The UK’s decision to leave the EU will have major implications for many employers, especially in those sectors employing a high share of EU nationals such as hospitality, healthcare, food production, retail and construction. It is recognised that organisations are facing a continuing period of uncertainty and change (CIPD 2018). The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and following containment measures too will have a long-lasting impact on the economy, businesses and working lives.
Organisations have had to make rapid changes to how they operate, including how and where jobs are carried out, as well as planning for, or returning staff to work safely. Workers in turn, have to navigate new ways of working, as well as adapt to changing circumstances in their personal life.
How should HR and L&D professionals support their employees in the medium-term?
i. In groups of 3 to 4 people, write a report which explains the extent to which an organisation with which you are familiar with must change in the current economic climate, and whether they need to take a planned or unplanned approach to change going forward. Justify your answer.
ii. In the context of your chosen business evaluate how HR management can support the planned/unplanned change approach, considering both business strategy and external factors impacting on the business.
iii. Drawing on relevant theory, explain the main challenges for the Human Resource Department. Advise HR management of the strategic approaches available to them in handling this shift, taking special consideration for any possible resistance to change.
This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcomes:
LO 1
Understand the strategic and operational importance of change in organisations
LO 2
Critically evaluate change management theory, strategies and tactical options
LO 3
Synthesise unplanned and planned change and organisational development approaches
LO 4
Critically assess the key areas of organisational and individual resistance to change.
How your work will be assessed
Your work will be assessed on the extent to which it demonstrates your achievement of the stated learning outcomes for this assignment (see above) and against other key criteria, as defined in the University’s institutional grading descriptors. If it is appropriate to the format of your assignment and your subject area, a proportion of your marks will also depend upon your use of academic referencing conventions.
This assignment will be marked according to the grading descriptors for Level 6. Full Assessment Criteria can be viewed on the following page.
