HC2101 Performance Management for HR – Group Assignment T1 2026

Assessment Details and Submission Guidelines

Trimester: T1 2026 Unit Code: HC2101 Unit Title: Performance Management for HR Assessment Type: Group Assessment Title: Group Report and Presentation Purpose of the assessment (with ULO Mapping) Students will be able to:

1. Understand different methods and levels of measuring performance in organisations.
2. Match people to job requirements – understanding job demands, situational factors and successful recruitment.
3. Plan future HR needs taking into account new trends and changes in labour force demographics.
4. Comply with relevant legal requirements.
5. Demonstrate the capacity to express ideas, concepts and arguments in a logical and coherent written form conforming to relevant standards of academic writing.
6. Develop team skills.

Weight: 35% of the total assessments (25% for Group Report + 10% for Group Presentation) Word limit: Not more than 2,500 words Due Date: a. Report: Friday 5PM (Week 10) b. Presentation: Held in class or online between Week 8–11 (during tutorial)

Submission Guidelines All work must be submitted on Blackboard by the due date along with a completed Assignment Cover Page. The assignment must be in MS Word format, no spacing, 12-pt Arial font and 2 cm margins on all four sides of your page with appropriate section headings and page numbers. Reference sources must be cited in the text of the report, and listed appropriately at the end in a reference list using Harvard referencing style.

Assignment Specifications

Topic Workplaces today continue to experience rapid transformation. Generative artificial intelligence (AI), advanced robotics and automation represent a profound shift that will reshape jobs, employment patterns and society itself over the coming decades.

Task

1. Broadly discuss these trends (including generative AI) and their likely impact at the societal level in 40 to 50 years’ time. Will society be better or worse overall for most people? (500 words)
2. Select 3 occupations from the following list: Taxi Driver, Pilot, Scientist, Hairdresser, Train Driver, Recruiter, Teacher, Nurse, Construction Worker, University Lecturer, Hotel Manager, Data Analyst, Child Care Worker, Food & Beverage Attendant, Meteorologist, Doctor/Specialist/GP, Chef/Cook (Qualified), Accountant.

a. Present data on the current demographics for these occupations in Australia as well as the changes in that group over the last 40–50 years. You must establish the size and composition of that occupational category going back to 1970 (or earliest available ABS data) and analyse trends. b. Predict the future situation for your chosen occupations in 2070. Consider major decline, no change or major improvement and indicate which is most likely with justification (500 words for each occupation, separate headings for each).

3. Finally, in your conclusion discuss (500 words) a) What are the implications for employees today (different ways of working, new skills etc.)? b) What are the implications for leaders and managers?

Format

Your report should be structured as follows:

1. Introduction – AI, robotics and generative AI (500 words). This states the purpose and structure of the paper, and identifies the main theme or proposition(s) that you are trying to prove. It tells the reader what to expect.
2. Body – Choose 3 occupations and demonstrate changes over the last 40–50 years (500 words each). In the body of the paper you build a logical argument that supports the main theme or proposition. The body needs to be consistent with what you have said you are going to do in the introduction. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence, and the points you are making should reflect that topic. Use Human Resources Management (HRM) theory and examples to explain your argument. You are trying to present a logical, cohesive and clear analysis of the key issues that you have identified, and to use these to support your proposition or theme in a systematic way. You only have 2,500 words therefore you will need to be succinct and persuasive.
3. Conclusion and recommendations (500 words). A conclusion is not just a list of the key points you have made. You need to draw together your key points to demonstrate that you have supported your theme or proven your proposition(s). The conclusion needs to be consistent with both the introduction and the body of the report.
4. Reference List

Marking Criteria

HC2101 Report Marking Rubric (Group) (Adapted for relevance while retaining core structure)

• Format and Organisation (4 marks): All required sections included and effectively organised with no formatting errors.
• Discussion of Trends & Societal Impact (8 marks): Clear identification and thoughtful analysis of AI/robotics trends with strong justification on societal outcomes.
• Demographic Analysis & Prediction (12 marks): Accurate data presentation with clear trends from 1970s onward; well-reasoned 2070 predictions supported by evidence.
• Implications for Employees & Managers (4 marks): Logical and practical recommendations directly linked to analysis.
• Grammar (2 marks): No grammatical errors.
• Sources and Referencing (2 marks): No errors in Harvard documentation; information introduced and analysed professionally.

Total /32 (converted to 25%)

HC2101 Presentation Marking Rubric (Group) remains unchanged from the 2019 version (Visual Appeal, Comprehension, Presentation Skills, Content, Preparedness – total /20 converted to 10%).

Sample Report Bay (Taxi Driver occupation – Demographics and 2070 Prediction)

Taxi driver numbers in Australia grew steadily from approximately 15,000 in the early 1970s to over 70,000 by 2021 according to Australian Bureau of Statistics census data, with strong representation of migrant workers and males aged 35–54. The composition shifted markedly after 2010 with the arrival of ride-sharing platforms that increased flexibility but also intensified competition and income pressure. By 2070 the occupation is most likely to experience major decline because autonomous vehicles and generative AI dispatch systems will automate the core driving and routing tasks. Human drivers may survive only in niche luxury or remote-area roles, yet overall employment in this category will shrink dramatically as the technology becomes safer and cheaper than human labour. HRM theory such as the resource-based view supports the prediction that organisations will replace routine manual roles with technology to gain competitive advantage while redeploying workers into oversight or customer-experience positions. Recent Australian research confirms that occupations with high routine-task content have already shown resilience in the short term but face accelerated displacement once full automation scales. Readers evaluating such forecasts should always cross-reference ABS labour force data with independent modelling from Jobs and Skills Australia. One authoritative study concludes that automation risk indicators correlate with employment expansion in the past decade yet signal contraction for transport roles after 2035 when technology reaches maturity (Cebulla, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1080/10301763.2024.2363573).

Future-of-Work Analysis

Recent national modelling shows that AI and robotics will affect millions of Australian jobs but also create new opportunities when organisations invest in reskilling. The pattern observed across transport, healthcare and data roles demonstrates that routine tasks decline fastest while interpersonal and creative skills gain value. Students completing this assignment develop practical HR forecasting skills that directly translate to strategic workforce planning in any sector. Cross-checking company-level automation announcements against government labour projections gives the clearest view of realistic timelines and required interventions.

• Submit a 2,500-word group report for HC2101 T1 2026 that analyses AI and robotics trends plus demographics and 2070 predictions for three Australian occupations.
• Complete a maximum 2,500-word paper with in-class presentation evaluating generative AI impact on selected jobs and HR implications as required in the Holmes Institute HC2101 assessment.
• Write a focused group report on automation, job displacement and future workforce planning for HC2101 Performance Management for HR.

 References 

Cebulla, A. (2024) ‘The time-less threat of automation: has new technology been the predicted job killer?’, Journal of Industrial Relations, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10301763.2024.2363573.

Nigar, M. (2025) ‘Artificial intelligence and technological unemployment: Understanding trends, technology’s adverse roles, and current mitigation guidelines’, Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2199853125001428.

Bratanova, A. et al. (2025) Australia’s artificial intelligence ecosystem: growth and opportunities, Department of Industry, Science and Resources, available at: https://www.industry.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-06/australias-artificial-intelligence-ecosystem-growth-and-opportunities-june-2025.pdf.

Bouzerda, K. (2025) ‘The rise of AI in human resource management: A systematic review of task automation through PRISMA’, Human Resource Management Studies, available at: https://ojs.piscomed.com/index.php/HRMS/article/download/4595/3783.

Drela, K. (2025) ‘The future of AI in HRM. A case study of the HR decision-making’, European Conference on Artificial Intelligence proceedings, available at: https://wnus.usz.edu.pl/management2/file/article/view/22031.pdf.