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Coursework Assignment Brief

Semester C16
Module Code: IHRM4032

Module Title: Introduction to HRM

Programme BSc Honours – HRM

Level Level 4

Awarding Body

Module Leader

Format Report

Presentation N/A

Any special requirement All work should be submitted to the Student Portal along with an ‘Turnitin’ report.
Word Limit 2500 words ( with 10% plus or minus leeway)
Deadline date for submission 16th August 2016 by 14:00 pm
Learning Outcome
• Explain how organisational and HR strategies and practices are shaped and developed and explain the purpose and key objectives of human resources management and the HR function within a contemporary business environment.

• Identify the purpose and key objectives of the HR function in contemporary organisations and be able to demonstrate the process of evaluating current and future human resource needs within the business environment; both in terms of numbers of people and skills and competencies.

• Appraise the relationship between organisational performance and effective HR management and development. Know how to identify and respond to short-term changes in the business and external contexts and provide solutions to address them.

• Explain the significance of employment legislation to an organisation’s HR practices and evaluate how to harness effective HR practices in a global marketplace in terms of adding value and positive contribution to sustained organisation performance
Percentage of marks awarded for the module This assignment is worth 100% of the total marks for the module.

Candidates must clearly label their ID Number on additional separate reference, formula or answer sheets.

Task

Task scenario:

A medium sized hotel business located in London has 80 employees working in morning, day and night shifts. The business has been known for being very friendly and customer focused. However, since the last year, due to the immense competition in the sector, the business has been under a pressure in order to improve its performance and profit. The profit has gone down since the last year. The reason for the fall in profits has not been clearly known, hence, it has become a difficult situation for the company and its employees.

Despite this, the owner is determined to turn around the business, and expects his managers and employees to work hard in order to improve overall performance and profit of the organsiation. The HR manager suggested to the owner to review the staffing strategy and develop their employees. The owner has now asked HR managers to write a report addressing the following areas;

Task:

• Introduction: You are required to define the term Human resource management and outline the background of the report.
(200 words)

• Outline and explain THREE HRM functions that are appropriate for the above mentioned business.
(600 words)

• Considering the situation of the above mentioned hotel, discuss any TWO suitable workforce planning methods that can be used in their organisation.

(500 words)

• Describe the ways in which the overall performance of the above mentioned hotel business can be improved by developing their employees.

(500 words)

• Providing the reasons, outline any TWO key areas of employment legislation that need to be considered by HR department of the above mentioned business.

(500 words)

Conclusion: Brief summary of the key discussions.

Recommendation: Outline any FOUR recommendations suggesting the key HR priorities for the organisation in the current context.
(200 words)

Total word count: 2500 words

Structure of a report:

• Task 1 (Introduction) (200 words)
• Task 2 (600 words)
• Task 3 (500 words)
• Task 4 (500 words)
• Task 5 (500 words)
• Conclusion and recommendation (200 words)
• Bibliography

Student guidance:

• Introduction: Students are required to define the term Human Resource Management using any two contemporary definitions of HRM.

Students should briefly outline the background of the report. In the background, you should outline the context of the scenario. You should answer the question, explaining what the report is about.

• Describe the importance of any THREE HR functions that are appropriate for the above mentioned business.

Students should discuss any two HR functions that are most likely to be relevant to the above mentioned organisation. Some of the key HR functions are 1) Recruitment and selection 2) Employee motivation 3) Performance management 4) Managing diverse workforce etc.

• Considering the situation of the above mentioned hotel, discuss any TWO suitable workforce planning methods that can be used in their organisation.

Workforce planning is a process to ensure the right number of people with the right skills are employed in the right place at the right time to deliver an organisation’s short- and long-term objectives. Some of the methods for workforce planning are: labour supply and demand analysis, skills audit gap analysis, outsourcing, flexible working and so on.
You should explain how a particular method could support in effective workforce planning fo the organisation mentioned in the scenario.

• Describe the ways in which the overall performance of the above mentioned hotel business can be improved by developing their employees.

Students should discuss the importance of training and development for the organisation. You should explain how developing an employee can contribute in the improvement of the organisation’s performance.
You can discuss the terms like, idea generation, building competence, team work, career growth, motivation, better customer service, innovation etc.

• Providing the reasons, outline any TWO key areasmof employment legislation that need to be considered by HR department of the above mentioned business.

Students are expected to identify the relevant employment legislation and provide reasons as to why they are important to the given organsiation,. Essentially, you should be identifying two areasnof employment law and explain why they are important for the given organisation. Some of the relevant employment legislation are: Equality Act 2010, Equaly Pay Act 1970, The Data Protection Act 1998,Employment Right Act 1996 etc.

• Conclusion:
Students should outline the brief summary of the key discussions.

Recommendation
Outline any FOUR recommendations suggesting the key HR priorities for the organisation in the current context. In your opinion, your should outline the key HR priorities for the business.The priorities should be identified whilst considering the current business environment, such as, sector competition, developing/emerging legislation,managing a diverse work force, globalisation etc.

Marking scheme:

1. Introduction: Students are required to define the term HRM using any two contemporary definitions of HRM.

Students should briefly outline the background of the report. In the background, you should outline the context of the scenario. You should answer the question, explaining what the report is about.

2.Describe the importance of any THREE HR functions that are appropriate for the above mentioned business.

Students should discuss any two HR functions that are most likely to be relevant to the above mentioned organisation. Some of the key HR functions are 1) Recruitment and selection 2) Employee motivation 3) Performance management 4) Managing diverse workforce etc.

Recruitment and selection: Recruitment is the process of identifying that the organisation needs to employ someone up to the point at which application forms for the post have arrived at the organisation. Selection then consists of the processes involved in choosing from applicants a suitable candidate to fill a post.

Employee motivation: It is about engaging employee through motivational means. Employee motivation is largely the role of line manager, but there are some HR functions that ciontributes toward employee motivation. Ex; fair reward system, effective communication, support from line manager, equal opportunity and so on.

Performance management: Performance management is a process by which managers and employees work together to plan, monitor and review an employee’s work objectives and overall contribution to the organization.

Managing diverse work force: Managing diverse work setting, address the HR practices as per the context of work force. Its about providing support and develop difference in order to maximise for the purpose of the organisational objectives.

3.Considering the situation of the above mentioned hotel, discuss any TWO suitable workforce planning methods that can be used in their organisation.

Workforce planning is a process to ensure the right number of people with the right skills are employed in the right place at the right time to deliver an organisation’s short- and long-term objective. Some of the method for the workforce planning are: labour supply and demand analysis, skills audit gap analysis, outsourcing, flexible working and so on.

Students should explain how a particular method supports effective workforce planning for the organisation mentioned in the scenario.

Labour supply and demand analysis: One source of demand arises from the organisation’s activities requiring more resources . Although the level of control over demand may be problematic at times, it is more difficult to exert much control over the supply of employees. The external environment has a major influence here, and anticipating changes can be valuable. Students are expected to discuss the detail of labour supply and demand analysis.

Skill audit gap analysis: This is about analysis the skills of the existing employees and plan for what is likely to be needed in the future. Therefore , organisations are engaged in developing their employees.

Outsourcing: Outsourcing is a practice used by different companies to reduce costs by transferring portions of work to outside suppliers rather than completing it internally. Outsourcing is an effective cost-saving strategy when used properly.

4.Describe the ways in which the overall performance of the above mentioned hotel business can be improved by developing their employees.

Students should discuss the importance of training and development for the organisation, You should explain how developing an employee can contribute in the improvement of the organisational performance.

Students should discuss the terms like, idea generation, building competence, team work, career growth, motivation, better customer service, innovation and so on.A CIPD report confirms that the businesses which spend more , and more regularly, on L&D achieve higher levels of performance than those that don’t.

5.Providing the reasons, outline any TWO key employment Legislations that need to be considered by HR department of the above mentioned business.

Students are expected to provide the reasons what particular employment Legislation is important for the given organisation,. Essentially, students should be identifying two areas of employment legislation and explain why they are important for the given organisation. Some examples are: Equality Act 2010, Equal Pay Act 1970, The Data Protection Act 1998,Employment Right Act 1996 and so on.

Conclusion:
Students should outline a brief summary of the key discussions.

Recommendations
Students should outline any FOUR recommendations suggesting the key HR priorities for the organisation in the current context. Students should outline the key HR priorities for the business. The priorities should be identified whilst considering the current business environment, such as, sector competition, developing/emerging legislation,managing a diverse work force, globalisation etc.

A good answer (60% +) should demonstrates the good knowledge and understanding of the topics, main concepts and theories. It should also demonstrates good analytical ability within the HR areas as outlined in the questions. In addition, it should also demonstrate the critical engagement with appropriate reading.

MARKING CRITERIA

Indicative Grade % Marks Descriptions
Distinction 70%+ Analysis: a very high standard of critical analysis.
Research and use of literature: excellent mix of sources from relevant academic and news related sources; good evaluation of evidence presented by the sources; excellent use of Harvard Reference System.
Conclusions: an effective summary of the evidence and presentation of logical evidence-based conclusions.
Recommendations: excellent and related to the context.
Clearly structured and logically developed arguments. Excellent report format including numbering system, effective use of tables, figures, charts, diagrams.
Merit 69-60% Analysis: a good standard of critical analysis.
Research and use of literature: a good mix of sources from relevant academic and news related sources; some evaluation of evidence presented by the sources; good use of Harvard Reference System.
Conclusions: an effective summary of the most of the evidence and presentation of some logical evidence-based conclusions.
Recommendations: good and related to the context.
Some clearly structured and logically developed arguments. Good report format including numbering system, some effective use of tables/figures/diagrams.
Pass 59-50% Analysis: some evidence of critical analysis.
Research and use of literature: a fair mix of references from relevant academic and news related sources; limited evaluation of evidence presented by the sources; mostly consistent use of Harvard Reference System.
Conclusions: a summary of some of the evidence and presentation of some evidence-based conclusions.
Recommendations: reasonable recommendations.
Limited development of logical arguments.
Clear report format including numbering system.
Pass 49-40% Analysis: little evidence of critical analysis.
Research and use of literature: a few references from relevant academic and news related sources; little or no evaluation of evidence presented by the sources; some evidence of the use of Harvard Reference System.
Conclusions: a limited summary of some of the evidence.
Recommendations: may not be directly related to the context.
Very limited development of logical arguments.
Reasonable report format.
PASS MARK=40%

E 39-30% Analysis: Description rather than analysis.
Research and use of literature: a few sources of limited relevance; no evaluation of evidence presented by the sources; limited or no evidence of the use of Harvard Reference System.
Conclusions: purely personal opinions.
Recommendations: not related to the report.
No evidence of the development of logical arguments.
Haphazard format which is not a report.