Explain the relationship between the Human Resources (HR) functions and other business functions

Section 1: Understand the principles of work force management

 

 

AC 1.1

 

Explain the relationship between the Human Resources (HR) functions and other business

 

functions

 

You need to give details of a number of the roles and responsibilities undertaken by Human Resources functions

 

The function of HR includes: recruitment, disciplinary, retention, reward, recognition, training, performance improvement, employment law (and protection).

 

You need explain how these roles and responsibilities relate to other business functions in achieving organisational objectives.

 

AC 1.2

 

Explain the purpose and process of workforce planning

 

You need to define the purpose workforce planning and explain the stages in the process of workforce planning.

 

 Workforce planning

 

To answer this question, you need to explain what activities take place when you workforce plan and how this meets the objectives of the business. For example, if the objective was working towards a certain KPI, then one activity towards workforce planning would be assembling a team of staff to make this was their priority and giving them guidelines on how to achieve this.

 

AC 1.3

 

Explain how employment law affects an organisation’s HR and business policies and practices

 

You need to explain what employment law is and how complying with requirements of at least two different forms of employment legislation is achieved through company policy, procedures and practices. Examples you could use are employment rights, health and safety procedures, contractual agreements, equality and diversity polices and grievance procedures

 

AC 1.4

 

Evaluate the implications for an organisation of utilising different types of employment contract

 

You will need to define at least two different types of employment contract and describe their main features. You need to evaluate the effectiveness of these contracts by examining their advantages and disadvantages for the organisation. You need to decide which employment situations/relationships these contracts are most suited to and why.

 

 Types of employment contract

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AC 1.5

 

Evaluate the implications for an individual of different types of employment contract

 

You need to evaluate the effectiveness of these employment contracts by examining their advantages/ disadvantages for the individual. It is suggested you use the types of contract described in 1.4. If you use a different type of contract be sure to include a description the main features. You need to decide what factors that might cause an individual to prefer a specific type of employment contact to suit their purposes.

 

Section 2: Understand equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion

 

 

AC 2.1

 

Explain the organisation’s responsibilities and liabilities under equality legislation

 

You need to explain the organisation’s responsibilities as set out in the Equality Act 2010. You need to explain what liabilities would be faced by an organisation failing to comply with this legislation.

 

You will find it helpful getting your own Equality Policy as a guide. The learner workbook on Fuse, pages 11 – 16, has some ideas and information to help you work from. Your ERR (Employee Rights and Responsibilities) which you may have already completed links to this unit. You might find it beneficial to go over what you completed for this workbook.

 

AC 2.2

 

Explain the benefits that effective equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion policies bring to individuals and organisations

 

You need to explain the benefits of effective equality of opportunity AND diversity AND inclusion policies. Your explanation of the benefits of these policies should include more than one benefit for the individual and more than one benefit for the organisation and be illustrated.

 

The learner workbook on Fuse, pages 16 – 17, explores this area in detail.

 

AC 2.3

 

Explain the language and behavior that support commitments to equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion

 

You need to explain how language AND behaviour supports commitments to equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion. You should illustrate your explanation with examples of both positive and negative language, and positive and negative behaviour and their potential impact.

 

The learner workbook on Fuse, pages 17 and 18, covers some of this. You will need to look at your own Equality Policy to guide you.

 

AC2.4

 

Explain how to measure diversity within an organisation

 

Measuring of diversity can involve the use of quantitative, representative date – age, gender, racial origin – linked to recruitment, promotion, access to and take-up of training opportunities etc. It can also involve the use of qualitative information – employee satisfaction surveys, analysis of employee complaints/grievances, observations of language and behaviour etc.

 

The video on Fuse: “Monitoring Diversity” covers this topic. There are also two factsheets to aid you.

The learner workbook on Fuse, page 18, touches on this topic.

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Section 3: Understand team building and dynamics

 

 

AC 3.1

 

Explain the difference between a group and a team

 

Both ‘groups’ and ‘teams’ are collections of people but there are a number of characteristics that

 

make them different. You need to explain what these differences are. Think about the

 

characteristics, the similarities and differences and their purpose.

 

“A  group is two or more individuals who share common interests or  characteristics and whose

 

members identify with each other due to similar  traits” (Boundless.com, 2015)

 

“ Teams and groups differ in five key ways: task orientation, purpose, interdependence, formal

 

structure, and familiarity among members.” (Boundless.com, 2015)

 

For more information, click this link:

 

 https://www.boundless.com/management/textbooks/boundless-management-textbook/groups-

 

 teams-and-teamwork-6/defining-teams-and-teamwork-51/differences-between-groups-and-teams-

 

 261-4011/

 

AC 3.2

 

Outline the characteristics of an effective team

 

A team shares a common goal or objective and there are a number of other characteristics that will make the team effective in achieving that goal or objective.

 

You need to outline what you believe those characteristics are.

 

When considering an effective team, think about:

 

x      Teams in your workplace, how and why they work together successfully.

 

x      Characteristics and behaviours that cause teams not to work well.

x      Does your team work together sharing a common goal?

x      What drives your team to be a success?

 

 

AC 3.3

 

Explain the techniques of building a team

 

Having identified the characteristics of an effective team rather than merely a group or collection of people, you need to understand how those characteristics can be developed. There are a number of techniques that can be used.

 

You need to identify and explain how to use at least two of these techniques.

 

Think about the team you have now, how could you develop them both individually and as a team? Examples could include performance management systems and team building days.

 

 

AC 3.4

 

Explain techniques to motivate team members

 

For a team to be effective its members must be willing and motivated to achieving the team’s objectives. If team members are not motivated to achieve this, the team’s effectiveness will be

PRINCIPLES OF PEOPLE MANAGE GUIDANCE BOOKLET

 

 

reduced. Individuals are all influenced by different motivational needs that they seek to satisfy and there are a number of theories that explain how this occurs.

 

 

You should chose at least one of these recognised motivation theories and describe the main

 

features. Explain what techniques can be used to motivate team members and when and why they

 

will be effective. Examples will help you to illustrate your answer.

 

 Motivation Definition

 

Motivation theories/models that you may wish to use are:

 

x      Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

 

x      Herzberg’s hygiene factors

 

x      Vrooms expectancy theory

 

AC 3.5

 

Explain the importance of communicating targets and objectives to a team

 

One of the key defining factors of an effective team is that they share a common goal or objective and are aware of targets they are working towards. There are a number of ways in which these can be communicated to them by the organisation. On the other hand, inappropriate communication or lack of communication, can produce negative effects

 

You need to explain the main ways targets and objectives can be communicated to a team and why