Level 5 Associate Diploma in
• People Management
• Organisational Learning and Development
This unit assignment explores the connections between organisational structure and the wider world of work in a commercial context. It highlights the factors and trends, including the digital environment, that impact on business strategy and workforce planning, recognising the influence of culture, employee wellbeing and behaviour in delivering change and organisational performance.
Task – Questions
Knowledge and understanding for this core unit will be assessed by written answers to the questions below.
1. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the organisation structure in your organisation (or an organisation with which you are familiar) and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of one other organisation structure. Within the evaluation, you should include the reasons underpinning the structure. (AC 1.1)
2. Analyse connections between your organisation’s strategy (or an organisation with which you are familiar) and its products or services, and customers. (AC 1.2)
3. Analyse three external factors or trends currently impacting your organisation (or one with which you are familiar). The impact of these factors or trends could be positive, neutral or negative, some are short-lived whilst others are long-lasting. Identify organisational priorities arising from the factors or trends analysed. (AC 1.3)
4. When setting out its view on automation, AI and technology, the CIPD states, ‘Automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and other workplace technologies are bringing major changes to work and employment.’ Assess the scale of technology within organisations and how it impacts work. (AC 1.4)
5. Explain Edgar Schein’s model of organisational culture and explain one theory or model which examines human behaviour. (AC 2.1)
6. Assess how people practices in your organisation (or one with which you are familiar) impact both on organisational culture and behaviour, drawing on examples to support your arguments. (AC 2.2)
7. Peter Cheese, current CEO of CIPD asserts, ‘People professionals are a vital function in supporting businesses to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances’. Explain two different models or theories to managing change. (AC 2.3)
8. A variety of models have been developed to explain how change is experienced. Discuss one model that explains how change is experienced. (AC 2.4)
9. The CIPD’s Health and wellbeing at work survey 2022 found, ‘There is less management focus on health and wellbeing compared with the first year of the pandemic’, and goes on to remark that this is disappointing. Assess the importance of wellbeing at work and factors which impact wellbeing. (AC 2.5)
10. The CIPD Profession Map states ‘People practices are the processes and approaches that we use across the employee lifecycle’. Discuss the links between the employee lifecycle and different people practice roles. (AC 3.1)
11. Analyse how people practice connects with other areas of an organisation and supports wider people and organisational strategies. (AC 3.2)
12. Discuss processes you have, or could use, for consulting and engaging with internal customers of the people function in order to understand their needs. (AC 3.3)
Your evidence must consist of:
Written answers to the assessment questions (approx. 4550 words).
Assessment Criteria Evidence Checklist
You may find the following checklist helpful to make sure that you have included the required evidence to meet the task. This is not a mandatory requirement as long as it is clear in your submission where the assessment criteria have been met.
Assessment criteria
Evidenced
Y/N
Evidence reference
1.1
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different types of organisation structures, including the reasons underpinning them.
1.2
Analyse connections between organisational strategy, products, services and customers.
1.3
Analyse external factors and trends impacting organisations to identify current organisational priorities.
1.4
Assess the scale of technology within organisations and how it impacts work.
2.1
Explain theories and models which examine organisational culture and human behaviour.
2.2
Assess how people practices impact on organisational culture and behaviour.
2.3
Explain different approaches to managing change.
2.4
Discuss models to show how change is experienced.
2.5
Assess the importance of wellbeing at work and the different factors which impact wellbeing.
3.1
Discuss the links between the employee lifecycle and different people practice roles.
3.2
Analyse how people practice connects with other areas of an organisation and supports wider people and organisational strategies.
3.3
Discuss processes for consulting and engaging with internal customers to understand their needs.