Managing the Workforce in the Post-Covid-19 Era: Strategic Advice for HR Managers

TASK
Description of Assessment Requirements
There has been increasing demand for flexible working since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to CIPD, only 3% of workers were working from home all the time; however, this figure was rising gradually to around 5% in Jan – March 2020. During the pandemic the number of working from home in the UK all the time was at 10%.  How to manage the workforce remotely is a big challenge for the CEO and HR managers in organisations in terms of managing the efficiency of work and ensuring the well-being of the employees. (CIPD, Flexible working arrangements and the impact of Covid-19, May 2021) As a Business Consultant, you have been invited by a company of your choice to provide strategic advice on how to manage the new pattern of working in the post Covid-19 era and the future HR strategies that the company should adopt to respond and adapt to change.

Tasks 

1.Drawing on relevant theories and models, as well as the external factors that have been shaping the development of human capital in organisations, critically evaluate the role and impact of information and communication technology on the management of workforces in organisations. 

2.Critically evaluate and discuss the existing policies of the specific company / organisation you have selected in terms of its talent acquisition, learning and development and  change management process in relation to its strategic objectives.

3. Make relevant recommendations on new initiatives that this organisation should adopt in order to survive and thrive in the new normal.

4.In your advice to the company discuss the role of the leaders of the organisation in terms of implementing these new initiatives.

Please note the following when completing your written assignment:
1.Writing: Written in English in an appropriate business/academic style
2.Focus: Focus only on the tasks set in the assignment.
3.Document format: Report
4.Ensure a clear title, course, and name or ID number is on a cover sheet and a reference using Harvard referencing throughout is also provided.
5.Research: Research should use reliable and relevant sources of information e.g. academic books and journals that have been peer reviewed. The research should be extensive. 

MARKING CRITERIA AND STUDENT FEEDBACK 
This section details the assessment criteria. The extent to which these are demonstrated by you determines your mark. The marks available for each criterion are shown. Lecturers use a similar format to comment on the achievement of the task(s), including those areas in which you have performed well and areas that would benefit from development/improvement.

Common Assessment Criteria Applied Awarded

1. Research-informed Literature
Extent of research and/or own reading, selection of credible sources, application of appropriate referencing conventions. 20       
2. Knowledge and Understanding of Subject
Extent of knowledge and understanding of concepts and underlying principles associated with the discipline. 20        
3. Analysis
Analysis, evaluation and synthesis; logic, argument and judgement; analytical reflection; organisation of ideas and evidence 30        
4. Practical Application and Deployment
Deployment of methods, materials, tools and techniques; application of concepts; formulation of innovative and creative solutions to solve problems. 20        
5. Skills for Professional Practice
Attributes in professional practice: individual and collaborative working; deployment of appropriate media; presentation and organisation. 10   

Assignment Mark (Assessment marks are subject to ratification at the UoS Assessment Board.  These comments and marks are to give feedback on module work and are for guidance only until they are confirmed.) 72 Hour Late Submission Penalties (tick if appropriate) % Level 6 In accordance with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, at the end of Level 6 students should have coherent and detailed knowledge and a systematic understanding of their subject area, at least some of which is informed by the latest research and/or advanced scholarship within the discipline. They will be able to accurately deploy established techniques of analysis and enquiry within a discipline, using their conceptual understanding to devise and sustain arguments and/or to solve problems. They should be aware of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge.

They should be able to critically evaluate evidence, arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be incomplete), to make judgements, and to frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution - or identify a range of solutions. They will apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects. They will have the ability to manage their own learning, and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (for example, refereed research articles and/or original materials appropriate to the discipline). They will demonstrate the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring: the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility; decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts; the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature.