Professional Stream Skills Workshops
November 2012 – March 2013
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In general, workshops take place on Friday and run from 10.00am to 3.00-4.00pm. They are based on a mixture of knowledge dissemination, interactive
discussion, and the use of worked examples and role plays (including a number of case studies based on actual organisations) to provide students with
practical insight and initial development of the necessary skills to become effective in addressing issues that arise in each of the areas covered. Students are
also provided with relevant material (e.g. presentation slides and handouts) and given ideas on how to further research the area covered.
Objectives
The principal goals are:
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To cover the CIPD Professional Standards in Leadership & Management, Applied Personnel and Development and certain modules of Specialist and
Generalist Personnel and Development
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To expose students to a variety of HR practitioners operating at a strategic level within a diverse range of organisations
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To provide students with the opportunity to use and develop the knowledge gained during their MSc course in a practical environment
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To provide personal development for students; for example, use of presentation skills, analysing real-life case studies drawn from a range of sectors,
working in small teams and having the opportunity to influence fellow students and develop arguments
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To gain a sufficiently broad range of practical knowledge and acquire the skills to work with a specified organisation
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To prepare for organisational visits, to have opportunities to discuss students’ experiences and findings with fellow students, and an HR practitioner,
with the aim of comparing and contrasting experiences in different organisations and different sectors.
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To spend time within a specified organisation and write a management report on the HR issue or challenge identified by the organisation, together with
a CPD log based on their experiences
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The Skills Workshop sessions for 2011/12 are outlined below. They may be subject to change as the course progresses.
Assessment
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There is no formalised assessment for the workshop sessions unless there is significant under-attendance, which would lead to a potential fail.
However, each workshop provides for peer review and presenter assessment of work carried out on case studies, including the effectiveness of
students during role plays, presentations etc. Presenter feedback and coaching is made during these skills-based activities to ensure understanding of
issues raised and that students reach an acceptable level of applied learning. The final workshop session, where attendance is compulsory, provides
students with an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired throughout the workshops and to receive feedback from a panel
comprised of experienced senior HR practitioner and a member of the HRM faculty.
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The Management Report is formally marked in line with CIPD assessment criteria. You will also need to complete a learning & development log
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Case study - through participation in an interactive case study, focused on the HR implications of a major organisational change, students will apply the
learning from previous workshops and will get feedback on the effectiveness of their HR project team. Attendance is mandatory.
See CIPD section at www.kcl.ac.uk/hrmlb
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Workshop Location(s)
Day
Fri
Room 1.13, First Floor, Franklin Wilkins Building, Stamford Street
Dates
All workshop sessions from 16 November – 15 March
Session
Lead Presenter
Summary
Introduction to the Professional
Skills workshops
Aideen O’Halloran
Through presentation and interactive discussion, students will gain understanding of:
The HR function & the role of
the HR professional
(HR consultant &
former EMEIA HRD
for Andersen)
16 November
Stuart Woollard
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The development & context of the HR function
Key roles and responsibilities of the HR function
Strategic and operational aspects of the HR role
The changing role of the HR professional
HR models (outsourcing, shared services, “consultancy’, corporate vs. line)
HR’s position within the modern organisation
Skills development
Students will examine and work through a role play case studies placing them in the position of the HR function and putting
together a set of issues and recommendations for management in relation to a range of HRM challenges in relation to business
growth/restructuring. Students will also review the role of the HR professional in this context.
Managing today’s workplace –
Employee Engagement
understanding the employment
relationship
23 November
Aideen O’Halloran
Through presentation and interactive discussion, students will gain understanding of:
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New employment relations
Factors that influence ER
The nature of today’s ER; and
Its impact on contemporary HRM
How to determine or measure the nature of an organisation’s ER
Skills development
Students will be asked to work in teams to prioritise issues and make recommendations for management subsequent to receiving
a detailed independent report on employee attitudes obtained through a series of divisional focus groups, interviews and survey
information.
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Talent Management
Aideen O’Halloran
Through presentation and interactive discussion, students will gain understanding of:
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30 November
Explain how Talent Management fits into the organisation
Understand the critical success factors and challenges in making Talent Management work
Review Performance Management – key element of Talent Management
The role of HR/Line Managers in delivery of PM
Review PM tools: Guidance/policy/forms to evaluate their role in delivering a Talent Management strategy
Skills development
Students will work in teams through a role-play case study placing them in the position of various stakeholders (HR, management,
employees) with responsibility for the design, development, and implementation of a talent management programme.
Reward
Stuart Woollard
Through presentation, interactive discussion, and case study students will gain understanding of:
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7 December
Designing a reward strategy
Factors affecting reward structures – culture; industry; job function
Types of reward – cash; benefits; non-financial recognition
Pay structures & surveys
Bonus schemes
Equity reward
Current trends / issues e.g. executive pay
Skills development
Students will examine and work through a case study placing them in the position of relevant stakeholders (HR function,
management, employees) and be asked to put together a set of recommendations for management for new remuneration
arrangements to be implemented in an organisation that will shortly go public.
Learning & Development
Karen Philipson
14 December
(Learning and
Development
Consultant with
public sector/NHS
focus –formerly of
the Royal
Brompton Hospital)
Through presentation and interactive discussion, students will gain understanding of:
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What training & development means
The continuum of transactional training to transformational learning
What shapes an organisations development strategy
The practicalities of designing a ‘learning event’
Skills development
Students will examine case studies and be asked to work through the design, development and implementation of a T & D
programme taking account of organisational challenges and the need to align learning and development solutions with the
organisational agenda.
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Managing People Internationally
Aideen O’Halloran
Through presentation and interactive discussion, students will gain understanding of:
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18 January
The nature & role of the organisation across international boundaries
Understanding cultural differences and affect on HRM
Translating corporate culture on a global basis
The challenge of ensuring that HR interventions take account of an international operating context
The HR role in an international context
Skills development
Students will examine a case study involving a global financial services organisation and a global leisure industry. They will have
the opportunity to identify and resolve issues as they are taken through the implementation of a US designed appraisal and
development process for locations throughout Europe and Asia/UK designed development programme being rolled out
internationally.
Resourcing
Presenter tbc
25 January
Resourcing
Specialist
Through presentation and interactive discussion, students will gain understanding of:
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HR & resourcing strategy
Local, national, international labour markets; employment & demographic trends
Job design, and specifications
Resource choice – temporary; full-time employee; consultant; outsourcing
Candidate identification – internal vs. external labour markets;
Recruitment campaigns - using agencies, adverts, other media
Identifying candidates- the selection process; interviewing; testing, assessment centres and managing candidates
Hiring – making decisions; giving feedback; procedural aspects
Induction
Measuring effectiveness – direct and indirect costs; staff retention; productivity & contribution
Skills development
Students will work in teams through a series of small case studies looking at various stages of the resourcing process with aim of
identifying best practice in different situations and learning how to best approach resourcing within various types of organisation
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HRM & organisational
performance
Stuart Woollard
Through presentation and interactive discussion, students will gain understanding of:
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1 February
The movement towards Human Capital
Linking HRM practices to organisational metrics
Measuring the impact of HR interventions
HR strategy and the “bottom line
Skills development
Students will examine various case studies including the creation of a business case for introducing flexible work practices
identifying how to measure ROI on HRM interventions; evaluating the validity of linking organisational engagement to business
performance outcomes, and examining recent real case study organisations
Assessment & Leadership
development
Louise Marron
(HR Consultant)
8 February
Through presentation and interactive discussion, students will gain understanding of:
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The purpose of assessment
Understanding Psychometric and other (e.g. 360 degree) assessment tools
Current trends in leadership development
Effective leadership and its outcomes
Skills development
Students will work in small groups and work through various exercises to understand the practical application of assessment &
leadership development strategies. Students will assess the impact of leadership development interventions by review of a case
study of a large financial services organisation and the development of its leadership programme.
HRM & Organisational Change
Sean Riches
15 February
(Organisational
Change
Consultant)
Through presentation and interactive discussion, students will gain understanding of:
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Why organisations change & how is change driven
What challenges change presents to an organisation
Designing a change programme
What’s needed to develop a change programme
How to engage employees in a change initiative
The role of HR in managing change
Skills development
Students will consider the impact of change on individuals and organisations through a combination of exercises and examination
of a case study of a change programme. They will work in teams to identify the challenges and develop and an understanding of
how to plan and implement change in an effective way, highlighting potential pitfalls.
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22nd February
Employment Law –
discrimination, dismissal & other
key issues
READING WEEK - NO WORKSHOPS
Richard Martin
(Partner,
Speechly Bircham)
1 March
NOTE:
This session starts at 9.00 am
and finishes at 5.00 pm
Through presentation and interactive discussion, students will gain an overview of UK Employment law and an understanding of:
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Termination of employment (unfair dismissal, redundancy etc.)
Data protection
Discrimination (sex, race, disability)
TUPE
Working Time Directive
Future developments
Skills development
Students will work through a series of role-play scenarios involving various real-life situations e.g. disciplinary process, harassment
claim, employment termination etc.
HR – risk & ethics
Valerie Spence
Charles Williams
8 March
(Senior
Practitioners,
Employee
Relations and
Policy)
Building on the overview provided by the employment law session, students will examine a number of HR practitioner challenges
to identify:
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How to assess organisational risk in these scenarios (reputational, legal etc)
How to manage all stakeholders and balance what may be conflicting stakeholder agendas
The impact of these situations on the HR practitioner – as an individual and as a professional
Approaches to managing these situations effectively
Skills development
Students will have the opportunity to evaluate a range of “real life” employee relations scenarios to work through the implications
and identify HR options in managing them. The student will be able to explore issues that test the HR professional’s ability to deal
with the tensions and conflicts that arise in managing organisations and balancing the needs of employer and employee in this
Case Study
15 March
Attendance compulsory
Aideen
O’Halloran/Stuart
Woollard
Through participation in an interactive case study, focused on the HR implications of a major organisational change, students will
apply the learning from previous workshops to :
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analyse organisational data & identify the organisational challenges
manage key stakeholders & present a business case to key stakeholders
develop a realistic project plan to manage the organisational challenges
Skills development
Students will apply a range of consultancy skills to this exercise: They will include analytical skills, team working, and planning and
presentation skills. They will also have the opportunity to use time management, negotiation and influencing skills
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