Workplace Health and Safety and Organisational Effectiveness

Unit Outline (Higher Education)

Level of Unit in Course

AQF Level(s) of Course

Level of Unit in Course

Introductory

Intermediate

Effective Term:

2025/04

Institute / School :

Institute of Health and Wellbeing

Unit Title:

Workplace Health and Safety and Organisational Effectiveness

Unit ID:

HLWHS6002

Credit Points:

30.00

Prerequisite(s):

(HLWHS6000 and HLWHS6001)

Co-requisite(s):

Nil

Exclusion(s):

(SCOHS6610 and SCOHS6611 and SCOHS6612)

ASCED:

061301

Other Change:

Brief description of the Unit

This unit draws together the concepts from earlier units in the graduate diploma to consider how an organisation’s effectiveness can be improved in relation to Workplace Health and Safety. Organisational factors including organisational structure, design and job design are introduced and critiqued. The unit looks at aspirational models of WHS, including mental health and wellbeing. Statistical methods and auditing are two of the methodologies used as ways to measure organisational effectiveness and performance. Students are also provided with strategies and approaches for organisational change.

Grade Scheme:

Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF)

Work Experience Indicator:

No work experience

Placement Component:

Supplementary Assessment:Yes

Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment

Course Level:

Learning Outcomes:

Knowledge:

K1.	Analyse how organisational structure and design contribute to the psychosocial work environment;

K2.	Distinguish good work design for wellbeing;

K3.	Select statistical concepts & methods appropriate for risk management;

K4.	Critique organisational review approaches, methodologies and standards;

K5.	Recommend change methodologies

Skills:

S1.	Critique organisational structure and design as contributors to the psychosocial work environment and workplace health and safety risk;

S2.	Evaluate work design for wellbeing;

S3.	Apply statistical concepts & methods appropriate for risk management;

S4.	Select appropriate organisational review approaches, methodologies and standards.

Application of knowledge and skills:

A1.	Propose organisational structures, organisational and job designs for improving workplace health and safety performance;

A2.	Interpret workplace health and safety data through statistical analysis;

A3.	Formulate recommendations for organisational workplace health and safety effectiveness based on research and a systems approach;

A4.	Design organisational change strategies for workplace health and safety.

Unit Content:

Introducing change in organisations. Consulting, influencing and coaching. Leadership. The workplace health and safety specialist as change agent within an organisation. Organisational structure and design. Job Design and wellbeing. Mental health. Methods of measuring workplace health and safety performance. Introduction to statistics in the context of occupational hazard management. Sources of data for fatalities, injuries, occupational disease and psychosocial risks. Strengths and weaknesses of data sources and alternative international sources. Sources of comparative performance data within Australia and for global benchmarking. Performance measurement in workplace health and safety contrasts between lag and lead indicators of performance. Selection and development of lead indicators. The Balanced Scorecard and applications in workplace health and safety. Organisation and display of data: tabular and graphical displays, principles of good presentation. Techniques for clarification and enhancement of displays. Qualitative measurement. The continuous improvement cycle. Initiating and planning the audit. Methodologies for evaluating organisational effectiveness.

Graduate Attributes:

Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.

FED TASK and descriptor		Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit
FED TASK and descriptor		Level
FEDTASK 1 Interpersonal	Students will demonstrate high-level skills to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups Students will be required to display (in person and/or online) high-level skills in-person and/or online in: • Effective verbal and non-verbal communication via a range of synchronous and asynchronous methods • Active listening for meaning and influencing • High-level empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating extended conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 2 Leadership	Students will demonstrate the ability to apply leadership skills and behaviours Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating, contributing to, and enabling collegial environments • Showing self-awareness and the ability to self-reflect for personal growth • Inspiring and enabling others • Making informed and evidence-based decisions through consultation with others • Displaying initiative and ability to solve problems	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 3 Critical Thinking and Creativity	Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complex and ambiguous environments, using their imagination to create new ideas Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically on complex problems • Synthesising, evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Proposing alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts through deep inquiry • Proposing creative solutions in problem solving	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 4 Digital Literacy	Students will demonstrate the ability to work proficiently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks Students will be required to display high-level skills in: • Finding, accessing, collating, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and appropriately and securely sharing complex digital information at a high-level • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Using digital tools appropriately to conduct research • Contributing proficiently to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and utilising digital learning opportunities	1 - Yes
FEDTASK 5 Sustainable and Ethical Mindset	Students will demonstrate the ability to think ethically and sustainably. Students will be required to display skills in: • The responsible conduct of research • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in multiple global economic environmental and societal contexts • Demonstrating commitment to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Generating research solutions which are sustainable,ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable • Extending lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Demonstrate extended actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life.	1 - Yes

	Learning Outcomes Assessed	Assessment Tasks	Assessment Type	Weighting	Professional Standards
1.	K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3, A4	On-line discussion forums related to key concepts	On-line discussion forums Related to key concepts	S/U
2.	K3, S3, A2, A3	Group discussion and presentation interpreting and communicating statistical information, interpretation and analysis	Group presentation	10-30%
3.	K1, K2, K4, K5, S1, S2, S4, A1, A3, A4	Literature review/annotated bibliography	Literature review/annotated bibliography	20-40%
4.	K1, K2, K4, K5, S1, S2, S4, A1, A3, A4	Group or individual report to stakeholders critiquing and recommending a range of organisational methodologies for organisational effectiveness	Report	40-60%

Adopted Reference Style:

APA ()

Professional Standards / Competencies:

Standard / Competency