Case Study Please read through the following case studies. Reflect on your learning and your own research within this unit. Prepare a response that responds to each of the issues presented below. Your...

Danielle is the practice manager of a large dental practice in the city. She is the only female staffer at management level. The CEO often refers to her as the ‘office mum’ although no male manager is ever referred to as the ‘office dad’. He also expects her to handle office birthdays and always asks her to organise coffee for their monthly managerial meetings. Danielle is becoming really frustrated with these requests and the ‘office mum’ label. She tells her CEO of her concerns, and he responds by telling her that she is being ‘overly sensitive’.

Do you believe that the CEO is displaying any sexist behaviour, or is Danielle being overly sensitive? Outline your reasons for your response.

Outline at least three strategies that Danielle could use to curb this behaviour while still remaining respectful to her CEO and colleagues.

You are the team leader of a practice where one of the employees constantly makes ‘jokes’ about people being ‘bipolar’, ‘going postal’, or being ‘off their meds’.

You happen to know that one of the other employees — within earshot of these comments — is on medication for depression.

Outline at least three strategies to stop the bad behaviour without revealing confidential information, and discuss why you would use them.

In the lunchroom at your workplace, a colleague is reading the paper. After reading an article about increases in funding for health and housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, they make a comment about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people ‘expecting Government handouts’ and say that they ‘should stop living in the past’. The person always prefaces these comments with “I’m not racist, but…”

You know that this is an opinion that this person has expressed before and that it seems to be deeply ingrained. Nobody else seems to mind this behaviour, and you are also aware that a number of other colleagues also think this way to some degree even if they do not come out and say it very often. Sometimes, the lunchroom discussions get quite heated, with people using derogatory terms when making comments about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

You are working in a situation where you and your colleagues are frequently dealing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Indeed, there are some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working with you. You notice that another colleague, whom you know to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, becomes upset and leaves the room.

• How does this impact the way you carry out your work, both in working with your colleagues and in dealing with your customers? Have any laws been broken?

• What are some of the issues affecting this situation, and what are you able to tell the non-indigenous workers about issues affecting Indigenous Australians?

• How would you respond to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person who left?

Writing strategies and actions for future improvements

A case study is designed for you to demonstrate your skills in reading, accurately interpreting and providing workable responses and strategies.

Check that your responses provide:

1. Identification and clarification of the key issues. Discuss and provide some suggestions as to what has caused these.

2. Key facts and information that is relevant and demonstrates your ability to provide solutions.

3. Templates and resources that could assist managers in the future when managing their teams.

4. Recommendations, both short term and long term, to improve the current situation.

Also ensure the appropriate use of headings and formats so as to reflect a professional presentation.