Industry Placement Report: Analysis of Australian Unity in Home Care

This industry placement report examines Australian Unity, a prominent home care provider in Australia. The report analyzes Australian Unity's operations, focusing on their services for the elderly, people with disabilities, and Aboriginal communities. It explores their financial strategies, including insurance and real estate investments, and assesses their potential for growth within the home care sector. The report highlights the company's strengths, such as government funding and market entry barriers, while also addressing weaknesses like a diversified brand portfolio and dependence on government support. Opportunities for diversification and threats from employee turnover and customer base instability are also discussed. The analysis considers the impact of government regulations and the importance of customer satisfaction for long-term sustainability. The report concludes by suggesting Australian Unity as an ideal company for industrial placement, highlighting the opportunities for professional growth and exposure within the healthcare sector.

Running head: INDUSTRY PLACEMENT 1
Industry Placement
Name
Institution
Date

INDUSTRY PLACEMENT 2
The home care sector is a commercial industry that has since been growing over the
years. With people spending less time at home, they need care services for their family members
who need extra care. The home care service sector provides assistance for people with disability
and those who are old. It ensures that this populace has better living standards and gives support
to family members who take care of them. New product packages in the industry provide help
for even those who prefer independent living conditions. As such, this industry placement paper
will focus on Australian Unity which offers home care services.
Australian Unity is a home care provider that operates in approximately eighteen
communities all around Australia. The home care provider concentrates on providing care to
people in old age, those with disability and aboriginal home care services. It also focuses on
providing insurance scheme for people with disability. The home care service provides solutions
to better-living conditions. For the old people, the Australian Unity offers necessities and
assistance. It also extends its care provision to young people who are recovering from an
operation. Additionally, Australian Unity is the largest provider of specialized and culturally
appropriate services for Aboriginal people in Australia. It provides services that are flexible for
the client ("Home Services | Australian Unity", 2017). Health care clients require high quality
services at a 24/7 hour system; this kind of flexibility is required to enhance growth.
Apart from providing home care services, Australian Unity has diversified its portfolio
into achieving financial sustainability. Its primary focus is providing medical and retirement
insurance services to a diverse target market ("financial-advice", 2017). Besides, the organization
has invested in various in real estate to provide financial capital that it channels towards
delivering better home care services. Effective capital management enhances financial stability
to the health care industry in the nation. Following an analysis of Australian Unity, the company

INDUSTRY PLACEMENT 3
has the potential for growth as the industry gets assistance from the government. Particularly for
Australian Unity, the company has the opportunities to diversify its portfolio to reduce business
risks and increase its profitability ("Home Services | Australian Unity", 2017).
Australian Unity operates in an industry that has high market entry barrier. The home
care service sector does not entirely provide financial sustainability. Also, most of the clients
prefer a home package. It is for this reason that Australian Unity draws a strength over its
competitors. The sector has market entry barriers. Besides, Australian Unity enjoys government
funding. The home sector is part of the medical insurance and retirement programs provided by
the federal administration. Australian Unity has gained government backing over the years as it
offered quality home care services. Alternatively, Australian Unity has opportunities to diversify
its products to suit its clients. The industry shows potential in growth and people’s income levels
are gradually increasing ("Australian Unity - SWOT analysis. Strength, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, Threats for over 40,000+ companies and industries", 2017).
Conversely, due to the expansion of its products, Australian Unity has acquired some
weaknesses. Its brand portfolio is diversified in a manner that does not minimize industrial risks.
Besides, as technology advances, the company has to adopt various technology systems to
increase its efficiencies. It high dependence on government funding provides a high business risk
in case such funding is delayed or regulated. On the other hand, Australian Unity has to deal with
business threats that arise from its external environment and technology issues. Though highly
praised for its employee efficiency, Australian Unity faces a significant threat from employee
turnover. The company has replaced its staff regularly thus incurring costs in recruiting and
training new employees. Besides, on the customer-base front, it needs to acquire a stable and
broad customer base to stabilize its profits and ensure financial sustainability (McMurray, 2017).

INDUSTRY PLACEMENT 4
The home care sector gains financing from the government and other sources of funds for
private-owned businesses. The government provides funding for the home sector as the industry
is an extension of medical care. Besides, inadequate care provided to the old people by their
families and abandonment of people with disability increase the chances of this population to
drop into poverty. Thus in an aim to reduce poverty, the Australian government provides
sponsorship to organizations in the home sector services. Australian Unity is one of such
companies which is known for the aboriginal disability care services ("Home Care Packages |
Home Care Services | Australian Unity", 2017).
As a leading firm in-home care service, Australian Unity gains financing from the
government and internal sources. The company provides insurance services for its clientele that
covers medical and retirement cases. It prices its products based on the financial background and
the health condition of its customers. Before applying for home care services at Australian Unity,
one has to fill a form that allows the company to screen the client based on their case and price
the service ("Funding eligibility for home services | Australian Unity", 2017). It also allows the
company to customize the product to suit the client. Similarly, like other insurance companies,
Australian Unity provides insurance policies based on the health condition, age, financial
background among other factors. It uses client information to price its premiums and makes
insurance payments in case the insured risks are incurred. For the retirement package, Australian
Unity ensures that the families of retirees maintain their lifestyle through retirement insurance
services ("Aged care costs explained | Australian Unity", 2017). Besides, Australian Unity
portfolio focuses on provided advisory services on the type of insurance to take and the best
home care package for old and people with disabilities.

INDUSTRY PLACEMENT 5
It is imperative to note that, unlike other sectors, the home sector is highly controlled by
the government. Since the government pays for a significant portion of the home care services,
individuals who seek the product have to be deemed eligible by the Aged Care Assessment
Team. It is a government body that screens individuals who apply for home care services. During
the application, the person chooses the provider they wish to give the care services. Once one is
approved for home care, then Australian Unity may take the pricing of the services based on the
type of care that the applicant requires. As such, pricing of home care is based on government
eligibility approval and the kind of assistance needed by the client ("Funding eligibility for home
services | Australian Unity", 2017).
Australian Unity operates in various communities and has established home care facilities
to assist the old and those with a disability. Like many home care facilities, overcrowding is an
issue. However, Australian Unity has dealt with the problem by constructing large
establishments to provide adequate space for its clients. Additionally, the home care sector is
shifting towards giving flexible assistance services that allow the customers with a disability to
live independently. This trend has enabled Australian Unity to deal with overcrowding ("Home
Care Packages | Home Care Services | Australian Unity", 2017). Overcrowding in the health
care facilities makes customers feel uncomfortable and industrial placement has narrowed this
gap by alleviating the menace.
Following the case of Australian Unity, its main issues and threats arise from its portfolio
and the instability of its consumer base. Australian Unity faces business risks in the insurance
industry. This risk may provide financial costs to the company. Besides, the volatility of its
clientele base threatens its sustainability. Thus, Australian Unity should focus on establishing a
brand that aims towards retaining customers through increased customer satisfaction. Besides,

INDUSTRY PLACEMENT 6
minimizing business risks and hedging its portfolio reduces financial costs ("Australian Unity
Group increases first half revenue by 43 percent, profit by 16 percent", 2017).
Australian Unity would be an ideal company for my industrial placement. The
corporation centers on providing home care services and insurance coverage for the old people
and those with disabilities. Its diversified portfolio allows the company to sustain its financial
viability but also includes business risks. Working at Australian Unity would provide avenues for
professional growth and exposure. Professional exposure would put Australia as a nation at an
optimal point over which explosion of the country’s maximum potential would be met. Financial
stability creates viability of projects execution as well as their completion and this is another
critical aim for industrial placement in Australia. Industrial placement therefore needs to get
encouraged in order to enhance professional exposure, growth, development, and sustainability
in the entire nation.

INDUSTRY PLACEMENT 7
References
Aged care costs explained | Australian Unity. (2017). Australianunity.com.au. Retrieved 10
November 2017, from https://www.australianunity.com.au/aged-care/costs-explained
Australian Unity Group increases first half revenue by 43 percent, profit by 16 percent. (2017).
Australianunity.com.au. Retrieved 10 November 2017, from
https://www.australianunity.com.au/media-centre/news-and-media/australian-unity-
group-increases-first-half-revenue-by-43-pe
Australian Unity - SWOT analysis. Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats for over
40,000+ companies and industries. (2017). Swot.advisorgate.com. Retrieved 10
November 2017, from http://swot.advisorgate.com/swot-a/4002-swot-analysis-australian-
unity.html
Financial-advice. (2017). Australianunity.com.au. Retrieved 10 November 2017, from
https://www.australianunity.com.au/pfs/personal-risk-insurance
Funding eligibility for home services | Australian Unity. (2017). Australianunity.com.au.
Retrieved 10 November 2017, from
https://www.australianunity.com.au/home-services/funding-eligibility
Home Services | Australian Unity. (2017). Australianunity.com.au. Retrieved 10 November
2017, from https://www.australianunity.com.au/home-services/home-services?
gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuqLD8-Wp1wIVCCUrCh0rGg1SEAAYASAAEgILZPD_BwE
Home Care Packages | Home Care Services | Australian Unity. (2017). Australianunity.com.au.

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Retrieved 10 November 2017, from
https://www.australianunity.com.au/home-services/home-care-packages
McMurray, B. (2017). Qualtrics Helps Australian Unity Improve Its Voice Of The Customer
Program - B&T. B&T. Retrieved 10 November 2017, from
http://www.bandt.com.au/marketing/qualtrics-helps-australian-unity-improve-voice-
customer-program