Talent Management in Retail Industry: A Case Study on Marks and Spencer

This study examines the talent management strategies employed by Marks and Spencer in the retail industry to attract and retain qualified employees. It explores the concept of talent management, the various practices used by the company, and the associated benefits. The study also discusses the challenges faced by managers in implementing talent management initiatives. A questionnaire survey is conducted to gather primary data for analysis.

Managing a Successful
Business Project

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1. Aim and objectives for the project........................................................................................3
P2. Project management plan......................................................................................................4
P3. Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart...........................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P4. Research methodology to achieve project aims and objective..............................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
P5. Analysis of data and findings................................................................................................9
P6. Recommendations...............................................................................................................14
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................15
P7. Reflection............................................................................................................................15
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................17
Project log-book.........................................................................................................................17
Performance review template....................................................................................................19

INTRODUCTION
Talent management is a fundamental notion in the management of an organization’s whole
workforce. This approach aids in the retention of talented employees for extended periods of
time, which can aid in the process of reducing the high costs associated with employee turnover
(Halperin and Heath, 2020). Some of the most efficient personnel management tactics are being
implemented by retail sector companies like Marks & Spencer for this aim. The current study
will examine the numerous basic management tactics that may be utilised, as well as the various
difficulties that must be addressed, in order to maximise the efficacy of retaining and attracting
qualified people.
TASK 1
P1. Aim and objectives for the project
Aim
“To assess the many forms of talent management methods used by the retail industry in order to
maintain and attract qualified employees.” A case study on Marks and Spencer.
Objectives
 To gain a fundamental understanding of the basic talent management practises utilised in
the retail industry
 To determine the various talent management tactics used by Marks and Spencer to retain
and attract qualified employees.
 To examine a variety of difficulties that managers and leaders confront when
implementing talent management initiatives.
Research question
 What is the fundamental principle of basic talent management in the retail industry?
 What are the various talent management tactics used by Marks and Spencer to retain and
attract qualified employees?
 What are some of the challenges that managers and executives encounter when it comes
to implementing talent management strategies?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Talent management practices used in retail sector

According to SUSAN, (2019), The term “talent management” refers to a way that a firm might
employ to bring in the right people and keep them on board for a long time. Furthermore, with
the help of talent management, noteworthy qualities of staff members can be highlighted,
allowing organisational goals to be met within a certain time frame (Coolican, 2017). Career
growth, learning, motivation, and many other aspects of personnel management are all important.
Talent management is now considered one of the most significant components of a business, as it
is linked to achieving a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Various talent management strategies adopted by Marks and Spencer for retaining and
attracting competent workforce
According to Corgi, (2021), Employee motivation, improved performance, and creativity are all
aspects of talent management that contribute to an organization's success. Furthermore, it
examines those strategies that are particularly useful for large organisations operating in a highly
competitive business climate. Marks and Spencer are a major retailer in the United Kingdom. It
has built a human resource management approach that allows it to continue to recruit and retain
talent over time (Ivanov and Dolgui, 2021). Different tactics are utilised by different
organisations in order to manage and retain talent. Targeted recruitment, job advertising, and the
usage of career portals were all used by the individual company to achieve this goal.
Issues faced by managers and leaders in implementation of talent management strategies
As per the view point of Andre (2018), It has been discovered that executing talent management
techniques presents a number of problems for managers and executives. One of the issues is
employee retention, as today’s employees are more focused on their careers and prefer to stay at
a job where they can advance their careers and gain new skills. Aside from that, another problem
is identifying high-potential talent, which is incredibly tough at the moment (Bertrand and
Hughes, 2017). Ineffective leadership is also an issue because managers are unable to guide and
facilitate suitable duties and responsibilities to staff members, resulting in activities not being
implemented successfully and on time.
P2. Project management plan
A project is described as a study that is carried out for the purpose of completing a specific
aspect and achieving the goal for which it was started. Furthermore, a project is primarily
established to fulfil a specific goal, and a good project management plan is essential to do this.
Project management is divided into several phases, including initiation, effective planning,

implementation, monitoring, and closure (Onwuegbuzie, Gerber and Schamroth Abrams, 2017).
Furthermore, a project management plan is made up of various components that an investigator
must accomplish. The following are the components:
Time: It is critical for researchers to schedule each and every research-related task so that
it can be completed in a timely way (Ntaopane and Vermeulen, 2019). The time allotted for this
inquiry is three months, in order to perform all of the research activities that must be completed
within that time frame.
Cost: It includes all of the projections that are made with precision in order to execute the
project on time. Setting a budget for a project and categorising it according to research activities
is critical for researchers (Flick, 2018). The budget for this inquiry is set at $800, and this
investigator will be responsible for the entire investigation.
Quality: All of the data in this study comes from primary and secondary sources that
have previously been acquired by experts and professionals, indicating that the project is of high
quality.
Scope: Talent management is a broad issue that allows businesses to improve their
profitability and productivity, as well as establish their brand image (Al-Lozi, Almomani and Al-
Hawary, 2017). This demonstrates that the current study’s scope is broad and provides a
balanced picture of the project’s many activities.
Risk: It has been determined that if risk factors are not detected, the project would fail,
resulting in the waste of all resources used. As a result, it is critical to detect the risk early and
properly resolve it (Valsiner, Chaudhary and Benetka, 2017).
Resources: Machines, personnel, and other resources are among the numerous resources
necessary in this study. It is believed that when resources are employed optimally, the project
will be successful and completed within the specified timeline.
According to the above-mentioned project management plan, every project management
plan aspect must be examined by a project manager in order for the objectives to be met on time.
P3. Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart
Work Breakdown Structure:
It is essentially a project management tool for systematic engineering. Furthermore, a work
breakdown structure is defined as a useful instrument for carrying out all activities and processes
in a methodical and orderly manner. It effectively categorises operations of the same sort in order

to achieve project goals that can be assessed more easily (Maurya and Agarwal, 2018). It is
critical for researchers to employ a work breakdown structure in order to break down the entire
project into manageable chunks and accomplish it within the allotted time frame. The current
study’s work breakdown structure is shown below:
Gantt Chart:
It is defined as a tool that is used to create a timeline for a specific project by displaying the
overall project schedule. Furthermore, a Gantt chart has numerous rows and columns, with the
top row representing the time frame of certain tasks and the left side reflecting project activities
(van den Broek, Boselie and Paauwe, 2018). To successfully grasp the Gantt chart diagram,
which is useful in examining the development of a particular project and measuring activities, it
will be shown. The current study’s Gantt chart is shown below:

TASK 2
P4. Research methodology to achieve project aims and objective
Primary data: It is the first and most important piece of information gathered by the
investigator. In this research, a questionnaire is utilised as the major data gathering technique to
analyse Marks and Spencer’s talent management techniques.
Secondary data: Secondary sources of information are those that are gathered from
existing or available sources. It entails gathering data from articles, books, and journals that are
readily available on a variety of internet platforms (Deters, 2017). The formulation of a literature
review is based on the overall lead aims and objectives in this research endeavour.
Quantitative methods: Data is collected and then presented in various charts and graphs
using this research method. It entails gathering information from a variety of respondents

through methods such as questionnaires and surveys, which will be used in the current research
report.
Qualitative methods: The exploratory research method is similar to the qualitative research
method. Different questions will be asked of the target category of respondents, and their
opinions will be collected based on their responses (Shikweni, Schurink and Van Wyk, 2019).
In the current study, the below-mentioned questionnaire is being developed for a sample
of 40 Marks and Spencer employees.
Questionnaire
Q1. Do you know how Marks and Spencer goes about implementing talent
management practises?
Frequency
a) Yes 35
b) No 5
Q2. What are some of the talent management practises employed by Marks
and Spencer in order to attract and retain skilled employees?
Frequency
a) Monetary benefits 7
b) better allowances 6
c) higher commitment of top management 7
d) offering of required training and development opportunities 20
Q3. Do you think personnel management practises will assist Marks &
Spencer achieve their targeted competitive advantage?
Frequency
a) Yes 34
b) No 6
Q4. What are the primary connected benefits of Marks and Spencer's
proper talent management?
Frequency
a) competitive workforce 4
b) Higher satisfaction level of customers 16
c) Enhancing the brand and market image 9
d) reduction of employee turnover 11
Q5. Is there a direct relationship between the talent management process
and employee satisfaction?
Frequency
a) Positive 25

b) Negative 10
c) Neutral 5
Q6. What are the problems that Marks and Spencer’s management faces
during the talent management process?
Frequency
a) Dissatisfied base of customers 12
b) Higher turnover of employees 10
c) Negative employees mind set 18
TASK 3
P5. Analysis of data and findings
Theme 1: Concept of talent management
Q1. Do you know how Marks and Spencer goes about implementing talent
management practises?
Frequency
a) Yes 35
b) No 5

Interpretation: When 40 respondents were asked about the application of talent management
strategies in Marks and Spencer, the above-mentioned graph revealed the following. 35 people
expressed a positive opinion, while the remaining five people expressed a negative opinion.
Theme 2: talent management practises that are used by Marks and Spencer
Q2. What are some of the talent management practises employed by Marks
and Spencer in order to attract and retain skilled employees?
Frequency
a) Monetary benefits 7
b) better allowances 6
c) higher commitment of top management 7
d) offering of required training and development opportunities 20
Interpretation: While 40 respondents were asked about alternative talent management methods
that Marks and Spencer may utilise to attract and retain talented employees. Money can be
utilised as a tactic, according to 7 respondents. Other 6 respondents believed that better
allowances could be used, while another 7 believed that top management should be more
committed, and the other 20 believed that appropriate training and development opportunities
should be provided.

Theme 3: effective talent management strategies
Q3. Do you think personnel management practises will assist Marks &
Spencer achieve their targeted competitive advantage?
Frequency
a) Yes 34
b) No 6
Interpretation: From the graph above, 40 respondents were asked about talent management
methods that could assist Marks and Spencer gain a desired competitive edge. Because 6
respondents had a negative attitude, 34 respondents had a good viewpoint.
Theme 4: associated benefits of appropriate talent management
Q4. What are the primary connected benefits of Marks and Spencer's
proper talent management?
Frequency
a) competitive workforce 4
b) Higher satisfaction level of employees 16
c) Enhancing the brand and market image 9
d) reduction of employee turnover 11

Interpretation: In Marks & Spencer, there was a question over the key connected benefits of
talent management. It can help produce a competitive workforce, according to four respondents,
and it can lead to improved employee satisfaction, according to sixteen others. It can assist
improve Marks & Spencer’s market image, according to 9 respondents, while it can also help
manage employee attrition, according to 11 others.
Theme 5: Direct relationship in the process of talent management
Q5. Is there a direct relationship between the talent management process
and employee satisfaction?
Frequency
a) Positive 25
b) Negative 10
c) Neutral 5

Interpretation: When asked if there was a direct link between the talent management process
and employee satisfaction, she said yes. Other than respondents, 25 respondents believed it may
lead to a positive relationship, ten respondents believed it could lead to a negative relationship,
and the other five respondents believed there was no relationship.
Theme 6: Challenges that are faced by management in course of talent management process
Q6. What are the problems that Marks and Spencer's management faces
during the talent management process?
Frequency
a) Dissatisfied base of customers 12
b) Higher turnover of employees 10
c) Negative employees mind set 18

Interpretation: When asked about the issues that Marks & Spencer faces in the personnel
management process, he said, 12 employees believe there is a disgruntled consumer base, 10
believe there is a higher employee turnover, and the remaining 18 believe there is a negative
employee mindset developing.
P6. Recommendations
Some of the recommendations that have been generated in the current course of the research
study are based on the above stated analysis of talent management techniques in Marks and
Spencer:
 When it comes to career growth opportunities, keep the following in mind: Employees
at Marks & Spencer will be offered a variety of training and development programmes on
a regular basis. It contains elements of both on-the-job and off-the-job training
approaches.
 Identification of the right talent at the right place: It is suggested that management
prioritise the process of finding the right individual for the right job. To achieve this,
employees must be given more autonomy and flexibility in order to improve their job
happiness and overall productivity.
 Creation of a healthy working environment: It is critical to build a healthy internal
working environment in order to foster a positive employee mindset. Individuals and the

broader workforce must be managed in this way, and more flexibility must be provided.
A suitable alignment of structure goals and organisational culture is required for this aim.
 Employee appreciation and development: Employees who go above and beyond the call
of duty should be recognised and rewarded. This procedure will aid in the creation of the
necessary competitive spirit among employees. Employee turnover will be reduced if
they are motivated and happy at work.
TASK 4
P7. Reflection
In this study, I had the opportunity to analyse the various talent management techniques utilised
by the retail sector in order to maintain their brilliant employees. The analysis of journal articles
and secondary sources of information is aided by a variety of available sources. Aside from that,
I concentrated on using a questionnaire as a way to acquire information from primary sources,
which are respondents who are current Marks & Spencer employees. My overall research
strength was utilising my current time management and communication skills, which aided in the
timely completion of study tasks. In addition, I used my conflict resolution abilities to address a
variety of challenges that arise during teamwork. However, difficulties in producing emails and
notices in the course of research work made it impossible to have some written form of
communication. As a result, I have realised that I need to focus on these factors that will aid me
in my study in the future. Overall, this work has been a fantastic experience that will aid in the
development of my current competence level so that I can work according to the needs of future
research projects.
CONCLUSION
The above-mentioned discussion it is concluded that the talent management process is critical for
managing an organization’s whole workforce. It is extremely beneficial in terms of maintaining
personnel for extended periods of time in order to control the costs connected with employee
turnover. This cost may be handled with the use of participative decision-making and higher
monetary and non-monetary perks, as employees will have long-term retention in an
organisation. This technique is extremely beneficial in maximising overall employee worth in
order to achieve the organization’s purpose and vision.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Al-Lozi, M.S., Almomani, R.Z.Q. and Al-Hawary, S.I.S., 2017. Impact of talent management on
achieving organizational excellence in Arab potash company in Jordan. Global Journal
of Management And Business Research.
Bertrand, I. and Hughes, P., 2017. Media research methods: Audiences, institutions, texts.
Macmillan International Higher Education.
Coolican, H., 2017. Research methods and statistics in psychology. Psychology Press.
Deters, J., 2017. Global leadership talent management: Successful selection of global leadership
talents as an integrated process. Emerald Group Publishing.
Flick, U., 2018. Doing triangulation and mixed methods (Vol. 8). Sage.
Halperin, S. and Heath, O., 2020. Political research: methods and practical skills. Oxford
University Press, USA.
Ivanov, D. and Dolgui, A., 2021. OR-methods for coping with the ripple effect in supply chains
during COVID-19 pandemic: Managerial insights and research
implications. International Journal of Production Economics, 232, p.107921.
Maurya, K.K. and Agarwal, M., 2018. Organisational talent management and perceived
employer branding. International Journal of Organizational Analysis.
Ntaopane, M. and Vermeulen, L., 2019. Integrated talent management in local government:
theories and philosophies to guide implementation practices. Journal of Public
Administration, 54(3), pp.378-400.
Onwuegbuzie, A.J., Gerber, H.R. and Schamroth Abrams, S., 2017. Mixed methods
research. The international encyclopedia of communication research methods, pp.1-33.
Shikweni, S., Schurink, W. and Van Wyk, R., 2019. Talent management in the South African
construction industry. SA Journal of human resource management, 17(1), pp.1-12.
Valsiner, J., Chaudhary, N. and Benetka, G., 2017. From methodology to methods in human
psychology. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
van den Broek, J., Boselie, P. and Paauwe, J., 2018. Cooperative innovation through a talent
management pool: A qualitative study on coopetition in healthcare. European
Management Journal, 36(1), pp.135-144.
Online
Talent management practices, 2019 [online] Available through;
<https://www.thebalancecareers.com/best-talent-management-practices-1917671>
StudyCorgi. 2021. Talent Management Strategies of Marks and Spencer. [online] Available
through;https://studycorgi.com/talent-management-strategies-of-marks-and-spencer
Talent management challenges, 2018. [online] Available through;
https://babington.co.uk/blog/leadership-management/6-challenges-of-talent-management/

APPENDIX
Project log-book
Project Logbook for the chosen organisation:
Name of the learner: Name of the Supervisor:
Project Title: Date:
Update of weekly research/ tasks achieved (Account
for a minimum of six weeks with dates)
 What have you completed?
 Did you fulfil Task requirements?
 Are you on track and within deadlines set?
 Did you need to make any changes to your
project management plan?
Comments
Aim: “To assess the many forms of talent
management methods used by the retail industry
in order to maintain and attract qualified
employees.” A case study on Marks and Spencer.
Yes
Yes, I finished within the time limit which was
18/01/2021 to 23/06/2021.
No
Any risks and / or issues identified? Did you identify risks/issues with a lack of
skills required for undertaking research
tasks?
 Did you identify any additional risks/issues
that have an impact on the project
management plan?
Some challenges develop throughout the research
process when gathering information is challenging
because some respondents are hesitant to give
their opinions.
No

Problems encountered
 What barriers did you face?
 How did you overcome them?
Some of the obstacles that may develop
throughout the process of acquiring the necessary
effective communication skills to communicate
with the target responders are listed below.
To deal with the problem, I concentrated on using
my verbal and written communication abilities to
persuade all of the replies of the security and
privacy of the data that would be submitted.
New Ideas and change of project direction After assessing my overall performance, I
determined that this assignment required a one-
week time frame, which would have aided in
reaching the desired goals in a more efficient
manner.
What Have I learnt about myself this week?
1) How did I feel when I had to deal with
tasks/problems?
2) Did I find it useful to complete the tasks?
3) How well have I performed? What did I
contribute?
4) What can I improve on next week?
5) How might this learning apply in the future?
I was disappointed with my performance levels,
and there was also dissatisfaction with some of the
team members’ non-cooperative behaviour.
Yes
I met the requirements by allocating all resources
and completing the assignment according to the
established standards.
I took part in team-building exercises that assisted
me in coping with communication challenges that

arose during my research.
During the project management process, I was
able to improve my interpersonal and logical
thinking skills, which will aid me in my future
research.
Tasks planned for next week
2) Which tasks is priority?
3) Have you set aside sufficient time for
completion?
During the course of my study report, I was able to
gather credible information for better project
attribution.
Yes
Project plan status to date (on, ahead, behind)
Supervisor comments to address
Signature of the Supervisor and date:
Performance review template
1. What was the Project supposed to accomplish?
Aim: “To assess the many forms of talent management methods used by the retail industry in
order to maintain and attract qualified employees.” A case study on Marks and Spencer.
2. Did the project succeed in its aims/ how do you know? Specifically, please outline
any evaluation and assessment undertaken.
Using primary and secondary information sources, the project was able to achieve its goals
and objectives.
3. What things do you think worked well and why? Evaluate all aspects of the project
(e.g initial inception, project activities and project outcomes) from a range of
perspectives.
I was able to get the information directly from Marks and Spencer’s staff. It aided me in

assessing the issue and educating students to reach meaningful conclusions in the time
allotted.
4. What problems emerged during the project and how were they tackled? Was there
timely identification of issues and resolution during the project process?
The main issue was that I was having trouble managing some of the team members, so I
used conflict resolution skills to help. Some respondents were hesitant to share their
information, which was another big concern that arose during the process of gathering
primary data. Another roadblock, in my opinion, was a lack of effective communication
skills to communicate with the target respondents.
5. What did you learn from undertaking the project?
The study taught me that developing interpersonal and communication skills will aid me
in future studies.
6. How would you rate your performance as a management consultant leading the
project?
I rate in my opinion is 8/10
7. What strengths and weakness of your performance did you identify?
My overall strength was my ability to conduct excellent research, and my weakness was my
inability to communicate verbally.
8. How will this inform and support your continuous professional development?
My collaborative working methods, conflict resolution skills, and other research abilities
assist me in resolving challenges that arise during study. It also helped me with my
ongoing professional development as a researcher.