TLC Company Review: A focus on Innovation and Creativity for improvement 1. Overview 1.1. Context The Language Company (TLC) is a SME operating in Sydney’s northern suburbs and currently employs 15 part-time/casual teachers. Its core business is the delivery of foreign language programs as a co-curricular activity in primary schools. The language lessons take place for one hour directly before or after school. Unless other tutoring or teaching work can be offered (which at the moment is rare) – TLC teachers can only be offered work for a maximum of 8 to 10 hours a week. The average per employee is 3 to 4 hours a week. The company is overseen by the Director and an Operations Manager who also both teach. The creation of the additional management/administrative (OM) role was a key retention strategy for the colleague …show more content…
This has without doubt negatively impacted the growth of the company as the two managers are spending a disproportionate amount of time constantly seeking out, recruiting, inducting and supporting new teachers. TLC’s teachers fall roughly into 3 groups: Many colleagues are transitory – foreign language speakers in Australia on a working holiday visa – who by law can only work for TLC for 6 months. Others may have a 457 or student visa which allows them to work for the company for longer, but the small number of working hours available does not provide a sustainable income. Some combine with other flexible work (tutoring, waitressing, retail), whilst others simply leave when they find work, which offers more hours. Another key source of employees are Australian nationals, often students who have studied a language at high school or as part of their degree. This group is slightly more stable and more acceptable of the flexible working arrangements, but most don’t stay beyond a