Essay plan on employment relations
Essay Title: Work Organization in a Post-industrial Economy
Background:
The shift to a post-industrial economy in advanced countries like Australia has been accompanied by an increase in knowledge and service-intensive work, a reduction in low-skilled and blue collar jobs, decline in some traditional industries, notably manufacturing industry in Australia, and changes in various aspects of work organization. It has been observed that these changes may require different industrial relations and human resource management policies and practices than applied in previous eras. Four key aspects of work organization affected by these changes have been identified as working longer hours, work intensification, emotional labour and knowledge work.
The essay task:
Choose one of the four aspects of work organization referred to above, analyse the issues they pose for employment relations and recommend how the issues should be addressed by the relevant stakeholders. Support your analysis and justify your recommendations using reasoned arguments, backed by evidence from the academic literature and other informed sources.