Level 7 Advanced Diploma: Work & Working Lives in Changing Environment

This assignment provides detailed answers to four key questions related to work and working lives in a changing environment, as part of the CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management. It discusses how organizations can support the use of technology to enhance employees' w...Read More

WORK AND WORKING
LIVES IN A CHANGING
ENVIRONMENT

Table of Contents
QUESTION-2..................................................................................................................................3
The way organisation can support use of technology within workplace that enhance employees
working life..................................................................................................................................3
QUESTION 6..................................................................................................................................5
The manner and extend to which government policy in field of education affect HR and L&D
practice in the organisation..........................................................................................................5
QUESTION 11................................................................................................................................7
Whether you agree that Employers rather than employees are main winners from flexible
working initiative.........................................................................................................................7
QUESTION 13..............................................................................................................................10
The way in which HR and L&D functions in organisations make a direct and significant
contribution to the achievement of high standards in the field of business ethics....................10
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

QUESTION-2
The way organisation can support use of technology within workplace that enhance employees
working life
In current scenario, there are number of changes in external environment that are
adversely impacting on smooth operation of business. Such as updation in existing technology,
change in demand of customers, policies of government and many more so company in order to
stay ahead in competition need to abided to the same. Human resource manager is responsible
for motivating employees to effectively complete their respective task so that organisation can
easily achieve its set goals (Wood, 2021). The suggestion for senior management team related to
the way company can support use of technology in workplace that will enhance employees
working life can be explained in detailed as follows:
1. Emphasis on its value and benefits: The first and foremost effective method that could
be used to inspire employees to accept new technology is communicating them about the
overall benefits and value of making use of technology. As most of the individual think
and feel that they are obligated to learn new technologies so that company can earn high
profit margin. So, HR manager need to share detail pertaining to the manner in which
new technology will contribute in easily completing their respective task in limited time
frame. Likewise proper email can be send to each and every employee that contain clear
detailed about the benefits of technology from employees perspective (van der Stappen,
2018). That is must explain them the manner in which it will reduce their overall
workload, as they are more receptive to change if they feel it real need and will get
personal benefits. Furthermore, it is suggested that HR manager should celebrate the
accomplishment that employees have make through using the new technology as it will
helps in understanding the actual value or worth of technology. For examples: manager
should inform them about the percentage of productive will be improved and chance of
mistake is reduce through new technology. Hr manager should also ensure that the
technology introduce is ease and simple to use by maximum number of employees, as
complicated method of making use of them results in resistance (Payne, 2019).
Employees are always ready to learn technology that are less time taking in learning and
could provided them more benefits. Therefore, it can be summarised that all these will

lead in motivating them to accept the technology while completing their respective task
as desired by organisation.
2. Organising training program: Secondly, it is being suggested that company for gaining
maximum engagement of employees to new technology should plan and organise an
training program. Through the session, the manager should try to inform employees about
the manner in which it can be utilised, its benefits and drawback so that they can be
aware about all things while making use of technology. Furthermore, it must be ensured
by the human resource management team that the training must be organised for small
number of people or group at time so that all the employees can personally get guidance.
Along with that, acquire hand on experience pertaining to the manner in which
technology should be utilised so that there is no chance of conflict and confusion in
future scenario. In addition to this, employees should be provided enough time and
chance to ask question related to technology so that there all doubts can be clear as early
as possible (Guruprasad and Murty, 2020). It must also ensure by the manager that there
are some employees that face challenges while adapting to new technology or feel harder
to adjust themselves to new application. Hence, they should be paid more attention or
offered proper training related to the way it can be utilised so that they can have
confidence to use it while completing their respective task. Audio and visual can also
been utilised to describe the benefits, method of making use of technology and many
other crucial information for employees so that they have correct detail related to the way
machine are being operated. Moreover, incentive and other rewards should be added by
manager for employees that are ready to accept change as it will result in motivating
large number of individual to learn and improve their existing skills and capabilities.
3. Measure and adjust: The third suggestion or advice that would be suggested to senior
human resource management team is that focus on measuring and adjusting the strategy
to influence employees to accept new technology. It should also gather feedback from
employees through different sources to know whether they are comfortable with new
technique or not. It will also helps in gathering information related to number of issue
that they have face in using technology hence appropriate strategies can be planned to the
overcome the same in effective way (Sivertsen and Stadheim, 2020). For example:
manager need to set milestone to check number of individual that have started making

use of new technology while doing their task or the amount of increase in overall
production by specific date. All these data or information will help in knowing whether
the technology has really being effective or not, who comfortable are employees and
what all challenges that they are facing while making use of them. It should also set the
time frame in which each team member of the company should adapt to new technology
so that there are no further delays or complication (Zivnuska and et.al., 2020).
Establishment of fair and objective controls and metrics contributed in monitoring
employee progress that is all the things that they have learned, overall growth they have
achieved in specific time frame and many more. On the basis of all information gathered,
it is suggest that HR team should make adjustment in its training program, improvement
in technology etc. At last team must be patient and open to all the feedback given by
employees so that their respective queries can be resolved as soon as possible. Thus they
are motivated to accept technology and complete their work for benefits of organisation.
Therefore, in short it can be stated that adapting to new technology by
employees is smooth process if the HR team make the tool understandable to all by providing
training, taking their feedback and ensure it is easy to use (Duffey, 2018). Incentives, recognition
to employees are also different method that could pursue employees to accept new technology so
that company can achieve its end goals.
QUESTION 6
The manner and extend to which government policy in field of education affect HR and L&D
practice in the organisation
Human resource manager practices involves in hiring and retaining talented skilled,
qualified and knowledgeable employees within organisation that are ready to work for its overall
growth and development. Learning and development are practices that are being introduce to
improve the current skills and capabilities of person so that it can perform number of task within
organisation for achievement of its goals. The government policy pertaining to education has
direct impact on Human resource and learning and development practice happening within the
organisation (Payne, 2019). As employers wants to have individual that good qualification,
knowledge and skills required to complete specific task. The changes in government policy

impact on decision making of HR and learning and development to provide necessary knowledge
or information to individual so that it can easily perform its activity with minimum problem or
issue (Tangen and Ahlbom, 2020). Likewise, the National Curriculum (NC), established in 1988
that provide a framework in which education must be offered to people living in Wales and
England and belong to the age group of 5-18. Through the program some private schools, free
schools, home educators are design their own curricula to provide qualitative education to the
student for their overall growth and development. Thus, this policy has affected the human
resources and learning and development practices as they are able to provide education as
required to complete their respective task or getting better employment in future scenario.
Apart from this, Technical and vocational education has been introduce in United
Kingdom for secondary school that has helped in enhancing knowledge of student related to the
way technology must be used to complete the task. Such type of education policy has helped din
development of highly skilled technicians thus the Human resources manager does not plan
much learning and development activities for improving the existing knowledge and capabilities
of the student (Kelliher and De Menezes, 2019). Vocational education is being provided by the
National Apprenticeship Service to people that belong to age group of 16 and other that
enter apprenticeships in order to learn a skilled trade. Hence, they get proper training related to
the manner in which work is being completed within the organisation and its goals are being
achieved.
Furthermore, Elementary Education Act 1870 has set framework for schooling for all
the children that are between the age group of 5 and 12 in England and Wales. As even if there
are 4.3 million children of primary school age, 1 million in voluntary school and 1.3 million in
stated aided school, then also they does have access to school whatsoever. So the policy has been
introduce with an motivate that all student are being provided access to education for getting
good employment opportunities which will finally lead in eradicating poverty within the society
(Byström, Heinström and Ruthven, 2019). This act contributes in offer power, authorised public
money to local education authorities in order to improve the existing schools and education
facility. In 1891, Elementary Education Act offered for the state payment of school fees up to ten
shillings per head and making primary education free for all the student. Thus, it has lead in
introducing of more and better quality of education facilities provided to the student for their
bright future. So, such policy has helped Human resources management in easily getting more

qualified, knowledge and skilled employees for completing different task within the
organisation. Learning and development practice need not to made in relation with improving the
basic knowledge of individual related to the way technology must be used or basic task is being
performed in the company. Therefore in short it has acts an opportunity for HR manager to have
more skilled employees for the organisation and investing less in their overall development.
Another government policy or acts pertaining to the field of education that has influenced
the HR and learning and development practice is Education Act of 1944. This act focused on
providing free secondary education for all pupils so that they can have equal access to education
facilities and improve their current capabilities. It has lead in social development by making
people developed through providing them knowledge related to different aspects in the schools.
So, there are many children that does not belong to rich family, hence they have given not given
enough opportunity to get educated or entitled to school, but the act has helped them also. This
has increase the number of people getting the access to education that is necessary for getting a
good job in future circumstances (Chung and Van der Lippe, 2020). So, HR manager of
companies can easily hire and select individual that have right qualification pertaining to specific
area with a motive that organisation achieve its goals. Learning and development practice are
being provided to employees on the basis of their current education that has helped in saving
cost, time and efforts. As many of the individual already have necessary skills to complete the
task that lead in less investment in overall learning of the pupils.
Therefore, it can be stated that there are number of policy that has been introduce by the
government which has more impact on HR and L&D as on the basis of education, skills and
knowledge individual are being offered training. So that they can perform task as desired by
company and overall requirement of customers can be fulfilled in effective manner.
QUESTION 11
Whether you agree that Employers rather than employees are main winners from flexible
working initiative
Flexible working initiatives is one of the major aspect with regard to an organization.
under which the employees will be allowed flexibility with respect to working practice and the
working hours will be enabled. This will lead to bring happiness and job satisfaction among the

workers or employees in an organization. With the aspect of flexible working initiative, both the
employer as well as employees are counted as winner. This is because with aspect to flexible
working initiatives wherein the flexibility is given to employees in respect to working with
regard to time as well as mode of working will lead to assist both the employer as well as
employee in terms of winning. This is because with the enabling of flexible working not only the
employers in terms of their goal attainment would be benefitted but at the same time the
employees too would be winner because it will enable them to have an enhanced working moves
and the initiatives (Stich, 2020). Also with regard to enabling flexibility in working the
efficiency and the interest of the employees towards the job will be enhanced that will lead to
win in terms of their individual goal attainment too. This shows that with the aspect of flexible
working initiatives both the employer as well as employees are counted as main winner.
Although it would not be wrong to said that the flexible working initiates with the
employers moves in an organization but the winner in respect to the benefits that will be obtained
from it will be spread towards both the employer and the employee. This means with regard to
flexible working the employer will be winner in terms of accomplishing the organizational goal
with the full support from employees and with their efficient moves too. In the same manner it
would be right to said that when flexible working initiatives are availed to the employees it will
assist them flexibility with respect to work and as a result it enhances their working moves and
efficiency. This will lead to the attainment of their individual goal too. as under flexible working
initiatives the employees are free to choose the work which they want, likewise they have
flexibility in respect to choosing the work shift (Austin-Egole, Iheriohanma and Nwokorie,
2020). Also they can make scheduling their work day which will enable satisfaction to their
work. This means with the aspect of flexible working the employees will become happy in
regard to their job and the work. But in respect to the employer perspective it would be counted
as major challenge because it has a direct and major impact towards the working practices of
organization. This is because with regard to enabling of flexible working initiatives the discipline
as well as the working norms of the organization would be disturb. This will lead to bring
negative impact towards the organization in terms of organized form of work.
Although it makes the employees and workforce to be happy but it leads to have a
negative impact too in terms of presenting challenges towards the employer. However, it would
be right to state that if the enabling of flexible working practice would be incorporate in such

manner that along with employees the employer would also be benefitted then it would be said
that the flexible working initiative would lead to make the employer as well as employee to be
winner (Garg and et.al., 2021). But in case if high flexibility would be availed to employees in
terms of providing flexibility with respect to taking of decision in the context of work and the
working practice then it will lead to employees become the winner which may have a negative
impact towards the organization as a whole.
However, on an overall basis it would be right to said that with respect to flexible
working the employees will be provided a free choice which would later display in terms of their
job satisfaction and happiness towards the job would ultimately make the employer to be winner
because the overall moves of the employees will be ultimately benefits the employer or the
organization. With the aspect of job satisfaction the employees will make their full contribution
towards their job role which will not only lead to raise their efficiency but at the end benefits the
organization or the employer in terms of meeting the need of customers with the efficient
services of the employees, assisting the organization towards the direction of attainment of goal
in terms of raised sales and profitability with the effective moves of the employees will
ultimately make the employer to be winner with the aspect of enabling flexible working
initiatives. Although it may raise challenges in terms of coordination of employee’s efforts but it
may ultimately benefit the organization or the employers.
This can further be justified that as employees are the assets of the organization which
make it highly important for the firms to take those initiatives which will lead to make the
employees to be satisfied and happy. The reason behind the adoption of this approach is related
with the fact that with the satisfied employees the organization will be able to meet its goal with
the high customer satisfaction. On the contrary note it can be right to said that if the employees
will be directed to work with the tight schedule then it would lead to impact the organization as
well the employees too with respect to demotivation and lack of interest towards the organization
(Haq, Gu and Huo, 2020). This will not only lead to impact the performance of the employees
but it would also have a major impact towards the employer performance and functioning too.
Thus enabling the flexible working initiatives will lead to have a direct advantage to the
employer in terms of meeting the goal along with maintaining the employee’s satisfaction and
happiness and thus make it to be the true winner. Hence, with the enabling of flexible working
practice the employer would become the major winner.

QUESTION 13
The way in which HR and L&D functions in organisations make a direct and significant
contribution to the achievement of high standards in the field of business ethics
The Human resource of an organization is counted as an important part with respect to
the performance and operation of the firm. The function of Human resource as well as L&D are
the major function of the organization that assist it to achieve the high standard in the field of
business ethics. As the Human resource of an organization has a power to make rules as well as
policies for the organization including the policies of business ethics and working of the
organization and thus play a major role towards the maintaining of high standard with respect to
an organization (Podgorodnichenko, Edgar and McAndrew, 2020). Likewise, with respect to the
L&D function make the actual execution of the framed policies of the HR. This means under
learning and development function the HR make the employees to learn the aspect related with
the practice of ethics. Since as per the function of HR the new policies and regulations in relation
with the business ethics are made that will further assist the organization to achieve the high
standard of functioning in business. In the same way under the L&D function the training would
be provided to the employees and thus build the high standard of performance among them. With
the way of training the professional ethics would be developed among the employees that will
further lead to build high standard for the business in terms of its functioning and working.
With the making of policies or the ethical code of conduct as per the function of HR the
organization will be assisted towards the direction of building of standard in the field of ethics.
Likewise, with the function of HR the direction of working would be enabled to the company
that will assist in working professionally and the ethically.
Likewise, with respect to the L&D function of the HR the employees will be assisted in
terms of working in an ethical manner that will further lead to the achievement of high standard
in the business. Also as per the L&D function the employees will be assisted in the direction of
leaning ethics and make performance of work professionally and ethically. In the same way the
L&D function will make the alignment of employees and the business functioning towards the
goal of the company that will ultimately lead to the building of high standard in business. Also as
per the L&D strategy the capabilities, skills and competencies of the workforce will be directed
towards the direction of sustainable and successful organization which truly justify that the L&D
function plays an important role towards the building of high standards in the business ethics.

With the mode of executing the reward system by the HR in an organization would also
lead to play an important role in respect to building the high standard in the field of business. By
making such system the HR can make the policy that the reward will be entitled to those
employees whose performance is reflected in terms of ethical behaviour (Remišová, Lašáková
and Kirchmayer, 2019). This way the HR with its function can play an important role in respect
to building high standard in an organization. Furthermore, the HR can also take initiative in
terms of bringing external examples and case studies towards the attention of CEO and
executives so that they can execute the similar practices in the concerned organization too. this
will lead to play an important role in regard to assisting the organization towards the adoption of
high standard in respect to ethics which will further raise the brand image of the company in the
market too (Pirson, 2019).
On the same note with the L&D function too the HR can assist the employees to make
learning of the ethics and professional way of performing the work. This will lead to play an
important role in the organization towards the moulding of its business operation in regard with
consideration towards the compliance of business ethics. For example, with the mode of L&D
function the HR can make train the employees with regard to the business ethics which they need
to consider while performing their work. for this training session will be organised by the HR in
response to the ethical norms so that awareness can be created among them employees towards
the business ethics and thus lead the organization to have a high standard of the professional
practice in terms of business ethics.
Performance of business with the compliance of ethics will lead to play an important role
in respect to building up of good image of the company among the customers as well as in the
competitive market or the corporate world. Thus, in order to lead the performance of business as
per the ethical consideration the HR function which is associated with the actual performance of
the company and the L&D function which is related with the learning of new things and concepts
plays an important role (Shareef and Atan, 2018). For example, the HR with the performance of
their function and role can make development of written standard in relation to ethical workplace
and make the employees to be aware about the ethical expectation from them. Likewise, they can
also provide training so that every employee’s will be aware of the expectations. In the same way
they can equip the manager to make reinforcement of company’s value through their actions. In
the same way the HR can also make aware the employees at the time of interview regarding their

expectation of ethical behaviour so that a high standard of ethics can be built in the organization
with the integration of HR and the L&D function.
Thus, it would be right to said that the function which are performed by the HR including
recruitment, making an ethical code of conduct, issuing of rules and regulations along with the
L&D function under which the training will be provided to the employees will lead to play an
important role towards the organization in the building up of standard practice towards the
ethical code of conduct and business ethics.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Wood, A.J., 2021. Workplace regimes: A sociological defence and elaboration. Work in the
Global Economy, 1(1-2). pp.119-138.
Guruprasad, A. and Murty, Y.S., 2020. Technology-Driven Workplace Transformation.
In Transforming Organizations Through Flexible Systems Management (pp. 163-175).
Springer, Singapore.
Sivertsen, M. and Stadheim, J.K., 2020. The Effect of Technology in the Workplace on
Perceived Stress, Work-family Conflict and Job Satisfaction (Master's thesis, University
of Stavanger, Norway).
Zivnuska, S.L and et.al., 2020. Information and communication technology incivility aggression
in the workplace: Implications for work and family. Information Processing &
Management, 57(3). p.102222.
Duffey, C.N., 2018. Effect of Emotional Intelligence on Perceived Workplace Incivility:
Examining the Moderating Role of Organizational Commitment Among Technology
Specialists (Doctoral dissertation, Capella University).
Tangen, T.C.D. and Ahlbom, C.S., 2020. Employees’ Technology Acceptance in the Workplace:
Extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (Master's thesis,
Handelshøyskolen BI).
Payne, R., 2019. An Investigation of the Effects of Individual Differences on Technology
Acceptance in the Workplace (Doctoral dissertation, San Jose State University).
Byström, K., Heinström, J. and Ruthven, I., 2019. Work and information in modern society: a
changing workplace. Information at work. Information management in the workplace.
London: Facet Publishing, pp.1-32.
Chung, H. and Van der Lippe, T., 2020. Flexible working, work–life balance, and gender
equality: Introduction. Social Indicators Research, 151(2). pp.365-381.
Kelliher, C. and De Menezes, L.M., 2019. Flexible working in organisations: A research
overview. Routledge.
Stich, J.F., 2020. Flexible working and applicant attraction: a person–job fit approach. Personnel
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Austin-Egole, I.S., Iheriohanma, E.B.J. and Nwokorie, C., 2020. Flexible working arrangements
and organizational performance: An overview. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social
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Garg, and et.al., 2021. A review of machine learning applications in human resource
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Haq, M.Z.U., Gu, M. and Huo, B., 2020. Enhancing supply chain learning and innovation
performance through human resource management. Journal of Business & Industrial
Marketing.
Podgorodnichenko, N., Edgar, F. and McAndrew, I., 2020. The role of HRM in developing
sustainable organizations: Contemporary challenges and contradictions. Human
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Remišová, A., Lašáková, A. and Kirchmayer, Z., 2019. Influence of formal ethics program
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166.
Pirson, M., 2019. A humanistic perspective for management theory: Protecting dignity and
promoting well-being. Journal of Business Ethics. 159(1). pp.39-57.
Shareef, R.A. and Atan, T., 2018. The influence of ethical leadership on academic employees’
organizational citizenship behavior and turnover intention: Mediating role of intrinsic
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van der Stappen, E., 2018, April. Workplace learning analytics in higher engineering education.
In 2018 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON) (pp. 15-20).
IEEE.
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