Mr Harrison's Blog

For all you PGCE business studies students (like me) the following two files will prove to be very useful indeed.

Download the word file below and fill in the missing blanks.

For the next two lessons you are going to:

Produce a cash flow forecast
Produce a graph showing wedding belles' monthly bank balance
Explain why it is important to plan ahead by producing a cash flow forecast
Explain why is it usual for a business such as the one we will look at today to need an overdraft

Use the following template to answer both Task 1 & 2

Here us a typical example of how to use the microsoft application excel to create a cash flow forecast:

http://www.igcsebusinessstudies.com/cash%20flow%20question%201%20answers.xls

TASK ONE

After downloading the below diagram proceed to use Mircrosoft Publisher to label the correct areas that need to be taken into consideration when working with a computer in an office environment.

TASK 2

RSI Scenario  Many of the students in your BACS class have been suffering from a tingling sensation in their wrists, numbness in their fingers and difficulty opening and closing their hands.  After speaking with the school nurse, she explains that you and your friends might be suffering from repetitive strain injury, injuries that result from repeated movements that irritate nerves and tendons. The nurse describes a number of actions you can take to prevent RSI.  When you return to your class, your teacher (Mr Harrison) asks you if you could create an A4 poster using publishing software to show to your fellow students.  She says that you must include:-      

• Brief details about the condition, what does RSI stand for?
• What causes it 
• How it can be prevented

 The following web sites might be able to help you.
http://www.repetitive-strain-injury.comm
www.rsi.org.uk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repetitive_strain_injury
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/health_at_work/physical_rsi.shtml  Make your poster interesting and informative.

TASK 3

Although deisgned for an ICT course try this quick quiz to test your knowledge on H & S

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ict/csquiz/healthandsafety.shtml

GCSE 2007 Business and Communications Systems
Workplace Organisation Revision
Monday, 19 March 2007

This revision worksheet has three sections:

1. Hot Desking
2. Teleworking
3. Flexible Working

Hot-desking
'Hot desking' is a system where you do not have a specific desk allocated to you in the office, but use any desk that is free.
This practice is generally adopted by companies wishing to save money on office space and facilities. It is ideal for businesses where most employees work largely outside the office - on client sites or at home. The desks are allocated on first come, first served basis. A little like musical chairs. Come in last and you might not get a seat.
To facilitate hot desking, employees may be issued with mobile phones and laptop computers. A mobile phone is essential to ensure that your employees are contactable, any time, anywhere. They cannot escape.
It is very easy to become alienated in a hot desking environment. An agent may return to the office eager to network, only to find an office full of people they have not seen before. This can be disconcerting.

Teleworking
Teleworking sometimes called telecommuting, means working from home using modern technology to keep in touch with your business. Jobs can be relocated to places where it is more attractive, more convenient or cheaper to live. The technology needed for teleworking includes a computer with e-mail facilities. Some teleworkers may also use a fax machine, mobile phone as well as videoconferencing equipment.
The benefits to a business includes office running costs and overheads (rates, electricity, heating etc.) being reduced, which in turn may reduce the need for office space. Also any travel-related problems may be reduced. Another advantage of teleworking is that it may tempt better staff to come and work for the company. However, employers need to be able to trust their staff and be prepared to have less direct control over them.
The benefits for the employee are that they can work from home so there is no time wasted travelling and no travel costs. It enables employees to work around the needs of your family and/or children, giving greater flexibility. Finally is more convenient - you can plan the working day to suit you, which could help reduce stress levels.

• There is less opportunity to meet people and share ideas - teamwork is more difficult
• There may be more temptation to spend time on non-work-related activities
• People often work longer hours than they should and find it hard to switch off and close the door on their work and emails.

Flexible working

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-3491242313687865742&q=flexible+working

'Flexible working' is a phrase that describes any working pattern adapted to suit workers needs. Common types of flexible working are:
• part-time: working less than the normal hours, perhaps by working fewer days per week
• flexi-time: choosing when to work (there's usually a core period during which you have to work)
• annualised hours: your hours are worked out over a year (often set shifts with you deciding when to work the other hours)
• compressed hours: working your agreed hours over fewer days
• staggered hours: different starting, break and finishing times for employees in the same workplace
• job sharing: sharing a job designed for one person with someone else
• home working: working from home
One can combine any of these working patterns to come up with something to suit individual’s circumstances.

Questions

Please answer all questions in your own words and with sufficient detail using Microsoft Word.

1. In your own words describe the advantages and the disadvantages of ‘hot desking’;

a) to the worker (the employee)

b) to the employer

2. Identify and explain one benefit of teleworking for employers

3. Identify and explain one drawback of teleworking

4. What is the main difference between teleworking and hot desking.

5. Describe flexible working?

6. How do you think it will affect you in the future?

7. Do you think flexible working is a good idea? Why?

Useful Websites

Here are some websites relating to today’s topic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4501792.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/working_lunch/2265994.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/working_lunch/3601823.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4315638.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2029132.stm