Since the implementation of flexible delivery in the VET sector the role of those involved has changed dramatically. These changes have affected middle managers, teachers, and a wide range of administrative, technical, library and support staff. However, the teacher’s role and workplace in particular have changed dramatically. These include not only changes and diversification in their skill requirements but also an increasing diversification in the places that teachers go to train, assess and support learners. Teachers may now also work very flexible hours - any time of the day and night – which is all vastly different to the role of the traditional classroom-based teacher.
Research was commissioned by NCVER in 2003 as part of the Australian Flexible Learning Framework’s research program. It examined middle and senior management understanding and perspectives of the implications of human resource management resulting from flexible delivery within TAFE organisations. This research involved fifteen TAFE institutes across Australia, with chief executive officers, corporate managers, human resource managers, senior educational delivery managers and middle managers responsible for flexible delivery and members of the TAFE Industrial Relations Network being surveyed and interviewed.
The framework for the research was based on the nine human resource elements of:
- Professional development,
- Job design,
- Workforce planning,
- Recruitment and selection,
- Performance management,
- Pay and conditions,
- Workload management and
- Occupational health and safety.
The research found that current industrial agreements and human resource policy and practices have not kept up with changing work practices. Up until now the major focus in TAFE providers has been on professional development, with some of this attributed to national initiatives such as Flexible Learning Leaders, Learnscope and Reframing the Future. Some of the constraints have been in the areas of workload management, workforce planning and workplace development. At the operational level middle managers have negotiated arrangements to achieve the required demands put on them and their staff.
In order to more adequately reflect the work being carried out by those involved in flexible delivery industrial agreements and human resource policy and practices will need to change. Solutions to these practices will require collaboration between all the stakeholders.
Outlined below under the specific human resource elements are some human resource considerations for the future planning of flexible delivery. The full report of this research, "The impact of flexible delivery on human resource practices", and other related work, can be found on the NCVER website at www.ncver.edu.au/teaching/31032.html
| Workforce Planning/Succession Planning |
Staff profiles and recruitment strategies need to be planned for the future needs of the sector to ensure availability of the required skills mix and flexibility.
There is a need to be proactive in identifying future needs in order to ensure capability of delivery in the future.
No one teacher can have all the necessary skills, so there needs to be a full range of skills in the staff recruited across the whole team rather than in individuals.
There is a need to predict the future training needs and staff for flexible delivery
Non-teaching needs must be factored into workforce planning.
|
| Recruitment and Selection |
Skill sets need to be clearly identified.
It is important to recruit staff who are likely to be enthusiastic about flexible delivery – skills can be learned, attitude is more difficult.
Recruitment should take place against identified skills gaps: not all staff will have the whole range of skills now required, so the aim should be to cover the spectrum across the team.
People recruited to the workforce need to be flexible and adaptable to deal with continuing change.
New methods are needed to attract applicants with broader skills – this is beyond the interview process.
Position statement needs to include criteria relating to technology and flexible delivery. |
| Job Design |
Teacher roles need to be recognised as broader, with a need to move away from traditional descriptions.
Job design and descriptions need to reflect current practice within the organisation, including the need for flexibility and adaptability that means teachers’ jobs may vary between individuals and between teaching centres.
Pay and conditions need to be equitable, recognising current job requirements and activities. |
| Workload Management |
The activities and effort involved in flexible delivery needs to be recognised as part of the teacher’s work, and pay and conditions need to reflect this.
Need an agreed workable formula for workload management.
Enterprise bargaining agreements need to allow for more flexible ways of working.
Ways of establishing fair and equitable workloads are vital to promote effective working conditions and reduce friction and stress levels.
Department managers need professional development in operational planning to assist staff.
Flexibility requires staff to be given assistance to manage changing workloads. |
| Pay and Conditions |
Current award and productivity measures urgently need amendment to support rather than impede flexible delivery.
Current auditing and reporting systems (e.g. AQTF, AVETMISS) need amendment to reflect FD practice.
Internal administrative systems (e.g. travel, working at home, TOIL) need to be more flexible to reflect FD practices and support institute requirements about teaching practice.
There needs to be reward for multi-skilling.
There is inequity in loads between flexible delivery and traditional.
Managers would like opportunities to reward and recognise the efforts of staff. |
| Employee Relations |
Need to value staff more and create an organisational spirit to which staff are proud to belong.
New enterprise bargaining agreement needs to address flexible delivery issues and provide alternatives for flexible delivery. |
| Occupational Health and Safety |
Institutes need to develop policies on regulation/ reimbursement of costs for travel and working from home.
Risk management is a major issue.
Workload management is vital to avoid OH&S problems. |
| Performance Management |
Institutes need to be able to recognise all teaching and teaching-related duties in order to plan and manage workloads.
Because staff in the same teaching centre may be working in quite different ways, information sharing and a team culture are important.
In a flexible environment, managing performance is a challenge, and managers need higher-level leadership skills as well as management skills.
There is a need for performance management to address team expectations and identify clear performance indicators and productivity measures.
Managers need assistance to change the requirements for performance changes.
There is a need for agreed processes that are fair but focus on change and accountability. |
| Professional Development |
Teachers need to maintain industry currency and have a knowledge of the VET national agenda.
Induction into institute culture, systems and delivery approaches is important for all staff.
Institute processes (e.g. induction) should model flexible delivery in professional development.
All staff need periodic skills updates to keep up with technological developments.
Teachers and trainers need deep understanding of teaching and learning, not just workplace training skills.
There needs to be a strategic rather than piecemeal approach to professional development to ensure all institute staff understand FD issues and institute directions.
Professional development and training plans need to be institute-wide and to encompass all staff.
Middle and senior managers should be a priority area for professional development in flexible delivery to ensure they understand the changing demands of FD on teaching and non-teaching staff. |
Conclusion
The findings from this research indicated that many of the current industrial agreements and human resource policy and practices have not kept up with changing work practices. Since the implementation of flexible delivery in the VET sector the roles of those involved has changed dramatically. These changes have affected middle managers, teachers, and a wide range of administrative, technical, library and support staff, with the teacher’s role and workplace in particular having changed dramatically.
The research identified many of the changes that need to take place and the issues that need to be addressed specific to each of the human resource elements. It also recognised that in order to more adequately reflect the work being carried out by those involved in flexible delivery the industrial agreements and human resource policy and practices will need change and this change will require collaboration between all the stakeholders.
