The aim of this course is to give you a practical guide to managing people at work. It does not matter whether you are a first time manager in a shop or a middle manager in an office environment; the same skills apply to every work place. In the course you will engage with some HR theories and then see how they translate into every day working life.
At the end of the course we hope you will be better equipped to choose a suitable employee, to motivate and appraise your team, to manage conflict in the work place and to lead and make decision on a day to day basis.
The first resources this week offer an opportunity for some preparatory reading, giving you a broad overview of the subject before we dive into the topic of interviews. We'll then explore the purpose of interviews, how to conduct them effectively, and consider alternative selection methods, ultimately discussing whether interviews are the most effective way to choose new staff members.
What's included
7 videos4 readings4 assignments
Show info about module content
7 videos•Total 51 minutes
Course introduction - part 1•8 minutes
Course introduction - part 2•8 minutes
Introduction to interviews•7 minutes
The structured interview•8 minutes
The unstructured interview•9 minutes
Tests and assessment centres•6 minutes
Panels, boards, telephone and virtual interviews•7 minutes
4 readings•Total 60 minutes
Course structure and navigation•5 minutes
Learn effectively this course•5 minutes
From Fayol's mechanistic to today's organic functions of management•25 minutes
The psychological processes underlying selection•25 minutes
4 assignments•Total 45 minutes
Introduction to interviews•5 minutes
The structured interview•5 minutes
The unstructured interview•5 minutes
Week 1 assessment•30 minutes
Leadership and decision making
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
This week we are looking at the role of the leader in the organization and how we can improve our to improve our decision making.
What's included
6 videos3 readings5 assignments
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 48 minutes
What is a leader, and what do we mean by leadership?•6 minutes
What style does the leader show in this structuring activity? •8 minutes
The components of choice•9 minutes
Expected utility theory•7 minutes
How we actually make choices•8 minutes
How to improve decision making•9 minutes
3 readings•Total 75 minutes
A review of leadership theory•25 minutes
Leadership competency frameworks•25 minutes
How can decision making be improved?•25 minutes
5 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Autocratic vs democratic leader•10 minutes
The components of choice•5 minutes
Expected utility theory•5 minutes
How we actually make choices•10 minutes
Week 2 assessment•30 minutes
Performance management
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
This week we are looking at how a well designed performance management system can help both the employee and the organization.
What's included
5 videos3 readings5 assignments
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 37 minutes
An introduction to performance management•9 minutes
The performance management cycle•8 minutes
Performance appraisal•7 minutes
Ways to evaluate individual performance•9 minutes
Designing a performance management system•4 minutes
3 readings•Total 70 minutes
Appraisal of performance and potential•25 minutes
Performance management and appraisal•25 minutes
Activity: Setting SMART goals•20 minutes
5 assignments•Total 50 minutes
Performance management•5 minutes
Performance appraisal•5 minutes
Ways to evaluate individual performance•5 minutes
Designing a performance management system•5 minutes
Week 3 assessment •30 minutes
Pay as a motivator
Module 4•2 hours to complete
Module details
This week we are looking at how important pay is as a motivator and the implications of this. Could it be that it may actually achieve the opposite?
What's included
6 videos1 reading7 assignments
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 27 minutes
Pay as motivation•4 minutes
Just how important is pay as a motivator•5 minutes
Pay for performance•4 minutes
Pay: Attraction and retention•4 minutes
How individual and situational factors influence the motivational impact of pay•4 minutes
Can pay demotivate employees?•5 minutes
1 reading•Total 25 minutes
Pay as motivation•25 minutes
7 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Pay as motivation•5 minutes
Just how important is pay as a motivator?•5 minutes
Paying for performance•5 minutes
Pay to attract and pay to retain•5 minutes
How individual and situational factors influence the motivational impact of pay•5 minutes
Can pay demotivate employees?•5 minutes
Week 4 assessment•30 minutes
Managing conflict at work
Module 5•2 hours to complete
Module details
Is conflict always bad? This week we are looking at the causes of conflict and how to manage it for a positive outcome.
What's included
4 videos2 readings5 assignments
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 33 minutes
The nature and causes of conflict in organisations•12 minutes
Introduction to managing conflicts at work•6 minutes
Organisational culture and knowledge•6 minutes
Team level and the Individual level•9 minutes
2 readings•Total 50 minutes
Understanding and managing conflicts at work•25 minutes
Dealing with discrimination and bullying•25 minutes
5 assignments•Total 50 minutes
Nature and causes of conflict at work•5 minutes
Introduction to managing conflicts at work•5 minutes
Organisational culture and knowledge•5 minutes
Team level and the individual level•5 minutes
Week 5 assessment•30 minutes
Instructor
Instructor ratings
Instructor ratings
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
The University of London is a federal University which includes 17 world leading Colleges. With extensive experience in distance learning since 1858, University of London has enriched the lives of thousands of students, delivering high quality degrees across the globe. Today, University of London is a global leader in flexible study, offering degree programmes to over 45,000 students in over 190 countries, delivering world-leading research across the world. To find out more about University of London, visit www.london.ac.uk
Birkbeck is a world-class research and teaching institution, a vibrant centre of academic excellence and London's only specialist provider of evening higher education – which means students can balance studying with work, family and other commitments.
Birkbeck was founded in 1823 and joined the University of London in 1920. Because Birkbeck lectures are in the evening, many students work, intern or volunteer during the day, making them better placed to get ahead in a competitive job market.
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
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Learner reviews
4.7
4,348 reviews
5 stars
73.53%
4 stars
21.03%
3 stars
3.83%
2 stars
0.73%
1 star
0.85%
Showing 3 of 4348
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NS
5·
Reviewed on Apr 12, 2019
An excellent course. Enhances skills of the managers to handle people effectively and using human resources efficiently to achieve the organizational and the individual employees' goals.
O
O
5·
Reviewed on Apr 11, 2020
The whole programme has been inspiring and resourceful. I plan to implement every bit of it in the discharge of my daily assignment. Thank you so much for this opportunity.Omobowale Odofib
S
SK
5·
Reviewed on Aug 23, 2022
this was very informative and intersring cousrse especily for thoe who work as manager. we like seen forward for such interting and knowlede based course in future thank you University of Londan.
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