ASSESSMENT 3: CEO POLICY BRIEFING DOCUMENT (30%)
WORD COUNT: MAXIMUM 1500 OR EQUIVALENT + ANNOTATED REFERENCE
LIST
DUE: Saturday 25 May by 11:55pm AEST/Melbourne time
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
• To identify one key current issue in work and employment from your
media portfolio that will impact on today’s organisations and locate this
issue in a company context from this semester
• To demonstrate academic research skills in providing an analysis of and
recommendations for managing this issue (including providing an
accurate APA 7 formatted and annotated reference list)
• To demonstrate clear business writing skills suitable for the professional
workplace
• To provide a clear and concise (1500 words maximum or equivalent)
written document or presentation - using either of the two templates
provided and required accompanying documents (i.e. explanatory notes
for the PowerPoints and the annotated reference list for both the
presentation or document briefing) – appropriate for briefing a CEO or
Board
Generative AI tools cannot be used in the assessment tasks in this unit:
In this assessment, you must not use generative artificial intelligence (AI) to
generate any materials or content in relation to this assessment task.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Choose ONE of the issues from your media portfolio this semester and
at least ONE of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals
that we covered in the unit this semester.
2. Research the issue and the SDGs thoroughly using recent academic
literature (peer-reviewed journal articles, scholarly book chapters) and
relevant reports (e.g. government, consultancy, tribunals/commissions,
other appropriate bodies). You should aim for at least 12 academic
sources but you do not cite these in your documents only in your
annotated reference list.
3. Choose a company context in which to locate your ‘issue’ and policy
briefing from this semester i.e. FibreTek (you will need to rely on the
company information provided in the three parts of the case study
throughout the semester and your answers to these activities.)
4. Watch the short video by Nikki Howells-Schramm (formerly from
Healthscope now with Police Victoria) on how she briefs her CEO. Note
that she has chosen to address a family and domestic violence leave
policy in her workplace of Healthscope as her briefing issue.
5. Follow the document template structure and complete the sections
using an appropriately concise, clear, professional writing style OR
follow the presentation proforma also provided below by Nikki.
6. If you choose the PowerPoint presentation, you need to provide
explanatory notes for each slide (slide notes to be less than 1000 words)
– no academic referencing on the slides only in the annotated reference
list – see immediately below.
7. There is no need to reference the actual briefing document in text or
PowerPoint slides on the slides but a complete and accurate APA 7
formatted reference list must be provided with a concise comment on
how each source was used in the briefing document – this means your
reference list will be an ANNOTATED reference list so please see the
example provided. The reference list is not counted in the 1500 words
maximum for the document or the 1000 maximum for the PowerPoint
explanation.
8. Please see an example of an annotated reference list below.
A briefing document is a good communication vehicle to keep others informed
of issues or situations in a professional manner.
A briefing document may provide a very concise background to an issue or
situation or problem.
A briefing document identifies a particular problem, with the goal of getting
others to also address the issue.
This type of document also usually offers a proposed solution or
recommendations for the presented problem.
No more than three pages; ideally between 700 and 1000 words – remember
that 1500 words is an absolute maximum). The reference list is not part of the
word count for the document and is a separate file from the PowerPoint
presentation.
A presentation is no more than five slides (see the proforma below and
instructions).
Steps to follow:
1: Summarize Key Information
As the author of a briefing document, it is your job to filter through interview
transcripts, papers and other materials to pull out what is important for others
to review. While you should hold on to all relevant research materials, do not
include extensive appendices or attachments with a briefing. The document
you produce should stand on its own without requiring readers to dig through
other documents for corroborating information. Refer to your chosen UNSDG
early in the briefing.
NOTE: You will submit your annotated reference list with your briefing
document or PowerPoint presentation though.
2: Verify Details
It is very important for you to verify that all details and other information
included in the briefing document are factual and reliable. Other individuals
will be relying on the information to determine whether or not they will
support the resolution of your issue or wish to propose alternative courses of
action. Everything in the document must be accurate; any claims should be
backed up with data.
Note: This is what your academic and other research is for.
3: Do Quality Control
It is very important that you take the time to make the document accurate,
easy to read and easily accessible. Once you have completed a draft, review it
closely to identify areas where other information may be needed or sources
may need to be added, making absolutely certain that everything is correct and
properly sourced. Ensure that everything flows well and the format is easy to
follow. Check for errors and make any adjustments needed.
4: Edit and Proofread Carefully
Take the time to edit and proofread your briefing document prior to
presenting it to your colleagues or other professionals. Double-check the
content and review the document for spelling mistakes or grammatical errors.
Get at least one other person to review the document to check for errors and
omissions, and to make sure that someone who hasn’t dug through all of the
research material can fully understand the situation described in it.

Please see the Proforma example of written document below (787
words).
There is also a PowerPoint Proforma below (maximum of 5
slides + explanatory notes).


Brief: Status Update on HR Software Implementation
The purpose of this brief is to provide members of the leadership team - CEO Dougie
Keith, HR Manager Cheryl Jones, Operations Manager Clint Silberer, Financial
Manager Nawaf Zaffir - with an update regarding implementing FibreTek’s new human
resource information system (HRIS).
Key details:
• The significant proposed growth in market share over the next five years
will see a substantial increase in FibreTek’s workforce which necessitates
the company moving forward with a more streamlined way of managing our
employee data.
• Recent events within FibreTek have demonstrated the necessity to
maintain employee profiles including gender; cultural, ethnic, and language
backgrounds; learning and development needs; performance management
processes; WorkCover requirements; and streamlining our recruitment
processes.
• The increasing workforce will require closer monitoring around workplace
health and safety issues which also aligns with changes to Victorian and
Federal legislation around standardisation of safety laws. This can be done
through the HRIS and will align with the United Nations’ Sustainable
Development Goal 3 around physically and mentally safe workplaces;
which will reduce our WorkCover premiums over time.
• The company would also benefit from automatic deduction of trade union
membership dues from employees’ salary to enable union densities to be
identified across the workforce.
• The 21 May 2022 Federal election saw in a change in government that has
resulted in numerous industrial relations laws and regulations that would
now facilitate this automatic deduction process.
• There is also a Federal Government push for increased gender equity and
new reporting measures on gender pay gaps that align with the United
Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 5 of eliminating harassment and
discrimination.
• Greater employee data security will be required to protect this sensitive
information and comply with Victorian privacy legislation.
• HR Tech First Australia has been selected as our new HRIS application.
• The HR Tech First Australia’s implementation team is currently working on
customisation.
• Our HR and accounting teams are gathering data requested by HR Tech
First Australia that is necessary to begin converting our data. This data is
due by 31 October 2023.
• The data conversion is expected to take approximately four weeks, which
means that we will be aiming to go live with the new system in early
January 2024.
• We need to notify HR Tech First Australia if we prefer to implement the
system one module at a time, or if we prefer to wait until the entire system
is ready to go live.
• We also need to set up some virtual training sessions so that key personnel
will know how to use the new system prior to its implementation.
Recommendations:
1. The HRIS committee recommends opting for a module-by-module
implementation. It is our belief that this approach will help make the
transition go as smoothly as possible. By gradually introducing the new
system, training can be staggered. This will also help make sure that
problems (if any) can be identified early in the rollout. This is the option
the software vendor (HR Tech First Australia) suggests as being the
most effective.
2. We suggest scheduling an initial training session for team leaders two
weeks prior to implementation of the first module, with additional weekly
sessions for employees through the first week of the initial rollout.
3. We suggest assessing additional training needs at that time, as the
system will be live and we will have feedback from the initial groups who
created the training. It may be necessary to schedule additional training
with HR Tech First Australia for the remaining teams, though it is our
hope that the rest of the training can be handled in-house.
4. We suggest scheduling an initial training session for team leaders two
weeks prior to implementation of the first module, with additional weekly
sessions for employees through the first week of the initial rollout.
5. We suggest assessing additional training needs at that time, as the
system will be live and we will have feedback from the initial groups who
created the training. It may be necessary to schedule additional training
with HR Tech First Australia for the remaining teams, though it is our
hope that the rest of the training can be handled in-house.
Next steps:
Please advise regarding your thoughts on the above recommendations by September
30 which is the Friday before the next HRIS Committee meeting on 3 October.
We will need to provide HR Tech First Australia with a decision about our preference
for implementation (module-by-module or all at once) no later than Friday 21 October.
In order to begin training in advance of implementation, we will need to provide High
Tech First Australia with our preferred initial training dates by that time as well.
Respectfully submitted by
Charlie Kwok, HRIS Committee Leader
Email: charlie.kwok@FibreTek.com.au
Ext: 32320
Proforma of PowerPoint presentation (Nikki Howells-
Schramm)
Use five slides only. Remember not everything needs to go on the
slides as you would be there in person or via a technology-driven
medium to explain the extra details needed. This means that you do
not overcrowd the slides.
However, you will need to submit adequate explanatory notes to
accompany your slides (when you watch Nikki’s presentation on
Moodle under the Assessment Tile Assessment 3 information, you
will see what sort of information can be included) and there must
also be reference and explanation of how the briefing issue relates
to at least one of the seven UNSDGs covered in this unit. Your
chosen Goal/s must be identified on the body slide.






Indemnification of one or more of the
seven UNSDGs covered in this unit
this semester should be on this slide.


Example of an excerpt from an annotated reference list:
Reference list
Cooke, F-L. (2025, forthcoming). The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the role of
HRM.
This source explained how the UNSDGs can be implemented via the HRM function and
SHRM in organisations. It assisted in directing the choice of UNSDGs 3 and 5 for this briefing.
[* Note: This source has no publication information as it has not yet been published. There
are other similar sources available to you to use.]
Pocock, B. (2011). Rethinking unionism in a changing world of work, family and community life.
Relations Industrielles 66(4): 562-584.
This source looks at the role of unions in protecting their members’ working conditions
around family life. FibreTek has had some issues with removing flexibility from some
workers, thus negatively affecting their existing family commitments. This flexibility change
may also be seen as a gendered issue.
Stratton, K. (1992.) Strategic human resource planning: A union perspective. Human Resource
Planning 15(3): 37-46.
This ‘classic’ (albeit old) source examines classic strategic planning and how trade unions
perceive it when it comes to their members. FibreTek has had some HR issues and issues with
their employees’ trade unions and this article offers some ideas of what to do regarding such
situations.
Thomas, A. (2020). Cross-border labour markets and the role of trade unions in representing migrant
workers’ interests. Journal of Industrial Relations 62(2): 235-255.
This source provided information on how trade unions represent immigrant workers’
interests in organisations such as FibreTek which has a significant immigrant workforce and
indicates how employers could better manage issues facing these employees to prevent
unnecessary union involvement – FibreTek has a heavily unionised workforce and is
currently engaged in enterprise bargaining.
Wilkins, R. (2024). HILDA data show women’s job prospects improving relative to men’s, and the
COVID changes might have helped. The Conversation; https://theconversation.com/hilda-
data-show-womens-job-prospects-improving-relative-to-mens-and-the-covid-changes-
might-have-helped-222897.
This magazine article is relevant as FibreTek is increasing the percentage of women it is
hiring in the plastics division because this work is seen as requiring much less strength tan
the heavier metals manufacturing division. It discusses findings from a regular survey
across the Australian population and is very recent publication.