Assignment 2 Strategy Report PDF

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Table of Contents 1. Introduction

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2. Technology and Digitalization 2.1 Challenges 2.1.1 Workplace automation 2.2 Recommendations 2.2.1 Strengthen cyber security

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3. Stress and Coping 3.1 Challenges 3.1.1 Stress and burnout 3.1.2 Work-life balance 3.2 Recommendations 3.2.1 Training and development 3.2.2 Work-life policies

5 5 5 6 6 6 7

4. Change Management 4.1 Challenges 4.1.1 Organisational change 4.2 Recommendations 4.2.1 Measurable goals and monitoring tools 4.2.2 Solidifying change 4.2.3 Communication

8 8 8 9 9 10 10

5. Conclusion

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6. References

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1. Introduction The digitalization of the world has led us to the digital economy which comes with both benefits and challenges. It has changed the way of work and impacts all industries including the higher education sector. In this report, we will touch on the challenges that universities, in particular RMIT University, may face in the digital economy such as workplace automation, stress and burnout, work-life balance, and change management. We will also discuss the recommendations that RMIT University should adopt in order to remain relevant in the digital economy.

Founded in 1887, RMIT University is one of Australia’s original tertiary institutions, and has several campuses in Australia and Vietnam. It also offers programs through partners in other countries such as Singapore, China and Germany. Ranked 250th university in the world, RMIT has a 5-star QS ranking for excellence in higher education and is known for leadership and innovation in technology, design and enterprise ('Why choose RMIT? - RMIT University' 2019).

2. Technology and Digitalization 2.1 Challenges 2.1.1 Workplace automation Workplace automation will cause privacy concerns for RMIT University as it increases the quantity of information retrieved and dispersed. As technology advances, it will also be easier for hackers to hack and retrieve information from the campus system, especially when there is a lack of cyber security put in place. RMIT University, a globally recognized education institution, has the capability to possess both student and staff personal information such as credit card

information and medical records, which would attract hackers. In 2016, Los Angeles Community College District and the University of Calgary have paid ransoms to recover the stolen data (Polyakov 2017). Hence, the breach of data will be a threat to all organizations in the digital economy, and it is vital to ensure that cyber security is established and monitored closely.

2.2 Recommendations 2.2.1 Strengthen cyber security To mitigate the possibility of valuable information getting stolen by hackers, it is recommended to heighten cyber security in areas which are more vulnerable. With the enhanced cyber security, RMIT University will be more resistant to cyberattacks that may occur in the school. Necessary steps should be taken such as encryption and firewalls. These precautions would help to significantly reduce the risk of potential hackers which may cause the school massive problems in future. Various digital skills are recommended to be in place, mastered and practiced as it is necessary to troubleshoot or resolve any problems faced in the digital economy in the future (Gekara et al. 2017). Additionally, the implementation of cyber security will help RMIT gain a competitive advantage as employees and students are more likely to trust the university.

3. Stress and Coping 3.1 Challenges 3.1.1 Stress and burnout Employees of RMIT University

According to Ellis (2019), employees are struggling to keep up with the evolving nature of work as every industry is going through digital transformation. Based on Gartner data, 70 percent of employees are still inadequate in the skills expected of them, and four in five lack the skills required for future positions. This could be partly due to organizations neglecting on building the suitable digital skills (Bayern 2019). The lack of support can be detrimental as employees tend to work inefficiently, resulting in lower productivity, and stress and burnout when employees encounter difficulties. Older generations in the workforce are more likely to feel burdened due to the huge knowledge gap between younger and older generations.

Students of RMIT University The rapid digital and technological change has brought about the emergence of e-learning. Elearning enables students to access educational curriculum outside of a traditional classroom using electronic technologies ('What is eLearning? | eLearningNC.gov' 2019). Hence, replacing the conventional face-to-face lessons. However, students require certain technological skills to engage and succeed in e-learning, and this could pose as a challenge for students with technical limitations. Due to the lack of face-to-face interaction, e-learning also requires students to be more independent and disciplined (Adwan & Smedley 2012). As e-learning is used in addition to classroom lectures, students may experience stress and burnout when they are unable to cope with the additional workload. This will lead to negative health impacts such as insomnia, and thus affecting work performance.

3.1.2 Work-life balance New technologies are redefining work, and this has caused an increasing blurring line between home and work as employees have access to these tools even during non-work hours (Chan & Brough 2018). According to a study by Virginia Tech University, the mere assumption that employees may need to work from home is actually destructive to them and their families (Barrett 2018). It is also mentioned that workplace cultures that require employees to be virtually accessible round-the-clock are more prone to poor work-life balance (Barrett 2018). This means that lecturers in universities, such as RMIT University, are especially at risk as students demand permanent availability from lecturers through emails, texts and phone calls (Shaw 2014). Parents also believe that teachers’ responsibilities include serving and going beyond their duties to maximize students' potential (Lee 2016). Hence, employees who struggle to separate work and home in the digital economy may experience lower job satisfaction, poorer psychosocial wellbeing, and a decreased quality of life (Yang et al. 2018).

3.2 Recommendations 3.2.1 Training and development More jobs are becoming automated and it is required that RMIT University send its employees for upskilling to close the digital skills gap and to improve work efficiency and productivity. With the support from the organization itself, employees will feel appreciated and stay motivated. It is also important for students to be sent for digital skills training so as to be able to learn effectively online, cope with the extra workload, and possess the qualities needed in the digital economy. Training and development will therefore reduce the stress and burnout experienced among employees and students.

3.2.2 Work-life policies Flexible work arrangements are becoming increasingly common in recent years and have been implemented in organizations to promote a better work-life balance in the digital economy (Seow 2019). Employees are more inclined to remain with a company when they are offered flexible work arrangements as they feel valued (Seow 2019). Depending on employees’ needs, they are able to choose from various arrangements which includes telecommuting, staggered hours, changing to part-time work and dividing jobs among workers (Leow 2018). The arrangement will especially benefit employees who have personal responsibilities such as caregiving duties and help reduce employee burnout rates. However, certain employees work better in a structured environment and FWAs may result in unproductivity. Hence, RMIT University needs to develop an effective monitoring system to track employees’ work progress and make changes when necessary. Practices such as encouraging and enforcing digital downtime and defining communication and work hours should also be implemented in the workplace to define clear boundaries between home and work (Moloney 2019). A healthy work-life balance will thus increase productivity among employees and reduce turnover in RMIT University (Garg 2018).

4. Change Management 4.1 Challenges 4.1.1 Organizational change Organizational change as explained by Ndibalema (2016) is to avoid status quo and moving forward towards a desirable future state with the optimization of its performance within the organization; where the goal is to achieve more results or be more effective. Ndibalema (2016) further stated the importance of organizational change, not only in organizations but also higher

education institutions such as RMIT University; as educational institutions would have to adapt to the constant change of the education environment to be effective and or of relevance to the industry. For an effective change within the organization, there are functional processes such as branding, where higher education institutions are enroute to reinvent themselves, becoming organizations despite maintaining their organizational identity (Stensaker, 2007; Marshall, 2010) and the investment in technology systems which could be continually sought after as the increased use of technology is expected to improve both the quality and flexibility of learning. In order to have a positive organizational change, there is a need for leaders to identify the gaps between the current and desired culture; and identifying the needs to change with strategies such as the explorations of collective assumptions and beliefs, exploration of mental models and the development of shared vision, the creation of a culture which consists of mutual trust and support (Craig 2004). Successful organizational change could also be contributed by employees with high emotional intelligence as the likeliness for such employees to accept changes within an organization is higher; managers could provide assignments for employees whilst implementing organizational change where Jordan (2005) states that higher emotional intelligence could enhance organizational learning and thus, a creation of a positive organizational culture. However, this idea is opposed by French (2001) where negative emotions could be triggered within the employees due to organizational change. Hence, there is a need for RMIT University to take note of whether employees are positively willing to adapt to the upcoming organizational change. To resolve these issues, there is a need to establish a healthy form of communication to

reduce a hierarchical barrier within the organization and solidifying the changes whilst conforming to measurable goals which is made alongside organizational change. RMIT University would be focusing on change management to manage the organization to gain a better sustainability.

4.2 Recommendations 4.2.1 Measurable goals and monitoring tools RMIT University would need to set measurable goals in which they identify exactly what they wish to achieve and how they are going to do that. They have to be able to track their progress and determine if they are on the right track. To do so, monitoring tools can be used to measure its progress of organizational activities and processes towards the attainment of its goals. This provide the means for the management team to oversee the organization’s performance level, among other indicators such as employee performance appraisals and well-being. This can be achieved through performance reviews, employees’ feedback and regular meetings within departments (Halachmi 2005).

4.2.2 Solidifying change It is imperative that RMIT University solidify the changes made after introducing them. It remains a fact that some employees are resistant to changes for sensible reasons (Tanner 2019). In most cases of implementation failures, it is due to the fact that management overestimate the organization’s ability to change. To prevent this, the management will have to ensure that employees are willing to embrace the new changes being introduced in the organization. To encourage this, managers will have to serve as a change agent, lead by example and demonstrate how favorable the change is. They will play the most crucial role as they aim to influence their

employees. An effective leader will be able to guide and provide directions to their employees (Reh 2019).

4.2.3 Communication Hierarchies are essential for the functioning of an organization, but it has brought about the issue of hierarchy barrier communication. Therefore, to alleviate this problem, it is important for the more senior members of staff to seek feedback from subordinates. It is crucial to emphasize that any constructive and truthful feedback will not result in backlash of any kind. Leaders can also organize one-on-one meetings regularly with their team members to communicate on a leveled term (Pope 2017). This form of communication provides employees with the opportunity to voice out their opinions and provide constructive feedback that may benefit RMIT University (Ozyilmaz & Taner 2018).

5. Conclusion It is crucial to review the possible challenges that RMIT University will face in the digital economy as appropriate measures can be proposed and taken to tackle these problems. The measures we have suggested in this report include strengthening RMIT’s cyber security to resolve privacy issues, and sending RMIT’s employees and students for digital skills training to help reduce stress and inefficiency brought by the lack of digital knowledge. RMIT should also implement flexible work arrangements for better work-life balance and clearly define work hours to overcome the blurring boundaries between work and home. When dealing with organizational change, RMIT needs to set measurable goals and ensure clear communication for a successful outcome. In conclusion, we believe that traditional degrees will still be valuable as face-to-face

interaction provides true engagement. Therefore, by implementing these recommendations, RMIT will be able to keep up with the everchanging world and thrive in the digital economy.

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Craig, C.M. (2004), "Higher education culture and organizational change in the 21st century", The Community College Enterprise, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 79-89.

Ellis, R 2019, 'Employees’ Digital Skills Deficits Are Problematic', atd, accessed September 22, 2019, from . French, R 2001 ‘Negative capability: Managing the confusing uncertainties of change’, Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol 14, Issue 5, pp. 480-492. Garg, P 2018, 'Impact of Work-Life Balance Practices on Employees Retention and Organizational Performance – A Study on IT Industry', Management, vol. 6, no. 8, pp. 105-107, accessed September 22, 2019, from . Gekara, V, Molla, A, Snell, D, Karanasios, S & Thomas, A 2019, 'Developing appropriate workforce skills for Australia's emerging digital economy: working paper', Researchbank.rmit.edu.au, accessed September 27, 2019, from . Halachmi, A. (2005), "Performance measurement is only one way of managing performance", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 54 No. 7, pp. 502-516.

Jordan, P, J 2004, ‘Dealing with Organisational Change: Can Emotional Intelligence enhance Organisational Learning?’, International Journal of Organisational Behaviour, Vol 8, Issue 1, pp. 4566-271. Lee, W 2016, 'Teachers' overtime work driven by parents' expectations', The Straits Times, accessed September 22, 2019, from . Leow, A 2018, 'Employers to get more flexi-work help: Josephine Teo', The Business Times, accessed September 28, 2019, from . Marshall, S 2010, 'Change, technology and higher education: are universities capable of organisational change?', accessed September 18, 2019, from . Moloney, D 2019, 'Is Work-Life Balance Attainable In Today's Digital Age? — YFS Magazine', YFS Magazine, accessed September 14, 2019, from . Ndibalema, L 2015, 'THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE IN SCHOOLS OR IN ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS A SCHOOL.', accessed September 23, 2019, from . Ozyilmaz, A & Taner, D 2018, 'Communication skills shape voice effects in organizations', The Service Industries Journal, pp. 1-24.

Polyakov, A 2019, 'Council Post: What Cyberthreats Do Higher Education Institutions Face?', Forbes.com, accessed March 12, 2017, from . Pope, A 2017, '5 Deadly Communication Barriers and How to Solve Them', Biz 3.0, accessed September 21, 2019, from . Reh, J 2019, 'Supervisors and Managers, Learn to Give Directions to Your Employees', The Balance Careers, accessed September 28, 2019, from . Robert Tanner, M 2019, 'Organizational Change: 8 Reasons Why People Resist Change', Management is a Journey, accessed September 28, 2019, from . Seow, J 2019, 'More workers can opt for flexible work arrangements: MOM report', The Straits Times, accessed September 22, 2019, from . Shaw, C 2019, 'Overworked and isolated - work pressure fuels mental illness in academia', the Guardian, accessed September 28, 2019, from .

‘Significant risks facing higher education Taking an enterprise approach to risk management' 2018, accessed September 28, 2019, from . Stensaker, B 2007, 'The Relationship Between Branding and Organisational Change', Higher Education Management and Policy, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 1-17. 'What is eLearning? | eLearningNC.gov' 2019, accessed September 28, 2019, from . 'Why choose RMIT? - RMIT University' 2019, accessed September 22, 2019, from . Yang, J, Suh, C, Lee, C & Byung, C 2018, 'The work–life balance and psychosocial well-being of South Korean workers', NCBI, accessed September 28, 2019, from ....