Presentation: https://youtu.be/1Jeh1WWPs-o

Rationale – Recent years have seen individuals’ lives affected by social, lifestyle and employment changes but despite these shifts, people still have the same basic physical and mental needs for social support, physical safety, health and a feeling they are able to cope with life. Increasingly, they are demanding that employers help them to achieve this, particularly as a large part of their lives are spent at work. This module aims to develop understanding and skills for managing employee welfare and well-being which are a crucial management function, both legally and morally.  The module specifically focuses on employees’ individual well-being, mental health, and personal responses to stress. It draws from various prominent models of human functioning and associated interventions that have been applied in workplace settings.

Aims and Distinctive Features – The aim of this module is to develop student’s research and academic skills and expand on their knowledge of the role and purpose of managing an organisations employee health and well-being.

1. Show a detailed systematic knowledge and understanding of the different definitions used to describe stress.
2. Show a detailed knowledge and understanding of the HSE Management Standards approach to tackling stress in the workplace, recognising the limitations of current knowledge in this area.
3. Provide an understanding of why well-being, health and mental health are essential for both employee and organisational functioning.
4. Assess the evidence for a range of workplace interventions that have the potential to improve employees’ well-being, health and mental health.
5. Reflect on some of the practical and ethical challenges involved in implementing workplace well-being, health and mental health interventions.

Learning Outcomes – Upon successful completion of the learning outcomes learners should be able to:

1. Research and present a recent case about an employee welfare issue and the response given by the organisation in one public service.
2. Analyse a public services organisations employee health and welfare policy.
3. Design proposed recommendations for one public service to help reduce employee stress and improve employee, health, well-being and mental health.
4. Create a range of training materials which comprehensively describe how an organisation could manage employee health, welfare and the other support agencies.

Learning Strategy – Students will experience a range of teaching and learning methods including interactive lectures, seminar presentations, practical experimentation, workshops and guest speakers. A student centred approach to the learning is an integral part of the programme as this module has the scope to allow development of personal interests.

4IB004 Business in a Global Context

1. 20-minute multi-media presentation with additional questioning which focuses on one public service. Identification and analysis of the key issues of employee welfare, including cause and effects. An evaluation of current management policies and practices providing justified recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the management of employee welfare to reduce stress and improve health and well-being. (LO1. LO2 and LO3)
2. A comprehensive series of employer information fact sheets on managing employee welfare, which can be used as training resources, including external support agencies. (LO4)

This presentation should, as a minimum, address the following areas:

Introduction (20 %) – Introduction of the aims and objectives of the presentation and the public service to be used in the presentation, Introduce a case study that relates to an issue of employee welfare

Main Body (60 %) – Present detailed explanation of the chosen case study and the employee welfare issues and compare the similarities and differences, Analyse of the key issues of employee welfare including the cause and effects on both the employee, other employees within the organisation, the organisation and the general public on the case study, Evaluate the current management policies and support in place within the organisation with regards to employee health, well-being, stress and mental health

Summary (5 %) – Summarise the main findings and come to a conclusion based on your findings

References (5 %) – References using the Harvard style of referencing from journals, textbooks and appropriate websites

Presentation Style (10 %) – Professional presentation skills demonstrated within the time limit specified 

Assessment Two (40%)

Mode of assessment:  Fact Sheets

1. A comprehensive series of employer information fact sheets on managing employee’s welfare, health, stress and well-being, which can be used as training resources, including external support agencies. (LO4)

The fact sheets should, as a minimum, address the following areas:

Introduction (15 %) – Introduction of the aims and objectives on each of the fact sheets

Main Body (70 %) – Fact sheets presented for a specified public service to include:

• Employee Welfare Facilities
• Managing Employee stress
• Supporting Employees Mental Health
• Health and Well-being

References (5 %) – References using the Harvard style of referencing from journals, textbooks and appropriate websites

Writing Style (10 %) – Appropriate sentence structure, grammar and spelling, A good standard of presentation