5CO01

Organisational performance and

culture in practice
Learner Assessment Brief V4
Assessment ID / CIPD_5CO01_23_01

Level 5 Associate Diploma in

▪ People Management
▪ Organisational Learning and Development

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 Level 5 Associate Diploma

5CO01
Organisational performance and
culture in practice
This unit assignment explores the connections between organisational structure and the wider
world of work in a commercial context. It highlights the factors and trends, including the digital
environment, that impact on business strategy and workforce planning, recognising the influence of
culture, employee wellbeing and behaviour in delivering change and organisational performance.

CIPD’s insight
Organisational climate and culture (October 2022)
Organisational culture is an important aspect of organisational life and a term that has become a
mainstay among business leaders. The work of HR, L&D and OD influences and is influenced by
organisational culture because every organisation is made up of human relationships and human
interactions. Despite its dominance, the language of culture is often unclear and difficult to define,
meaning it is also hard to measure. Consequently, real culture change is near-impossible if we
can’t actually pin down what we’re looking to change. Rather than culture, focusing on
organisational climate – the meaning and behaviour attached to policies, practices and procedures
employees experience – is a much more specific, tangible way to positively influence the
workplace. This factsheet explores why organisational culture is a popular but limited construct,
and why shifting to changing organisational is much more effective for employers.
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/culture/working-environment/organisation-culture-
change-factsheet

Organisation development (April 2022)

In an ever evolving world of work, it’s important that organisations adapt to ensure businesses
performance. This factsheet explains what organisation development (ODV) is, what areas of
focus and expertise it involves, and explores what ODV looks like in practice. There are many
ways to describe organisation development (ODV), all of which share common features despite
their varied meanings. In this factsheet we will use the abbreviation ODV rather than OD to
distinguish organisation development from organisation design.
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/organisational-development/factsheet

Please note that the purpose of this insight is to link you to CIPD’s research and evidence within the subject
area, so that you can engage with the latest thinking. It is not provided to replace the study required as part
of the learning or as formative assessment material

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 Level 5 Associate Diploma

Preparation for the Tasks:

▪ Refer to the indicative content in the unit to guide and support your evidence.
▪ Pay attention to how your evidence is presented, remember you are working in the People
Practice Team.
▪ Ensure that the evidence generated for this assessment remains your own work.

You will also benefit from:

▪ Completing and acting on Draft Assessment feedback from your Assessor.
▪ Reflecting on your own experiences of learning opportunities and continuous professional
development.
▪ Reading the CIPD Insight, Fact Sheets, and related online material on these topics as well
as key research authors on the subject.

Your evidence must consist of:

▪ Written answers to the assessment questions.
▪ Assessment Criteria as headings for each answer.
▪ Professionally presented answers, with in-text Harvard Referencing to support them.
▪ End Reference List.
▪ Approximately 4,550 words, refer to CIPD wordcount policy (+/-10%).

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 Level 5 Associate Diploma

Task – Questions
Knowledge and understanding for this core unit will be assessed by written answers to the
questions below.

1. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the organisation structure in your

organisation (or an organisation with which you are familiar) and evaluate the advantages
and disadvantages of one other organisation structure. Within the evaluation, you should
include the reasons underpinning the structure. (AC 1.1)

2. Analyse connections between your organisation’s strategy (or an organisation with which
you are familiar) and its products or services, and customers. (AC 1.2)

3. Analyse three external factors or trends currently impacting your organisation (or one with
which you are familiar). The impact of these factors or trends could be positive, neutral or
negative, some are short-lived whilst others are long-lasting. Identify organisational
priorities arising from the factors or trends analysed. (AC 1.3)

4. When setting out its view on automation, AI and technology, the CIPD states, ‘Automation,
artificial intelligence (AI) and other workplace technologies are bringing major changes to
work and employment.’ Assess the scale of technology within organisations and how it
impacts work. (AC 1.4)

5. Explain Edgar Schein’s model of organisational culture and explain one theory or model
which examines human behaviour. (AC 2.1)

6. Assess how people practices in your organisation (or one with which you are familiar)
impact both on organisational culture and behaviour, drawing on examples to support your
arguments. (AC 2.2)

7. Peter Cheese, current CEO of CIPD asserts, ‘People professionals are a vital function in
supporting businesses to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances’. Explain two different
models or theories to managing change. (AC 2.3)

8. A variety of models have been developed to explain how change is experienced. Discuss
one model that explains how change is experienced. (AC 2.4)

9. The CIPD’s Health and wellbeing at work survey 2022 found, ‘There is less management
focus on health and wellbeing compared with the first year of the pandemic’, and goes on
to remark that this is disappointing. Assess the importance of wellbeing at work and factors
which impact wellbeing. (AC 2.5)

10. The CIPD Profession Map states ‘People practices are the processes and approaches that
we use across the employee lifecycle’. Discuss the links between the employee lifecycle
and different people practice roles. (AC 3.1)

11. Analyse how people practice connects with other areas of an organisation and supports
wider people and organisational strategies. (AC 3.2)

12. Discuss processes you have, or could use, for consulting and engaging with internal
customers of the people function in order to understand their needs. (AC 3.3)

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 Level 5 Associate Diploma

Assessment Criteria Evidence Checklist

You may find the following checklist helpful to make sure that you have included the required evidence
to meet the task. This is not a mandatory requirement as long as it is clear in your submission where
the assessment criteria have been met.

Assessment criteria
Evidenced
Evidence reference
Y/N

1.1 Evaluate the advantages and

disadvantages of different types of
organisation structures, including the
reasons underpinning them.
1.2 Analyse connections between
organisational strategy, products,
services, and customers.
1.3 Analyse external factors and trends
impacting organisations to identify current
organisational priorities.
1.4 Assess the scale of technology within
organisations and how it impacts work.
2.1 Explain theories and models which
examine organisational culture and
human behaviour.
2.2 Assess how people practices impact on
organisational culture and behaviour.
2.3 Explain different approaches to managing
change.
2.4 Discuss models to show how change is
experienced.
2.5 Assess the importance of wellbeing at
work and the different factors which
impact wellbeing.
3.1 Discuss the links between the employee
lifecycle and different people practice
roles.
3.2 Analyse how people practice connects
with other areas of an organisation and
supports wider people and organisational
strategies.
3.3 Discuss processes for consulting and
engaging with internal customers to
understand their needs.

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 Level 5 Associate Diploma

5CO01
Organisational performance
and culture in practice
Assessment Criteria marking descriptors.
Assessors will mark in line with the following assessment criteria (AC) marking descriptors, and will
indicate where the answer sits within the marking band range for each AC.

Assessors will provide a mark from 1 to 4 for each assessment criteria within the unit. Assessors will
use the marking descriptor grid as guidance so they can provide comprehensive feedback that is
developmental.

The grid below shows the range for the unit assessment result based on total number of marks
awarded across all assessment criteria.

To pass the unit, the assessment must achieve a 2 (Low Pass) or above for each of the assessment
criteria.

The overall result achieved will dictate the outcome the assessment receives for the unit, provided
NONE of the assessment criteria have been failed.

Please note that the assessment will receive a Pass or Fail result from the CIPD at unit level.

Overall mark Unit result

0 to 23 Fail

24 to 30 Low Pass

31 to 39 Pass

40 to 48 High Pass

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 Level 5 Associate Diploma

Marking Descriptors

Mark Range Descriptor

1 Fail • Insufficient demonstration of knowledge, understanding or
skills (as appropriate) required to meet the AC.
• Insufficient examples included, where required, to support
answers.
• Presentation and structure of assignment is not appropriate
and does not meet the assessment brief.
• Insufficient or no evidence of the use of references to wider
reading to help inform answer.

2 Low Pass • Demonstrates an acceptable level of knowledge,

understanding or skills (as appropriate) required to meet the
AC.
• Sufficient and acceptable examples included, where required,
to support answers.
• Required format adopted but some improvement required to
the structure and presentation of the assignment.
• Answers are acceptable but could be clearer in responding to
the task and presented in a more coherent way.
• Sufficient evidence of the use of references to wider reading to
help inform answer.

3 Pass • Demonstrates good knowledge, understanding or skills (as

appropriate) required to meet the AC.
• Includes confident use of examples, where required, to support
each answer.
• Presentation and structure of assignment is appropriate for the
assessment brief.
• Answers are clear and well expressed.
• Good evidence of the use of references to wider reading to
help inform answer.

4 High Pass • Demonstrates a wide range and confident level of knowledge,

understanding or skill (as appropriate).
• Includes strong examples that illustrate the point being made,
that link and support the answer well.
• Answers are applied to the case organisation or an alternative
organisation.
• Answers are clear, concise, and well argued, directly respond
to what has been asked.
• The presentation of the assignment is well structured, coherent
and focusses on the need of the questions.
• Considerable evidence of the use of references to wider
reading to inform answer.