5co01 Assignment Example

The 5CO01 unit explores how organisational structure connects with the wider world of work in a commercial setting. It looks at the factors and trends shaping business strategy and workforce planning, including the shift towards a digital landscape, and it recognises how much culture, employee wellbeing and behaviour matter when an organisation is trying to manage change and improve performance.

Assessment Questions

AC 1.1 Evaluate the extent to which the flat non-hierarchical structure was appropriate under Kirsten’s ownership and the extent to which the hierarchical bureaucratic structure is suitable under Chaffinch Group’s ownership.

The flat non-hierarchical structure under Kirsten’s ownership

The flat structure worked well for Calmere House while Kirsten owned it, largely because it matched both the scale of the business (42 employees) and her consultative style. With everyone reporting directly to her, information moved quickly and staff had genuine access to the owner. Regular staff meetings and one-to-one check-ins gave employees a real voice in decisions, which built trust and a strong sense of shared purpose (EBSCO, 2021). The structure also gave experienced nursing and care staff considerable autonomy in how they worked. That professional freedom supported the personalised, high-quality care at the heart of the Calmere House ethos (Schooley, 2024).

The same features became weaknesses as the business matured. Every significant decision ran through Kirsten, creating a bottleneck whenever she was unavailable, and the absence of middle management limited delegation and made coordination harder to sustain (EBSCO, 2021). Processes were largely informal and undocumented, which is workable in a small family business but a genuine risk in a regulated sector where consistency and audit trails matter (Zastanceanu, 2023).

On balance, the flat structure was appropriate for as long as Calmere House remained a small, values-driven family business. It sustained the communication, engagement and community culture that underpinned both staff retention and care quality. However, its informality and dependence on one person meant it could not have supported significant growth or integration into a larger group.

The hierarchical bureaucratic structure under Chaffinch Group’s ownership

From Chaffinch Group’s perspective, a hierarchical structure is a rational choice. Operating multiple care homes requires clear reporting lines, standardised practice and consistent accountability across sites (Nickerson, 2024), and formal policies and procedures make regulatory compliance far easier to evidence at scale (Gleeson, 2019).

At Calmere House specifically, however, the structure has proved a poor cultural and operational fit. Additional management layers have slowed communication and distanced staff from decision-makers, and Kath’s autocratic management style has compounded the problem. Morale has fallen, turnover has risen, and the quality of care that built the home’s reputation has suffered (Longley, 2024).

Overall judgement: each structure suits its owner’s context. The flat model fitted a small, relationship-led care home, while hierarchy meets Chaffinch Group’s need for standardisation and control across a large estate. The failure lies in imposing the corporate model wholesale on a home whose value was built on autonomy and personal relationships. A hybrid arrangement, retaining clear group-level accountability while restoring meaningful local autonomy, would fit Calmere House far better. The case demonstrates that structure only delivers performance when it aligns with an organisation’s culture, leadership style and purpose.

AC 1.2 Analyse how Chaffinch Group could use a rational approach to strategy formulation to ensure that services provided meet customer needs.

A rational approach treats strategy as a structured, evidence-based process rather than a matter of instinct. It relies on analytical tools such as PESTLE for the external environment and SWOT for the internal and external position, so that decisions rest on verifiable information (Köseoglu et al., 2020). For Chaffinch Group, this offers a disciplined way to refocus Calmere House on what residents and their families actually need following the cultural and operational problems of the takeover.

The main strength of the approach is objectivity (Ruth, 2023). A PESTLE analysis would surface the external pressures acting directly on care quality and affordability, such as tightening care regulation, sector-wide staffing shortages and rising utility costs, and allow management to plan for these proactively rather than reactively (Hayden, 2025; Siddiqui, 2021). A SWOT analysis would then set internal strengths, such as group-level resources and capital for investment, against known weaknesses such as low morale and declining resident satisfaction, so that resources are directed where they will change outcomes (CIPD, 2025). Applied honestly, the process would tell Chaffinch Group what the data already suggests: that restoring personalised care choices, rebuilding communication and monitoring resident satisfaction are strategic priorities, not soft extras.

The approach has limits. Systematic data collection and analysis take time, and in a care environment where turnover and resident dissatisfaction demand urgent responses, a slow deliberative cycle can itself become a risk (Pradhan et al., 2025). Layering a formal planning process onto an already bureaucratic hierarchy may also further reduce flexibility (Hallett et al., 2024).

In summary, rational analysis gives Chaffinch Group the evidence base for a customer-focused turnaround, but it needs to be paired with empathetic leadership and a willingness to act quickly on what the analysis reveals. Used that way, PESTLE and SWOT become practical tools for aligning operational efficiency with compassionate care rather than an exercise in paperwork.

AC 1.3 Analyse one external factor that is currently having a negative impact on the residential care industry and one external factor that is currently having a positive impact on the residential care industry.

Negative factor: workforce shortages and rising labour costs

The shortage of skilled care workers is one of the most damaging external pressures on the residential care sector. Competition from better-paid industries, pay levels that do not reflect the demands of the work, and post-Brexit restrictions on overseas recruitment have all made it harder for providers to attract and keep staff (CIPD, 2021), while demand for care continues to grow.

The first impact is direct cost inflation. Homes routinely fall back on agency workers to maintain safe staffing levels, and agency rates run well above the cost of employed staff, squeezing margins and making financial planning difficult, particularly for smaller providers (CIPD, 2021; Cholteeva, 2022). The second impact falls on service quality and employee wellbeing. Heavier workloads produce fatigue, stress and burnout, driving up sickness absence and turnover (Cholteeva, 2022). Residents value continuity with the carers who know them, so churn in the staff group directly degrades their experience. Homes carrying persistent staffing gaps also face reputational damage, falling occupancy and the risk of regulatory non-compliance (GOV.UK, 2023).

Positive factor: the ageing population and rising demand

Working in the sector’s favour is demographic change. Advances in healthcare and longer life expectancy mean a steadily growing population of older people who will need residential or nursing care (NLM, 2019). The Office for National Statistics projects the number of people aged over 65 to grow by roughly 8.6 million over the next fifty years, which gives the sector an unusually secure long-term demand outlook (Bentley, 2024).

The first impact is commercial: rising demand supports higher occupancy and more stable revenue, and well-rated homes can expect waiting lists and healthier cash flow (Bentley, 2024). The second impact is strategic. Predictable long-term demand makes the sector attractive to investors and gives established groups such as Chaffinch confidence to fund expansion, technology and service diversification, such as dementia-specialist or respite provision, knowing the market will absorb the capacity. For individual homes, the same trend strengthens the business case for investing in staff development and retention now, since the providers best placed to capture growing demand will be those able to deliver consistent, high-quality care.

AC 1.4 Under Kirsten’s ownership of Calmere House, there was little investment in technology. Chaffinch Group want to change this approach and have decided to implement technology to deliver better patient care and employee experience. Assess how technology could be used by Chaffinch Group and how this would impact work at Calmere House.

A human resource information system (HRIS)

An HRIS would automate core HR administration, including payroll, attendance and training records, reducing the burden on managers and freeing care staff to focus on residents (Jemma, 2019). Accurate, centralised records also make it far easier to evidence compliance with employment law and Care Quality Commission requirements. Self-service access to payslips, leave requests and performance feedback would improve transparency for staff, and the system’s training records would help identify and close skills gaps, supporting retention (Jemma, 2019).

The costs are real, however. Purchasing and configuring an HRIS is expensive, initial training takes time and disrupts routines (Diard, 2022), and holding employee data digitally creates cybersecurity and privacy exposure that demands strict GDPR compliance and robust IT policies (Webadmin, 2023). At Calmere House, a well-implemented HRIS would streamline HR processes, improve communication between staff and management and strengthen workforce planning, all of which matter in a home trying to cut turnover and its reliance on agency staff (Webadmin, 2023).

A digital care management system

Electronic care records allow residents’ health information, medication and preferences to be updated in real time and shared accurately across every shift, reducing errors and supporting genuinely person-centred care (SoftClinic GenX, 2022). The risks are chiefly human and operational: long-serving staff may distrust new systems, so structured change management and training are essential (Savience, 2023), and technical outages can temporarily cut access to care records and disrupt the service. In practice, the system would improve shift-to-shift handovers, cut paperwork and give carers more time with residents, which benefits staff and residents alike.

Overall judgement: digital care systems and an HRIS could modernise Calmere House and lift efficiency, compliance and care quality, but only if implemented with proper change management, adequate training and sustained IT investment. Introduced carefully, technology could also help bridge the divide between Chaffinch Group’s corporate systems and Calmere House’s relationship-centred culture by pairing data-driven management with compassionate care rather than replacing one with the other.

AC 2.1 Using theories and models which examine organisational and human behaviour, explain why problems have arisen following the takeover of Calmere House by Chaffinch Group.

Organisational behaviour: Handy’s model of organisational culture

Charles Handy distinguishes four organisational culture types: power, role, task and person. Under Kirsten, Calmere House operated closest to a person culture. Relationships, collaboration and professional autonomy came first, staff felt valued for their expertise and were encouraged to contribute ideas, and the result was loyalty, open communication and high engagement (VQ Solutions, 2024).

The acquisition imposed an abrupt shift to a role culture, defined by formal structures, written policies and fixed hierarchy (Nasaireh, Abdullah and Obeidat, 2019). Staff accustomed to autonomy and trust found themselves constrained by rules and top-down decisions, and Kath’s autocratic style reinforced the change, stripping out motivation and opening an emotional gap between employees and management. Handy’s central point is that culture is what binds an organisation together; by disregarding employees’ attachment to the existing culture, Chaffinch triggered exactly the culture clash and loss of cohesion the model predicts, visible in the dissatisfaction, absenteeism and resignations that followed (VQ Solutions, 2024; L&D Hero, 2023).

Human behaviour: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Maslow explains motivation through five ascending levels of need: physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualisation (Hopper, 2024). Under Kirsten, the higher-level needs were consistently met. Teamwork satisfied belonging, recognition fed esteem, and involvement in decisions offered a route to self-fulfilment.

The takeover reversed this. Sudden changes in leadership and structure created uncertainty that threatened safety needs (job security) and social needs (the sense of belonging to a close team). The loss of recognition and two-way communication eroded esteem, and the removal of autonomy closed off self-actualisation. Maslow’s model predicts precisely what happened next: employees fell back to defending lower-order needs, and motivation and commitment collapsed (McLeod, 2025).

AC 2.2 Assess how changes to selection and employee voice have impacted organisational culture and behaviours at Chaffinch Group.

Changes to selection

After the takeover, Chaffinch Group replaced Calmere House’s participative approach to selection with a centralised, agency-based model. Previously, existing staff were involved in recruitment, and candidates were judged on values and behaviours as much as qualifications, an approach that protected cultural fit and belonging. Under the new system, agency workers are sourced externally and assessed mainly on availability and qualifications, with little attention to behavioural compatibility or commitment to resident-centred care.

The change has genuine benefits: vacancies are filled quickly in a sector facing national labour shortages, and the standardised process suits Chaffinch Group’s bureaucratic structure (FocusTribes, 2024). But dropping behavioural assessment has produced recruits who fit poorly with the home’s care culture, weakening consistency of service and the emotional bond between staff and residents (MasterClass, 2020). Heavy reliance on agency staff has also fragmented team cohesion, since temporary workers know little of individual residents and hold no loyalty to the organisation. Morale has fallen accordingly, and the culture has drifted from people-centred teamwork towards something transactional and impersonal (Wale, 2025).

Changes to employee voice

Under Kirsten, voice was woven into daily operations through regular meetings, open discussion and involvement in decisions, producing a culture of trust, respect and empowerment (Joseph and Shetty, 2022). Chaffinch Group’s communication runs the other way: information cascades down through email rather than being discussed, staff are no longer consulted, and suggestions for improving care go unsought and unheard.

Top-down communication does deliver uniformity and control across multiple homes, ensuring corporate policy is applied consistently. The costs, though, are heavy. Engagement has fallen as employees feel disconnected from leadership and powerless to influence anything, and workplace behaviour has deteriorated, with negativity, resistance and disengagement spreading as staff lose motivation and pride in their work (Harrison et al., 2021).

Overall judgement: together, the changes to selection and voice have dismantled the collaborative, empathetic and empowering culture that defined Calmere House. Chaffinch Group has gained administrative efficiency and standardisation at the cost of morale, commitment and behavioural fit. Restoring values-based recruitment and genuine two-way communication is a precondition for rebuilding the culture and protecting resident care.

AC 2.3 Explain how Chaffinch Group could have better managed the change from a small owner-managed care home to Calmere House being part of a large organisation.

The move from a family-run home to part of a corporate group was a profound structural and cultural change, yet Chaffinch Group handled it abruptly and with poor communication, producing resistance, falling morale and declining service quality. Lewin’s three-stage model (unfreeze, change, refreeze) shows how the transition could have been managed to keep staff engaged.

Stage one: unfreeze (preparing people for change)

Lewin’s first stage is about helping people understand why change is necessary (Majka, 2024). Chaffinch Group skipped it: the sale and new policies were announced with no meaningful consultation. Done properly, the group would have opened with honest, emotionally intelligent communication, with meetings explaining the rationale for the acquisition, the benefits for staff and residents, and the long-term vision for the home. Acknowledging employees’ attachment to Kirsten and their fear of losing the home’s identity would have built trust and lowered resistance, and consulting staff early on which existing strengths should be preserved would have protected morale and given them a stake in the outcome (Juneja, 2022).

Stage two: change (introducing new systems and culture)

New structures, policies and systems should have been phased in rather than imposed simultaneously (Juneja, 2022). Training, coaching and pilot testing would have let staff adjust at a manageable pace (Khadka and Khadka, 2024). For instance, new technology or reporting lines could have been introduced through workshops and mentoring rather than by directive. Leadership behaviour mattered most at this stage: visibly connecting Chaffinch’s corporate requirements to Calmere House’s people-centred values would have signalled continuity rather than replacement.

Stage three: refreeze (embedding the change)

Once new practices were operating, the priority becomes stabilising them and reinforcing the desired behaviours (Aktas, 2024). Recognising staff who adapted well, keeping communication channels open and celebrating early wins would have consolidated the change, while feedback mechanisms and continuing engagement activity would have embedded the new culture rather than leaving it contested.

Managed this way, the acquisition could have preserved what made Calmere House valuable while still delivering the consistency Chaffinch Group needed.

AC 2.4 Explain the experience of change for the employees at Calmere House and examine how this is reflected through the stages of one model.

Since the takeover, employees have been through significant emotional and professional upheaval: the move from a small family-owned home to a large bureaucratic organisation brought disorientation, a loss of identity and steadily falling morale. The Kübler-Ross change curve, originally developed to describe grief, maps their experience closely.

Shock. The announcement of the sale landed as shock and disbelief (Knowledge Train, 2023). Kirsten had always treated Calmere House as a close-knit family, so her decision to sell was unexpected, and uncertainty about jobs and whether the new owners would share the home’s values of personalised care intensified the reaction.

Denial. Staff then moved into denial (Knowledge Train, 2023), carrying on as if daily life would remain untouched and hoping Chaffinch Group would leave the culture alone. That hope delayed early adaptation to the new reporting lines and process-driven policies being introduced around them.

Frustration and anger. As Kath rolled out Chaffinch Group’s hierarchical management style, frustration hardened into anger (Warwick Business School, 2021). Staff who had exercised real autonomy now felt controlled and undervalued; losing decision-making authority, and having discussion replaced by one-way instruction, bred resentment. Turnover, absenteeism and disengagement all climbed during this stage (Andrea, 2024).

Depression. Next came a slump in morale and energy (Andrea, 2024). Those who stayed faced heavier workloads as colleagues left, hope faded, and the personal, emotional connection to the work, the reason many joined a care home in the first place, weakened into disengagement.

Acceptance and integration. Some employees have gradually reached acceptance, adjusting to the new processes and recognising the change is permanent (Warwick Business School, 2021). This stage could have arrived much sooner with proper communication and leadership support; because Chaffinch Group offered little emotional support or involvement, integration into the new culture has been slow and remains only partial.

AC 2.5 Assess two factors that could impact employee wellbeing at Calmere House including why it is important that these factors are addressed.

Work–life balance

The shift from Kirsten’s small, flexible operation to Chaffinch Group’s structured corporate environment has unsettled employees’ work–life balance: rotas are stricter, reporting requirements heavier, and hours longer to meet administrative targets. There is an upside, since consistent scheduling brings clarity and ensures adequate cover for residents (CIPD, 2024b), but the downsides dominate. Inflexibility leaves staff unable to manage personal and family commitments, producing fatigue and stress, and in an already emotionally demanding sector that is a direct route to burnout and further turnover. It matters because exhausted staff cannot deliver attentive, compassionate care: resident quality and satisfaction are the ultimate casualties (CIPD, 2023b).

Working relationships

The quality of workplace relationships is the second critical wellbeing factor (CIPD, 2024b). Under Kirsten, Calmere House ran on a family-like atmosphere of trust and open communication between staff and management. Hierarchical management and the suppression of employee voice have undermined those relationships since the takeover. Formal structures do bring better accountability and professionalism (CIPD, 2018), but the losses outweigh the gains: weaker teamwork, reluctance to raise concerns, and a sense of being invisible to leadership. Addressing this is essential because falling interpersonal trust drags down morale and collaboration, which feeds directly into poorer resident care and yet more resignations (CIPD, 2020), a cycle Calmere House cannot afford while it is trying to rebuild occupancy.

AC 3.1 Discuss how the people manager, recruitment advisor and employment relations case advisor could support the retention stage of the employee lifecycle

The employee lifecycle runs from attraction through onboarding, development and retention to separation. Retention is the stage focused on keeping good employees engaged, motivated and committed (Nelson, 2022). For Calmere House, operating in a sector with chronic staff shortages, it is the stage on which care quality now depends.

The people manager

The people manager sits at the centre of the employee experience (CIPD, 2023a). At Calmere House they influence retention through engagement, recognition and development: well-run performance management gives staff regular reviews and growth opportunities, sustaining a sense of purpose and belonging (Walker, 2023). A supportive people manager also shapes the day-to-day climate. Open communication and recognition of good work lift morale, while poor communication and absent support push people towards the door (Paychex, 2025). Building trust, developing talent and keeping workloads fair are the manager’s most direct levers on long-term retention (Walker, 2023).

The recruitment advisor

Although the recruitment advisor’s primary role is attraction, their effect on retention is real: retention starts with hiring the right people. By selecting carefully for values and attitudes aligned with Calmere House’s caring ethos, the advisor secures person–organisation fit and reduces early leavers (Rowland, 2025), a direct correction to the agency-led approach that has weakened cultural fit since the takeover.

The employment relations case advisor

The employment relations case advisor supports retention by handling workplace problems well. Resolving grievances, mediating disputes and ensuring fair treatment builds psychological safety (Rowland, 2025), and their command of policy and compliance means disciplinary and capability matters are handled consistently and respectfully, reducing the perceptions of unfairness that commonly trigger resignations (CIPD, 2022).

AC 3.2 Analyse how people practices could help Chaffinch Group to fill 100% of resident rooms within six months.

Reaching full occupancy in six months requires Chaffinch Group to rebuild both Calmere House’s reputation and its workforce, and that depends on aligning its people practices, from recruitment through learning and development to engagement, vertically with the occupancy goal and horizontally with each other.

Recruitment and selection

Occupancy follows staffing: families choose homes with stable, caring teams. Values-based hiring would ensure new recruits share the caring ethos that once defined Calmere House (Skills For Care, 2024), and recruitment marketing can present the home as an employer that has rediscovered personalised care, a genuine differentiator in a competitive labour market. Better-fitting hires mean lower turnover, greater continuity for residents, and a service families are willing to recommend.

Learning and development

Well-designed L&D lifts care quality and, with it, the home’s reputation among residents and families (Van Graas and Gobbens, 2023). Training focused on resident-centred care, emotional intelligence and teamwork would restore the personal touch residents valued under Kirsten, while developing supervisors’ communication and leadership skills supports the motivation and retention of front-line staff, and therefore continuity of care, which is central to attracting and keeping residents (Kuehnl et al., 2019). Visible investment in development also signals Chaffinch Group’s commitment to its people, feeding morale and service outcomes (CIPD, 2024a).

Communication and employee engagement

Full occupancy is unreachable with a disengaged workforce (Johar and Roopalatha, 2024). Open communication about the occupancy goal, and honest recognition of each employee’s contribution to it, would begin restoring trust and commitment. Surveys and team meetings that actually invite feedback give staff a sense of being heard and a stake in hitting the target (Mowbray et al., 2024). Engaged employees deliver warmer, more consistent care, which is the single strongest driver of word-of-mouth referrals and occupancy growth.

AC 3.3 Discuss how Kath could consult and engage with employees to understand why employee turnover at Calmere House has increased.

Turnover has climbed sharply since the takeover, signalling dissatisfaction and cultural misalignment. To understand the causes, Kath needs to consult and engage staff directly rather than rely on assumptions.

Consultation: one-to-one and small-group meetings

Consultation is two-way dialogue between management and employees on matters that affect them. Kath could run individual and small-group sessions with care staff, nurses and support workers to explore their experiences in depth (ACAS, 2021). Open conversation would surface qualitative evidence on the factors actually driving turnover, including workload pressure, poor communication and the loss of autonomy that followed Chaffinch Group’s new systems, along with the effects of increased bureaucracy and the absence of recognition on morale (ACAS, 2021). Beyond the data, the act of consulting demonstrates that management values staff opinion (Llorens et al., 2022). The strengths of this method are honest, detailed responses and the relationships it rebuilds (Llorens et al., 2022); the drawbacks are that it is time-consuming, and Kath must handle confidentiality carefully. Given her role in the changes, staff may hesitate to speak openly to her without clear reassurance (ACAS, 2021).

Engagement: surveys and focus groups

Alongside consultation, structured engagement lets staff actively shape improvements (Gallup, 2025). A confidential engagement survey would quantify satisfaction across workload, leadership, communication and culture; anonymity encourages honesty and the results reveal trends in staff attitudes (van Niekerk, 2022). Focus groups can then take the themes the data identifies and work them into practical solutions with employees, an approach that empowers staff by involving them in decisions about their own working lives, which itself supports retention (SHRM, 2023). The critical risk is inaction: gathering feedback and then failing to act on it damages trust further than never asking at all.

Conclusion: combining individual consultation with structured engagement would give Kath both the personal and the collective picture of why people are leaving. Just as importantly, these methods reopen communication, rebuild confidence and show employees they are heard. These are the necessary first steps to restoring stability, commitment and loyalty at Calmere House.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current 5CO01 assignment brief about?

The current brief is built around Calmere House, a family-run residential care home acquired by the Chaffinch Group. You answer 14 questions (AC 1.1–3.3) applying structure, culture, change and people practice theory to the case study.

How many questions are in the 5CO01 assignment?

Fourteen, mapped to AC 1.1–1.4, AC 2.1–2.5 and AC 3.1–3.3, all answered with reference to Calmere House.

Which theories should I use for AC 2.1?

Pair an organisational model (Handy’s culture types or Schein’s three levels) with a human behaviour model (Maslow, Herzberg or the psychological contract). This example uses Handy and Maslow.

Which change models work for AC 2.3 and AC 2.4?

Use a planned-change model (Lewin or Kotter) for AC 2.3 and an experience-of-change model (Kübler-Ross or Bridges) for AC 2.4. They answer different questions, so use different models.

What referencing style does 5CO01 require?

Harvard, in most centres: in-text citations plus a full reference list, mixing CIPD factsheets, academic and credible industry sources.

What word count applies?

Typically around 4,250 words ±10% across all questions, with references outside the count. Confirm the exact figure on your issued brief.

What external factors can I use for AC 1.3?

Workforce shortages/rising labour costs work well as the negative factor and the ageing population as the positive one; regulation, inflation, funding policy and technology adoption are credible alternatives.

Can I copy this example?

No. It is published online, so plagiarism software will flag it and centres treat that as misconduct. Use it to understand structure and depth, then write your own answers.

What do assessors look for in a pass?

Direct application to Calmere House rather than generic theory, correctly used named models, balanced evaluation with an overall judgement where the command verb requires one, and consistent Harvard referencing.

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References or bibliography: what does your centre expect?

Students often mix these up, and the difference matters for your 5CO01 submission. A reference list contains only the sources you have actually cited in your answers, while a bibliography also includes anything you read for background but did not cite. Most CIPD centres ask for a reference list in Harvard style, which is what this example uses, with every in-text citation matched to an entry above. A few centres request a bibliography as well or use the two terms interchangeably, so check the wording on your assessment brief or ask your assessor before you submit. Whichever your centre requires, keep the formatting consistent, arrange entries alphabetically by author surname, and remember that the list sits outside your word count.

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