CIPD 5OS07 Supporting Employee Wellbeing: Sol Hotels Group Model Answer Extract

For information and reference only – not to be submitted as your own work.

This extract shows how a Level 5 answer can be structured for CIPD Associate Diploma in People Management unit 5OS07, Supporting employee wellbeing. The scenario is a family-owned Spanish hotel group of twelve boutique hotels with more than 600 staff, where turnover in housekeeping and the kitchen, stress-related absence and falling guest satisfaction have prompted a new HR Manager to lead a wellbeing strategy. The extract covers selected assessment criteria (1.1, 1.3, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4) in condensed form. It is a general model, not a full submission; for a fuller treatment of the unit without a named case, see our earlier generic 5OS07 wellbeing example.

Harvard referencing is used throughout, and the full list sits at the end. Figures in the tables are illustrative.

1.1 Two wellbeing theories applied to the hotel group

Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model

The JD-R model proposes that every job has demands that drain energy and resources that support motivation and recovery. When demands such as long split shifts and heavy room quotas outweigh resources such as autonomy, support and development, strain and eventually burnout follow (Bakker and Demerouti, 2007). The staff survey at Sol Hotels reports feeling overworked, undervalued and disconnected from management, which maps neatly onto high demands combined with thin resources.

The model is useful here because it points to two levers at once: reduce avoidable demands (rota design, workload spikes in peak season) and add resources (recognition, supportive supervisors, clear communication). Its limitation is that it lists factors rather than explaining how individuals interpret them, so it should be paired with local data.

Job demand-control model

Karasek (1979) argued that the worst strain arises in jobs combining high demand with low decision latitude. Housekeeping and kitchen roles fit this pattern: output targets are fixed by occupancy and covers, while staff have little say over task order, timing or progression. The model therefore predicts the very stress-related absence and exit decisions the group is experiencing, and it suggests that giving teams more control, for example over shift swaps and station rotation, may help even where workload cannot fall.

In practice the two theories complement one another: JD-R widens the lens to supportive resources, while demand-control explains why hierarchical, task-driven departments are most exposed.

1.3 Benefits of wellbeing practices

Guest (2017) argues that HR practices influence performance partly through employee wellbeing, which supports treating wellbeing as a business lever and not only a welfare gesture. Costs and disruption are real concerns for cautious owners, so benefits should be framed as reduced replacement cost and protected guest scores rather than as goodwill alone.

2.3 How context shapes the approach

Three features of the group matter most. First, the sector: hospitality runs seven days a week with seasonal peaks, so options such as fixed hours or generous leave must be tested against coverage. Second, culture: a service-driven, family-values culture is an asset for peer support and loyalty, but a hierarchy with limited formal HR can leave concerns unspoken. Third, structure: twelve dispersed hotels mean central policy must be delivered by local general managers, whose capability varies. The CIPD (2023) survey reports that managers’ limited confidence and skills in supporting wellbeing is among the main challenges organisations face, which reinforces the need to equip supervisors, not just launch central schemes.

3.1 Two initiatives justified from the case

1. Rota redesign and predictable scheduling in housekeeping and kitchens. It targets long shifts, the demand side of JD-R and the control gap in Karasek’s model.
2. Line-manager wellbeing and communication training with a regular team briefing. It targets inconsistent communication and the sense of disconnect from management, and it builds capability at hotel level.

3.2 Programme summary for one key need: reducing stress-related absence in housekeeping and kitchens

A pilot answers the owners’ caution about cost and disruption because it limits exposure and creates local evidence. External partners are used where they add value, such as clinic sessions, while day-to-day change is led by the hotels themselves.

3.4 Evaluating and monitoring effectiveness

Effectiveness should be judged against baselines taken before the pilot. Quantitative measures include absence rates by department, turnover and length of service, and guest satisfaction scores per hotel. Qualitative measures include short pulse surveys, focus groups and exit interview themes. The HSE (n.d.) Management Standards approach offers a recognised way to gather staff views on work-related stress and to act on gaps.

Results should be reported back to staff, because visible follow-up is what turns data collection into trust. Where the pilot hotels improve against comparable hotels, the case for wider rollout becomes evidence based rather than assumed. Limitations include seasonal swings, which means comparisons should be year on year where possible.

Related reading: our guide on how to approach a 5OS07 wellbeing case study explains what markers look for.

For CIPD Level 5 support, see our CIPD Level 5 assignment help page, and compare with other examples in the CIPD Level 5 sample library. You can also read how our team works on our About Us page.

The brief for this case is being added to our questions library; in the meantime see the related 5OS07 wellbeing question page.

References

• Bakker, A.B. and Demerouti, E. (2007) ‘The Job Demands-Resources model: state of the art’, Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22(3), pp. 309–328. doi:10.1108/02683940710733115.
• CIPD (2023) Health and wellbeing at work. Survey report. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
• Guest, D.E. (2017) ‘Human resource management and employee well-being: towards a new analytic framework’, Human Resource Management Journal, 27(1), pp. 22–38. doi:10.1111/1748-8583.12139.
• HSE (n.d.) Management Standards for work-related stress. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/ (Accessed: 31 October 2026).
• Karasek, R.A. (1979) ‘Job demands, job decision latitude, and mental strain: implications for job redesign’, Administrative Science Quarterly, 24(2), pp. 285–308. doi:10.2307/2392498.

Prepared by

Students Assignment Help UK Editorial Team

This model answer was prepared by our editorial team in response to a real assignment brief we received. It shows one way to approach the task and is meant as a study guide, not for submission.