cipd foundation level core unit understanding organisations and the role of human relations

CIPD Foundation LevelCore Unit

Understanding organisations and the role

of human relations

CIPD Foundation Level Core Unit


What do we need to know about each other?

• New icebreaker


Aim

• To enable learners to recognise how HR and LD activities support the organisation’s strategy so that business objectives are achieved.


Learning Objectives• Describe the purpose and broad success criteria

of different types of organisation, focusing on Public Sector, Private Sector and Third Sector

• Identify the components of success in terms of who benefits – examples: employer, employee, shareholder, community

• Explain a basic business planning model from vision, through strategising and plans to KPIs

• State the purpose of the Key Performance Indicator (link to 4DEP)

• List the essential components of the KPI – a good KPI, a bad KPI


Learning Objectives• Explain how KPIs are used to measure functional

performance and how these are linked to organisational/business management

• Use the tools PESTLE, Porter’s Five Forces and SWOT as business planning tools and state how these can be used from the perspective of HR/LD

• Explain how, as HR/LD professionals, they can influence people management practices

• Building on the partnering approach covered in 4DEP, explain how they can work with managers to identify departmental and team objectives

• Explain how they might advise managers on how to identify learning needs and translate these into learning activities to improve performance


Employer Employee Customer Shareholder Community

ProfitCustomer satEmployee satProduct awardsIncreased salesSafety recordLegalEthicalRegulatory

Job satisfactionWork/Life balanceDevelopment opportunitiesPromotionSalaryRewardCommunication

Product satROIAfter sales supportGood service

ROIProfitWell managed investmentCommunication

Local employmentGreenCommunication


Departmental Strategies

Departmental Plans

Teams & Individuals

HR Strategy

Development

Reward

Resourcing

Performance Management

Employee Relations

Key Performance Indicators


‘Unless you measure something you don’t know if it is getting better or worse. You can’t manage for improvement if you don’t measure to see what is getting better and what is not.’


At least 20% of monthly income should be attributable to return customers

A minimum of 40% of the current year’s students should achieve an A grade at GCSE

100% of customer calls should be answered by a customer service representative within the first minute

At least 400 clients from the local community should be assisted during the financial year


• Must reflect the critical success factors of the organisation – key to success

• Quantifiable/measurable• Communicated and understood across the

organisation• Specific to functional areas/departments• Usually long-term – but need to review as

organisation evolves• Don’t have too many – just what is needed


Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

Positive Negative

Inte

rnal fa

ctors

Exte

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ctor


You are the HR department (decide on individual roles), reporting to the HR Director, for a medium sized manufacturing organisation that makes widgets at its plant in the Midlands. Recently, the advent of some exciting new technology has created the possibility of opening up a new market segment with anticipated demand for a technically enhanced widget with new state of the art features. This has come at just the right time for the company, which has been through a particularly turbulent period due to the current economic downturn, including a major downsizing of the production department. Employee morale has been at low ebb and employee turnover has started to creep up to an unacceptable level. The new widget opportunity is exciting and could turn the fortunes of the company around.


Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

Positive Negative

Inte

rnal fa

ctors

Exte

rnal

fact

or

Task One


• Review of competencies – job descriptions – role profiles• Recruitment• Learning Needs Analysis/Training Needs Analysis (explain in

terms of expectation i.e. TNA assumes the solution will be training, LNA seeks other solutions

• Learning & Development – development of learning/training programmes

• Induction• Appraisal process• Retention – talent management• Reward – salary, benefits, non-monetary reward• Disciplinary & Grievance management• Exit arrangements

Task Two – identify what the people management practices are which they, as HR/LD professionals might influence within this organisation


• Interviews – establishing role requirements (competencies), employee training requirements,

• Advising e.g. on disciplinary and grievance process• Observation of activities as part of continuous improvement• Training e.g. ‘bite size’ on value of effective appraisals• Design of programmes e.g. induction (with management

input and buy-in)• Involvement of managers in the design and/or delivery of

training programmes• Conduct of salary reviews• Succession planning facilitation• Assistance with change management• Coaching of managers• Giving feedback

Task Three – Bearing in mind the areas of performance management identified – suggest methods of engaging with managers


• Procurement• Production• Sales & Marketing• Operations/Logistics• HR

Task Four – consider how they will work with managers to identify departmental, team and individual objectives

Step One:Consider the brief (and your own embellishments to the scenario) – identify the key functional areas (departments)


Step Two:For each functional area ask the team to establish at least one key goal – explain that the key goal might be shared with other areas – e.g. sell more

Step ThreeFor each identified key goal, devise at least one KPI


• Various forms of management and leadership training for supervisors/team leaders and above, focusing on:

• - Improving staff morale• - Managing people through change• - Effective performance management, including appraisal

training• Technical training for production line staff• Customer care training for the sales team• Effective sales and marketing – perhaps in the international

context for the sales and marketing team• New processes for production line• New processes for Operations/logistics• IT skills in line with new technology for all

Task FiveFrom the scenario (including your own embellishments) identify learning needs and suggest ways that these might be met

cipd foundation level core unit understanding organisations and the role of human relations

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