5HRO2
Talent Management and workforce planning
Learner assessment brief
Version: 1095_5LD01_2021_01
Level 5
Associate Diploma in People Management
5HR02 – Talent management and workforce planning
This unit focuses on the importance of effective workforce planning. It focuses on how proper preparation can have a huge impact when developing diverse talent pools, and contracting your workforce.
It also looks at how poorly managed planning can affect an organisation, and discuss the tools and interventions that might mitigate this risk.
CIPD’s insight factsheets
Resource and talent planning fact sheet
This factsheet considers the changing context of ‘talent’ and ‘talent management’ and the benefits to organisations they provide. It outlines the features of a talent management strategy, including how it can align with corporate strategy, inclusive versus exclusive approaches, involving the right people and the talent management loop.
The report can be accessed at:
CIPD Factsheet – https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/resourcing/talent-factsheet#gref
Employee turnover and retention fact sheet
This factsheet reviews turnover patterns in the UK and identifies when turnover can be problematic. It outlines the methods that can be used by organisations to measure turnover, as well as the cost of losing employees. The factsheet also examines why people leave organisations and recommends practices to improve staff retention, such as flexibility, fair treatment and employee wellbeing.
The report can be accessed at:
CIPD factsheet – https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/resourcing#gref
CIPD Reports:
Good Work Index 2020
This report provides an overview of measures used to analyse quality of work across different occupations, industries and groups of people. It focuses on pay and benefits, employment contracts, work-life balance, job design and the nature of work, relationships at work, employee voice and health and wellbeing.
The report can be accessed at:
CIPD Report: https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/good-work-index-summary-report-2020-1_tcm18-79211.pdf
CIPD Podcasts:
From surviving to thriving: key changes facing people practice in 2020
This podcast by CIPD discusses how employees work and the work-life balance. It examines how prepared organisations are when it comes to making changes that contribute towards a braver, fairer and more equal workplace.
The podcast can be accessed at:
CIPD podcast: https://www.cipd.co.uk/podcasts/surviving-to-thriving-2021
Case study
You are a member of the people practice team within OcMara Industries. You have been asked to help the team understand labour market trends and the impact the changing labour market has on resourcing decisions. OcMara is a global organisation based in Japan that produces 2 billion barrels of crude oil per year. The main organisation headquarters are situated in Tokyo, and the company has 15 other offices located in countries such as India, Saudi Arabia, USA, China, Germany and the UK.
To become more competitive in the global energy sector, OcMara is moving into more sustainable energy sources. The organisation is looking to develop more environmentally friendly production processes, and therefore needs to reconsider its resource and talent planning needs.
The main objective of sustainability is to reduce environmental impact in ways that are sustainable for the earth and for the person.
The oil and gas industry is making progress on becoming more sustainable, through the use of new technologies that will cut costs and ultimate bring down their carbon footprint.
OcMara currently have two main people practice objectives:
• The first is to recruit staff who have the capabilities and skills to help OcMara move into these new areas of business.
• The second is to retain existing staff who are being poached by competitors.
Preparation for Tasks:
• Plan your assessment work with your assessor at the start of the assignment. Where appropriate, agree milestones so they can help you monitor your progress.
• Refer to the indicative content in the unit guide and support your evidence.
• Pay attention to how your evidence is presented. Remember you are working in the people development team for this task.
• Ensure that the evidence generated for this assessment remains your own work.
You will also benefit from:
• Acting on formative feedback from your assessor
• Reflecting on your own experiences of learning opportunities, training and continuing professional development
• Taking advantage of the CIPD Factsheets, Reports and Podcasts, and any other online material on these topics.
Task 1 – Poster presentation (strategic positioning and labour market)
The manager of the people practice team is looking to learn more about the labour market. They have asked you to prepare a poster presentation for the forthcoming monthly team briefing. Your manager wants you to research the labour market trends, focussing on the best practices of an organisation named “SAP” who won the Employer Brand Management Awards in 2019 in five different categories.
You will also need to carry out your own research into the changing labour market conditions across the UK and what different energy companies are doing to retain staff. The following links may help you:
https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/personnel-today-awards-2019-shortlist-employer-branding-award/#:~:text=Personnel%20Today%20Awards%202019%3A%20SAP%20celebrates%20Employer%20Branding%20Award%20success,-By%20Personnel%20Today&text=Tech%20firm%20SAP%20scooped%20the,those%20of%20our%20other%20finalists.
https://blogs.sap.com/2019/04/21/sap-winning-at-2019-employer-brand-management-awards-ebma/
The poster presentation must include:
• An explanation of how “SAP” strategically positions itself in the competitive market place. Focus on the characteristics of employer of choice, employer branding and organisational image, and how these can be applied to OcMara. (AC1.1).
• An explanation of the changing labour market conditions and its impact in the UK. Make sure to discuss the differences between tight and loose labour market trends, focussing specifically on the energy sector. Your explanation should also include the decisions energy companies are taking in relation to retention strategies, recruitment methods and skill shortages in this sector caused by recent global crisis (AC1.2).
• A discussion of the role of the government, employers and trade unions in ensuring future skill needs are met in the UK global energy sector (AC1.3).
Your evidence must consist of:
Poster presentation notes should be approximately 800 words (+ or – 10%)
Task 2 – Workforce planning and recruitment pack
Now that you have completed your poster presentation, your manager has asked you to produce a workforce planning and recruitment pack. You will present this at the next HRBPS meeting, next month.
The workforce planning and recruitment pack must include an introduction, conclusion and the following points:
• An analysis of the impact of workforce planning in terms of forecasting demand for labour utilising both internal and external sources of supply (AC2.1).
• An Assessment of the effectiveness of promotion/demotion rates, employee turnover rates and critical incident analysis techniques which are used to support the process of workforce planning (AC2.2).
• An explanation of how appraisal can be used to identify who is interested in progression, managing contingency and mitigating risks through OcMara developing their own talent pools (AC2.3).
• An assessment of the use of social media and advertising to recruit employees. An assessment of interviews and job references as methods of selection. These assessments should highlight strengths and weaknesses (AC2.4).
• An assessment of how OcMara could introduce zero-hour and contractor contracts for the new staff it is hoping to recruit (AC4.1).
• A discussion on the differences between express and implied terms of contracts and what is meant by custom and practice (AC4.2).
• An explanation of how role information and socialisation can be included in an effective onboarding programme. An explanation as to the benefits of onboarding in terms of appreciation of the organisation’s culture and norms and employee effectiveness (AC4.3).
Your evidence must consist of:
A workforce planning and recruitment pack of approximately 1600 words.
Task 3 – Retention of talent proposal presentation pack
OcMara currently have the objective to retain talented staff. The people practices manager has asked you to produce a presentation that can be delivered at the next senior managers meeting. Produce a presentation pack with notes that will include:
• An explanation of how motivational issues and management style can impact retention and turnover rates within OcMara (AC3.1).
• A comparison of how training and development and workplace characteristics can be used to develop and retain talent for individual and groups of employees (AC3.2).
• An Assessment of how coaching and mentoring initiatives and performance reviews can be used to build and support different talent pools. (AC3.3).
• An Assessment of two benefits that diversity can bring to OcMara with regards to building and supporting talent pools (AC3.4).
• An explanation of the direct and indirect costs associated with dysfunctional employee turnover (AC3.5).
Your evidence must consist of:
Retention of Talent Proposal presentation pack of approximately 1200 words.
Assessment criteria evidence checklist
Use this as a checklist to make sure that you have included the required evidence to meet the task. Please enter the evidence title and where it can be referred to. An example has been provided for you.
Task 1 – Poster Presentation
Assessment Criteria Evidenced Y/N Evidence Reference (filename)
You must add in the name of the file you have used.
1.1 Explain how organisations strategically position themselves in competitive labour markets. Example eg
5HR02_PosterPresentation_yourname
1.2 Explain the impact of changing labour market conditions on resourcing decisions.
1.3 Discuss the role of government, employers and trade unions in ensuring future skills needs are met.
Task 2 – Workforce Planning and Recruitment Pack
Assessment Criteria Evidenced Y/N Evidence Reference (filename)
You must add in the name of the file you have used.
2.1 Analyse the impact of effective workforce planning.
2.2 Evaluate the techniques used to support the process of workforce planning.
2.3 Explain approaches to succession and contingency planning aimed at mitigating workforce risks.
2.4 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different methods of recruitment and selection to build effective workforces.
4.1 Assess suitable types of contractual arrangements dependent on specific workforce need.
4.2 Differentiate between the main types of contractual terms in contracts.
4.3 Explain the components and benefits of effective onboarding.
Task 2 – Retention of Talent Proposal Presentation Pack
Assessment Criteria Evidenced Y/N Evidence Reference (filename)
You must add in the name of the file you have used.
3.1 Examine turnover and retention trends and the factors that influence why people choose to leave or remain.
3.2 Compare different approaches to developing and retaining talent on an individual and group level.
3.3 Evaluate approaches that an organisation can take to build and support different talent pools.
3.4 Evaluate the benefits of diversity in building and supporting talent pools.
3.5 Explain the impact associated with dysfunctional employee turnover.
Assessment Criteria marking descriptors:
Assessors will mark in line with the following assessment criteria (AC) marking descriptors. They will indicate where the learner sits within the marking band range for each AC.
Assessors must provide a mark from 1 to 4 for each assessment criteria within the unit. Assessors should use the mark descriptor grid as guidance so they can provide comprehensive feedback that is developmental to leaners. Please be aware that not all the mark descriptors will be present in every assessment criterion, so the assessor must use their discretion in marking grading decisions.
The grid below shows the range for each unit assessment results based on total number of marks awarded across all assessment criteria.
To pass the unit assessment learners must achieve a 2 (Low Pass) or above for each of the assessment criteria.
The overall result achieved will dictate the outcome the learner receives for the unit, provided NONE of the assessment criteria have been failed or referred.
Please note that learners will receive a Pass or Fail result from the CIPD at unit level. Referral grades can be used internally by the centre.
Overall mark Unit result
0-29 Fail
30-38 Low Pass
39-48 Pass
50-60 High Pass
Marking Descriptors
Mark Range Descriptor
1 Fail Insufficient demonstration of knowledge, understanding or skills (as appropriate) required to meet the AC.
Insufficient examples included, where required, to support answers.
Presentation and structure of assignment is not appropriate and does not meet the assessment brief.
2 Low Pass Demonstrate an acceptable level of knowledge, understanding or skills (as appropriate) required to meet the AC.
Sufficient and acceptable examples included, where required, to support answers.
Required format adopted but some improvement required to the structure and presentation of the assignment.
Answers are acceptable but could be clearer in responding to the task and presented in a more coherent way.
3 Pass Demonstrates good knowledge, understanding or skills (as appropriate) required to meet the AC.
Includes confident use of examples, where required, to support each answer.
Presentation and structure of assignment is appropriate for the assessment brief.
Answers are clear and well expressed.
4 High Pass Demonstrates a wide range of confident level of knowledge, understanding or skill (as appropriate).
Includes strong examples that illustrate the point being made, that link and support the answer well.
Answers are applied to the case organisation or an alternative organisation.
Answers are clear, concise and well argued, directly respond to what has been asked.
The presentation of the assignment is well structured, coherent and focusses on the need of the questions.
Includes clear evidence of the use of references to wider reading to help inform answer.
