Current Trends and Challenges Impacting Talent Management Strategies: A Study on Unilever in UK Retail Sector

Unit 11 – Research Project
(Current trends and challenges impacting on talent
management strategies of the organisation in retail
sector of United Kingdom. A study on Unilever)

Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................4
1.1 Research Aim and Rationale.............................................................................................................................4
1.2 Research Questions.......................................................................................................................................... 4
1.3 Research Objectives.........................................................................................................................................4
1.4 Significance of the Research.............................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW...............................................................................................................5
What are the current trends pertaining to talent management?...............................................................................5
What are the challenges that are bear by organisation in managing talented employees in the company?..............6
What are key strategies that are used by Unilever to attract maximum number of highly qualified, talented
individual in the firm for its overall benefits?.........................................................................................................6
What are suggested strategies that are being utilised by Human resource manager in managing talent employees
for longer time frame?............................................................................................................................................7
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................................8
3.1 Research Approach...........................................................................................................................................8
3.2 Research Strategy.............................................................................................................................................8
3.3 Research Methodology.....................................................................................................................................8
3.4 Research Tools.................................................................................................................................................8
3.5 Sampling.......................................................................................................................................................... 9
3.5.1 Identifying Population and Research Site......................................................................................................9
3.5.2 Sampling Strategy..........................................................................................................................................9
CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS (DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION).......................................................10
Frequency Distribution Table...............................................................................................................................10
Data Interpretation................................................................................................................................................13
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION..............................................................................................................................21
CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................................23
RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................................................................................23
IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH.................................................................................................23
REFLECTION ON RESEARCH METHODS.....................................................................................................24
ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................24
REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................................................... 25

APPENDIX 1.............................................................................................................................................................27
Questionnaire....................................................................................................................................................... 27
APPENDIX 2.......................................................................................................................................................29
RESEARCH PROPOSAL AND ETHICAL FORM..........................................................................................................29
APPENDIX 3................................................................................................................................................................36
Research Ethics approval form.............................................................................................................................36

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Talent management refers to the most important practices that assist in managing employees by motivating
and encouraging them in the workplace. It includes several activities such as attraction, selection and retention of
talent in the workplace (Mensah and Bawole, 2018). Companies use different tools and techniques so that smooth
activities and operations can be conducted. Human resource managers perform certain activities such as workforce
planning, performance management, learning & development, recruitment & selection of employees etc. The current
investigation carries out information about the strategies of talent management in the organisation and its importance
for managing and retaining employees in the workplace (Painter‐Morland and et. al., 2019). The chosen company
for conducting the investigation is Unilever. It is a British multinational consumer goods organisation. The
headquarters of the company is located in London, United Kingdom.
1.1 Research Aim and Rationale
Research Aim
To evaluate the current trends and challenges impacting on talent management strategies of the
organisation in retail sector of United Kingdom. A study on Unilever.
Research Rationale
1.2 Research Questions
 What are the current trends related to talent management strategy in the firm?
 What are the challenges that are faced by firm while managing talented individuals in the organisation?
 What are the key strategies that are used by Unilever to retain highly skilled and knowledgeable employees
within the company?
 What are the strategies that could be used by the Unilever to attract and retain talented individuals in the
firm for achievement of end goals?
1.3 Research Objectives
 To identified the current trends related to talent management strategy in the firm.
 To evaluate challenges that are face by firm while managing talented individuals in the organisation.
 To understand key strategies that are used by Unilever to retained highly skilled, knowledgeable employees
within the company.
 To suggest strategy that could be used by the Unilever to attract and retained talented individuals in the
firm for achievement of end goals.
Rationale of the research

The main purpose of doing the existing investigation is to carry out information about the trends and
challenges in the practice of talent management within an organisation. There are several companies operating in the
United Kingdom such as Sainsbury, Tesco etc. that faces issue of high employee turnover which ultimately results in
unattainable targets and objectives. There are two proposed objectives that are fulfilled by this study which are:
personal and professional (Ahammad and et. al., 2018). In terms of personal perspective, I will gain knowledge
about the various methods to collect information in a significant manner. I will also increase my knowledge about
the broader areas. In respect of professional perspective, I will learn about the about the current trends in talent
management as well as various strategies to retain employees in the organisation.
1.4 Significance of the Research
The existing investigation is quite necessary because it shows the impact of talent management on the
efficiency of employees and business performance of the organisation. This focuses on highlighting the requirement
of providing great benefits and motivation to employees in the workplace so that they can be retained in the
company for longer time duration. This study helps in identifying the behaviour of people so that they can be
motivated in such a manner that they start work for attaining objectives of the company. This study showcases the
current trends in the procedure of talent management which are virtual interview, digital technologies etc. This study
is also quite useful for researchers, students and companies. In terms of researchers, this study is very important
because this investigation will act as secondary source for the accumulation of information in a significant way
(Sparrow, 2019). In terms of students, this study is important because they can carry out academic information in a
systematic way. On the other hand, in respect of company this study is quite significant as they can easily identify
different talent management strategies for motivating and encouraging employees in the organisation. Therefore, this
investigation is quite significant about the practice of talent management.
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
What are the current trends pertaining to talent management?
As per the viewpoint of Anlesinya, Dartey-Baah and Amponsah-Tawiah (2019), there are various trend
which are pertaining to talent management. These trends help in increasing the performance and efficiency of
employees. The current trends pertaining to talent management are providing education and training, promoting
equality and diversity, talent analysis and employee health and well being. These are few trends on which talent
management is focusing. The team of talent management is focusing on providing education and training
opportunities to their staff in order to improve their skills, abilities, capabilities and knowledge. Through education
and training, employees can learn something new and contribute in making business successful. This trend helps in
boosting the morale and confidence among staff so that they can give productive outcomes in achieving the goals
and objective of business. Talent management team is also promoting equality and diversity within workplace by
treating all employees fairly and equally and also creating inclusive culture for staff. Thus, talent management team
also identifies and prevents unconscious biases and brings diversity and equality in recruitment process. The other

trend pertaining to talent management is talent analysis. It is a tool through which company can identify the right
talent by measuring and evaluating their performance and efficiency. Nowadays, talent management team focuses
on conducting talent analysis so that they can hire the efficient employees, develop them and evaluate their
performance. Employee health and well being is another trend of pertaining to talent management. The talent
management team ensures that their employees must remain healthy and fit while working in an organisation as it
helps in increasing their morale and efficiency. Health and well being of employees helps in improving the
productivity of employees by making them focused in their work.
What are the challenges that are bear by organisation in managing talented
employees in the company?
As per the opinion of Wilcox (2016), there are various challenges that are faced by organisation in
managing talented employees in company such as numerous development in technology, poor hiring strategies, high
employee turnover and ineffective leadership. These are the few challenges which can face by company while
managing effective talent within workplace. It is important for an organisation to have effective hiring strategies so
that they can attract more and more candidate for the job position. The poor hiring strategy can influence the
profitability and growth of business. When there is good hiring strategy, it helps in reducing the turnover rate of
employees. The other challenge which can be faced by company while managing talented employees is numerous
development in technology. It becomes necessary for organistaion to adopt trendy and latest technology for hiring
the right talent within workplace. Sometimes human resource management faces difficulty to make use of new
techniques for recruiting and retaining highly talented employees within workplace. Another issue which is faced by
organistaion while managing talented workforce is high employee turnover. Company generally faces issues related
to high employee turnover which also influence their performance and productivity. There are various causes of high
employee turnover such as unequal wage structure, lack of opportunity for advancement or growth, inadequate
supervision and low employee morale. These are few factors which increases the turnover rate of employees within
workplace.
What are key strategies that are used by Unilever to attract maximum number of
highly qualified, talented individual in the firm for its overall benefits?
According to Khoreva and Vaiman (2021), there are various strategies which can be used by company in
order to attract maximum number of highly qualified, talented individual in the firm for its overall benefits such as
offering attractive incentive or wages, financial rewards, creating positive working environment, promoting open
and continuous flow of communication and understanding the needs and expectation of employees. These are the
few strategies which can be used by organisation for attracting the highly skilled employees within workplace. It is
important for an company to provide attractive incentive to their staff so that they feel motivated and values while
working and also contribute their best efforts in accomplishing the business goals. The talent management team also
focuses on creating positive working environment for their employees in order to boost the engagement level of
employees (Bonneton, Festing and Muratbekova‐Touron, 2020). In order to attract the highly skilled workforce,

company also promotes open and continuous flow of communication so that employees can share their opinion and
complaints. The other strategy which Unilever can implement is understanding the need and expectation of
employees. It is necessary for human resource management to understand the needs and expectation of staff so that
they can meet their expectation and also make them feel valued.
What are suggested strategies that are being utilised by Human resource manager
in managing talent employees for longer time frame?
As per the perspective of Mujtaba, Mubarik and Soomro (2022), the suggested strategies which can be used
by human resource manager for managing talented employees for longer time frame is organizing training and
development program for their staff. In order to attract and increase the engagement level of employees, it is
necessary to organize training and development program for their staff as it helps in increasing the skills, knowledge
and efficiency of employees due to which they can give better output in achieving the business goals and objective.
The training opportunities help in increasing the confidence and morale level of staff. If employees are motivated
they bring innovative and creative ideas for improving the business performance and productivity. Organisation
must also focus on offering reward and incentive to employees on the basis of their contribution and performance
level (Beamond, Farndale and Härtel, 2020). The reward and incentive program helps in boosting the morale and
motivation level of employees due to which the participation of staff in work increases. Thus, when employees
participate in business activities they share their innovative and creative ideas for making business successful. These
are the suggested strategies which must be used by human resource management in order to manage talented
workforce within workplace.

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Approach
The approach is categorised in two significant forms that are: inductive and deductive approach.
Investigator has selected deductive approach so that numerical data can be analysed and examined in a significant
way so that relevancy of same could be carried out (Basias and Pollalis, 2018). The main benefit of deductive
approach is that it accommodates in analysing relevancy of numerical information in limited period of time.
3.2 Research Strategy
Research strategy is the method that accommodates in accumulating information in a systematic way. This
is classified in respective types which are: action research, case study, interview, observation, survey, systematic
literature review etc. Researcher has chosen survey to collect numerical information in the shorter time period in a
significant way (Rutberg and Bouikidis, 2018). This also helps in collection primary piece of information in a
systematic way. Under survey method, questionnaire is developed so that information can be assembled directly
from the source of information. The other strategy used by research is systematic literature review so that second-
hand information can be assembled (Abutabenjeh and Jaradat, 2018). This uses secondary sources such as books,
journals, newspapers, articles, publications, already conducted survey, interviews etc.
3.3 Research Methodology
This form of methodology is categorised in two significant types that are: qualitative and quantitative
research choice (Sileyew, 2019). The methodology helps in determining type of information that need to be
assembled for attaining pre-defined aim and objectives. This is grouped into two vital kinds that are: quantitative
and qualitative research. Researcher has chosen quantitative research choice as it helps in accumulating numerable
information in the shorter time period (Ryder and et. al., 2020). This helps in assembling statistical content and
figures in given period of time. The main benefit of quantitative choice is that it carries out comparable information
in a systematic manner.
3.4 Research Tools
Research tools are very important for the collection and evaluation of information. Data collection is the
method which gives two important kinds that are: primary and secondary data collection method. Investigator has
chosen both the data collection methods so that objectives can be met. Researcher has selected primary method so
that raw information can be assembled about the topic (Fryer, Larson-Hall and Stewart, 2018). Basically, this
method assists in taking out information directly from the source. Under primary method, questionnaire is developed
with proper number of close-ended questions. On the other hand, secondary data collection method is also used by
investigator for assembling published data for addressing research questions. The sources considered in the existing
investigation are: books, journals, newspapers, articles etc.