Role of Line Managers and Leaders in Employee Development within UK Retail Industry

This research project focuses on identifying the roles played by leaders and line managers in talent management and development within a working environment of an organisation, with a case study of Next plc in the UK retail industry. The study uses quantitative research methods and a questionnaire to gather data, and finds that talent management is vital for improving productivity and employee skills, and that leaders and managers play important roles in making talent management successful. The study recommends that organisations focus on timely training and learning sessions.

RESEARCH PROJECT
(Role of line managers and leaders in
employee development within UK retail
industry)

ABSTRACT
Purpose: The motive of doing the existing study is identifying the different roles played
by leaders and line managers in talent management and development within a working
environment of an organisation. This also includes the determining the importance of managing
talent within the company so that productivity could be improved and skills of employees could
be enhanced.
Methodology: In the present study, quantitative research methods are considered so that
numerable information can be assembled in the systematic way. Quantitative data is gathered so
that relevancy and accuracy of the study could be maintained. An instrument of questionnaire is
also developed so that raw content could be assembled.
Findings: The main findings of the existing research is that majority of responders have
said that they believe managers and leaders are quite important as they are responsible for
making talent management success. It is also identified that respondents think that leaders
focuses on guiding employees so that they can perform their job with greater efficiency and
effectiveness.
Conclusion and recommendations: The conclusion of the study is that talent
management is vital aspect in the organisation. This can be developed by the support of line
managers and leaders. The recommendation is also given to organisation to focus more on timely
arrangement of training and learning sessions.

Table of Contents
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
Overview of the topic..................................................................................................................4
Research Aim, Objectives and Questions...................................................................................4
Research Rationale......................................................................................................................5
Significance of the research........................................................................................................5
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................7
What roles played by leaders and line managers within Next plc?.............................................7
What are the obligations of line managers and leaders in talent management and improvement
within Next plc?..........................................................................................................................8
How talent management and improvement helps Next plc in improvement of its business
performance?.............................................................................................................................10
Research gap.............................................................................................................................11
METHODOLOGY AND DATA COLLECTION.........................................................................11
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS.........................................................................14
Frequency Distribution Table...................................................................................................14
Data Presentation......................................................................................................................15
DISCUSSION ON SECONDARY BASIS...............................................................................22
Research Outcomes........................................................................................................................23
Covered in PPT.........................................................................................................................23
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS..........................................................................24
Conclusion................................................................................................................................24
Recommendations.....................................................................................................................24
REFLECTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY........................................................................................................................26
REFLECTION..........................................................................................................................26
ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.................................................................26
LESSONS LEARNT IN VIEW OF THE OUTCOMES..........................................................26
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................27

APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRE..............................................................................................29
APPENDIX 2: PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM............................................................................31
APPENDIX 3: RESEARCH ETHICS APPROVAL FORM........................................................37
APPENDIX 4: RESEARCH OUTCOMES (PPT)........................................................................42

INTRODUCTION
Overview of the topic
Employees are the individuals in an organisation who holds the responsibility of carrying
out activities and tasks within an organisation (Muhammed and Zaim, 2020). It is quite necessary
for company to focus on the management and development of its existing and new employees.
While recruiting employees, an organisation makes sure that it hires the best one from different
available candidates. These employees turn out be an asset for the company. It is a very well-
known fact that an organisation's most vital resource is its people and hence it is crucial that it
stays committed and loyal to them throughout (De Oliveira and et. al., 2019). Recruiting a
talented employee is quite significant what is more essential is the development of those talents.
Good talent management is a model that is considered by companies as one of their business
strategies. Talent management refers to the strategic management procedure including methods
for managing and upgrading the skill set of great potential employees for retaining them in a long
run and achieving the desired objectives of the company (Marescaux, De Winne and Forrier,
2019). This is the procedure which includes in-depth analysis and workforce planning for
identifying the gaps between the present and future skills needed and initiating development and
growth strategies to retain and train personnel through career development and growth. In the
present investigation, roles of line managers and leaders are identified for making positive
working environment and retaining employees in the workplace (Schermerhorn Jr, Bachrach and
Wright, 2020). The selected company for the existing research is Next Plc. It is a British
multinational footwear, home products and clothing retailer. The headquarters of the
organisation is located in Enderby, England.
Research Aim, Objectives and Questions
Research Aim
“To identify the roles played by leaders and line managers in talent management and
development within a working environment of an organisation”: A study on Next plc
Research Objectives
 To determine the roles played by leaders and line managers within Next plc
 To ascertain the responsibilities of line managers and leaders in talent management and
development within Next plc

 To identify the significance of talent management and development for Next plc
Research Questions
 What roles played by leaders and line managers within Next plc?
 What are the obligations of line managers and leaders in talent management and
improvement within Next plc?
 How talent management and improvement helps Next plc in improvement of its business
performance?
Research Rationale
The main reason of conducting the existing research is to carry out information about the
topic of talent management and the roles played by managers and leaders within an organisation
(Fletcher, 2019). In the present time, employees are the people who are considered as precious
asset and for this company adopts model of talent management. This study is quite important
because it revolves around the model of talent management and its different strategies to develop
and control employees in the organisation. There are two important objectives which are attained
by me by conducting existing investigation. In respect of personal perspective, I will get a
chance to increase my knowledge in different areas as well as increase my research skills. On the
other hand, in respect of professional perspective, I will learn about the different strategies
adopted by managers to retain its employees. This will be helpful and useful for me when I will
work as a manager in an organisation.
Significance of the research
The current investigation holds great significance because it focuses on carrying out in-
depth information about the several roles played by line managers and leaders in practice of
talent management in an organisation. This also highlights the efforts put by leaders and line
managers in the practice of talent management so that business performance and employee
productivity could be improved. Thus, this investigation is also quite significant for researchers,
organisations and students. In respect of researchers, this study is quite important as this will act
as secondary source for the collection of information about practice of talent management in an
organisation. In terms of students, this study can be useful for the attainment of their academic
objectives and goals. Basically, this gives them broader information about the topic of talent
management and roles performed by managers and leaders for successful implementation of
talent management practices. In respect of organisation, this study is also important because this

gives information about the talent management strategies used by large-scale companies. Hence,
this investigation will provide great data about the talent management strategies that can be
adopted by small-scale companies. Therefore, this is the study which is quite significant for the
attainment of pre-defined aim and objectives of the research.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review is a document that provides different sources on particular topic such as
journals, websites, books and government reports. It is generally written as a part of dissertation,
thesis and research paper for situating their work in relation to existing knowledge. Through
reviewing the literature review, researchers can identify what came before and what did or didn't
work for other researchers. Literature review helps in providing evidence that may be used to
support findings.
What roles played by leaders and line managers within Next plc?
As per the viewpoint of Audenaert and et. al., (2019), leaders and line manager plays a
vital role within organisation as they focuses on improving the overall efficiency and
productivity of business. Leaders plays a significant role in Next Plc as they provide direction to
employees in order to achieve the goals and objective of business. Line manager generally
oversee and evaluate the performance, contribution and development of employees. There are
various roles which are played by leaders and line managers within Next Plc are as follows:
Arranging training and development sessions is one of the role which is played by
leader and line manager within an organisation. They generally focuses on providing training and
development opportunity to employees in order to enhance their skills and knowledge. It is the
responsibility of leader and manager to organise training and development program for staff as it
helps in improving the performance and productivity of employees within Next Plc.
Continuously motivating employees is also a role which is played by manager and
leader within company. Leader and manager are responsible for motivating their employees so
that they can give productive outcomes in achieving the goals and objective of business. When
staff feels motivated they give better performance and also feel engaged in their work in
effective and efficient manner. By motivating staff, company can improve relations between
management and workers and also retain their top performers (Singh and et. al., 2020).
Timely communicating accurate and useful information is another role which is
performed by manager and leader within Next Plc. It is the reasonability of leader and line
manager to communicate the information in accurate and precise manner so that employees can
perform their roles and responsibility accordingly. Thus, by providing accurate information it

reduces the chances of miscommunication and misunderstanding due to which employees
accomplish their target in smooth and effective manner.
Managing time is a role which is played by manager and leader within a company. Line
manager and leader focuses on managing the time of employees so that they can meet the
deadlines of the task and accomplish their work in significant way. By managing time, line
manager and leader can reduce the stress of employees, improve focus, develop positive
reputation and also reach goals faster.
Offering rewards and appreciating workforce is also a role which is played by leader
and line manager within Next Plc. They generally improve the performance and efficiency of
employees by offering reward and appreciating them in workplace. By offering rewards,
company can increases the motivation and morale level of staff. Reward and appreciation also
helps in attracting top talent and also contributed to the well being of staff.
Maintaining & evaluating procedure is the significant role of line managers and leaders
in Next Plc. This includes keeping timely record of the performance of employees as well as
their attained objectives. It also involves the comparison of the outcomes and results of the
employees with their earlier performance so that difference or improvement could be carried out.
This process is also very beneficial at the time of appraisal and offering rewards to the
employees so that every employee can get relevant reward for their performance.
Recruiting, inducting and settling new staff is another important role of leaders and line
managers in an organisation. In this managers and leaders determine vacant job positions in the
company and then put advertisements for the same so that right number of candidate could apply
for the positions. After recruiting and selecting appropriate and relevant candidate, leaders fulfil
the vacant job position and play major role in attaining objectives of the organisation. After
recruiting employees, leaders and managers conduct induction sessions so that each employee
knows about each policy and principle of the company.
What are the obligations of line managers and leaders in talent management and improvement
within Next plc?
According to Figueroa and et. al., (2019), line manager and leader are also responsible for
managing talent management and improvement within Next plc. There are various
responsibilities of line manager and leader in talent management and improvement within
organisation they are as follows:

Developing flexible working environment is one of the responsibility of line manager
and leader within Next Plc. They generally focuses on developing flexible working environment
so that employees can work with dedication and give their better performance in achieving the
organisational goals and objective. Through developing flexible working environment, company
can attract top talents and also enhances the engagement level of staff due to which they
contribute their best efforts in order to make business successful.
Providing benefits and rewards is another responsibility of manager and leader within
organisation. They focuses on offering benefits and rewards to employees so that they can work
with dedication. Benefits and rewards helps in improving the engagement level of staff and also
creates positive workplace environment. By providing benefits and rewards, company can
increase the productivity of employees by making them feel appreciated (Singh and et. al., 2020).
Staffing and hiring is also a responsibility of line manager and leader in talent
management and improvement within Next Plc. They generally hire the best performers who
have potential to give better performance within Next Plc. The manager and leader of company
focuses on hiring talented employees by examining their qualification and experiences.
Supporting decision-making is a responsibility of line manager and leader in talent
management and improvement within Next Plc. They also focuses on supporting the decision
making of employees as it helps in increasing their participation level towards the brand. By
supporting the decision making process of employees, manager and leader increases their
motivation and productivity level.
Providing career development opportunities is the other significant responsibility of
leaders and line managers in the practice of talent management in Next Plc. Leaders and line
managers focus on determining the expectations of employees in relation to their future
development so that opportunities could be made in the workplace. This assists in offering
opportunities to employees so that they can grow and develop in their professional career. When
employees get opportunities related to career development then they perform their roles with
greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Arranging training and learning sessions is the other important responsibility of line
managers and leaders in the organisation because it is directly linked with the process of
improving skills and knowledge of employees. In this leaders and line managers identify the

areas where employee lack so that training and learning sessions can be organised according to
the requirement of employees as well as organisation.
Communicating small detail to big decisions is another significant responsibility of
leaders and line managers in a company. Employees are the individuals in the workplace who
work under managers and leaders so it becomes the responsibility of them to share every
important information at right time. This also includes conveying and communicating every
decision taken by the higher authorities of the company to each and every employee at right
time. Thus, this helps in creating environment which is transparent and conveys & communicates
in real-time situation.
How talent management and improvement helps Next plc in improvement of its business
performance?
According to Dirani and et. al., (2020), talent management plays an important role within
organisation as they focuses on improving the business performance of Next Plc. The team of
talent management generally make their employees feel engaged, motivated, skilled and also
allow them to work in the direction of attaining goals and objective of business.
Increase in productivity of the company is one of the role of talent management that
helps in improving the performance of Next Plc. The talent management team focuses on
improving the productivity of staff by offering them training and development opportunity.
Through organising training and development program, company can enhance the knowledge,
skills and efficiency of employees due to which they can give productive outcomes (Gallardo-
Gallardo, Thunnissen, M. and Scullion, 2020).
Customer satisfaction is also a role of talent management that helps Next plc in
improving the business performance. Talent management ensures that their staff must give better
output in achieving the goals and objective of business due to which they also provide training
and development opportunity to them. Through availing training and development program,
employees understand the need and requirement of customer which helps in making them feel
satisfied.
Improved employee engagement is also a factor through which talent management and
improvement can help company in improving the business performance. Talent management also
focuses on improving the employee engagement level due to which they give creative and
innovative ideas in improving the performance and growth of business.

Research gap
It is identified from the above mentioned literature review that there is a research gap i.e. lack of
information regarding roles played by leaders and line managers in talent management and
development within a working environment of an organisation. In previous studies, there was
lack of information about the roles of line managers and leaders in talent development. This is a
main gap that will be addressed within research report by using research questions.
METHODOLOGY AND DATA COLLECTION
Research methodology is a concept that focuses on gathering and analysing the data for
specific topic (Snyder, 2019). Through research methodology, researcher can exerted the overall
reliability of topic in effective and efficient manner.
Research approach:
Research approach is a detailed plan which is followed in research in order to understand
the research concepts in significant manner. There are mainly two types of research approach
such as deductive and inductive approach. The research approach is used by researcher for
collecting relevant information about the specific topic. In this research, researcher has chosen
deductive approach as it helps in evaluating the quantitative information within less time period.
The major benefit of using deductive approach is that it takes out the relevancy of gathered
numerical piece of information without consuming longer time period. This approach is quite
supportive with quantitative research in a systematic manner.
Research philosophy:
Research philosophy is a set of principles that covers the entire view of research. It is
divided into two forms such as positivism and interpretivism. In this research, the chosen
philosophy is positivism as it helps in collecting, evaluating and using quantitative data within
minimum cost and time period. Through using positivism philosophy, researcher can collect the
reliable information related research (Bloomfield and Fisher, 2019). The main advantage of the
positivism philosophy is that it facilitates in measuring accuracy of the assembled numerical
content in a systematic and proper way.
Research choice:
The research choice generally defines the area in which researcher choose the way of
collecting data (Hodge, 2020). Research choice is divided into two forms such as qualitative and
quantitative. Within this research quantitative research choice is chosen as it helps in providing

data in numbers and also it takes less time as compare to qualitative research choice. The main
benefit of quantitative choice is that it helps in the accumulation of relevant statistical figures so
that investigation could take out measurable and comparable outcomes. This also facilitates in
the accumulation and evaluation of numerical figures in the given limited period of time.
Research strategy:
Research strategy is used to gather and analyse the information related to the research.
There are different types of research strategy such as experiment, survey, action research and
many others (Acharyya and Bhattacharya, 2019). In this research, the chosen research strategy
is survey as it helps in collecting numerical and first hand information from large number of
sample size. The main advantage of the survey strategy is that it is less expensive and carries out
first-hand information in numerical and statistical form.
Time horizon:
Time horizon generally determine the time which is taken to accomplish the project.
There are two types of time horizon such as cross sectional and longitudinal. Under this research,
cross sectional time horizon is chosen as it helps in identifying the actual situation and also helps
in completing the task in effective and efficient manner (Bauer and Scheim, 2019).
Data collection:
Data collection is a method through which researcher collects and analyse the data related
to the research. It is divided into two forms such as primary data and secondary data. In this
research, primary and secondary data is used (Dzwigol, 2020). For collecting primary data,
questionnaire is used by researcher whereas for collecting secondary data, the researcher has
used articles, journals, books and many other sources. With the assistance of primary and
secondary source, researcher gathers combination of information which includes raw and
published data for attaining objectives.
Sampling:
Sampling are of two types such as probability and non-probability. Under this research,
probability is chosen method as it helps in selecting large number of respondents within
minimum time period (Leedy and Ormrod, 2019). In this research 30 employees are selected
randomly in order to collect the information. The main advantage of probability sampling is that
it follows random sampling method so that it shows there is no particular criteria for choosing
right type of respondent.

Data presentation:
In order to present data, there are some graphs and tables that are used by the researcher.
In order to analyse qualitative data, frequency distribution analysis is used.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS
Frequency Distribution Table
Q1) Do you have basic information about the concept of talent
management within the workplace of Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Q2) As per your perspective, what is the main role played by line
managers and leaders within Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Arranging training and development sessions 9
b) Continuously motivating employees 7
c) Timely communicating accurate and useful information 5
d) Managing time 4
e) Offering rewards and appreciating workforce 5
Q3) Do you think when line managers and leaders motivate
employees, eventually it assists in the retention of talent within
Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Yes 21
b) No 4
c) May be 5
Q4) As per your experience within Next Plc, what is the main
responsibility performed by line managers and leaders at
workplace?
Frequency
a) Developing flexible working environment 7
b) Providing benefits and rewards 4
c) Staffing and hiring 9
d) Making timely performance evaluations 5

e) Supporting decision-making 5
Q5) As per your gained knowledge, what is the significance of
talent management within Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Value creation and addition 7
b) Increase in productivity of the company 10
c) Customer satisfaction 8
d) Improved employee engagement 5
Q6) As per your perspective, what is the main talent management
initiatives that help line managers and leaders within Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Providing flexibility 7
b) Job rotation 10
c) Offering developmental opportunities 5
d) Maintaining individual's identity 8
Q7) Why it is significant for the leaders and line managers to
retain talent employees within Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Strengthening human capital structure 5
b) Building reputation of the company 8
c) Retaining finest employees 10
d) Attaining company objectives and targets 7
Data Presentation
Question 1: Basic information about the concept of talent management within the workplace
of Next Plc
Q1) Do you have basic information about the concept of talent
management within the workplace of Next Plc?
Frequency

a) Yes 25
b) No 5
a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
25
5
Interpretation: According to the above assembled piece of information, it is analysed
that 25 respondents have said yes that they do have basic information about the concept of talent
management within an organisation because they continuously work for the development of
employees. The other 5 participants have answered no they do not appropriate information about
the same as they believe this is quite broad concept.
Question 2: Main role played by line managers and leaders within Next Plc
Q2) As per your perspective, what is the main role played by line
managers and leaders within Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Arranging training and development sessions 9
b) Continuously motivating employees 7
c) Timely communicating accurate and useful information 5
d) Managing time 4
e) Offering rewards and appreciating workforce 5

0
2
4
6
8
9
7
5 4 5
Interpretation: With the above assembled data, it is evaluated that 9 respondents have
said that arranging training and development sessions is the main role because this related to
improving skill of employees. The other 7 respondents have said that continuously motivating
employees is the other role because this helps in positively influencing employees to do their
work with greater efficiency. Another 5 responders have responded that timely communication is
created by leaders and line managers as it builds communication platforms. Another 4
respondents have said that managing time is the other role because they focus on completing
activities at right time. The rest 5 responders have said that offering rewards and appreciating
workforce is another role so that employees can be encouraged and gain monetary benefits.
Question 3: Line managers and leaders motivate employees, eventually it assists in the
retention of talent within Next Plc
Q3) Do you think when line managers and leaders motivate
employees, eventually it assists in the retention of talent within
Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Yes 21
b) No 4

c) May be 5
a) Yes b) No c) May be
0
5
10
15
20
25
21
4 5
Interpretation: As per the above mentioned information, it is evaluated that 21
respondents have answered yes that line managers and leaders motivate employees, eventually it
assists in the retention of talent within Next Plc. It is believed that leaders and line managers
always try to find out the needs and expectations of employees in such a way through which
satisfaction level of employees could be improved.
Question 4: Main responsibility performed by line managers and leaders at workplace
Q4) As per your experience within Next Plc, what is the main
responsibility performed by line managers and leaders at
workplace?
Frequency
a) Developing flexible working environment 7
b) Providing benefits and rewards 4
c) Staffing and hiring 9
d) Making timely performance evaluations 5

e) Supporting decision-making 5
0
2
4
6
8 7
4
9
5 5
Interpretation: According to the above data, it is understood that 9 respondents have
answered that staffing and hiring is the main responsibility performed by line managers and
leaders at workplace because employees are hired who have great knowledge as well as
contribute in improving diversity level in the workplace. This assists in completing goals and
targets of the organisation by decreasing the level of wastages.
Question 5: Significance of talent management within Next Plc
Q5) As per your gained knowledge, what is the significance of
talent management within Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Value creation and addition 7
b) Increase in productivity of the company 10
c) Customer satisfaction 8
d) Improved employee engagement 5

a) Value creation and addition
b) Increase in productivity of the company
c) Customer satisfaction
d) Improved employee engagement
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
7
10
8
5
Interpretation: As per the above accumulated piece of information, it is understood that
10 respondents have said that increase in productivity of the company is the main significance of
talent management within an organisation because it is linked with the aligning needs of the
employees with the defined targets of the organisations. Productivity of the company is linked
with the efforts put by employees working in the organisation.
Question 6: Main talent management initiatives that help line managers and leaders within
Next Plc
Q6) As per your perspective, what is the main talent management
initiatives that help line managers and leaders within Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Providing flexibility 7
b) Job rotation 10
c) Offering developmental opportunities 5
d) Maintaining individual's identity 8

a) Providing flexibility
b) Job rotation
c) Offering developmental opportunities
d) Maintaining individual's identity
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
7
10
5
8
Interpretation: With the above detailed information it is understood that 10 respondents
have said that job rotation is one of the main talent management initiatives that assist line
managers and leaders within the company. Job rotation is the initiative that focuses on providing
opportunities to employees for working in different job positions.
Question 7: Leaders and line managers to retain talent employees within Next Plc
Q7) Why it is significant for the leaders and line managers to
retain talent employees within Next Plc?
Frequency
a) Strengthening human capital structure 5
b) Building reputation of the company 8
c) Retaining finest employees 10
d) Attaining company objectives and targets 7

0
2
4
6
8
10
5
8
10
7
Interpretation: As per the above included information, it is evaluated that 10 respondents
have answered that retaining finest employees is the one of the main reasons for retaining
talented employees because it is directly linked with the fulfilment of targets and objectives. The
other 8 respondents have said that building reputation of the company is the other significance as
this assists in creating positive mind-set among customers in relation to the organisation.
DISCUSSION ON SECONDARY BASIS
Roles played by leaders and line managers within Next plc
As per the information collected in the section of literature review, it is determined that
line managers and leaders are the most important people in an organisation because they perform
certain responsibilities and roles through which company accomplishes pre-defined objectives.
Line managers and leaders oversee and examine the contribution and performance of employees
so that relevant results could be carried out (Audenaert and et. al., 2019). This includes training
and development sessions, motivating employees, timely communication of accurate and
relevant information etc. Therefore, as per the gathered information through published sources it
is identified that managers and leaders play significant role in overall management of employees.
Obligations of line managers and leaders in talent management and improvement
According to the data assembled in the section of literature review it is analysed that
leaders and line managers are greatly responsible for managing talent and improving business

performance. It is identified that developing flexible working environment creates dedication
among employees in such a way that they increase their efforts to meet pre-defined aim and
objectives (Figueroa and et. al., 2019). Thus, it is generated that leaders and line managers
generally do not give flexible working environment due work pressure on them.
Talent management and improvement helps Next plc in improvement of its business
performance
With the above mentioned data, it is analysed that talent management is the practice that
helps in the management of employees along with increased business performance. Talent
management is the concept in an organisation that majorly assists in managing employees so that
productivity of the organisation could be enhanced (Dirani and et. al., 2020). Though, it is
identified that talent management only focuses on the management of workforce and it does not
give much attention to the area of customer satisfaction and service.
Research Outcomes
Covered in PPT

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion
It is being concluded from the above information that talent management influences the
performance and growth of organisation. It is important for the company to focus on creating
effective talent management team so that they can attract and retain top performers and also
improve the productivity and performance of business. Leaders and manager generally plays
various roles within an organisation which helps in enhancing the growth and performance of
organisation such as arranging training and development sessions, motivating staff,
communicating accurate and useful information, managing time and offering rewards. Line
manager and leader focuses on providing training and development opportunity to employees so
that they can increase job satisfaction and morale of staff. They also enhance the motivation level
of staff by offering them positive workplace so that they can work with dedication and
accomplish the target within set deadlines. Organisation generally motivates staff through
offering rewards and appreciation. Leaders and manager also communicates the valid
information to employees related to organisation so that they can know day to day activities of
business. Line manager and leader are also responsible for developing flexible working
environment, providing benefits and rewards, making timely performance evaluation and
supporting decision making. Thus, manager and leader are responsible for creating positive
working environment within organisation so that employees can work without any issues and
conflicts. Talent management also helps in improving the organisational performance by
increasing productivity of business, improving employee engagement, satisfying customer and
also creating value.
Recommendations
 It is being recommended from the above information that Next Plc must focus on
attracting and retaining top performers so that they can gain competitive advantage in
market. In order to attract and retain employees, it is important to offer appealing benefits
and perks, provide room for growth, offer flexible schedule and also demonstrate pleasant
work culture. The leader and manager of Next plc must focus on hiring talented and
highly skilled employees who can work with dedication and also give their better
outcomes.

 It is important for the leader and manager of Next plc to retain their talented employees
by strengthening human capital structure, building reputation of company and improving
the performance of organisation. Through retaining employees company can gain
competitive edge and also sustain in market for long run.
 In order to improve the engagement and participation level of staff, it is important for
Next plc to focus on providing flexibility to employees as it helps in improving the
retention rate of employees and and also enhances the diversity within workplace.
 Next plc must also focus on organising training and development programs on timely
basis in order to make them aware about the new and advanced technology, By providing
training and development opportunity, company can enhance the productive and
performance of employees within an organisation.

REFLECTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF ALTERNATIVE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
REFLECTION
I am grateful that I received an opportunity to conduct a research. By conducting research
I was able to determine strengths and weaknesses of myself. With the research, I have learnt that
I am great at solving problems. I work with great patience which has assisted me in attaining
objectives of the investigation. On the other hand, I have understood that I need to work on my
time management skill because while conducting study I have identified that I was not able to
complete activities at right time. I have also learnt about the different research methods to collect
and analyse information in a systematic way. Questionnaire was developed by me for the
collection of first-hand information in a proper manner. I have understood that questionnaire is
right instrument that helps in the accumulation of raw piece of information directly from the
source. Frequency distribution analysis and MS-Excel are used by me for the evaluation of
numerical data in a systematic way. MS-Excel is considered by for the formation of graphs and
tabular form.
ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In the current investigation questionnaire is developed for the collection of primary piece
of information and also helped in the accumulation of numerical piece of information. The
alternative research methodology that can be considered by researcher in the future is interview.
Interview is the method that will assist in collecting detailed and in-depth opinions and views by
selected respondents.
LESSONS LEARNT IN VIEW OF THE OUTCOMES
The lessons I have learnt by conducting the current study is that talent management is the
concept that is adopted by organisation with the motive of welfare and development of
employees within an organisation. I have also learnt that leaders and line managers are the
people in an organisation who make great efforts to make their employees satisfied in the
organisation through giving flexibility, maintaining work-life balance, increasing monetary
benefits etc. Therefore, talent management is quite vital for an organisation so that productivity
of the employees and organisation could be improved.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Acharyya, R. and Bhattacharya, N. eds., 2019. Research methodology for social sciences. Taylor
& Francis.
Al-Hussaini, S.H. and et. al., 2019. Impact of talent management strategies on employee
performance behaviour with the mediating role of talent management outputs. Archives
of Business Research, 7(3).
Alves, P. and et. al., 2020. Strategic talent management: The impact of employer branding on the
affective commitment of employees. Sustainability, 12(23), p.9993.
Audenaert and et. al., 2019. When employee performance management affects individual
innovation in public organizations: The role of consistency and LMX. The International
Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(5), pp.815-834.
Bauer, G. R. and Scheim, A. I., 2019. Methods for analytic intercategorical intersectionality in
quantitative research: discrimination as a mediator of health inequalities. Social Science
& Medicine, 226, pp.236-245.
Bloomfield, J. and Fisher, M. J., 2019. Quantitative research design. Journal of the Australasian
Rehabilitation Nurses Association, 22(2), pp.27-30.
Bonneton, D., Festing, M. and Muratbekova‐Touron, M., 2020. Exclusive Talent Management:
Unveiling the Mechanisms of the Construction of an Elite Community. European
Management Review, 17(4), pp.993-1013.
Boselie, P., Thunnissen, M. and Monster, J., 2021. Talent management and performance in the
public sector. In The Routledge Companion to Talent Management (pp. 201-214).
Routledge.
De Oliveira and et. al., 2019. The interactive effects of organizational and leadership career
management support on job satisfaction and turnover intention. The International
Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(10), pp.1583-1603.
Dirani and et. al., 2020. Leadership competencies and the essential role of human resource
development in times of crisis: a response to Covid-19 pandemic. Human Resource
Development International, 23(4), pp.380-394.
Dries, N., Marescaux, E. and Van Zelderen, A., 2021. Talent Management and Career
Management. In The Routledge Companion to Talent Management (pp. 265-279).
Routledge.
Dzimbiri, G.L. and Molefakgotla, A.M., 2021. Talent management practices: perception of
registered nurses in Malawian public hospitals. African Journal of Economic and
Management Studies.
Dzwigol, H., 2020. Innovation in marketing research: quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Edenfield, A.C., 2019. Research in cooperatives: Developing a politically conscious research
methodology. Technical Communication Quarterly, 28(4), pp.376-390.
Federighi, P., 2019. Research methodology in adult learning and education. Revista de Științe ale
Educației, 39(1), pp.58-73.
Figueroa and et. al., 2019. Priorities and challenges for health leadership and workforce
management globally: a rapid review. BMC health services research, 19(1), pp.1-11.
Fletcher, L., 2019. How can personal development lead to increased engagement? The roles of
meaningfulness and perceived line manager relations. The International Journal of
Human Resource Management, 30(7), pp.1203-1226.

Gallardo-Gallardo, E., Thunnissen, M. and Scullion, H., 2020. Talent management: context
matters. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 31(4), pp.457-473.
Hodge, S .R., 2020. Quantitative research. In Routledge Handbook of Adapted Physical
Education (pp. 147-162). Routledge.
Kabwe, C. and Okorie, C., 2019. The efficacy of talent management in international business:
The case of European multinationals. Thunderbird International Business
Review, 61(6), pp.857-872.
Leedy, P. D. and Ormrod, J. E., 2019. Practical research: Planning and design. Pearson. One
Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458.
Logosha, R. and et. al., 2019. Market Institute: research methodology in context of basic
cognitive approaches.
Marescaux, E., De Winne, S. and Forrier, A., 2019. Developmental HRM, employee well‐being
and performance: The moderating role of developing leadership. European
Management Review, 16(2), pp.317-331.
Meng, J. and Berger, B.K., 2018. Maximizing the potential of millennial communication
professionals in the workplace: A talent management approach in the field of strategic
communication. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 12(5), pp.507-525.
Merlevede, P., 2018. Talent management: A focus on excellence.
Muhammed, S. and Zaim, H., 2020. Peer knowledge sharing and organizational performance:
the role of leadership support and knowledge management success. Journal of
Knowledge Management.
Next plc - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background
Information on Next plc. 2022. [Online]. Available Through: <
https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/0/Next-plc.html >
Ott, D.L., Tolentino, J.L. and Michailova, S., 2018. Effective talent retention approaches. Human
resource management international digest.
Ritz, A. and Thom, N. eds., 2018. Talent management: Talente identifizieren, Kompetenzen
entwickeln, Leistungsträger erhalten. Springer-Verlag.
Schermerhorn Jr, J. R., Bachrach, D. G. and Wright, B., 2020. Management. John Wiley & Sons.
Singh and et. al., 2020. Green innovation and environmental performance: The role of green
transformational leadership and green human resource management. Technological
Forecasting and Social Change, 150, p.119762.
Singh and et. al., 2020. Green innovation and environmental performance: The role of green
transformational leadership and green human resource management. Technological
Forecasting and Social Change, 150, p.119762.
Snyder, H., 2019. Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and
guidelines. Journal of business research, 104, pp.333-339.
Swailes, S., 2019. Talent management: Gestation, birth, and innovation diffusion. In Managing
talent (pp. 1-20). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRE
Q1) Do you have basic information about the concept of talent management within the
workplace of Next Plc?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) As per your perspective, what is the main role played by line managers and leaders within
Next Plc?
a) Arranging training and development sessions
b) Continuously motivating employees
c) Timely communicating accurate and useful information
d) Managing time
e) Offering rewards and appreciating workforce
Q3) Do you think when line managers and leaders motivate employees, eventually it assists in
the retention of talent within Next Plc?
a) Yes
b) No
c) May be
Q4) As per your experience within Next Plc, what is the main responsibility performed by line
managers and leaders at workplace?
a) Developing flexible working environment
b) Providing benefits and rewards
c) Staffing and hiring
d) Making timely performance evaluations
e) Supporting decision-making
Q5) As per your gained knowledge, what is the significance of talent management within Next
Plc?
a) Value creation and addition
b) Increase in productivity of the company
c) Customer satisfaction

d) Improved employee engagement
Q6) As per your perspective, what is the main talent management initiatives that help line
managers and leaders within Next Plc?
a) Providing flexibility
b) Job rotation
c) Offering developmental opportunities
d) Maintaining individual's identity
Q7) Why it is significant for the leaders and line managers to retain talent employees within
Next Plc?
a) Strengthening human capital structure
b) Building reputation of the company
c) Retaining finest employees
d) Attaining company objectives and targets

APPENDIX 2: PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM
Student Name
ID Number
Centre Name
Tutor
Proposed Title The role of line managers and leaders in employee development within
UK retail industry
Section One: Title, aims, objectives
Title:
The contribution of leaders and line managers and in developing employees in UK r;etail industry
Introduction
Talent management is the process used for retaining talented or knowledgeable workforce within a working
environment. in talent management, leaders and line managers are played various roles that are training and
development, motivation, developing flexible working environment, and providing rewards and benefits
(Al-Hussaini and et. al., 2019). Within this research, Next plc is a chosen fashion retailer that was founded in
1864 by the Joseph Hepworth. Talent management at workplace is more beneficial for Next plc in retaining
finest talent, helps an organisation in accomplishment of vision, improves customer satisfaction and many
others (Next plc - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on
Next plc, 2022). There are several initiatives or actions that would be taken by Next plc while managing and
developing talented employees at workplace. These are; succession planning, relationship management,
training and development, job rotation, role design, providing opportunities, recognition and reward,
maintaining individual identity etc.
Aim:
“To identify the roles played by leaders and line managers in talent management and development within a
working environment of an organisation”: A study on Next plc
Objectives:
 To determine the roles played by leaders and line managers within Next plc
 To ascertain the responsibilities of line managers and leaders in talent management and development

within Next plc
 To identify the significance of talent management and development for Next plc
Questions:
 What roles played by leaders and line managers within Next plc?
 What are the obligations of line managers and leaders in talent management and improvement within
Next plc?
 How talent management and improvement helps Next plc in improvement of its business
performance?
Section Two: Reasons for choosing this project
The reason behind conducting this study is to identify the role of line managers and leaders in employee
development within UK retail industry. Current study is significant for various stakeholders that are
managers, leaders, employees, researcher and students. For managers and leaders, this research helps them
in identifying their roles and responsibilities in context to talent management and development. In context to
the students, this research assists them by enhancing their knowledge regarding the role of line managers and
leaders in talent development and management within UK retail industry. For employees, this research
facilitates them in increasing the motivation at workplace. My person interest regarding selection of present
investigation is to improve my research skills including data collection, decision making, time management,
presentation and many others. My future plan behind doing this research is it helps me by providing
employment in retail industry.
Section Three: Precedents and sources
What are the roles played by leaders and line managers within Next plc?
According to Alves and et. al., (2020), Leaders and line managers within a company played various roles.
The main or important role of leader is to give accurate direction to workers so that they can achieve vision
and goals of business. Leaders generally act as a motivator, mentor, learner, communicator and navigator.
As per the opinion of Bonneton, Festing and Muratbekova‐Touron (2020), Line manager also plays a
significant role in organisation as they encourage employees to perform best and give their productive
outcomes in accomplishing the goals and objective of business. The main role of line manager is to plan,
organise, staff, lead and control the activities of organisation in order to succeed in market. Line manager
generally hire and recruit the talented employees and also deploys the resources in order to achieve business
goals and objective.
On the other hand, Boselie, Thunnissen and Monster (2021), there are also various roles played by line
managers and leaders within Next plc. These are explained below;
Training and development: This is one of the main roles played by line manager at workplace. This role
helps managers in increasing employees’ knowledge about the business that turn to impact in increased
employee engagement.
Motivation: This is an important role played by leader within a workplace of Next Plc Leader at workplace
motivate their employees by providing accurate guidance regarding business activities.
What are the responsibilities of line managers and leaders in talent management and development within
Next plc?
As per the opinion of Dries, Marescaux and Van Zelderen (2021), responsibilities of line manager are to

engage the employees in business activities and implement the tools and process of talent management.
When it comes to talent management, the responsibility of manager is to identify and provide training
opportunity to them in order to improve their skills and knowledge. It is important for Next plc to focus on
identify the best talent according to their expected qualification and experience. They are responsible to
manage daily operational activities, communicate with staff, plan activities, set goals, motivate staff and
evaluate the performance of staff.
As per the opinion of Dzimbiri and Molefakgotla (2021), leaders also play a significant role in talent
management as they determine the skills and competencies which are required among staff for gaining
company's success. They are responsible for supervising the daily activity, encourage subordinates, manage
conflicts, mentor the subordinates and also communicate clearly. It is important for leader to focus on
improving the performance of employees and also encourage them to participate in business activities by
sharing their opinions and feedbacks.
On the other hand, Kabwe and Okorie (2019), there are various responsibilities of leaders and line managers
in talent development and management within Next plc. These are defined below;
Developing flexible working environment: This is main responsibility of manager within Next Plc.
Developing flexible working environment is important in increasing employee motivation that resulted in
development and management of talented employees at workplace.
Providing rewards and benefits: This is another responsibility that done by the line managers and leaders
of Next plc. This responsibility helps managers in increment of employee satisfaction that turn to impact in
management and development of talent.
How talent management and development significant for Next plc?
As per the viewpoint of Meng and Berger (2018), talent management plays a vital role in improving the
performance and efficiency of business as they engaged, skilled and motivate employees to give their
productive output in accomplishing the business goals. Next plc must have effective talent management
team that provide direction to company's business goals and also increases customer satisfaction. Talent
management team is important in Next plc as it helps in delivering better business value and outcomes. They
generally focus on attracting, developing and retaining the top employees who give their productive output
in improving the performance of business.
As per the opinion of Merlevede (2018), Next plc needs to build viable workforce by capitalising in
continuous learning as well as skill development and managing and optimising performance. The main
motive of talent management team is to optimise employee performance, increase productivity, lower
recruitment cost and enhance the level of staff engagement.
On the other hand, Ott, Tolentino and Michailova (2018), there are various benefits of talent management
and development. These are;
Improved business performance: Talented employees at workplace work effectively that resulted in
improved business performance and growth.
Strengthens human capital structure of an organisation: Management and development of the talent
strengthens the organisational structure by developing strong human capital.
Section Four: Activities and timescales
Activities to be carried out during the project
How long this will take?

It has been determined from the above stated Gantt chart, it has been defined that there are various activities
that has plays an important role in completing full project systematically. These activities are explained
below;
Introduction: For completing this activity, researcher will require minimum 1 week.
Aim and objectives: For developing aim and objectives, researcher will need around 1 week.
Literature review: For doing this activity, an investigator will need around 1.5 weeks.
Research methodology: In order to complete this activity, a researcher will require around 1 week.
Data collection: For completing this activity, a researcher will need around 1.5 weeks.
Data analysis: 1 week will be requiring for completing this activity in effective manner.
Conclusion and recommendations: 1 week is sufficient for completing this activity effectively and
successfully.
Reflection: For reflecting my overall research journey, we will need around 1 week.
Submission of final draft: 1 week is sufficient for me in submitting final draft.
Section Five: Research methodology
Research methodology refers to the procedure used for collecting and analysing data regarding the topic.
This part of the research has various methodologies that explained below;
Research approach: This part of the methodology has two main approaches such as inductive and
deductive. These are effective approaches but within this research deductive will be a selected approach.
Main reason behind the choice of deductive approach is it helps in evaluating quantitative information
within less time period (Ritz and Thom, 2018).
Research philosophy: There are two philosophies of the research such as positivism and interpretivisim
(Swailes, 2019). Within this research, positivism will be a selected philosophy because it supports researcher
in gathering, evaluating and using quantitative data within minimum time and cost.
Research choice: Qualitative and quantitative are two essential; choices of the research. Both choices of the
research are essential but within this research, quantitative will be an effective choice because it provides
data in numbers as well as not takes maximum time as compared to qualitative choice (Kumar, 2018).
Research strategy: There are various types of research strategies that are survey, experiment, action
research and many others (Swailes, 2019). All these are main strategies but within current research, survey
will be a chosen strategy because it helps in collecting first-hand and numerical information from larger
sample sizes.
Time horizon: There are basically two approaches of the time-horizon that are cross-sectional and
longitudinal (Logosha and et. al., 2019). Both approaches are effective but within this investigation, cross-
sectional approach will be selected by researcher. Main purpose about the selection of cross-sectional
approach is it facilitate in identifying actual situation and also helps in completing full project within
minimum time period.
Data collection: Primary and secondary are two methods of data collection that will be used within a current
study (Edenfield, 2019). In order to collect primary data, questionnaire as a research instrument will be
applied by researcher and for gathering secondary information, books, articles, journals and many others.
These are essential methods within current researcher for achieving aim and objectives of the research in
effective manner.

Sampling: There are two techniques of sampling such as probability and non-probability. In this research
probability will be a selected technique because it helps in selecting larger base of respondents within
minimum time period (Federighi, 2019). By using probability sampling, 30 employees of Next plc will be
selected randomly.
Data presentation: In order to present quantitative or primary data, Ms-excel will be used for making tables
and graphs. Frequency distribution analysis will be used for analysing quantitative data. The reason behind
the selection of frequency distribution analysis is it not require maximum time.
Milestone one:
Milestone one target date (set by tutor):
Milestone two:
Milestone two target date (set by tutor):
Comments and agreement from tutor
Comments (optional):
I confirm that the project is not work which has been or will be submitted for another qualification and is
appropriate.
Agreed by:
Tutor name: Date:

APPENDIX 3: RESEARCH ETHICS APPROVAL FORM
All students conducting research activity that involves human participants or the use of data,
collected from human participants, may be required to gain ethical approval before commencing
their research.
Please answer all relevant questions and note that your form may be returned if incomplete.
For further support and guidance please see your Unit Tutor.
Before completing this form, we advise that you discuss your proposed research fully with your
Unit Tutor. Please complete this form in good time before your research project is due to
commence.
Section One: Basic details
Student Name
ID Number
Centre Name
Project Title
The role of line managers and leaders in employee development within
UK retail industry
Section Two: Project summary
Please select all research methods that you
plan to use as part of your project:
Interviews
Questionnaires ✓
Observations
Use of Personal Records
Data Analysis ✓
Action Research
Focus Groups
Other (please specify Secondary research
Section Three: Participants
Yes No
Will your research involve human participants? yes

Ages
12–16
Young
people
aged
17–18
Adults
Who are the participants? Tick all that apply Adult
How will participants be recruited (identified and approached)?
Answer: By using probability sampling, 30 employees of Next plc will be selected
randomly.
Describe the process you will use to inform participants about what you are doing:
Answer: E-mail and questionnaire will use to inform participants regarding the work.
How will you obtain consent from participants? Will this be written? How will it be made
clear to participants that they may withdraw consent to participate at any time?
Answer: By providing accurate information regarding the research to the participants,
informed consent will be obtained from the respondents.
Studies involving questionnaires Yes No
Will participants be given the option of omitting questions they do not
wish to answer?
yes
If No, please explain why
below and ensure that you
cover any ethical issues arising
from this:
Answer:
Studies involving questionnaires Yes No

Will participants be given the option of omitting questions they do not
wish to answer?
yes
Studies involving observation Yes No
Confirm whether participants will be asked for their informed consent to
be approved.
yes
Yes No
Will you debrief participants at the end of their participation? (e.g.
give them a brief explanation of the study)
yes
Yes No
Will participants be given information about the findings of your
study? (This could be a summary of your findings generally)
yes
Section Four: Data storage and security
Yes No
Confirm that all personal data will be stored and processed in
compliance with the Data Protection Act (1998)
yes
Who will have access to the data and personal information?
Answer: myself Supervisor
During the research
Where will the data be stored?
Answer:
In My computer
Yes No
Will mobile devices, such as USB storage and laptops, be used? no
If yes, please provide further
details:

Answer:
After the research
Where will the data be stored?
Answer:
On USB
How long will the data and
records be kept, and in what
format?
Answer:
Until I don’t need them
anymore.
Yes No
Will the data be kept for use by other researchers? no
If yes, please provide further
details:
Answer:
Section Five: Ethical issues
Are there any particular features of your proposed work which may raise ethical concerns? If so,
please outline how you will deal with these:
It is important that you demonstrate your awareness of potential risks that may arise as a result of
your research. Please consider/address all issues that may apply. Ethical concerns may include,
but
are not limited to the following:
 informed consent
 potentially vulnerable participants
 sensitive topics
 risks to participants and/or researchers
 confidentiality/anonymity
 disclosures/limits to confidentiality
 data storage and security, both during and after the research (including transfer, sharing,
 encryption, protection)
 reporting

 dissemination and use of your findings.
Section Six: Declaration
Yes No
I have read, understood and will abide by the [insert name of
college/centre] Research Ethics Policy
yes
Yes No
I have discussed the ethical issues relating to my research with my tutor yes
I confirm that, to the best of my knowledge, the above information is correct and that this is a
full description of the ethical issues that may arise in the course of my/our research.
Student Name: Florin Popescu Date 13/12/2021

APPENDIX 4: RESEARCH OUTCOMES (PPT)