or harassment combined with follow-up procedures to prevent future incidents.
Worlducation combats discrimination in the wider community through partnerships with community-based groups. We work closely with a range of community groups.
Our commitment to diversity is led by our diversity champions who come from all levels of the company, from top management to the shop floor. The diversity champions make up a diversity committee, which is responsible for ensuring that our diversity policy is articulated in the day to day running and the strategic direction of the company.
Diversity practices
If required, employees may undergo diversity training. Diversity training encompasses raising awareness about issues surrounding diversity and developing diversity management skills.
Worlducation provides a safe and pleasant environment for our employees.
Employees should be offered flexible working conditions if their circumstances require.
Feedback
We welcome feedback on our diversity practices, including the contents of this policy. All feedback should be documented and presented to your superior for further action.
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