Writing in labor and employment relations3/Assignment instructions

Assignment Revisions

 * DUE THURSDAYS AT 11:59 PM

Structure & Formatting

 * Write your Full Name (First, Last), Email Address and Phone Number (with area code) - at the top of the page
 * 12 points, Arial font, no fancy fonts, italics, etc.
 * DO NOT USE TABLES OR TEXT BOXES
 * Proofread & Corrected - NO ERRORS in sentence construction, grammar and punctuation; use periods at the end of sentences.
 * Conservative look and feel - nothing too wild unless you're a graphic designer.
 * 1 inch margins
 * 1 page = 500 words per page); Single-spaced
 * Use page numbers (i.e., 1, 2, 3)
 * Use headings
 * Properly Name Documents (i.e., Shawn Fisher_Final Proposal)
 * Use MICROSOFT WORD for your documents - IT IS AVAILABLE FOR FREE AT RUTGERS / Office of Information Technology
 * On occasion, a document in pdf may be required - ask instructor for details.
 * Submit Assignments to Canvas

Key Elements

 * In response to a job posting on the Internet / Job Boards
 * Submit a PDF copy of the job posting / job description - by attaching it to the appropriate section in CANVAS
 * 12 point Arial - no fancy fonts, italics, etc.
 * 1-inch margins
 * Most important accomplishments first - for the bullet points.
 * Go to your CAR Stories - Use a "RESULT" for each position / role
 * Proofread & Corrected - NO ERRORS in sentence construction, grammar and punctuation; use periods at the end of sentences.
 * Conservative look and feel - nothing too wild unless you're a graphic designer.
 * DO NOT USE TABLES OR TEXT BOXES

Submitting Resume + Cover Letter Assignment
Follow these steps for Submitting Your Final Assignment:
 * Complete and submit the next draft of your Resume V3.0 to Canvas.
 * 1) Continue to write, edit and polish your Resume + Cover Letter - creating V4.0
 * 2) Use the '''Yellow Highlight Function"'  in Microsoft Word - to Highlight in Yellow where you made changes / improvements (OPTIONAL STEP)
 * 3) Submit the Improved Version of Your Resume + Cover Letter V4.0 - to Canvas (as a Microsoft Word Document.
 * 4) Submit the Job Ad to Canvas - as a pdf
 * Name it Properly: First Name, Last Name and "Job Ad_Job Title" (i.e., Shawn Fisher Rutgers Ad Professor)
 * Name it Properly: First Name, Last Name and "Job Ad_Job Title" (i.e., Shawn Fisher Rutgers Ad Professor)

Memo / Progress Report (2 pages)
The purpose of the Memo, is considering the impact of Artificial Intelligence and/or Automation in the workplace, and how it affects different groups. Through the readings you will decide - it might be new software for the workplace, a robot to increase production of autos or fruit-picking - you decide.

The Memo is a Discussion Document for Management to consider making a 'Go / No Go' decision to invest in a particular piece of equipment or software. Your job is to examine and ANALYZE SPECIFIC impacts on different stakeholders. DO NOT SIMPLY DESCRIBE THE IMPACT.

Formatting

 * Single spaced (i.e., 500 words per page) - not included Works Cited
 * Represents initial correspondence to Project Committee / Leader
 * Addresses specific person by name
 * Uses Format:
 * To: Person's Name, Job Title
 * From: Your Name, Your Job Title
 * Date: January 27, 2020 (example)
 * Subject: Short 5 Word Description
 * In the Header, Put Your Name, Cell Number and Email Address (top of the page)

Guiding Principles

 * Organize your analysis, presenting information clearly:
 * Points to a Problem (with a solution)
 * Affects People (i.e., specific audiences / group of people)
 * Suggests lines of research and areas for future exploration (i.e., interviews, academic research)
 * Tracks Progress

INSTRUCTIONS

 * Identify Company Name & Industry and Size of Company (i.e., annual revenue, number of employees)
 * Write Context / Organization Type, Products / Services -
 * What is Changing / Proposed / For Whom? Why? When? How?

1. Write 3-5 bullet points for Each Stakeholder Group BELOW - and use Pros / Cons

 * 1) Company
 * 2) Employees / Labour


 * 1) Customers; Suppliers
 * 2) Investors
 * 3) Government/Regulatory
 * 4) Community
 * Who is affected? How? Where? Why?
 * Who is responsible? What will you be asking of him / her to help you make decisions
 * What is their likely response / challenges / resistance / motivations


 * PRO - Faster call handling after hours
 * CON - Impersonal service that might cause the organization to lose customers.

Step 3: Polish up your sentences. Add specific details from your company / workforce.

 * State your observation / analysis, and then say, "For example, ..... Use the example to illustrate the previous sentence / claim that you are trying to make.

Tips for Better Grades

 * Adheres to proper letter or memo format
 * Discussions, documents and quantifies the problem
 * Highlights the reader's concerns about the topic
 * Cites specific facts and examples from your research
 * Briefly proposes a plan and provides rationale for it
 * Convinces reader to hear / learn more
 * Provides list of Works Cited (Chicago Style)
 * Proofread for errors and appearance
 * BE SPECIFIC: Use an actual company / industry to enable you to dive into details, specifics
 * Avoid vague, general descriptions – and wordy and repetitive. You need to analyze what is happening / going to happen, not merely describe it.

Assignment Tip Sheet

 * Choose one (1) group of employees (i.e., marketing, sales, admin, finance / accounting, IT, manufacturing)
 * Analyze the impact on this group - don't simply describe it.
 * Use an example to illustrate your understanding. You can say in your text - after you have analyzed the impact - For example, in California, in 2020, this situation occurred and this was the result - and then cite the reference. (Grimes, 2018)
 * BE SPECIFIC
 * Use Primary Research / Qualitative Research / Interviews as evidence to build you case, develop supporting evidence. (You can also use Secondary Research)
 * Identify the kind of Intervention / Program / Policy Change you propose to make
 * Identify and explain how you are going to evaluate the Intervention / Program / Policy Change + How Are You Going to Improve it (i.e., the program, etc.)

Alternate Version of Memo
Read the following articles: 1. Watch Out Workers: Algorithms are Coming to Replace You - Maybe

2.  The Race to Replace Farm Workers with Robots
 * Apply the readings to your Memos.
 * The 1st DRAFT of the Memo is due Thursday.

The instructions that follow are different than what is on the Syllabus, - so read carefully: You will use the template here - and explore the impacts for each of the stakeholder groups, with Pros & Cons.

You will write two (2) of the Strongest Points for each of the Pros and Cons, for each stakeholder group.

Short sentences with specifics / detailed information illustrating your critical thinking and analysis of how Automation affects each group (Pro & Con).

Be sure to use the Active Tense. In the Memo Info Section - be sure to identify what company you are referring to. In other words, change the name and company info in the text, and use your own.


 * Write Context / Organization Type, Products / Services
 * Name of Company
 * What is Changing / Proposed / For Whom? Why? When? How?Employees / Labour; Customers; Suppliers; Investors; Government/Regulatory; Community;
 * Other ImpactsWho is affected? How? Where? Why? Think about who is responsible for decision-making.

What will you be asking of him / her to help you make a decision for or against workplace automation?What is their likely response / challenges / resistance / motivations

Be sure to bring three (3) Printed Copies to Class and we will review them. I will also provide feedback.

Background Note: Analysis & Recommendations (3 pages)

 * Put your Name, Email Address and Cell Phone Number on the Top of Each Page

Step 1 - Focus on Technology / Automation in the Workplace

 * McKinsey Report - Jobs Lost, Jobs Gained: What the Future of Work Will Mean for Jobs, Skills and Wages
 * The Race to Replace Farmworkers with Robots, Washington Post, February 17, 2019
 * Automation is Everywhere and It's Not Just About Robots. Adam C. Uzialko, Business News Daily, Feb 22, 2019
 * See -https://www.google.com/search?q=the+downside+of+workplace+automation&oq=the+downside+of+workplace+auto&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j33l5.10261j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Google Search - The Downside of Automation]

Step 2: Research Company + Labor / Employee Perspectives

 * Use Primary Research for each perspective below (i.e., 2 interviews - 1 interview from from each perspective); and
 * Use Secondary Research popular (Internet) & academic resources (i.e., 4 sources total - (2) sources from each perspective)


 * 1) Company Executive / Leader perspective
 * 2) Employee / Labor Leader perspective


 * In SMLR, we use Chicago Style
 * Use RefWorks - available at Library

Step 3: Build an Argument / Thesis about Company OR Labor Perspective AND Do Additional Research to Back Up Your Argument / Decision
Sections
 * Summary - (1/4 page)
 * Research - Primary & Secondary (including Discovery Interviews) - 1 page
 * Analysis (1-page)
 * Acknowledge impact of the other side - what they may do / not do
 * Recommendation(s) - 1/2 page
 * Citations (single page at end of document)

Notes About Analysis & Recommendations Section
This paper is about credibly advancing your ideas to a decision-maker for action. You have to ensure well-thought through analysis to reduce the risks inherent in making any change - be they time, money, resources, impact on people, etc.

'''Propose a solution / intervention that is properly backed up in both analysis and recommendations. What intervention do you propose? Who implements it? Why? Who does it affect?''' Is it different for different groups of employees? What do different groups (i.e., men, women, functions, level of employee) receive / benefit? Who develops it and what point of view is expressed? What interventions are proposed, and for how long, and who / how is it evaluated for lessons-learned and application to a larger set of employees. Then, focus on modifications, measurement and application, and reporting to management and employees – degrees of success, failure and opportunities to improve / learn.

Make sure you go WELL BEYOND descriptions of how technology affects the workplace, rather than you suggesting a specific change, explaining how you would implement that change, who would be affected, what training would be developed / provided and what results you were trying to achieve. Then, you would evaluate the results at specific intervals.

Here’s an example - DO NOT COPY THE IDEAS WORD-FOR-WORD + DEVELOP YOUR OWN ORIGINAL IDEAS / SOLUTIONS

Productivity is dropping at XYZ company, a home healthcare agency. Management is investigating the purchase of iPads with time-tracking software, to evaluate performance and value for money in the field - particularly for remote visits by caregivers. A one-hour hands-on training with Q&A will be developed. We will try this with 20% of caregivers in the greater NYC area, for a period of 3 months. Then, we will conduct surveys to measure impact and return on investment, and client satisfaction. An end of pilot project survey and qualitative research will follow. If the results are satisfactory, this will provide evidence / business case for further rollout of this solution to the entire company.

Reflection I: Course Learning & Real-World Application (1 page)

 * What Did I l Learn in this Course that was Most Valuable? Least Valuable? Explain.
 * What Did I Learn About Myself?
 * What Am I Going to Do Differently? Why?
 * Real-World Application - how does what you learned APPLY to other situations you will encounter in your future, desired job - BE SPECIFIC - Tailor your answer, just as you tailored your Resume to a Specific Job

Reflection II: My Goals, SWOT Analysis and the Road Ahead (3-5 pages)

 * 1) Identify and explain your short, medium-term and long-term goals (use bullet points)
 * 2) Perform a SWOT Analysis of your personal and professional situation
 * 3) Share other information that does not present itself in the SWOT Analysis
 * 4) Be sure to identify GAPS in your experience, knowledge, emotional / physical / social / spiritual well-being
 * 5) Develop a game plan for how you will address, and achieve your Goals (Use the SMART Method - specific, measurable, actionable, results-oriented and time-based)
 * 6) Identify by name, relationship and role - your sources of encouragement, mentorship and support - to help you achieve your SMART Goals)