A sample of a well answered assignment question from a student which

integrates case study details and course concepts.

Question 1
A 2011 investigation by the XYZ NEWS , noticed the lack of standardised training requirements for
pool staff across Australia (CS), causing consequences for operators, employees and the public.
There is confusion about what constitutes training under ABC’s health regulations because without
standardised training comes inconsistency. Therefore, training quality and quantity between
operators “vary enormously” as some are given “brief instructions” whist others engage in “rigorous
two-day course[s]” (Asfaw, Argaw & Bayissa 2015, p. 189; CS). Operators not engaging in proper pool
care led to over 10,000 pool health violations across two years, resulting in unsafe swimming
conditions for unaware swimmers and pool closures (CS). Swimmers and members of the public’s
exposure to poor quality water and inadequate chemical balances can lead to gastrointestinal and
other illnesses caused through swallowing or contacting unsanitary water (CS). Employees and
operators are potentially affected by continued exposure to chemicals when not stored or balanced
appropriately. Furthermore, pool closures result in employees limited ability to work during these
periods, impacting the business, employees and stakeholder income and reputation. When these
outcomes occur, it can be detrimental to operator self-efficacy and motivation (Noe 2020, p. 137),
affecting performance further.

To alleviate or avoid these consequences, setting regulatory training will produce

knowledge workers who contribute through specialized pool and hot tub maintenance
understanding (Noe 2019, p. 32).
Training is critical in producing safer swimming conditions, preventing illnesses and
emphasizing the critical role trained pool operators take in maintaining pools (Davis et al.,
2009, p. N/A). This is supported by Bilajac, Lušić, Jelinić, & Rukavina’s (2012) study where
after pool operators where trained the proportion of unacceptable tests lowered by 23.5%.
Training has the role to utilise human capital properly, supporting employees through
effective performance towards strategic goals of the business. Providing employees with
training gives them the capabilities (KSAs) to perform, ensures staff are “technically and
socially competent” and offers opportunities to advance operators’ careers (Asfaw, Argaw &
Bayissa 2015, p. 189). As Saks and Haccoun (2019, p. 6) point out, inadequately trained
employees ‘make mistakes resulting in accidents that threaten public safety and wellbeing’
therefore training is of vital importance for employees, organisations and ‘to those who use
public goods and services’.