CIPD 3CO04 Essentials of People Practice Learner Assessment Brief Case Study June 2025

Learner Assessment Brief

Assessment ID / CIPD_3CO04_25_01

This unit introduces the fundamentals of people practice, ranging from the employee lifecycle to policies, regulation, and law. It further explores a diverse array of specialist subjects such as recruitment, talent management, reward and learning and development, essential to a career in people practice. Importantly, this unit enables practitioners to apply their knowledge and skills, building their confidence and ability to practice progressively.

Case study 

Part of an international group, Jemijo is one the largest insurers in the country. Over five million customers choose home, car, van, travel, and pet insurance products from Jemijo and expect high quality customer service. To ensure that high standards are achieved and maintained, a large workforce is required and more than 2500 people work for Jemijo. Locations of work vary, some staff are fully office-based at one of five office locations, some are home-based, while some utilise a combination of office and home working.

Roles within Jemijo vary greatly, but the majority work in customer service roles selling insurance products, answering account queries, and dealing with insurance claims through call centres. Although more than 65% of sales, queries and claims now take place online, some customers prefer to talk to a person or find their query requires human interaction. The call centre telephone lines are open Monday to Saturday from 8:00am to 6:00pm but closed on Sunday. The exception to this is the emergency claims hotline, which is open 24/7. The emergency claims hotline deals with urgent claims such as emergency heating and plumbing, boiler breakdown, roof damage, broken doors and windows, pest infestations, car breakdowns, etc. Other roles at Jemijo are in insurance underwriting, market analysis, as well as functions such as Marketing, Finance, IT and People.

3CO04	Format	Word Count
5 written tasks including video recording of interview	Task1 – written answers for Q1-6 with reference to the case study and the AI generated letter templates and written critique Task 2 – selection criteria (Appendix B), notes from shortlisting process, 20-minute (minimum) video of simulated interview and notes from decision making process Task 3 – written answers to Q1014 Task 4 – written answers to Q1520 Task 5 – written answers to Q2125.	4950 - 6050 words (max, inclusive) The following are not included in the word count: the AI generated letters of appointment and letter of non-appointment and the written critique (AC2.5), the 3-shortlisting matrix (AC2.2) video recording of the interview (20 minutes long – or longer for panel interview) (AC2.3) Either a video of the subsequent decision-making process or your notes from the decision-making process (AC2.3)

The following compliance checklist must be followed for each submission:

Compliance Requirements	Notes
Complete the cover sheet in full	This is provided in the assignment brief by Bradfield
Complete the declaration of authenticity Include wet signature + date	Date should be the date you submit the assignment. In the case of resubmission, add the new date in a different colour. A wet signature is a copy of your signature – not a typed signature.
Include word count	For each submission, the correct word count should be updated on the cover sheet in a different colour.
Clearly mark the AC for each section	The AC numbers are included with each question in the assignment brief.
Academic reference	Whilst reference to wider reading may contribute to a ‘4’ grading, it is not essential for a ‘4’ to be awarded. However, if you include work from another source, it must be appropriately referenced within the text and on the reference page at the end of the assignment.
Show wider reading with Harvard Style references	Harvard Style Referencing includes two key aspects: 1)    In-text citation in the main body of the assignment.  This follows the format of (Author Last Name, Year of publication). E.g.: (CIPD, 2023) or (Obama, 2023) 2)    Reference list at the end of the assignment which includes full detail of where the reader can find your reference.  You can use citethisforme.com to
	help you generate correct, alphabetical reference list. 3) If you are using more than one source from the same author, differentiate your sources with a letter a, b, c etc after the year E.g. (CIPD, 2024a)
Don't exceed the word count limit.	For each assignment, you must stay within the word count limit.  You have 10% above or below the allocated word count to fall in the ideal range of the answer. See table below. If you exceed the word count your work will be returned to you to reduce the word count. If your work is below 90% of the recommended word count your work will be marked but it may not be sufficient to achieve a pass.
Include all parts in ONE MS word file	You must only submit ONE file on the portal. This should include the cover sheet + answers + references in MS Word format only.
Evenly spread the word count across all ACs	It is best practice to have all answers of approximately similar length.  Divide the word count by the number of questions so that you spread the word count evenly across all answers.
Use workplace examples where possible	Enhance each answer with application of theoretical concepts and live workplace examples to score higher.
Understand the command verbs for AC	The brief below explains what each command verb must include. Use your word count wisely to address these command verbs
Refer to the case study or scenario	You must refer to these in your answers. If you don’t, your work will be referred, and you will be asked to resubmit.

 What is included in the word count?

Assignment Components	Included Yes / No
Title page showing learner and centre details	NO
Contents page	NO
Introduction	YES
Titles	YES
Subtitles	YES
Headings	YES
Subheadings	YES
In-text citations	YES
Diagrams / Graphs / Charts with key words2	NO
Tables that include numbers	NO
Written narrative included / embedded in tables	YES
Executive Summary	NO
Conclusion	YES
Recommendations	YES
Assessment questions (The A.C wording / numbers)	NO
Learning outcomes in full3	NO

Titles and Subtitles; Headings and Subheadings

Some assessments require learners to use titles and subtitles, and/or headings and subheadings, for example Unit 7CO04 where learners are asked to write a business report. However, these can be succinct, for example ‘Introduction,’ ‘Conclusion’, ‘Recommendation’ etc. This also applies to their use in other Units.

Diagrams/Graphs/Charts with keywords

Diagrams/Graphs/Charts with keywords are excluded from the wordcount. Examples of keywords include a small number of words in a box in a diagram or a label for an axis in a graph. Written narrative and explanatory or accompanying text in a diagram/graph/chart is included in word count.

Learning Outcomes

Assessment criteria in full	NO
Appendices	NO
Reference List	NO
Punctuation Marks	NO

Our learning assessment briefs for the Advanced Diplomas state that learners ‘must demonstrate within the submitted evidence (through headings and subheadings) which learning outcomes and assessment criteria have been cited’. However, if it is clear which learning outcomes and assessment criteria are being addressed, there is no requirement to include them in full. They can be referenced using the number only, for example, ‘LO1 - AC2.3’. Headings and subheadings should be succinct – see above.

Assessment Criteria

Learners must make clear which assessment criteria they are addressing in their work. However, there is no requirement to include them in full – they can be referenced using the number only, for example, AC 2.3

Please note that a new video for the June 2025 assignment is available from CIPD regarding the assignment– accessible on YouTube – June 2025 - 3CO04 Essentials of people practice

Tasks

Complete each of the tasks set out below referring to the case study in your answers.

To complete the task, you should provide a written response to each of the points (AC) below, making appropriate use of academic theory and practical examples to expand your response and illustrate key points.

To help the reader, please make use of headings and assessment criteria references to signpost the assessment criteria being addressed.

You must ensure that you:

Task one – written answers (recruitment and selection)

Q1. Create a diagram that shows stages in the employee lifecycle. After reading all the tasks in the assessment brief, annotate each stage to explain how people professionals at Jemijo could contribute to the stages in your diagram. (AC 1.1)

Q2. Explain how job analysis can help to create an accurate job description and person specification, for the role of a claims handler, at Jemijo’s call centre (AC 1.2)

Q3. Jemijo advertise vacancies though their website and on commercial jobs boards. Explain each of these recruitment methods and explain why these methods are appropriate for advertising call centre vacancies. (AC 1.3)

Q4. Explain why the content of the copy used in the job adverts on Jemijo’s website could vary compared to the content of copy on commercial jobs boards. (AC 1.4)

Q5. Explain why structured interviews and assessment centres are appropriate selection methods for call centre roles at Jemijo. (AC 2.1)

Q6. Explain what records from the structured interviews and assessment centres at Jemijo should be retained. (AC 2.4)

Q7. Using an AI tool of your choice, create templates for a letter of appointment and a letter of non-appointment for the call centre customer service role. Once you have created the templates, critically review each template, and explain which elements you would keep and why, and which elements you would remove or change and why. (AC 2.5)  

Q8.  Devise selection criteria for the post of People Assistant using the job description already written (Appendix A). Use the selection shortlisting matrix (Appendix B) to shortlist applications against the selection criteria to determine candidates to be interviewed.  You must use the completed, sample application forms provided in Appendix C (AC 2.2) 

Task two – simulated interview 

Q9.  Interview one applicant and decide whether they meet the criteria for the post. The interview could be a panel of no more than three learners from the same centre, or one-to-one interview (as determined by your centre). The interview could be  conducted face-to-face or by web conferencing (as determined by your centre). (AC 2.3) 

[If working as a panel, it is essential that each member of the team actively takes part in devising the criteria, shortlisting, interviewing and decision-making.

A copy of CIPD STARR Model Interview Questions (Appendix D) has been included, that can be used when developing interview questions.]

Task three – Written answers  (legislation and employment relations)

Q10. Explain, with reference to legislation, why it is important that call centre staff at Jemijo, working on the 24/7 claims hotline, have adequate periods of rest between periods of work and do not work excessive hours. (AC 3.1)

Q11. Briefly explain what is meant by the term wellbeing and explain why wellbeing is important in Jemijo’s call centre. (AC 3.2)

Q12. Henry, a call centre manager at Jemijo, is keen to attract and select young people to work in the call centre and suggests advertising vacancies for 18- to 21-year-olds. With reference to discrimination legislation, summarise why this approach presents a legal risk. (AC 3.3)

Q13. Explain how the terms diversity and inclusion differ and why diversity and inclusion are important in Jemijo’s call centres. (AC 3.4)

Q14. Henry advises you that Megan, a Jemijo employee with five years’ continuous service, swore at a customer who was frustrated about the time taken to deal with their insurance claim. Henry informs you that he has not taken any action yet but will dismiss Megan in a meeting today and asks whether there is a form that they need to fill out for this to ensure Megan is not overpaid. You are relieved thatn Henry has contacted you, but you are concerned about his proposal and the legal risk of his approach. Explain why Henry’s approach is likely to be viewed as an unfair dismissal and how the approach differs to the approach needed for a fair dismissal. (AC 3.5)

Task four – Written answers (performance management and reward)

Q15. The CIPD factsheet, ‘Performance management: an introduction’, states that performance management includes the following activities:

• Establish objectives
• Improve performance
• Hold people to account

Explain how these activities could assist in the performance management of call centre staff at Jemijo. (AC 4.1)

Q16. Explain how the level of skill and level of motivation of call centre staff at Jemijo could impact their performance. (AC 4.2)

Q17. At present, call centre staff at Jemijo have annual appraisals with their manager. Explain whether continuous reviews could be more beneficial than annual reviews (AC 4.3)

Q18. The CIPD factsheet, ‘Strategic reward and total reward’ (February 2025) sets out a range of elements that could form part of total reward. Explain why, ‘Access to professional and personal development’ and ‘meaningful work’ could be valued by call centre customer service advisors at Jemijo. (AC 5.1)

Q19. With reference to at least one motivation theory, explain how non-financial reward could support good performance in the call centre at Jemijo. (AC 5.2)

Q20. Explain why it is important that pay for call centre staff at Jemijo is equitable and consistent. (AC 5.3)

Task five – Written Answers (learning and development)

Q21. Explain the benefits to new starters and Jemijo of the call centre’s basic training programme. (AC 6.1)

Q22. All new starters in the call centre at Jemijo undertake the basic training programme. Describe different types of learning needs that might arise once the basic training is complete and describe why they might arise. (AC 6.2)

Q23. Provide a brief summary of how face-to-face training can be used to develop managers at Jemijo, and briefly summarise how blended learning, facilitation, coaching, and mentoring could also be used to develop management skills. (AC 6.3)

Q24. As successful completion of the basic training programme is essential for new starters, explain how Jemijo can ensure that the basic training programme is inclusive and accessible for all new starters. (AC 6.4)

Q25. Discuss a range of metrics that could be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the basic training for call centre staff at Jemijo (AC 6.5)