HR Management and Change in Organizations - Implications of Brexit and COVID-19

Supporting Employees in the Medium-term

The UK’s decision to leave the EU will have major implications for many employers, especially in those sectors employing a high share of EU nationals such as hospitality, healthcare, food production, retail andconstruction. It is recognised that organisations are facing a continuing period of uncertainty and change (CIPD 2018). The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and following containment measures too will have a long-lasting impact on the economy, businesses and working lives.

Organisations have had to make rapid changes to how they operate, including how and where jobs are carried out, as well as planning for, or returning staff to work safely. Workers in turn, have to navigate new ways of working, as well as adapt to changing circumstances in their personal life.

How should HR and L&D professionals support their employees in the medium-term?

i. In groups of 3 to 4 people, write a report which explains the extent to which an organisation with which you are familiar with must change in the current economic climate, and whether they need to take a planned or unplanned approach to change going forward. Justify your answer.

ii. In the context of your chosen business evaluate how HR management can support the planned/unplanned change approach, considering both business strategy and external factors impacting on the business.

iii. Drawing on relevant theory, explain the main challenges for the Human Resource Department. Advise HR management of the strategic approaches available to them in handling this shift, taking special consideration for any possible resistance to change.

This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcomes:

Module code and title:

Weeks after submission deadline

LO 1 Understand the strategic and operational importance of change in organisations

LO 2 Critically evaluate change management theory, strategies and tactical options

LO 3 Synthesise unplanned and planned change and organisational development approaches

LO 4 Critically assess the key areas of organisational and individual resistance to change

Task requirements

· This is a 3000 word group assignment.

· Group size is between 3-4 people.

Referencing and research requirements

Please reference your work according to the Harvard style as defined in Cite Them Right Online. This information is also available in book form: Pears, R. and

Shields, G. (2016) Cite them right: the essential reference guide. 10th edn. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Copies are available via the University library.

How your work will be assessed

Your work will be assessed on the extent to which it demonstrates your achievement of the stated learning outcomes for this assignment (see above) and against other key criteria, as defined in the University’s institutional grading descriptors. If it is appropriate to the format of your assignment and your subject area, a proportion of your marks will also depend upon your use of academic referencing conventions. This assignment will be marked according to the grading descriptors for Level 6. Full Assessment Criteria can be viewed on the following page.

Submission details

· This assignment must be submitted electronically by 14:00 on the submission date

· To submit electronically you must upload your work to the e-submission area within the VLE module concerned. Click Submit> Browse (find the correct file to upload) Upload Submit

· You can resubmit your work as many times as you like until the deadline. If you choose to resubmit, your earlier submission will be replaced, and you will NOT receive an Originality Report until 24 hours from when the submission was made.

· You will receive a digital receipt as proof of submission. This will be sent to your Bucks e-mail address; please keep this for reference.

· You are reminded of the University’s regulations on cheating and plagiarism. In submitting your assignment you are acknowledging that you have read and understood these regulations.

· Late submission within 10 working days of the deadline will result in the mark being capped at a maximum of 40%. Beyond this time the work will not be marked.

· You are reminded that it is your responsibility to keep an electronic copy of your assignment for future reference.