module specification

The module aims to provide the student with a good grounding in key aspects of recruiting, retaining, developing effective performers, as well as where necessary, managing people out of the organisation.

The module focuses not just on practical aspects of these professional areas but their strategic importance within local, national and global contexts.  Topics such as diversity, employee engagement, ethics, employee development and social responsibility will be viewed from a resourcing perspective.

Module Aims

The module will look at the current and changing nature of workforce mobilisation, resourcing and retention of people.  The module will look at how effective organisations can build  a strategic approach to attracting, retaining, developing and shedding staff, taking into account the evolving nature of employment markets and changing demographics. Students will achieve this through reflecting on theory and practice from an ethical and professional standpoint.

Globalisation, changing demographics, and migration have led to greater diversity including ethnic diversity, gender diversity, older workers and disabled people in the workforce. In this context, the module also aims to explore two major theoretical perspectives, the Business Case for Diversity and Intersectionality. Each of these theories informs HRM professionals in their resourcing and talent management policies and practices. Most particularly, the module investigates the partnership between HR professionals and line managers, which enables organisations to achieve inclusivity in resourcing practice, both in domestic and international settings.

Syllabus:

You will explore the role of HR in devising the strategy, culture and the politics of the organisation. You will examine related Ethics, Social Responsibility and Diversity. You will examine aspects of the search for talent - context of recruitment, employment markets & changing demographics, looking at both traditional and changing methods of attracting, developing (nurturing) and retaining talent. You will examine HRD, planning & developing tomorrow’s talent for long-term organisational performance. You will build an understanding of careers (both from an organisation and individual perspective. You will explore Performance Management, looking at ways of assessing and encouraging engagement. You will study the themes of Retention, Development and Reward, and how they each link to Performance Management, as well as examining ways to manage underperformance and 'survival'. You will examine how to manage natural or forced employee turnover legally, ethically and within the codes of best & professional practice. You will study the area of Evaluation of HR Performance – looking at some options for future HR management and practices. You will examine some of the ways in which resourcing, talent development and talent retention and managed differently in different socio-cultural environments.

Reflecting our view of learning and teaching as a collaborative process that involves your active contribution and participation, this module is based on a combination of class-based and independent study. The module includes formal and informal methods of exploring  the topic, drawing considerably on student experience. Class activities serve as a broad mapping of the area of study, which are to be developed, starting from weekly guided reading, through independent study. The emphasis here, as throughout the module, is on exploring and evaluating the principles and practices of talent management and the ways in which HR practitioners can seek to influence organisational processes and outcomes.
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On completion of the module, you will be able to demonstrate:
LO1. The capacity to evaluate the current and changing nature of the external workforce environment so as to resource and retain the right people, in the right places at the right times;
LO2. The capacity to plan and implement HR resourcing and talent management strategies so as to resource the right people, in the right places at the right times, including the use of ‘best practice’, ‘benchmarking’ and according to legal and ethical standards;
LO3. Knowledge and understanding of the relations between business strategy, structure and culture and the management of people, and their particular implications for managing the organisational need for talent.
L04. Critically evaluate different Diversity management strategies for overcoming inequalities and promoting inclusivity in the workplace.

The one summative assessment on this module will be a 3000 word essay. You will choose one title from a range of topics covered in the module. (week 13)

Here is the link to the electronic reading list (see module menu in Weblearn).

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/0191FFC9-5F83-F7E3-364D-401820CD75A3.html?lang=en-GB&login=1