HR Skills and Behaviours
| Module title | HR Skills and Behaviours |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEMM125DA |
| Academic year | 2021/2 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Alison Sydenham (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 40 |
|---|
Module description
This practically orientated module is aimed at helping you develop the core and applied skills needed to enhance your career in HRM. The module aims to help you develop your self-awareness, reflective practice, active listening, questioning and communication skills and personal effectiveness, and improve your business acumen as you develop your HR career. You will have the opportunity to practice some of the key skills and behaviours needed by effective HRM practitioners such as selection interviewing, negotiating, carrying out disciplinary and performance management meetings, embedding wellbeing and engagement, and diversity and inclusion in organisational practice. You will also develop a clearer understanding of the professional values that underpin effective HRM, and ways of handling the main challenges that HR professionals face.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module offers a series of advanced activities to equip you with the knowledge, skills and resources to further your career in HRM. Through a combination of practical, reflective, and interactive exercises, this module aims to provide a learning environment where you can explore the fundamental skills and behaviours required by HRM professionals. Through these activities you will be well equipped to carry out performance management and disciplinary procedures, evaluating the best course of action for your intended outcome. You will also develop the skills to support, develop you and establish effective HR principles and practices that embed employee well-being and drive employee engagement.
Skill Acquisition
This module is practical by design and therefore focuses on the skill development from the outset. Participants will develop a number of skills critical to effective HRM practice including those associated with the management of individual performance, conducting disciplinary and grievance interviews, coaching and mentoring, embedding wellbeing and engagement, as well as negotiation and influencing. In addition to this the module covers a number of important behaviours such as reflective practice, ethical awareness, equality, diversity, and inclusion, examining how HR professionals act as role models within our organisations.
Research in Teaching
Whilst this module is practical by design it nonetheless draws on a substantial base of academic research and knowledge. Participants will explore research and techniques which underpin key HRM skills and behaviours such as coaching and mentoring, negotiation, and influencing.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Discuss how to integrate diversity and inclusion into wider organisational approaches.
- 2. Evaluate strategies, tools and techniques to build management, coaching and mentoring capability across the organisation.
- 3. Identify the strategies and drivers of employee well-being and engagement and how to integrate these into wider approaches to people management.
- 4. Assess the impact of a variety of approaches to performance management and how performance management data can be used to drive improvement.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Apply management, coaching and mentoring capabilities utilising appropriate tools and methodologies including those associated with the development of yourself and others
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Role model ethical behaviour / practices and challenge decisions and actions that are not ethical.
- 7. Discuss the importance of professional courage and influence, identifying how to constructively challenge decisions and utilise influencing techniques to gain buy in.
Syllabus plan
This module is delivered through a series of advanced online and in-person learning activities, applied exercises, reflective assignments and guided independent learning. As a practically oriented module, a large portion of the delivery will involve case study and role-play assignments that develop the skills and behaviours needed to operate as a Senior HR Professional. The content is designed around 3 core areas:
- Performance Management, including managing capability and conduct matters through an appropriate course of action i.e. disciplinary and grievance, appraisals, coaching and mentoring;
- Championing the strategies and drivers of employee well-being and engagement;
- Developing professional HR behaviours that drive personal and professional effectiveness
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 207 | 93 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Masterclasses | 28 | Faculty/Expert led workshops and seminars |
| Webinars | 5 | Online action learning set facilitated by module lead |
| Professional development | 93 | Guided independent study through online learning activities. Reading, case studies, professional practise forums, MCQs, blogs and formative assessment tasks. |
| Time in work | 174 | Time in work |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly assignments | Guided independent study through online learning activities. Reading, case studies, professional practise forums, MCQs, blogs and formative assessment tasks. | 1-7 | Interactive and embedded feedback within ELE tasks |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 0 | 60 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellbeing case study | 40 | 3000 words | 1, 2, 3, 5 | Written feedback from academic tutor |
| Practical skills assessment (covering performance management, employee wellbeing and engagement, professional HR behaviours) | 60 | A variety of formats depending on delivery mechanism 5,000 words equivalent | 3, 4, 6, 7 | Verbal and written feedback from academic tutor |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellbeing case study (40%) | As per original | 1, 2, 3, 5 | Next reassessment period |
| Practical skills assessment (60%) | As per original | 3, 4, 6, 7 | Next reassessment period |
Re-assessment notes
All passed components of the module will be rolled forward and will not be reassessed in the event of module failure.
Defer – as first time
Refer – capped at 50%
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Cameron, S. (2021) The Business Student’s Handbook: Skills for Study and Employment. 7th Edition. Harlow: Pearson.
- Gallagher, K. (2016) Essential Study and Employment Skills for Business and Management Students. 3rd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Thompson, N. (2021) People Skills. 5th Edition. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Watson, G. and Reissner, S. (2014) Developing Skills for Business Leadership. 2nd Edition. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
- Lancer, N., Clutterbuck, D. and Megginson, D. (2016) Techniques for Coaching and Mentoring. 2nd Edition. London: Routledge.
- Cooper, C. and Hesketh, I. (2019) Wellbeing at Work: How to Design, Implement and Evaluate an Effective Strategy. London: Kogan Page.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
- The module will have a dedicated page available on ELE.
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
- As an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development you will also have access to the entirety of the Institute's website, including all published research reports, archived articles from 'People Management', fact sheets, discussion papers and briefings.
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | Yes |
| Origin date | 24/05/2021 |
| Last revision date | 20/09/2021 |
