Introduction

Your knowledge and understanding of the material covered in this core unit will be assessed by the submission of an assignment.

For your assignment, you will be required to answer four of the questions listed below. Your assessor will let you know which questions you are to answer. You are expected to complete all the learning for the unit, irrespective of which questions you are asked to answer.

The four questions will be drawn from different learning outcomes, featuring one assessment criterion in each learning outcome. These questions encompass a wide range of generalist HR, OD & L&D subject areas.

You will write four answers of approximately 1000 words to the questions posed and submit them together in a single document. This constitutes your assignment for this unit. The total word count for the assignment will therefore be 4000 words, plus or minus 10%. The bibliography or list of references is not included in the total word count.

You must demonstrate within the submitted evidence (through headings and sub-headings) which learning outcomes and assessment criteria have been cited. We are unable to moderate your work if this is not included.

As this is an Advanced Level Diploma, it is important that you are able to demonstrate not only good knowledge and understanding of the material associated with each learning outcome, but also the ability to develop an original argument and justify it persuasively with reference to wider reading. Examples of approaches taken in a range of organisations are also an effective means by which to justify your arguments.

The six main criteria that CIPD requires centres to use when marking the assignments are outlined below, but it maybe that not all these criteria are present in every question.

(1) focus

(2) depth and breadth of understanding

(3) strategic application and professional advice

(4) research and wider reading

(5) persuasiveness and originality

(6) presentation and language

Assessment questions

Question 1 (AC1.1)

‘Fostering employee wellbeing is good for people and the organisation’. CIPD (2022)

Drawing upon published research, produce a business case that explains how promoting wellbeing strategies can benefit all stakeholders within an organisation.

Question 2 (AC1.2)

To what extent do you agree with the view that it is the responsibility of the Head of the People Function to ensure that employment policies and practices always support the achievement of an organisation`s current strategic objectives? Explain how this is achieved in your organisation, or one that is familiar to you. Justify your answer.

Question 3 (AC1.3)

Why is it challenging to bring about significant, long-term improvements in an organisation`s culture? Illustrating your answer with examples, evaluate what role the HR/HRD function can play in helping to meet these challenges.

Question 4 (AC1.4)

You are asked to make a 30-minute presentation at a local CIPD branch meeting. The subject is `a critical evaluation of systemic thinking and how it can help solve people management problems`. What THREE key points you would make in your talk and why?

Question 5 (AC2.1)

Examine the merits of `high road` and `low road` approaches to the management of performance and productivity in employing organisations. How far do you agree with the view that `high road` approaches are always preferable both for employees and employers? Justify your answer with reference to examples from your reading.

Question 6 (AC2.2)

There has been extensive research evidence that links people management practices with improved business performance. Selecting one piece of research, critically evaluate its main findings and identify three factors that need to be in place to create an environment that will maximise the effectiveness and impact of people management within organisations. Fully justify these with reference to your wider reading.

Question 7 (AC2.3)

Discuss the ‘resource-based approach’ to developing people strategies within organisations, critically evaluating its suitability/or not for developing these strategies within your own organisation, or one that is familiar to you. Fully justify your conclusions.

Question 8 (AC2.4)

Explain the view that high performance work practices benefit both employers and employees when they are introduced or enhanced. Illustrate your answer with examples.

Question 9 (AC3.1)

People Management (21 April 2023) reported that “Almost half of HR professionals claim they are dealing with more employee relations issues than before Covid”. Discuss how people professionals can adopt an effective approach to managing employee relations issues. Justify your answer by drawing upon academic theory and research evidence.

Question 10 (AC3.2)

The CIPD (2022) described the ‘Great Resignation’ as a pandemic-induced re-evaluation of what people

“want from work with a suggestion that people will no longer put up with bad work”.

i) Draw upon your wider reading to evaluate the evidence for the ‘Great Resignation’ and

ii)  Identify TWO specific actions organisations can take in order to combat any trends towards a great resignation

Question 11 (AC3.3)

Evaluate the increased appetite amongst employees for more learning and development opportunities at work and evaluate how organisations can respond to the this. Illustrate your answer with example

Question 12 (AC3.4)

Employment relations within the UK are turbulent with high levels of disputes and strike action. Evaluate the opportunities for and barriers to HR sustaining effective employment relationships during these turbulent times.

Question 13 (AC4.1)

Examine the ways in which the impact of people practices can be evaluated within your organisation, or one that is familiar to you. What are the main barriers to evaluation? Illustrate your answer with examples.

Question 14 (AC4.2)

The CIPD’s purpose is to champion better work and working lives. Critically assess how the CIPD’s purpose can be implemented in your organisation, or one that is familiar to you. Justify your answer.

Question 15 (AC4.3)

Analyse the opportunities for drawing upon insights from customers and stakeholders in order to inform people practices within your organisation, or one that is familiar to you. Illustrate your answer with examples.

Question 16 (AC4.4)

Drawing upon your wider reading, assess the business case for creating a coaching culture within your own organisation, or one that is familiar to you.

Question 17 (AC4.5)

The challenge facing the profession is best characterised by the common expression, ‘I’m a people person, not a numbers person’, which exists in pockets throughout the profession”. Critically evaluate how you can address this challenge within your organisation, or one that is familiar to you, in order to use insights from people data to inform business decisions.

Marking Grid

Learners will receive a Pass, Merit, Distinction or Refer/Fail result at unit level.

Assessors must provide a mark from 1 to 4 for each Learning Outcome in the unit. Assessors should use the generic grade descriptor grid as guidance so they can provide comprehensive feedback that is developmental for learners. Please be aware that not all of the generic grade descriptors will be present in every learning outcome for all the assignments, so assessors must use their discretion in making grading decisions.

To pass the unit assessment learners must achieve a 2 (Pass) or above for each of the learning outcomes.

The overall mark achieved will dictate the Grade the learner receives for the Unit, provided NONE of the learning outcomes have been failed or referred. A detailed marking grid will be released once the 4 questions are published.