5co01 Assignment Example

The course 5C001 Organisational Performance and Culture in Practice, focuses on how the culture within a company affects its success and the way it operates. It looks at how a positive workplace environment can boost employee morale, improve efficiency, and help the organisation reach its goals. By studying real-world examples and key theories, learners will understand how to build and maintain a strong, positive culture that encourages growth and success for both employees and the organisation as a whole. This knowledge is crucial for anyone looking to improve how a company performs in today’s fast-changing business world.

Assessment Questions

AC 1.1 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of both a divisional structure and a matrix structure. Within the evaluation, you should include the reasons underpinning each structure. 

Divisional Structure

A divisional structure is an organisational structure that groups company activities according to what is sold, where it is sold, or who the customers are. Every division is organised as a semi-independent group that provides its own HR, finance, and marketing services (Sobiya, 2018).

Reasons underpinning the divisional structure 

Many organisations use a divisional system to bring groups closer to particular products, markets, or areas. Such companies as multinational corporations are supported by this structure, following their wide range of products and brands. The intention is to address changing local or product requirements and enable faster growth by decentralising decisions (Sobiya, 2018).

Advantages and disadvantages 

Through the structure, one can more easily measure their company’s performance and who is responsible. Managers are responsible for the earnings of their departments; hence, looking for and praising excellent work is made simple. As a result, motivation and thinking about entrepreneurship increase (Brewer, 2023).  Also, it encourages attention to both customers and the market. Companies can make products, offer services, and run marketing campaigns that meet the needs of each customer group or region, helping both customers and businesses gain advantages (Olmstead, 2022).

However, there is a significant problem with wasting resources on repeated projects. Because each division tends to have HR or IT departments, it leads to inefficient workplaces and higher expenses (Brewer, 2023). In addition, workers can develop siloed thinking. Divisions sometimes follow their plans instead of contributing to the broader organisation’s goals, which decreases teamwork and new thinking in different units (Olmstead, 2022).

Matrix Structure

A matrix structure includes features of both functional and project-based systems—staff report to functional, product, or project managers simultaneously (Asana, 2024).

Reasons Underpinning Matrix Structure

This structure is usually adopted by organisations that face dynamic conditions and handle many interactive projects. Consultancy, engineering and multinational companies are great examples. It seeks to organise things so that resources and expertise are used efficiently in multiple projects and functions (Gleeson, 2019).

Merits and demerits

Efficient use of resources is a significant advantage. Sharing talents and skills allows managers to avoid repeating tasks and maximise every team’s abilities (Asana, 2024). Moreover, working in different parts of the organisation and on various tasks helps employees view situations differently, leading to more inventive answers to multi-department problems (Gleeson, 2019).

Nevertheless, the system suffers when officials have conflicting authority. Without clear job assignments, dual reporting can create confusion and conflict or prevent quick decisions (Goldstein, 2025). Also, when multiple managers assign different tasks, employees may become overwhelmed and unhappy unless well handled (GeeksforGeeks, 2023).

AC 1.2 Analyse the extent to which the organisational strategy in your organisation (or an organisation with which you are familiar) helps to ensure products or services meet customers’ needs. 

Organisational Strategy Overview

An organisational strategy is a plan that guides a company to reach its aims, be better than its competitors, and provide value (Sloneek, 2024). Clean, safe, and competitive aspects are the main pillars of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc’s strategy. The company derives its strategy by understanding current market and technology trends, making innovation and partnership plans, and following through with implementation through research and company operations (F.Dieffenbacher, 2022). Rolls-Royce works to invent advanced technologies that offer the safest, cleanest, and most affordable products for aerospace, defence, and power systems (Rolls-Royce, 2024).

Meeting Customer Needs through Strategic Alignment 

Strategy Analysis and Customer Insight

Rolls-Royce deeply analyses its strategy by working with airline companies, defence agencies, and the energy sector. Because of this, product development reflects what the market wants. For example, investing in the launch of UltraFan® is a sign that the higher needs for green aviation are being met (Rolls-Royce, 2024).

Strategy Development and Innovation

The company is working to be more sustainable and use digital technology. One customer-driven example of the company’s strategy is its collaboration with Qatar Investment Authority to build a net-zero aviation campus (Rolls-Royce, 2021). This indicates that they support customers who care about the environment and keep up with environmental regulations, which helps build a dependable brand.

Strategy Implementation and Product Excellence

A strategic blend between engineering, supply chain management, and customer care teams supports this tenet. TotalCare® is a fresh service model that engages customers in engine servicing. This means customers buy performance, not the engines themselves, which has changed aftermarket service standards for the better (Memon, 2023).

Analysis of Effectiveness 

Successes

Rolls-Royce’s plan has been working well. It provides quality solutions that are suited to each customer, all while facing burdensome industry regulations and complex technologies. By paying more attention to defence and aerospace interfaces due to the pandemic, which slowed commercial aviation, they demonstrated strategic strength and sensibility to their customers (Rolls-Royce, 2020).

Challenges

Nonetheless, criticism came from delays and losses within the Trent 1000 engine programme, which decreased airlines’ trust and cost the company much money (Rolls-Royce, 2025). These cases reveal that sometimes, the strategy’s rollout is not as successful as it should be.

AC 1.3 Analyse the current impact of interest rates, inflation and one other external factor on your organisation (or one with which you are familiar). Identify organisational priorities arising from your analysis.

Effect of Interest Rates

Due to the company’s enormous role of capital and debt, interest rates matter greatly to Rolls-Royce Holdings plc. As of 2024–2025, interest rates are still high around the UK and the world due to efforts by banks to control inflation (BBC, 2025).

Short-term impact

Higher costs of loans mean Rolls-Royce has to spend more on research and development, creating products and growing infrastructure, which hampers its ability to invest in developing the UltraFan® or small modular reactors (Rolls-Royce, 2021). Consequently, this leads to slower innovation and less demanding timeframes for bringing products to the market.

Long-term impact 

Sustained high rates can make investors doubtful, and when earnings do not exceed the costs needed for capital expansion, this may cause shareholder returns to weaken. Rising or falling interest rates influence customer choices when it comes to paying for engines in the aerospace industry (Are, 2022).

Impacts Inflation

Rolls-Royce keeps feeling the impact of inflation when it comes to input costs. The most important areas that are affected are:

Energy and materials

Titanium, carbon composite parts and the energy needed for assembly have all become more costly (Williams and Baker, 2022).

Labour

Wage increases are being felt, especially by those in skilled engineering jobs around the world, because of global inflation (Williams and Baker, 2022)

Short-term impact

Due to long-term but fixed contracts, margins suffer while costs rise. The company could face risks when dealing with these new expenses.

Long-term impact

Sustained inflation forces the company to pay more attention to efficient operations and having supplies close by (Alliance News, 2025). Emerging market inflation can dictate spending, so Rolls-Royce has less chance to be active worldwide.

Impact of Government Regulation (external factor)

Rules made by governments about sustainability and defence affect how Rolls-Royce operates. As emissions targets set by UK, EU and ICAO grow stronger, large sums will be put into new green technologies (EU, 2022).

Short-term impact

The increase in compliance and innovation expenses for new systems such as hydrogen propulsion and sustainably-made fuels has led to a cutback on spending in other areas (Swallow, 2023).

Long-term impact

Even though regulations can cost companies, they may also bring new chances (Swallow, 2023). Rolls-Royce could lead the way in zero-emission technology, supporting what the company stands for.

Organisational Priorities Emerging

Capital efficiency

Interest rates have become high, so Rolls-Royce now emphasises big profit projects, pays off debt faster, and seeks out strategic teams to cut costs.

Cost Control and Workforce Strategy

Because of inflation, companies must enhance productivity, use technology, manage their payroll wisely, and keep skilled employees.

Sustainability and regularity compliance

Adhering to rules and creating greener technology are important. Prompt electric and hydrogen propulsion development is key to ensuring the shipping industry is viable and compliant over time (Nilson, 2024).

AC 1.4 In February 2024, Peter Cheese, current CEO of CIPD stated, “AI is transforming jobs, careers, and workplaces. People professionals have a key role to play in encouraging safe experimentation and rapid learning, so that we can reap the benefits and mitigate the risks.” Assess the extent that AI is, or could be, used in your organisation (or an organisation with which you are familiar) and assess how AI impacts work

The extent to which AI is used 

Aerospace and power systems leader Rolls-Royce Holdings plc uses artificial intelligence (AI) more in daily operations. AI is one of the main tools in predictive maintenance because it reviews real-time data from engines to predict when issues could arise. It ensures higher safety and less loss of their services (Lyon, 2024).

Robots and machine learning are used in manufacturing to organise workflows and check for product errors by detecting defects. AI in design simulations at Rolls-Royce can improve components and reduce costs before creating prototypes (Goldenberg, 2024).

AI’s most recent uses are in HR and corporate corporate tasks. Similarly, chatbots help address employee concerns, and data-based recruitment tools support the review of candidates. However, these systems are only in the first stages of implementation across different industries (Koivunen et al., 2022).

AI’s Effects on Work

Careers and jobs

AI is now causing changes in typical engineering career paths. Engineers’ time used to be mostly spent on routine monitoring and diagnostics, but that has now been automated so that they can concentrate on more important and thoughtful duties (Mayer et al., 2025). Therefore, workers must continue learning and play roles where they work with and not against AI.

Productivity and efficiency

In addition, AI increases the effectiveness and productivity of a business (Mayer et al., 2025). Predictive maintenance uses AI to help engines last longer and shorten maintenance time. Hence, customers are more satisfied, which helps Rolls-Royce maintain its competitive advantage.

Worker well-being

AI has affected worker well-being in many different ways. In some ways, automation takes care of tedious and repetitive tasks and could decrease workers’ stress. At the same time, AI makes it easier for teams to work 24/7, so there is a new pressure to stay responsive () constantly. Work-life borders may become less clear, and this is clearer when workers work remotely.

Challenges and risks

The main challenges are safeguarding data, handling ethical problems, and worrying about job loss. If AI systems are improperly handled, they can be biased. When overreliance occurs, the need for people to review important processes might decline (Dean, 2024).

People Professionals’ roles

At Rolls-Royce, people professionals must ensure that the adoption of AI supports the company’s goals, respects diversity, and is done ethically. It includes upskilling workers, giving people digital confidence, and promoting an environment where it is safe to learn with computers, as Peter Cheese (2019) asserts.

AC 2.1 Explain Charles Handy’s model of organisational culture and explain David Rock’s SCARF theory.

Charles Handy’s Model of Organisational Culture

Charles Handy introduced the idea of four major types of organisational culture. With his model, individuals see how employee behaviour, decisions, and leadership traits differ in various cultural situations.

Power Culture

A central power source in small or entrepreneurial settings controls this type. Executives at the top make decisions using little guidance or organisation. For power cultures, trust, talking face-to-face, and prompt reactions are key (Doran, 2024). 

Role culture

In this type of culture, jobs are structured and clear to everyone. Every organisation needs detailed procedures and job descriptions. Even though it guarantees a consistent approach, it may limit how creative and flexible the company becomes (Francis, 2025).

Task culture

Projects or R&D that follow task culture look to accomplish tasks efficiently. A group of people is formed for each project, and skill in a particular area decides how much impact someone has. Creativity, teamwork, and flexibility are all part of task cultures (Doran, 2024). Nevertheless, difficulties can occur when the budget or goals are unclear.

Person culture

In Person Culture, partnerships like law firms or consultancies are more important to each individual than the organisation. Staff believe they are self-directed and have the same values as everyone else (Francis, 2025). Leaders exist to help rather than to control. People can make decisions using this model, though the group may lack unity.

David Rock’s explanation of the SCARF model

In 2008, David Rock introduced the SCARF model, a way to look at social behaviour in the workplace from a neuroscience point of view. It points out five tenets that can change human motivation and behaviour by turning on a reward or a threat system in the brain. These tenets include;

Status

Status means someone’s position about their importance or seniority. Having their position recognised encourages people to work harder. Feeling neglected in decision-making can stress an employee (VQ Solutions, 2024).

Certainty

The brain responds well to expected situations and bears little mystery (Quinney, 2020). A lack of certainty about what to do or the goals ahead can lessen attention and success. Speaking and writing help leaders improve psychological safety in the workplace.

Autonomy

Having control over what one does is called autonomy. If a company micromanages, employees feel less in charge and more threatened, but if given freedom, they care more about their work (VQ Solutions, 2024).

Relatedness

Human beings are hardwired by nature to relate to each other. When people do not feel included or do not trust each other, teamwork can suffer. A team that is open to all and feels united tends to collaborate even better (Quinney, 2020).

Fairness

Being fair in how things are done, the pay, and how people are talked to supports strong morale. Dishonest or unfair moves make employees hesitant to support the business (Hallama¸2024).

AC 2.2 Assess how employee selection or employee development impacts organisational culture and behaviour in your organisation (or one with which you are familiar).

Evaluating the Relationship Between Staff Training and the Company’s Culture and Behaviour at Rolls-Royce

Being innovative and continuously improving are core values at Rolls-Royce, and as a result, employee development is an important part of the firm’s culture. Investing in learning and development helps the company shape employee conduct and the company’s culture, keeping everyone in the organisation in line with the values of Rolls-Royce related to high performance, safety, and integrity (Rolls-Royce, 2025).

Rolls-Royce’s organisational culture is greatly affected by how leaders and role models are developed through employee development. The company provides leadership programmes such as the “Emerging Leaders Programme” and “Executive Development Programme,” meant to help leaders display the company’s key characteristics (Rolls-Royce, 2024). The leaders show how they want the team to behave, which leads to high performance from every team member. It supports building a unified and principles-driven vision within the organisation.

Special attention to technical excellence is closely linked to Rolls-Royce development opportunities. Employees are motivated to keep learning and supporting these platforms and collaborations with the University of Derby and Cranfield University (University of Derby, 2023). Making education technical and academic creates a community that values learning and innovating for a lifetime. Additionally, learning STEM activities helps people become more curious, flexible, and good at solving problems, which is important for aerospace and engineering (Staff Writers, 2025).

In addition, Rolls-Royce’s strategy directly targets inclusion and employee engagement. Global STEM Ambassadors and other initiatives ensure underrepresented groups access learning and progress (Rolls-Royce, 2025). When development is inclusive, it helps team members show respect for each other, collaborate more, and encourage unity among group members (Miller, 2023).

Nevertheless, there can be challenges involved as well. In some engineering fields where much is expected, asking staff to develop all the time can add stress and pressure to their jobs. While everyone receives well-being guidance, some employees may still be stressed out by the culture of continual progress, which could harm the team’s spirit if not addressed wisely (Ciphr, 2024).

AC 2.3 An organisation is planning a change relating to hybrid working. Many employees moved to home working during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whilst this approach worked well at the time, the organisation now wants all employees to work at least two days a week on site. Explain how Kotter’s approach to managing change could be used to successfully implement this change.

Using Kotter’s approach to manage change towards hybrid working

The hybrid model that calls for two on-site work days a week can be done successfully using Kotter’s organised change model. This way, organisations address opposition to change and ensure it happens in a way that will continue. The model follows the following steps;

Establish a Sense of Urgency

The organisation must explain to staff why the change is being made (Aktas, 2024). It might mean sharing numbers that show a decrease in teamwork, a decrease in the bond between team members, or difficulty with meeting business goals because of long-term remote working. If people learn that inertia can cause lost opportunities or a drop in employee engagement, they may be motivated to change together.

 Form a strong coalition.

The company should recruit senior leaders, line managers, and a few of the most respected employees to lead the implementation of hybrid work. They help shape, support and demonstrate how employees should behave during this change (Aktas, 2024).

Create a vision for change. 

A well-defined picture of hybrid working must be created (Aktas, 2024). An example from the organisation might be: ‘We try to combine flexibility and team spirit by having staff spend two days at the office to inspire teamwork and new ideas.’

Communicate the vision 

Team meetings, sharing information by email, updates shared on the intranet, and Q&A sessions will tell employees the reasons for and benefits of hybrid work. HR teams should send information that addresses worries, explains the company’s wishes, and provides support offers such as funds for travelling to work or wellness help (Juneja, 2025).

Empower others to work on the vision. 

Changes to policies, such as flexitime rules or using desk-booking software, can help the organisation support people who work at home or in the office. Managers should learn ways to back up team members and address resistance kindly (Juneja, 2025).

Generate short-term wins 

Organisations should identify and acknowledge achievements early to help the project keep going (Juneja, 2025). For instance, later on, spotlight teams that did better working together or accomplished new projects due to face-to-face meetings. Seeing these results encourages everyone and proves the point of the change.

Consolidate gains and produce more change. 

Winning early on helps encourage more people to take an interest in the change. The company should consult with staff and stakeholders and use the results to optimise its hybrid model. It proves to staff that the organisation appreciates what they say and wants to ensure practical hybrid work (Lucidchart, 2019).

Anchor the new approaches in the culture. 

Eventually, hybrid working should become a natural part of the company’s work. Aligning how the company brings people into the company, reviews their performance and defines leadership should all match the new model. When leaders and teams representing hybrid work values are recognised, the change will likely continue for a long time (Lucidchart, 2019).

AC 2.4 Using the Kubler-Ross change curve, discuss how change is experienced.

Following Kotter’s plan will help the organisation change from frozen work-from-home habits to an exciting hybrid environment where everyone is on the same page.

After being introduced by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1969) to show the emotional phases of grief, the Kubler-Ross Change Curve is now used by organisations to understand how individuals handle change. The model explains five feelings experienced by employees during organisational change: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. Because of this progression, leaders and HR professionals can give the proper support and minimise challenges.

Denial

It is natural for employees to begin by denying the push for change (Malik, 2022). Sometimes, employees act as if what is being changed will not affect them or will not happen at all. Denial gives people time to handle what is happening (). Responding clearly and consistently, managers should tell staff what is happening and why, explaining that it cannot be changed.

Anger

Whenever individuals realise something is different, anger may appear. At this point, frustration, resentment, or blame often arise. A change may make employees feel that their situation is out of their hands, especially if it disrupts the usual ways of doing things within the team (Malik, 2022). Introducing technology without allowing staff to weigh in could make them angry. 

Bargaining

During Bargaining, individuals talk to each other and bargain for a solution (Sounding Board, 2021). Staff might ask to postpone for a while or look for other strategies. Still, this progress should be seen cautiously since it could go against making fundamental changes. Leaders should consider recommendations and discuss the future change strategy (Aktas, 2024).

Depression 

Employees start to feel depressed once they experience all the effects of the change. This sometimes causes people to withdraw, feel unmotivated, or suffer burnout, mainly when the change affects their job, sense of self, or daily life (Aktas, 2024). 

Managers should see signs of emotional stress, offer psychological counselling, and ensure the workplace is safe. At this stage, organising training and connecting with peers can accompany people as they rebuild their confidence (Sounding Board, 2021).

Acceptance

At some point, individuals start to accept the change and respond positively to it (Lohia, 2022). Once employees get familiar with the new setup, productivity should increase, and everyone will feel better. They could turn into supporters of making the change. Leaders need to promote these ideas, recognise if the firm is adaptable, and celebrate achievements so that everyone learns to accept change in their workplace culture.

AC 2.5 The CIPD’s Health and wellbeing at work survey 2023 found the percentage of organisations that have a standalone wellbeing strategy has risen from 40% in 2018 to 53% in 2023. Although the percentage has increased, this means that 47% of organisations do not have a standalone wellbeing strategy. Assess the importance of wellbeing at work and assess how good work could impact wellbeing

Importance of well-being at work and how good work impacts well-being

Many organisations realise that employee well-being is crucial, as shown by the rise from 40% to 53% in standalone well-being strategies since the CIPD’s Health and Well-being at Work Survey began in 2018. (CIPD, 2023) However, half of organisations have a well-being strategy, meaning there is a real risk to employee well-being and the company’s success.

Ensuring well-being at work is important since it significantly affects each worker. Good well-being improves involvement, desire to succeed, job pleasure and perspective on life (CIPD, 2023). Healthy and content employees recover more easily from problems and manifest self-confidence that help them do better in their jobs. The healthier the employees, the more likely they will remain loyal and give additional effort to their company (Grønstad, 2023). 

If employees have poor well-being, businesses can expect increased work absences, reduced productivity, poor teamwork, a lot of employee turnover, and more stress and issues within teams. Those companies that do not put employee wellness first are vulnerable to unhappy staff and must spend more on hiring and health benefits (CIPD, 2023). Organisations focusing on well-being enjoy reduced employee turnover, more creative ideas, and higher overall results. Hence, investing in well-being makes moral and good business sense.

CIPD defines good work by highlighting meaningful roles and adequate pay and guaranteeing autonomy, security, and opportunities. The CIPD Good Work Index shows how firms are helping employees by promoting these types of work and linking better work to healthier well-being (Grønstad, 2023).

The CIPD points out seven important areas of well-being, and good work affects all of them: physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, financial, and environmental. A safe physical environment is important for physical health, and being fair helps support the social and emotional side. Taking control of their work and getting mentoring leads to improved mental and spiritual health, including happiness at work (Dey, 2021).

If the tasks are worthwhile, rewards are fair, and attitudes are positive, work design helps meet the expectations of the effort-performance-reward-engagement cycle, encouraging people to stay motivated (Dey, 2021).

AC 3.1 Provide a brief overview of the employee lifecycle and discuss people practice roles at the recruitment, development, and separation stages of the lifecycle.

Employee Lifecycle Review

The employee lifecycle means an employee passes through the main stages of attraction, recruitment, onboarding, development, retention/ engagement, and separation (encompassing potential post-employment connections). It enables organisations to effectively control people during their careers and connect company objectives with employees’ needs.

Employee Lifecycle Overview

In the initial phase, the organisation strives to share what makes it appealing to candidates looking for a job. From there, companies must focus on recruitment and finding the right employees. Onboarding or induction helps new people get accustomed to the company. At this stage, one is always learning, practising, and improving their career prospects (Verlinden, 2024). Managers use rewards, recognition, and succession planning to motivate workers. In the end, separation deals with the employee’s farewell and ongoing terms for them after leaving the company (Stoltz, 2023).

Roles of people professionals

Recruitment Stage

Designing jobs and placing advertisements.

At the beginning of recruitment, the HR Advisor is responsible for ensuring job descriptions and specifications fit the organisation’s strategy. Consequently, employees understand their responsibilities, and the company can hire people with suitable skills and beliefs (Jaiswal, 2022). When HR Advisor partners with line managers and talks inclusively, everyone feels valued, and unfairness is reduced.

Talent Acquisition 

The Talent Acquisition Specialist looks for candidates through job boards, LinkedIn, and recruitment agencies. They are responsible for planning how to evaluate candidates and handle the interviews (AIHR, 2020). What they do helps improve employer branding and candidate experience, which are important for winning over excellent candidates and the organisation’s reputation.

Development Stage

L&D Business Partner – Reviewing Learning Needs.

As part of their role, L&D Business Partners and business units review performance, assess training requirements and plan how to close skill gaps. When they link what is being learned to business goals, they help everyone improve and ensure the organisation’s success (CIPD, 2022).

Separation Stage

Exit Process and Compliance Responsibilities 

The HR Officer handles required exits, manages employee notice, final pay, and asset returns, and ensures that these follow work rules and regulations. Due to ethical behaviour, the company’s brand is not tarnished, and employees are less likely to dispute their treatment (Boatman, 2022). How current employees work with former employees can affect the company’s reputation and attract people in the future.

AC 3.2 Analyse how people practice supports organisational strategy through vertical integration and how people practice supports wider people strategies through horizontal integration. 

Vertical Integration

Aligning People Practice with Organisational Strategy

When people practice strategy vertically, HR strategies and programs work together with the corporation’s main strategies to help achieve business objectives. It becomes clear when the HR leader collaborates closely with senior management and participates in top-level discussions about strategy (Aldridge, 2023).

People professionals participate in developing organisational strategy through;

Making business strategies into people goals: An example would be an organisation hoping to enter new markets. HR supports this by developing hiring plans for multilingual or multi culturally experienced staff (Gouldsberry, 2023).

To support the company’s growth or change, HR reviews existing skills and predicts the workforce needs for future projects.

The use of systems that connect performance management to the main aims of the business supports cascading employee targets from the main goals, which increases accountability and productivity (Gouldsberry, 2023).

By creating vertical integration, HR becomes a partner in planning business growth rather than only fulfilling tasks given to them. Also, it connects business leaders and people professionals, boosting the organisation’s agility (Griffis, 2024).

Horizontal Integration

With horizontal integration, these people practice areas—recruitment, L&D, employee relations, and compensation—team up to offer people strategies that fully support everyone in the workforce ().

Through horizontal integration, HR functions;

Information about what kind of employees are available is provided by recruitment, allowing L&D to build training that meets existing skill shortages (MBA School Team, 2023). Besides, they organise onboarding, learning, and incentives so that employees sense their commitment to them at all times (Webster, 2023). Also, they ensure all approaches to employee relations, diversity and inclusion, and well-being are similar to avoid confusion.

Importance and Impact 

People practice is most effective when organisations develop vertically and horizontally. Vertical integration ensures that HR drives company goals by supporting people strategies. When horizontal integration is carried out, the effects on people are the same across functions, and it helps maintain a strong culture and waste less (MBA Skool Team, 2023).

If vertical integration does not exist, it becomes easy for people to get disconnected from what businesses need, thereby lessening their results. A lack of horizontal integration may cause problems such as a fragmented workforce, inconsistent processes, and inefficiency, which can damage employee involvement and corporate culture (Webster, 2023).

AC 3.3 An organisation is planning to introduce a four-day working week. Discuss the processes the people function could use to consult and engage with managers and employees to understand their needs when moving from a five-day to four-day working week.

Discussing Means of Consulting with Engaging Managers and Staff to Feel Ready for a Four-Day Working Week

The role of people in an organisation is vital during plans for a four-day workweek by consulting with supervisors and employees to hear what they want and need. Good consultation is essential for the change to be carried out successfully and backed by everyone affected. Many solutions exist to achieve this, with everyone offering specific methods and user engagement (Acas, 2021).

Studies and Questionnaires

Surveys have become popular in organisations to quickly capture both types of data from many workers. When considering the four-day working week enables the function to learn about workers’ attitudes, concerns, and preferences regardless of their department or level. Surveys may ask about expected issues, people’s preferred working methods, and what they believe are the positives about the plan. Their anonymity often encourages honest feedback (Acas, 2021). Nonetheless, surveys might not provide enough detail, so it is also necessary to use other ways of consulting.

Focus Groups

A facilitator brings a mixed group of employees and managers together to discuss the possibility of a four-day working week. Professionals can better see how people react to various situations with a qualitative approach. Open talk is facilitated, which helps to explain misunderstandings or worries. Participants in focus groups can bring out minor differences among teams and agree upon collectively functional solutions (de Souza et al., 2024). However, group influences sometimes can overshadow those with less to say. For this reason, the group needs a skilled facilitator.

One-to-One Interviews

By interviewing top managers and regular staff, companies get an insight into detailed needs, worries, and suggestions. This process works best for those who influence the changes the most, such as employees who are caregivers or hold jobs at risk. Interviews allow people to talk about their experiences and speak up with concerns they could not in a group (Maurer, 2021). Nevertheless, they take much time and may miss some employees.

Analysis and mapping of stakeholders

Before embarking on broad changes, the people function needs to analyse stakeholders to determine who or what is affected, their influence, and their interests regarding the changes. This allows companies to use the best consultation styles for every case (Deepak & Jeyakumar, 2019). For example, frontline managers may want to explore detailed actions, whereas senior leaders generally concentrate on broad strategic issues. 

Regular Consultation Meetings and Workshops

Regular group meetings or workshops with managers and workers from different companies help keep engagement high during changes. With these platforms, one can keep in touch, share updates, and team up on problems, which helps to develop openness and trust (Deepak & Jeyakumar, 2019). Having workshops helps people to design work patterns together so the answers become practical and fit in society.

Feedback and Regular Evaluation

After consulting stakeholders, the people function should ensure regular checks on employee feelings with things such as suggestion boxes and pulse surveys during the trial of the new working arrangements. Since this process continues, emerging concerns are quickly dealt with, and efforts are made to support the welfare of employees (Deepak & Jeyakumar, 2019).

References

Acas (2021). What consultation is: Consulting employees and their representatives – Acas. [online] Acas.org.uk. Available at: https://www.acas.org.uk/consulting-employees [Accessed 27 May 2025].

AIHR (2020). Talent Acquisition: A Full Guide. [online] AIHR. Available at: https://www.aihr.com/blog/talent-acquisition/ [Accessed 27 May 2025].

Aktas, M. (2024a). Kübler-Ross’ Five Stage Change Curve Model – All You Need to Know. [online] UserGuiding. Available at: https://userguiding.com/blog/kubler-ross-change-curve-model [Accessed 27 May 2025].

Aktas, M. (2024b). What Is Kotter’s 8 Step Change Management Model (All You Need to know). [online] UserGuiding. Available at: https://userguiding.com/blog/kotters-8-step-change-model [Accessed 27 May 2025].

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