SCENARIO Samson Media is a publisher of several upmarket fashion   magazines. It has strong links with several high-profile fashion houses whose   products are featured in the magazines, and also provide a significant source   of advertising revenue. Readers of the magazines are predominantly 35 –   54-year-old women.  Readership has fallen over the last two years. This is due   in the most part to due to competition from a range of other fashion   magazines and consumers switching to digital media. Due to the decline in   readership, profits have also fallen by 20% and there has also been a   decrease in the share price.  Therefore, the new CEO, Amir Johnson, has been appointed.   Amir was the former Marketing Director for a well-known successful media   business that included a national newspaper, magazines, and a subscription   television channel. Those publications are focused mainly on sport and   celebrity gossip. It is able to undercut its competitors with low prices,   enabled by a ruthless approach to achieving high levels of efficiency. Amir and his team of Managers have developed a Strategic   Plan that includes the following objectives.  · Increase return on capital to 8% within 2   years  · Enact a transformational change of the company   that will convert all magazines to a digital format. · Close the printing and distribution site. · Achieve cost efficiencies through relocating   the head office to a smaller office. · Restructure head office staff through moving   to a smaller core of permanent staff and more contract staff.  It is intended that the new digital magazines will have   the following features:  · Focus on health and beauty, fashion and   celebrity gossip. · Some free content but full access available   only on a subscription basis. · Additional features available to subscribers   such as video clips, podcasts and discussion Current staff information is as follows. All staff are   full-time permanent staff and their total salary costs per annum to Samson   Media are also included below. · General Manager: $200,000 · Finance Manager: $150,000 · Marketing Manager: $150,000 · Customer service manager: $100,000 · Customer service assistant: $240,000 (total   salary costs for each journalist is $80,000) (2) - $100,000 (total salary   costs for each assistance is $50,000) · Online Marketing Coordinator: $120,000 · Human Resources Manager: $110,000 · Editor: $85,000 · Art Editor: $80,000 · Journalists (3): $270,000 (total salary costs   for each journalist is $90,000)  · Graphic designers (2): $240,000 (total salary   costs for each journalist is $80,000) · Editing Assistant (2): $120,000 (total salary   costs for each assistance is $60,000) · Photographer (2): $150,000 (total salary costs   for each assistance is $75,000) · Senior Designer (2): $260,000 (total salary   costs for each journalist is $120,000) · Senior Production Controller: $95,000 · Printing and distribution (20 staff): Total .

1. SCENARIO
Samson Media is a publisher of several upmarket fashion
magazines. It has strong links with several high-profile
fashion houses whose products are featured in the magazines,
and also provide a significant source of advertising revenue.
Readers of the magazines are predominantly 35 – 54-year-old
women.
Readership has fallen over the last two years. This is due in
the most part to due to competition from a range of other
fashion magazines and consumers switching to digital media.
Due to the decline in readership, profits have also fallen by
20% and there has also been a decrease in the share price.
Therefore, the new CEO, Amir Johnson, has been appointed.
Amir was the former Marketing Director for a well-known
successful media business that included a national newspaper,
magazines, and a subscription television channel. Those
publications are focused mainly on sport and celebrity gossip.
It is able to undercut its competitors with low prices, enabled
by a ruthless approach to achieving high levels of efficiency.
Amir and his team of Managers have developed a Strategic
Plan that includes the following objectives.
· Increase return on capital to 8% within 2 years
· Enact a transformational change of the company that will
convert all magazines to a digital format.
· Close the printing and distribution site.

2. · Achieve cost efficiencies through relocating the head office
to a smaller office.
· Restructure head office staff through moving to a smaller
core of permanent staff and more contract staff.
It is intended that the new digital magazines will have the
following features:
· Focus on health and beauty, fashion and celebrity gossip.
· Some free content but full access available only on a
subscription basis.
· Additional features available to subscribers such as video
clips, podcasts and discussion
Current staff information is as follows. All staff are full-time
permanent staff and their total salary costs per annum to
Samson Media are also included below.
· General Manager: $200,000
· Finance Manager: $150,000
· Marketing Manager: $150,000
· Customer service manager: $100,000
· Customer service assistant: $240,000 (total salary costs for
each journalist is $80,000) (2) - $100,000 (total salary costs
for each assistance is $50,000)
· Online Marketing Coordinator: $120,000
· Human Resources Manager: $110,000

3. · Editor: $85,000
· Art Editor: $80,000
· Journalists (3): $270,000 (total salary costs for each
journalist is $90,000)
· Graphic designers (2): $240,000 (total salary costs for each
journalist is $80,000)
· Editing Assistant (2): $120,000 (total salary costs for each
assistance is $60,000)
· Photographer (2): $150,000 (total salary costs for each
assistance is $75,000)
· Senior Designer (2): $260,000 (total salary costs for each
journalist is $120,000)
· Senior Production Controller: $95,000
· Printing and distribution (20 staff): Total $1,000, 000
The cost of running the printing and distribution site, plus
staff costs is currently approximately $1,500,000 per annum. It
has been identified that, given the change to the new medium
of publication, it will be an immediate priority to shut down
the site and make all of the staff redundant.-------------------
The current office rent is $500,000 per annum.
Employment contracts are in place for all staff members
employed in Head Office. Printing and distribution workers
are employed under an award. The CEO has indicated that he
is interested in moving towards an enterprise agreement

4. arrangement for all remaining staff and would like to have this
reviewed as part of the change management process.
Current human resources policies and procedure include a
recruitment, selection and induction policy and procedure and
a termination policy and procedure. There is an ad-hoc
performance review process in place, which occurs as issues
arise. There are no formal processes for training needs
analysis or professional development.
As the General Manager, you have been asked to lead the
development and implementation of the change management
plan, with the first step being to consult with an organisational
change expert to discuss issues and strategies for change
management for the company.
It is anticipated that, while there will be some cost savings in
making the change, there will also be costs involved including:
• Redundancies: anticipated cost is $300,000
• Upskilling staff: $100,000
• Consulting with experts: $100,000
• Communication throughout change with key stakeholders:
$100,000
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Recruitment, selection and induction policy and procedures
The CEO has indicated that he is interested in moving towards

5. an enterprise agreement arrangement for all remaining staff and
would like to have this reviewed as part of the change
management process.
Policy Statement
Samson Media is committed to recruiting and selecting quality
staff and inducting staff to ensure they understand their job
role and can follow all required procedures.
Principles
Selection decisions will always be made on merit to avoid
discrimination and unfairness.
Employee termination will be handled sensitively and with
fairness.
Scope
This policy and procedure apply to all staff who undertake
recruitment, selection, induction. This policy and procedure is
supported by, and linked to the company’s Strategic Plan, and
Staff Code of Conduct.
Procedures
1. Recruitment, selection and appointment.
The following procedures will be followed for recruitment.
· Prior to the recruitment process commencing, HR to develop
a position description or access an existing position
description. Ensure all information in the position description
is accurate and identifies the key responsibilities, key
selection criteria and desirable skills and attributes.

6. · HR will advertise the position using the organisation’s
preferred medium(s) and Ad templates. Ads will clearly specify
the purpose of the role, key selection criteria, mandatory
qualifications and a contact name and number,
· Following receipt of applications, HR and the responsible
manager will develop a shortlist of applicants based on the
applications provided and their suitability to the role. Ensure
that all shortlisted applicants have mandatory qualifications
required of the position or the ability to obtain them.
· Interview of shortlisted candidates will be completed with
HR and the responsible manager at the interview. Standard
questions will be used and accurate notes will be taken.
· Following the interview, HR and the responsible manager
will agree on the selected applicant and referee checks will
occur using the Reference Check form.
· Letter of offer to be sent out to successful candidate/s and
rejection letters to unsuccessful candidates using standard
letters.
· Letter of offer is developed using standard template
2. Induction
HR creates a staff file for the new staff member and all
documents relating to the recruitment process are stored.
Staff member completes all required documentation for
employment, including contracts, staff details forms and
TFN notice.

7. Ensure signed contract is on file.
Induction plan is created and initial induction completed.
Inductions as per plan are conducted during the first three
months, which is also the probationary period.
· At least 2 days prior to the probationary period lapsing, HR
will hold a review and support session with the employee. This
session is to be used as a feedback and review from both
parties on the probationary period.
A forward plan for development and training needs is to be
developed during this session and agreed to by the
employee.
If the employee’s performance is not satisfactory,
Supporting documents
Position description template
Advertisement templates
Letter of offer
Award
Employment Contract template
Unsuccessful candidate template

8. Induction plan
Induction checklist
Supporting information
Termination Policy and Procedure
Policy
Samson Media is committed
- to providing clear guidelines about the termination of
employees.
- to ensuring that where a staff member’s employment is
terminated, this is completed in accordance with the law and
with sensitivity.
Scope
This applies to all employees of Samson Media. Termination
may be because of:
· Redundancy: the position is no longer needed.
· Retrenchment: there are reduced positions
· Employee resigns
· Serious misconduct investigated according to disciplinary
procedure

9. · Unsatisfactory performance
Procedures
Resignation or Dismissal
Notification of cessation of a staff member’s employment must
be provided in writing.
The employee is to provide resignation notice outlining
intention to resign and the final date of employment. Notice
must be provided as per the employee’s employment contract
or award.
Where Samson Media terminates employment due to
redundancy, retrenchment, unsatisfactory performance or
serious misconduct, a notice of termination will be provided,
outlining final date of employment and reasons for
termination.
Expectations about performance is included in each staff
member’s contract, as well as in the staff code of conduct.
Exit Interview
All employees will be entitled to an exit interview with their
manager.
The purpose of the exit interview is to seek information from
the employee as to their experience of employment with the
organisation and to identify areas for improvement.
The exit interview is a confidential discussion.
Information provided during the exit interview is reviewed and

10. incorporated into Samson Media’s ongoing quality
improvement activities as required.
Written Reference
Employees with more than two (2) months service can be
provided with a written reference on performance and service
details, unless dismissed for serious misconduct.
Employees with less than two (2) months service or those who
are dismissed due to serious misconduct may, upon request, be
provided with a written statement of service containing the
length and nature of the employment.
Return of Samson Media’s property.
On or before the employee’s final date of employment, the
employee is to:
· Return all property of the organisation (including keys,
documents, information technology equipment, intellectual
property)
· Return or be reimbursed with outstanding petty cash
· Remove hard copy and electronic personal and confidential
files
· Inform supervisor of any passwords/codes that may prevent
access to computer files
Administration
Before the employee’s final date of employment, Samson
Media will:

11. · Calculate remaining leave entitlements and final payments
according to law
· Ensure forwarding contact details are provided by the
employee
· Inform the employee’s superannuation fund of the
employee’s final date of employment.
On or before the employee’s final date of employment, Samson
Media will:
· Restrict computer network access: both office and remote
· Remove as a signatory to financial and other transactions.
Record Keeping
The staff member’s resignation letter or a copy of Samson
Media’s employment termination letter is filed in the
employee’s personnel file.
The staff exit interview and checklist will be filed in the
employee’s personnel file.