Contemporary developments in employment relations (DER)

assessment brief

This assessment is made up of three parts, assessment activity 1, assessment activity 2 and
assessment activity 3.

CIPD learning outcomes and assessment criteria

The following table sets out the CIPD learning outcomes and associated assessment criteria:

Learning outcomes Assessment criteria

The learner will:
1 Understand the nature and
context of employment
relations.
2 Know about employment
relations legislation.
3 Understand contemporary
developments in employee
involvement and participation.
4 Know about different forms of
conflict behaviour and dispute
resolution.
The learner can:
1.1 Analyse the indeterminate nature of employment
relations.
1.2 Compare and contrast unitarist and pluralist
approaches to employment relations.
1.3 Assess a range of factors which impact on
employment relations.
2.1 Describe and critique the essential features of the
contract of employment.
2.2 Identify and analyse the main sources of UK and EU
employment relations law-making.
2.3 Explain the main developments in individual
employment law.
2.4 Assess and advise on the purpose and scope of
statutory trade union recognition.
3.1 Explain the differences in employee involvement,
participation and partnership.
3.2 Compare and contrast union and non-union forms of
employee representation.
3.3 Assess the link between employee voice and
organisation performance.
4.1 Distinguish between conflict and misbehaviour, and
between official and unofficial industrial action.
4.2 Assess contemporary trends in the type of conflict and
industrial sanctions.
4.3 Explain what is required to advise, coach and guide
line managers in the skills for effective grievance- and
dispute-handling procedures.
4.4 Distinguish between third-party conciliation, mediation
and arbitration.
Assessment activity 1

Employment dispute case study

Writing this case study review will allow you to demonstrate assessment criteria 1.1, 1.3, 4.1,
4.2, 4.3 and 4.4. Your word count for the case study review is 1950 words (+/- 10%). You
must submit assessment activity 1 on the document DER assessment activity 1 template.

Your case study review should include a list of cited references along with a bibliography of
sources consulted but not specifically mentioned.

Your references and bibliography as well as all the grey highlighted words in your template
are excluded from your word count.

Research a recent employment dispute which resulted in strike action (e.g. Junior Doctors,
Southern Rail, London Underground, Post Office) and create a case study review which
includes:

Context
 A description of how the dispute came about, the parties involved, what action was taken
by both sides and the nature of the dispute. Explain who has been affected by the
industrial action and state the outcome of the dispute (if there has been one) (1.1) (1.3)

Analysis
 An explanation of what makes industrial action ‘official’ and comment on the official
nature (or not) of your case study (4.1)
 A definition of ‘conflict’ and ‘misbehaviour’ in the context of workplace disputes and
identify examples of both in your case study (4.1)
 An assessment of how the conflict and actions taken by the parties involved in your
chosen case study differs to high profile industrial disputes of the 1970’s and 1980’s (4.2)

Advice, guidance and further support

 A discussion of how you, as a HR professional, would advise and guide managers to
effectively manage and resolve disputes (4.3)
 An explanation of the roles of external conciliation, mediation and arbitration services
(4.4)

 Please use the ‘DER assessment activity 1 template’ to submit your report.
 Remember references to back up your findings and recommendations are expected.
 There are a lot of elements to include in this assessment, so be sure to check you have
provided evidence for all the assessment criteria before you finalise your work.
Assessment activity 2

Employment relations legislation

Writing this briefing paper will allow you to demonstrate assessment criteria 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and
2.4. Your word count for the briefing paper is 1950 words (+/- 10%). You must submit
assessment activity 2 on the document DER assessment activity 2 template.

Your briefing paper should include a list of cited references along with a bibliography of
sources consulted but not specifically mentioned.

Your references and bibliography as well as all the grey highlighted words in your template
are excluded from your word count.

You are required to prepare a briefing paper for newly appointed managers in Globex that
provides the key information they need to know about employment relations legislation:

 Briefly introduce why line managers need to understand employment relations

legislation
 Explain the main legal requirements around the contract of employment including
what the minimum requirements are, what employers may choose to include and
wider influences on contractual working arrangements. (2.1)
 Identifies and explain at least two sources (one of which should be the EU) of where
UK employment relations legislation originates from (2.2)
 Review two recent developments in individual employment rights and comment on
their impact on employers and employees (2.3)
 Explain the statutory trade union recognition and derecognition processes and
consider why an employer may or may not want to recognise a trade union (2.4)

 You can base your response around your own organisation or one you know well if you
prefer.
 Remember to pitch your note to line managers in terms they will understand.
 Please use the ‘DER assessment activity 2 template’ to submit your report. You can
adapt the template to include your organisation’s logo/house style etc. but you should
keep to the format as this will help ensure you include all the key elements.
 Remember references to back up your findings are expected so here you will need to cite
statute, regulations and case law along with robust sources of your wider reading.
 Gov.uk, Acas and Citizens Advice are all useful websites for simple employment law
guidance
Assessment activity 3

Employee voice

Writing this report will allow you to demonstrate assessment criteria 1.2, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3.
Your word count for the report is 1950 words (+/- 10%). You must submit assessment activity
3 on the document DER assessment activity 3 template.

Your report should include a list of cited references along with a bibliography of sources
consulted but not specifically mentioned.

Your references and bibliography as well as all the grey highlighted words in your template
are excluded from your word count.

As part of the employee engagement programme within Globe-X, Philip Benn has been
hearing anecdotes about the value of ‘employee voice’ and would like to understand whether
there is any substance to the claims. Assess whether investing in employee involvement and
participation initiatives will strengthen the employment relationship between Globe-X and its
employees.

Write a report to Philip in which you:

 Discuss unitarist and pluralist approaches to employee relations and the implications
these have on the employment relationship (1.2)
 Explain what is meant by employee involvement, participation and partnership along
with an example of each (3.1)
 Compare and contrast union and non-union forms of employee representation and
how these have evolved (3.2)
 Assess evidence linking employee voice and organisational performance referring to
research and examples of organisational practice (3.3)

 You can base your response around your own organisation or one you know well if you
prefer.
 Please use the ‘DER assessment activity 3 template’ to submit your report. You can
adapt the template to include your organisation’s logo/house style etc. but you should
keep to the format as this will help ensure you include all the key elements.
 Remember references to back up your findings and recommendations are expected.
 Refer to the programme text book for some useful supporting evidence for employee
voice.