Public Personnel Policy Development

Public Personnel Policy Development

Work/life balance is certainly not a new concept, but because of advancements in areas like civil rights and technology, work/life balance looks different now, compared to 20 years ago– at least in the United States. Interestingly, since 1976, with the passage of the Social Assistance Act, all families in Denmark have the right to public childcare. Denmarks public childcare system also gives expectant mothers the 4 weeks before birth, in addition to 14 weeks of maternity leave after birth. Additionally, fathers receive 2 weeks of maternity leave, while both parents are given 32 weeks after the first 14 to split, with 50% pay (Berman, Bowman, West, & Van Wart, 2016).
This week, you learned all about employee-friendly policies. Now, it is time to practice your public speaking skills in delivering the message that Organization X is implementing a new employee friendly policy/program.

First, select one of the programs discussed in the readings and conduct an online search for additional information on the subject. Then, reflect on your findings and how the implementation of the program you chose might relate to a more stable work/life balance or just a healthier work environment in general. Then, citing a combination of the readings and your outside research, give a speech to employees of Organization X outlining the new program/policy and how it will impact them moving forward.

Length: 4-6 pages, not including title and reference pages

For grading purposes, you will submit a transcript of the speech you would present, along with any visual aids (chart, graphs) that you would use to enhance the presentation.

Also, as health becomes a higher priority, companies have implemented wellness programs and policies. In some public organizations, full-scale stress reduction programs linked to measurable outcomes have been launched. For example, some organizations incorporate screening devices into the recruitment process to assess person-environment fit. Another example is incorporating job expectations into the orientation process. This way, an employee knows exactly what is required by the time training ends, and the job begins. Mandatory workshops and courses are other methods of incorporating wellness into the workplace.

Additionally, as a more recent development, public organizations are jumping on the telecommuting bandwagon. When the demand for flexibility on the job first arose, many organizations adopted the flex work week. For some organizations, this means working a variable work schedule, which might include four 10-hour days, for example. For others, it means being present during pre-set core working hours such as in the office on certain days or times. As demands for even more flexibility have grown, many organizations are allowing employees the ability to work remotely from home at least one day a week.

As you digest this weeks readings, think about ways in which you, as Director of Personnel Administration for Organization X, could begin to create a more employee-friendly workplace while also maintaining order.

Be sure to review this week’s resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.

References:

Berman, E. M., Bowman, J. S., West, J. P., & Van Wart, M. R. (2016). Human resource management in public service: Paradoxes, processes, and problems (5th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publishing.

References: Support your speech with at least five references, three of which must be scholarly and published within the last five (5) years. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate professional or scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.

Your speech should be scholarly, yet engaging. In making your speech engaging, you may depart from usual writing form an organization and choose to use anecdotes, humor, or other speaking tools; be sure, however, to cite your sources appropriately in the print version of the speech that you submit.

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