In People Practice, you are a Junior Associate, and you are working towards your CIPD qualification. Your Study Centre’s head has been contacted by a local television production company seeking assistance. The company is developing a current affairs program about ethical business practices. Several well-publicised examples of unethical practices and exploitation at work have led the group to focus on the role of a People Practice team in supporting and promoting the ethical practice in organisations. Staff members are concerned about the effects of ethical practices on their day-to-day work experiences. There is a suspicion that they are biased and seek examples to support their point of view that modern-day organisations exploit workers and don’t care about their wellbeing. The Director has asked you of your study centre to prepare a briefing paper to help the production company craft its response.
Task preparation:
We encourage you to discuss your plan with your Assessor at the start of your assignment and agree on milestones with them to assist you in tracking your progress.
- For guidance and support, refer to the indicative content in the unit.
- It is essential to pay attention to how your evidence is presented, especially working in the People Practice Team.
- Ensure that the evidence you generate for this assessment remains your own.
Among the benefits are:
Implementing the feedback you receive from your Assessor.
- Reflect on your own experiences of learning and professional development.
- Reviewing the CIPD Insight, Fact Sheets, and other relevant online material.
Briefing paper on ethical practice – Task One
This briefing paper aims to demonstrate the role of Human Resources in promoting professional values, ethics, and principles within organisations. The following topics should be addressed in the paper:
1) Ethical principles and professional values and how they might shape how people approach their work. (1.1)
1) Identify a piece of legislation or code of practice that supports ethical and professional practice, and provide examples of how HR professionals can comply with (1.2)
3) Describe the importance of ethical behaviour for HR professionals and the consequences (both personal and professional) of unethical behaviour (2.1)
4) Explain how human resources professionals should operate in each of the following situations: (1.3, 2))
- Clarifying issues or problems
- Contributing opinions and views
- Working together as a team
- Being sensitive to others
- Taking care of colleagues
* Please provide a work-based or personal example of when you demonstrated the positive and ethical behaviour you mentioned in the two bullet points.
Bullet points and headings can be used to emphasise your briefing paper, and it is expected that you will use them to guide the reader through.
Task Two – Writing a self-reflection journal
You can improve your professional practice by analysing, identifying and recording what can be improved through self-reflection. It is required that you write a reflective journal to consider how you perform at work and in your studies and how you develop your skills and abilities.
As part of your assignment, you will write a self-reflective journal that addresses the following:
- Write an overview of how a people practice professional can upgrade their knowledge and skills and stay current with developments in the people profession and broader workplace. It could be informal methods, like discussion and reading, or formal methods, like research and development. (2.4)
- Keep a journal in which you reflect on your performance and development. You should keep a record of (2.5).
- Examples of your performance (successes and challenges) or issues you face.
- T Several examples may come from your current work, studies, or personal experience. Give a little detail about each. (This is the WHAT of your reflection.)
- The reflections you would like to make regarding your performance/response. For example, did it positively or negatively impact you and those around you, such as colleagues, customers, stakeholders, your organisation? From this reflective thinking and learning, you will be able to progress to the next step. This is the SO WHAT of your reflection and can likely be the most challenging.
- Examples of how you have acknowledged and accepted your own mistakes, and how you have demonstrated empathy for them. (2.3)
- You will take action after reflecting on your reflections. That’s the next step. Considering what you know and feel about the situation, what should be done next? Should you learn something new? Would you like to change processes or procedures? Does anyone need more training? This action you take could serve as the following example to reflect on.
- Lastly, write a short review of how practical this Reflective Journal approach has been for you (2.5).
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