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 which 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.

1. To introduce learners to the strategic approaches that organisations take to position themselves as employers in the labour market and to plan effectively so that they are able to meet their current and anticipated resourcing and talent needs.
2. To introduce the key operational tools, techniques and practices that organisations use to resource their organisations effectively with the ability to engage in talent management.
3. To provide learners with a broad understanding of what is meant by employee engagement and how organisations can measure and manage engagement.
4. To explore the links between engagement and high performing work organisations.
5. To develop an understanding of the different HR service delivery models available to contemporary organisations and the contribution that effective HR service delivery can make to improved organisational performance.

• Introduction to module and an examination of labour market trends
• Core Talent planning and talent management
• Developing resourcing strategies
• Managing recruitment and selection
• Managing employee retention, redundancy and retirement
• Conceptualising and contextualising employee engagement
• Business case for engagement and High Performance Work Organisations.
• Measuring engagement and analysing the results.
• Developing a strategic approach to managing engagement.
• Employee engagement: future trends
• The changing context of, and recent developments in, HR service delivery.
• Models of HR service delivery: a critique of Ulrich, and trends towards outsourcing and devolving to line managers.

Delivery of the module is based on a mix of lectures, seminars, discussion groups 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, 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.

On completion of this unit, learners will:

1. Understand the key contemporary labour market trends.
2. Be able to manage recruitment, selection, retention, redundancy and retirement effectively and within the expectations of the law and good practice.
3. Be able to undertake core talent planning activities as part of strategic approach to resourcing.
4. Understand what is meant by employee engagement and how it can contribute to positive organisational outcomes.
5. Know how to implement HR strategies and practices intended to raise levels of employee engagement in specific organisational settings and contexts (national and international).
6. Understand the different HR delivery service models available to contemporary organisations; the factors driving HR service provision changes and the challenges involved in maintaining and managing HR services.

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 issues; engagement issues and issues concerned with service delivery.  As such, the assignment successfully addresses the learning outcomes as outlined.

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.
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.
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