Human Resource Management

This module explores the ways in which long-term and short-term trends in the internal and external environments impact upon work and working lives now and in the future. Examples of areas for investigation include the role of technology and critically evaluating whether how and to what extent this can enhance work and working lives; investigating how change impacts on work and working lives in theory and practice; labour market trends and current issues such as the pandemic and its implications for work and working lives; the role and importance of HR in promoting ethical behaviours.

This module provides an overview of HRM theory and practice using the employee life cycle as a framework. It explores how and why HRM aims to be strategic and critically evaluates models such as best practice, best fit and system thinking models. It explores contemporary developments within the employee life cycle, such as key trends in resourcing, performance, engagement and L&D, including models of coaching and mentoring.

This module explores the regulation of employment relationships in an international context including the role of the state, trade unions and employers' associations. It critically analyses approaches to creating and sustaining effective employment relationships across the economy, investigates voice, conflict and conflict resolution mechanisms.

This module examines the legal framework which governs employment relationships within the UK. It explores the sources, development and institutions of employment law and the legal framework which is relevant to key areas of HRM such as contracts of employment, discrimination, health and safety at work, family friendly provisions and dismissal.

This module investigates the strategic and operational approaches to and challenges of rewarding people in a fair and equitable way. The module includes topics such as approaches to pay determination and progression, pay frameworks, variable pay, total reward, benefits and reward in an international context. Contemporary debates in the field are discussed, such as pay inequalities.

This module critically evaluates the sources and types of people data available and investigates how data can be used to gain insights into key HR issues and to generate solutions to people problems. The module engages with the debate about value-added HR and explores the role of HR Analytics in enabling the HR function to add value and demonstrate this and explores how to interpret key people metrics. It critically analyses the practical and ethical challenges associated with HR Analytics (e.g. capability, confidentiality, sensitive data).

This module examines the concepts of diversity and inclusion and discusses theories which explain patterns of inequalities in the UK labour market. It critically analyses the business, moral and legal rationales for promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and critically evaluates approaches to promoting diversity and inclusion at work.

This module explores what it means to be professional in HR including the role of the CIPD in promoting professional practice. It investigates the importance of HR professionals fully engaging with the purpose of an organisation and understanding its commercial context and explores ethical behaviour in practice, including the barriers and the role of HR Professionals in promoting ethical practice.

This module enables students to apply their research skills to a pertinent, contemporary real life HRM issue. They are tasked with conducting a piece of research on a topic of their own choice (primary or secondary data), preparing a research report and an evaluation of their research impact. The learning outcomes ensure that students are able to conduct rigorous applied research and consultancy projects within their working lives after completion of the programme.