Case Study Analysis: Oxford City Council Tour Guide Employment

This case study analyzes the employment relationship between Oxford City Council and its tour guides. It explores the influence of internal factors, such as employment policies and organizational culture, and external factors, including the local market's skilled workforce availability. The analysis differentiates between permanent and casual tour guides, highlighting their varying employment statuses and associated rights, such as fixed payments, benefits, and minimum wage. The study emphasizes the importance of assessing employee employment status for identifying strengths, weaknesses, and training needs, aligning performance goals with organizational objectives, and implementing effective reward and recognition strategies. The document references several academic sources to support its findings, providing a comprehensive overview of employment relations in the context of the Oxford City Council's tour guide operations.

Running Head: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
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CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 1
Answer 1
The employment contracts of the concerned organization, Oxford City Council, has affected the
interests of the employees. The section will identify the internal and external factors that
influence the employment relationship of the organization with the tour guides.
Internal factors
 The employment policy of the organisation can put a great deal of influence over the
employment relationship with two different groups of tour guides1. The different salary
packages and amenities that are provided by the organization to the tour guides play a
major role in retaining their commitment towards the operational processes.
 The employees of the organization are affected through the culture. It has been noted that
the permanent tour guides of the organization are more inclined towards following the
corporate culture that was set by the organization while focusing on their performance.
Whereas the casual or contractual employees are more inclined towards the benefits that
the organization provides the same with on the basis of their performance, while
disregarding the different policies that are framed by the organization.
External factors
 The local markets have a minimal supply of trained and experienced employees. The
minimal supply of skilled workforce in the markets would influence the bargaining power
of the tour guides. The lack of skilled and talented employees in the job markets of the
1 McDonald, Paula, and Paul Thompson. "Social media (tion) and the reshaping of public/private boundaries in
employment relations." International Journal of Management Reviews 18, no. 1 (2016): 69-84.

2CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
concerned organization would also result to switches towards the better propositions that
are made by the organizations in the market2.
 The complexity of the different task roles might affect the interests of the permanent as
well as the casual employees while operating as per the common objectives of the
venture. The permanent employees, being offered a particular bar of salary would not like
the concept of complex processes. However, the casual employees would take the
initiative of bargaining with the organizational management and authorities on the
complex assignments.
Answer 2
The employment status of permanent tour guides and the casual tour guides is quite
different and it is based on the employment policy of Oxford City Council. For instance, the
permanent employees have the status of employee who are willing to work under the contracts of
employment provided by the organisation. It means they have fixed payments, annual leave and
working hours for permanent employment. The employers have to be aware of the status of their
working and the responsibility as per the job description3. Moreover, they are also entitled to the
national minimum wage and the statutory redundancy pay as prescribed by the government.
On the contrary, the casual employees are belonged to the employment status of worker
who are under a contract of employment but entitled to core employment rights and protection. It
is important to note that the workers do not have enough amenities as the employers can get.
2 Conway, Edel, Na Fu, Kathy Monks, Kerstin Alfes, and Catherine Bailey. "Demands or resources? The
relationship between HR practices, employee engagement, and emotional exhaustion within a hybrid model of
employment relations." Human Resource Management 55, no. 5 (2016): 901-917.
3 Greer, Ian, and Virginia Doellgast. "Marketization, inequality, and institutional change: Toward a new framework
for comparative employment relations." Journal of industrial relations 59, no. 2 (2017): 192-208.

3CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Some specific benefits like minimum wage and rest breaks can be provided to the workers as per
the legislative measures4. However, there are lack of amenities that the workers can get in
compare to the employees. For instance, there are better opportunities for the employees to have
better income package and national minimum wage in compare to the workers.
However, there is another employment status in terms of self-employed who are
identified as a freelancer and does not have any direct relation with any organisation. Therefore,
they do not enjoy any employment rights because they are the both the manager and the
subordinates at a time.
Answer 3
The assessment of the employment status is important for an employer. The section will
enumerate the importance of assessing the employment status of the employees.
 The assessment of the employment status supports an employer in identifying the
different strengths and weaknesses of the workforce while correlating with the job
requirements of the same. The assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the
employees allows an employer in identifying the training and developmental needs while
imposing different modifications in the organizational process.
 The assessment of the employment status would allow the employer in developing the
performance goals and standards while correlating to the organizational needs of growth
and expansion5.
4 Olsen, Karen M., Therese Sverdrup, Torstein Nesheim, and Arne L. Kalleberg. "Multiple foci of commitment in a
professional service firm: Balancing complex employment relations." Human Resource Management Journal 26,
no. 4 (2016): 390-407.
5 Helfen, Markus, Elke Schüßler, and Jörg Sydow. "How can employment relations in global value networks be
managed towards social responsibility?." Human Relations 71, no. 12 (2018): 1640-1665.

4CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
 Assessment of the employability status of the employees would allow the employer in
conducting the reward and recognition strategies6. Therefore, it is pertinent for him to
understand the entire employability status in an in-depth manner.
6 Jackson, Gregory, Virginia Doellgast, and Lucio Baccaro. "Corporate social responsibility and labour standards:
Bridging business management and employment relations perspectives." British Journal of Industrial Relations 56,
no. 1 (2018): 3-13.

5CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Reference
Conway, Edel, Na Fu, Kathy Monks, Kerstin Alfes, and Catherine Bailey. "Demands or
resources? The relationship between HR practices, employee engagement, and emotional
exhaustion within a hybrid model of employment relations." Human Resource Management 55,
no. 5 (2016): 901-917.
Greer, Ian, and Virginia Doellgast. "Marketization, inequality, and institutional change: Toward
a new framework for comparative employment relations." Journal of industrial relations 59, no.
2 (2017): 192-208.
Helfen, Markus, Elke Schüßler, and Jörg Sydow. "How can employment relations in global value
networks be managed towards social responsibility?." Human Relations 71, no. 12 (2018): 1640-
1665.
Jackson, Gregory, Virginia Doellgast, and Lucio Baccaro. "Corporate social responsibility and
labour standards: Bridging business management and employment relations
perspectives." British Journal of Industrial Relations 56, no. 1 (2018): 3-13.
McDonald, Paula, and Paul Thompson. "Social media (tion) and the reshaping of public/private
boundaries in employment relations." International Journal of Management Reviews 18, no. 1
(2016): 69-84.
Olsen, Karen M., Therese Sverdrup, Torstein Nesheim, and Arne L. Kalleberg. "Multiple foci of
commitment in a professional service firm: Balancing complex employment relations." Human
Resource Management Journal 26, no. 4 (2016): 390-407.