OL 620 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric Overview The final project for this course is the creation of a benefits and compensation analysis (with revisions) and a stakeholder presentation. Professionals in the human resources field are often tasked with overseeing the benefits and compensation functions within any given organization. Human resource professionals often have to examine specific compensation and benefit elements of a total rewards system and compare them with qualitative and quantitative data collected internally, to determine how to fairly and appropriately reward employees for their work. For the summative assessment, imagine you have been tasked with evaluating and revising the current benefits and compensation package of an organization. You will utilize information from a case study to compare and contrast the organization’s total reward system with external benchmarking data, analyze data for gaps, and make revisions to the existing compensation and benefit package. The information you are provided will be based on a specific aspect of a benefits and compensation package (retirement benefits, medical benefits, etc.). You must also create a presentation to stakeholders that explains the proposed changes, your rationale, and the implications of the changes for the organization. The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure a quality final submission. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three, Five, and Seven. The final project will be submitted in Module Nine. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:  Analyze qualitative input from stakeholders for prioritizing employee concerns regarding existing organizational total rewards systems  Compare existing internal quantitative data regarding benefits and compensation structures to external benchmarking data for determining key areas of concern in organizational total rewards systems  Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of organizational benefits and compensation structures for informing the revision of benefits and compensation systems  Design revised benefits and compensation packages that address key stakeholder concerns and align with established financial, organizational, and legal constraints  Appropriately communicate proposed changes of organizational benefits and compensations structures to various internal stakeholder populations Prompt In your role as a human resources professional, you have been asked to revise aspects of the current benefits and compensation package illustrated in the Harvard Business Review case study “Consumer-Driven Health Care: Medtronic’s Health Insurance Options” and make revisions to the package to accommodate issues and concerns. You have also been asked to prepare a presentation to stakeholders regarding your proposed revisions. You will begin with an analysis of quantitative and qualitative information about the current rewards system. Use this information to identify strengths and weaknesses of the current package and make recommendations, while addressing stakeholder concerns and previously identified weaknesses. You will communicate these proposed changes in a presentation to stakeholders of the organization. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: I. Benefits and Compensation Analysis: For this part of the assessment, you will analyze given aspects of a benefits and compensation package from the provided case study. You will analyze qualitative and quantitative data regarding the current system and determine gaps in that system that will inform your future recommendations and revisions. A. Analyze the issues or concerns of employees through a review of the qualitative data presented in the case study, for their validity and importance. Be sure to consider the needs of different demographics of employees within the organization. B. Determine which issues within the qualitative input data from employees were the most consistent and the most prominent. You may consider also representing your response visually. C. Determine the key issues or concerns of employees that should be targeted and addressed, based on the provided qualitative data. Justify your response. What issues or concerns should be targeted and why? Why should other concerns be made less of a priority? You could consider the underlying reasons behind the issues voiced by employees. D. Compare and contrast the provided quantitative data regarding the current benefits and compensation system with external benchmarking data from organizations within the same industry. Be sure to use the provided table to complete your response. What does the current system have that other organizations do not? What do other organizations offer that the current system does not? Be sure to justify your response. E. Determine areas of misalignment, differences, and gaps present in the current benefits and compensation system, based on the external benchmarking data. What are the key areas of the current system that are misaligned with the industry standard? F. Compare qualitative input data and quantitative analysis with the organization’s employee demographic data to determine the degree of the existing population that will be affected by the proposed changes. In other words, what is the overall impact of a proposed change? G. Based on your analysis of the provided qualitative and quantitative data, determine strengths and weaknesses present in the current benefits and compensation system. What are the strong suits of the system? What are the weak areas? Be sure to justify your response. H. Determine rewards components that should be increased or stay the same, and provide your rationale. What in the current package should be emphasized or left alone? I. Determine rewards components that should be reduced, and provide your rationale. What in the current package should be addressed? II. Revisions: In this part of the assessment, you will make recommendations and revisions to the current benefits and compensation package to address any concerns and gaps previously identified. A. Make recommendations for accommodating potential financial, procedural, and legal constraints regarding the revised benefits and compensation package. B. Make revisions to the current benefits and compensation package that address concerns related to your previous analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data. In other words, what changes would you make to the current benefits and compensation package in order to address any concerns you previously identified? C. Explain the financial cost of proposed changes to both direct and indirect compensation. Be sure to address fully funded organizational changes, partially funded changes (and by what percentage), and fully employee-funded benefits. D. Explain the cost of each benefit and compensation element as a cost per employee. You may want to show cost increases or decreases per benefit item, with a total roll up cost to the employee and the organization. III. Presentation: In this part of the assessment, you will develop a presentation to stakeholders that describes your recommended changes and provides both context and rationale for why you believe they should occur. This presentation must be developed in such a way that it is accessible for all stakeholders (leadership, management, employees, and so on). A. Provide an overview of the qualitative input data, quantitative benchmarking data, and the gap analysis that was conducted. B. Provide a rationale for proposed changes and explain how the proposed changes will achieve targeted organizational goals and address stakeholder concerns. C. Explain the implications of implementing the new system for the organization and for different employee populations. Milestones Milestone One: Benefits and Compensation Analysis (Section I, Parts A–D) In Module Three, you will submit a draft of Parts A–D of your benefits and compensation analysis. You will analyze qualitative and quantitative data regarding the current system identified in the Harvard Business Review case study “Consumer-Driven Health Care: Medtronic’s Health Insurance Options.” You will also compare and contrast the provided quantitative data regarding the current benefits and compensation system with external benchmarking data from organizations within the same industry. The submission will have the major heading “Benefits and Compensation Analysis: Parts A–D.” This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric. Milestone Two: Benefits and Compensation Analysis (Section I, Parts E–I) In Module Five, you will submit a draft of Parts E–I of your benefits and compensation analysis. You will determine key areas of concern regarding the current system identified in the Harvard Business Review case study “Consumer-Driven Health Care: Medtronic’s Health Insurance Options” that will inform your future recommendations and revisions. The submission will have the major heading “Benefits and Compensation Analysis: Parts E–I.” This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric. Milestone Three: Revisions (Section II) In Module Seven, you will submit a draft of Section II (Revisions). You will make recommendations and revisions to the current benefits and compensation package described in the Harvard Business Review case study “Consumer-Driven Health Care: Medtronic’s Health Insurance Options” to address concerns and gaps previously identified. The submission will include all parts of Section II with the major heading “Revisions.” This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric. Final Submission: Benefits and Compensation Analysis and Revisions with Stakeholder Presentation In Module Nine, you will submit the completed benefits and compensation analysis (with revisions) and stakeholder presentation. You will appropriately communicate your proposed changes to the internal stakeholders (leadership, management, employees, etc.) identified in the Harvard Business Review case study “Consumer-Driven Health Care: Medtronic’s Health Insurance Options” and provide both context and rationale for why you believe they should occur. This presentation should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final project. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric. Deliverables Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading One Section I, Parts A–D, Benefits and Compensation Analysis Three Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric Two Section I, Parts E–I, Benefits and Compensation Analysis Five Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric Three Section II, Revisions Seven Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric Final Submission: Benefits and Compensation Analysis (With Revisions) and Stakeholder Presentation Nine Graded separately; Final Project Rubric Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your benefits and compensation analysis must be 10 to 12 pages in length (plus a cover page and references) and must be written in APA format. Use double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Include at least seven references. The presentation must consist of 5 to 10 slides. Use a product such as PowerPoint or Prezi to create your presentation. Sources should be cited according to APA style. Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information, review these instructions. Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value Benefits and Compensation Analysis: Issues or Concerns Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the value of key issues, from the employee’s perspective Analyzes the issues or concerns of employees, reviewed through the qualitative data, for their validity and importance for organizational review, considering the needs of different employee demographics within the organization Analyzes the issues or concerns of employees, reviewed through the qualitative data, for their validity and importance for organizational review, considering the needs of different employee demographics within the organization, but analysis is cursory Does not analyze the issues or concerns of employees, reviewed through the qualitative data, for their validity and importance for organizational review 6.3 Benefits and Compensation Analysis: Consistent and Prominent Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates keen insight into the differences between prominent and less prominent issues Determines which issues within the qualitative input data from employees were the most consistent and the most prominent Determines which issues within the qualitative input data from employees were the most consistent and the most prominent, but determination is cursory or illogical Does not determine which issues within the qualitative input data from employees were the most consistent and the most prominent 6.3 Benefits and Compensation Analysis: Targeted and Addressed Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates keen insight on the underlying reasons the issues voiced by employees have arisen Determines key issues or concerns of employees that should be targeted and addressed, based on the provided qualitative data, justifying response Determines key issues or concerns of employees that should be targeted and addressed, based on the provided qualitative data, justifying response, but determination is cursory, illogical, or there are gaps in the justification Does not determine key issues or concerns of employees that should be targeted and addressed 6.3 Benefits and Compensation Analysis: External Benchmarking Data Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates keen insight into the position of the current benefits and compensation system compared with systems at other organizations Compares and contrasts provided quantitative data regarding the current benefits and compensation system with external benchmarking data from organizations within the same industry, using the provided table, justifying response Compares and contrasts provided quantitative data regarding the current benefits and compensation system with external benchmarking data from organizations within the same industry, using the provided table, justifying response, but analysis is cursory, illogical, contains inaccuracies, or there are gaps in the justification Does not compare and contrast provided quantitative data regarding the current benefits and compensation system with external benchmarking data 6.3 Benefits and Compensation Analysis: Misalignment, Differences, and Gaps Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates the ability to discern key differences from the provided information Determines areas of misalignment, differences, and gaps present in the current benefits and compensation system, based on the external benchmarking data Determines areas of misalignment, differences, and gaps present in the current benefits and compensation system, but determination is cursory or illogical Does not determine areas of misalignment, differences, and gaps present in the current benefits and compensation 6.3 Benefits and Compensation Analysis: Degree of the Existing Population Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates keen insight into how both qualitative and quantitative analysis will affect employee populations Compares qualitative input data and quantitative analysis with the organization’s employee demographic data to determine the degree of the existing population that will be affected by the proposed changes Compares qualitative input data and quantitative analysis with the organization’s employee demographic data to determine the degree of the existing population that will be affected by the proposed changes, but analysis or is cursory or illogical, or there are gaps in determination Does not compare qualitative input data and quantitative analysis with the organization’s employee demographic data 6.3 Benefits and Compensation Analysis: Strengths and Weaknesses Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates keen insight into the gaps in the benefits and compensation system as compared to gaps in employee perception in comparable industries Determines strengths and weaknesses present in the current benefits and compensation system, based on previous analysis, justifying response Determines strengths and weaknesses present in the current benefits and compensation system, based on previous analysis, justifying response, but determination is cursory or illogical Does not determine strengths and weaknesses present in the current benefits and compensation system based on previous analysis 6.3 Benefits and Compensation Analysis: Increased or Stay the Same Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates keen insight regarding reasons for maintaining status quo or improving specific components Determines rewards components that should be increased or stay the same, providing rationale Determines rewards components that should be increased or stay the same, providing rationale, but determination is cursory, illogical, or there are gaps in rationale Does not determine rewards components that should be increased or stay the same 6.3 Benefits and Compensation Analysis: Reduced Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates keen insight in reflecting market or cost rationale behind the recommended reductions Determines rewards components that should be reduced, providing rationale Determines rewards components that should be reduced, providing rationale, but determination is cursory, illogical, or there are gaps in rationale Does not determine rewards components that should be reduced 6.3 Revisions: Constraints Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the constraints regarding revising benefits and compensation packages Makes recommendations for accommodating potential financial, procedural, and legal constraints regarding the revised benefits and compensation package Makes recommendations for accommodating potential financial, procedural, and legal constraints regarding the revised benefits and compensation package, but explanation is cursory or illogical Does not make recommendations for accommodating potential financial, procedural, and legal constraints regarding the revised benefits and compensation package 4.72 Revisions: Current Benefits and Compensation Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates a balance between employee input and organizational objectives Makes revisions to the current benefits and compensation package that address concerns related to the previous analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data Makes revisions to the current benefits and compensation package that address concerns related to the previous analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data but revisions are cursory, illogical, or contain inaccuracies Does not make revisions to the current benefits and compensation package that address concerns related to the previous analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data 4.72 Revisions: Financial Cost Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates a balance between addressing expressed employee needs and organizational cost targets Comprehensively explains the financial cost of proposed changes to both direct and indirect compensation Explains the financial cost of proposed changes to both direct and indirect compensation, but explanation is cursory, illogical, or not comprehensive Does not explain the financial cost of proposed changes to both direct and indirect compensation 4.72 Revisions: Benefit and Compensation Element Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of each benefit and compensation element regarding cost increases or decreases and total roll-up cost to the employee and the organization Comprehensively explains the cost of each benefit and compensation element as a cost per employee Explains the cost of each benefit and compensation element as a cost per employee, but explanation is cursory, illogical, or not comprehensive Does not explain the cost of each benefit and compensation element as a cost per employee 4.72 Presentation: Overview Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of how to communicate appropriate and relevant information for all stakeholders Provides an overview of the qualitative input data, quantitative benchmarking data, and the gap analysis that was conducted, conveyed appropriately for all stakeholders Provides an overview of the qualitative input data, quantitative benchmarking data, and the gap analysis that was conducted, but overview is cursory or is not conveyed appropriately for all stakeholders Does not provide an overview of the qualitative input data, quantitative benchmarking data, and the gap analysis that was conducted 6.3 Presentation: Organizational Goals Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of how to communicate appropriate and relevant information for all stakeholders Provides a rationale for proposed changes and explains how the proposed changes will achieve targeted organizational goals and address stakeholder concerns, conveyed appropriately for all stakeholders Provides a rationale for proposed changes and explains how the proposed changes will achieve targeted organizational goals and address stakeholder concerns but response is cursory, illogical, or not appropriately conveyed to all stakeholders Does not provide a rationale for proposed changes or explain how the proposed changes will achieve targeted organizational goals and address stakeholder concerns 6.3 Presentation: Implications Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of how to communicate appropriate and relevant information for all stakeholders Explains the implications of implementing the new system for the organization and for different employee populations in a manner such that each key stakeholder understands why the changes are being implemented, conveyed appropriately for all stakeholders Explains the implications of implementing the new system for the organization and for different employee populations in a manner such that each key stakeholder understands why the changes are being implemented, but explanation is cursory, illogical, or is not conveyed appropriately to all stakeholders Does not explain the implications of implementing the new system for the organization and for different employee populations in a manner such that each key stakeholder understands why the changes are being implemented 6.3 Articulation of Response Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization, and is presented in a professional and easy to read format Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas 5.52 Total 100%