Employment relations and employee engagement

This module explores the choices organisations make about employment relations strategies and the associated impacts on employee engagement. It provides an understanding of different employment relations perspectives, theories and debates as well as the national and international contexts of employment relations. Throughout the module the roles of employee participation and voice as crucial processes underlying employee engagement are critically examined. Other areas covered include managing diversity, communication, change management, and the management of conflict associated with grievance, discipline and dismissal.

What you will study

The module is organised into eight units of study. The first three of these are primarily concerned with an examination of different theories and perspectives of employment relations, along with a critical examination of the concept of employee engagement. They also explore the role and impacts of the ‘actors’ within the employment relations landscape and the impact of different contextual factors (both national and international contexts) on employment relations.

The remaining five units focus on organisational-level employment relations processes and strategies. Employment relations processes that support a positive climate and organisational performance are investigated, notably those concerned with employee engagement, voice, communication and involvement. Employment relations strategies associated with processes of managing organisational change such as overcoming resistance to change are also reviewed. The crucial role of employment relations in conflict resolution is critically examined, along with procedures that can serve to mitigate risk in the areas of discipline, grievance, dismissal and redundancy. Finally, issues related to the integration of employment relations practices and employee engagement strategies within an organisation are critically explored.

You will learn

The nature of the employment relationship and the concept of employee engagement, as well as different theories, perspectives and debates in employment relations;
The main ‘actors’ in employment relations and their roles and functions;
Different employment relations environments related to local, national and global contexts;
Organisational processes and the design and implementation of employment relations, practices, policies and procedures, with a particular focus on employee engagement;
How the integration of employment relations processes impact on organisational outcomes such as employee engagement

Vocational relevance

This module is part of a qualification that is intended to provide a route to professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) if you wish to develop a career in HR management. It will also provide training in research and academic skills if you want to develop an academic career in the field of HR management.

More generally, by studying a postgraduate business qualification you can expect your salary to increase and for it to have a positive impact on your career progression, as well as bringing improvements to their organisation.

Entry

This is an optional module in our MSc in Human Resource Management and Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management therefore you must hold a BA/BSc degree awarded by a recognised university, or equivalent. Due to the defined study pattern for this qualification it is highly recommended that you study The human resource professional (B863) and Human resource management in context (B864) before taking this module.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.

Qualifications

B866 is an optional module in our:

This module can also count towards E84 and F68 which are no longer available to new students.

If you have a disability

Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. Other alternative formats of the module materials may be available in the future.

Study materials

What's included

You will have access to a module website with an extensive variety of specially written resources presented in different media (print and online) and designed exclusively for this module. This includes:

audio and video content
case studies
published articles
a week-by-week study planner
online tutorial access
access to The Open University library.

Computing requirements

Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

Your tutor will help you with the study material, mark and comment on your assignments and provide advice and guidance. You will contact your tutor by email, telephone or via your tutor group forum on the B866 module website.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box above.

You must use the online eTMA system to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs).

Future availability

Employment relations and employee engagement starts once a year – in November. This page describes the module that will start in November 2022 when we expect it to start for the last time. A replacement module is planned for May 2024.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.