module specification

This module brings together three important areas of HR which, together, are crucial to the delivery of superior organisational performance. The initial focus of the module is on resourcing and talent management and examines not only how we recruit and select but also how we can retain key talent. Employee engagement is crucial to successful retention and so the module explores the different dimensions of employee engagement, that is, the cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions. It examines and explores what is meant by ‘engagement’ and why some organisations are better than others at creating authentic engagement among their employees, and how organisations can, with the aid of its human resource (HR) professionals, build a strategic approach to improving workforce engagement. Given the important synergy that exists between strategy and structure - the module concludes by providing a critical overview of HR structure and service delivery options.

• The module will discuss recruitment and selection elements including: developing resourcing strategies; core talent planning and talent management; managing employee retention; redundancy and retirement (LO1).
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• We explore diverse ways in which employee engagement is conceptualised, and discuss the challenges of measuring engagement and analysing the results. We also consider the business case for engagement and how to develop a strategic approach to managing engagement. We also consider the related concept of High Performance Work Organisations (LO1).
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• We then consider the changing context of, and recent developments in, HR service delivery. We look at models of HR service delivery, including that of Ulrich, and at contemporary trends towards outsourcing and devolving to line managers (LO1).

Delivery of the module is based on a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops and peer-developed workgroups, supported by Weblearn materials and directed learning activities. Students will be issued with a module handbook, and guidance on readings, most of which will be available through the Learning Centre and as e-resources, others through Weblearn.  All participants will be required to read relevant materials in advance of seminar sessions in order that these can be student-led.

By the end of the module, students will be able to manage recruitment, selection and core talent planning activities as part of a strategic approach to resourcing, and apply HR strategies to secure high levels of retention and employee engagement in a range of organisational settings.

The module is assessed by one single piece of written coursework of 3,500 words.
The coursework is based around an integrative case study, which requires students to address: resourcing/ talent management issues; the challenges of achieving employee engagement; and the complexities related to service delivery.

Core text:
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S. (2017) Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. London: Kogan Page

Additional reading:
Albrecht, S.L. (Ed.) (2010) Handbook of Employee Engagement: Perspectives, Issues, Research and Practice, Edward Elgar Publishing
Bakker, A. and Leiter, M. (2010) Work Engagement: A Handbook of Essential Theory and Research, Hove and New York: Psychology Press.
Barber, A. (1998) Recruiting employees: individual and organizational perspectives, London: Sage
Clarke, T. (2012) The Employee Engagement Mindset, McGraw Hill Professional
Cook, M. (2004) Personnel selection: adding value through people, 4th edition, Chichester: Wiley.
Hale, J. (2006) Outsourcing training and development: factors for success, San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Johns, T. (2012) ‘Employee Engagement’. In In Taylor, S. and Woodhams, C. Managing People and Organisations, London: CIPD.
Marchington, M. and Wilkinson, A. (2009) Human resource management at work: people management and development, 4th edition, London: CIPD.
MacLeod, D & Clarke, N. (2010) Engaging for success: A report to Government.
McGee, R. and Pemberton, C. (2012) Building High Performance in Organisations, London:C IPD
Pilbeam, S. and Corbridge, M. (2006) People resourcing: contemporary HRM in practice, 3rd edition, Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall.
Rees, G. and French, R. (2016) Leading, Managing and Developing People. London: CIPD
Salaman, Agut and Peiro (2005) “Linking organisational resources and work engagement to employee performance and customer loyalty: the mediation of service climate” Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, pp.1217-1227.
Saks, A.M (2006) “Antecedents and consequences of employee engagement”, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 21, No.7.
Swift, G. (2012) ‘Human Resource Service Delivery’. In In Taylor, S. and Woodhams, C. Managing People and Organisations, London: CIPD.
Taylor, I. (2002) The employee retention handbook. London: CIPD.
Taylor, S. (2008) Assessment selection handbook, London: Kogan Page.
Taylor, S. (forthcoming) Resourcing and talent management, 5th edition, London: CIPD
Taylor, S. and Woodhams, C. Managing People and Organisations, London: CIPD.
Truss, C., Delbridge, R., Alfes, K., Shantz, A. and Soane, E. (2014) Employee Engagement in Theory and Practice. London: Routledge.
Ulrich, D., Younger, J., Brockbank, W. & Ulrich, M. (2012). HR from the outside-in: Six competencies for the future of human resources. Boston: McGraw Hill.
Wilkinson, K. and Taylor, S. (2012) ‘Resourcing and talent Planning’. In Taylor, S. and Woodhams, C. Managing People and Organisations, London: CIPD.

Web links:
Churchard, C. (2012) Business Partner Model ‘Not the Answer’ To More Insightful Function [Online] Available: http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2012/03/business-partner-model-not-the-answer-to-more-insightful-function.htm.  Within this People Management article the concept of HR business partnering is critically discussed.  It highlights that business partnering might not necessarily be the best way for HR to become more ‘insightful’.
Chynoweth, C. (2011) HR Outsourcing: Small but Perfectly Informed [Online] Available: http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2011/06/small-but-perfectly-informed.htm.  This People Management article highlights that large scale HR outsourcing may be coming to an end with organisations now focusing on outsourcing small components of HR whilst keeping their new suppliers close by.
CIPD (2011) HR Business Partnering Factsheet [Online] Available: http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/hr-business-partnering.aspx.  This factsheet discusses the concept of HR business partnering; it outlines what it is, the role of HR business partners and how the concept might be implemented in organisations.
CIPD podcast 24: ‘Strategies for attracting and retaining talent’: http://www.cipd.co.uk/podcasts/_articles/_strategiesforattractingandretainingtalent.htm?link=title.  In this podcast, Philippa Lamb discusses the challenges of talent management with a number of leading HR professionals in attendance at the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition.  The podcast covers a range of issues including sourcing talent; the issues presented by economic downturn; graduate recruitment; balancing internal and external recruitment; and the tailoring of HR strategies to company strategies.
CIPD podcast 29: ‘Managing redundancy’ (parts one and two): http://www.cipd.co.uk/podcasts/_articles/_managingredundancy.htm?link=title.  http://www.cipd.co.uk/podcasts/_articles/_managingredundancy2.htm?link=title.  Part one includes advice from experts and HR professionals on managing redundancies and their impact.  Are you up to speed with the rules and regulations?  Part two focuses on legal compliance and procedural issues, with an interview with CIPD employee relations adviser Mike Emmott.
Eurofound: Labour market overview and sources: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/areas/labourmarket/index.htm.  In the recommended reading at the end of the chapter in the textbook, the Office for National Statistics is cited as a useful source of information on trends in the UK labour market.  If you are interested in information for trends throughout Europe, and learning about evolving forms of work organisation and employment, then this page on the Eurofound website provides a whole host of relevant resources.
Employment Studies: www.employment-studies.co.uk/pubs/summary.php?id=408.  Useful for guidance about the drivers for employee engagement.
Employee Engagement reading sources (available as download content).
http://www.arnoldbakker.com/articles.php
Employee Engagement research (practical and case study):
www.engageforsucess.org