Challenges and Obstacles in Talent Management

This research aims to determine the key challenges and issues faced by companies in using talent management strategies. It focuses on Vodafone as a case study and explores the importance of talent management, key issues faced by the company, and measures used to overcome these challenges.

Managing a Successful
Business Project

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Devise project aims and objectives...................................................................................3
P2 Produce project management plan ...................................................................................4
P3 Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart .....................................................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................9
P4 Carry small scale research applying primary and secondary methods..............................9
P5 Findings and data ...........................................................................................................11
Theme 1 concept of talent management ..............................................................................11
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................16
P6 Recommendation ............................................................................................................16
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................16
P7 Reflection........................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18
Appendix........................................................................................................................................19

Topic- “The key challenges and obstacles facing different business sectors in terms of talent
management”.
INTRODUCTION
This research aims determining key issues and challenges faced by company in order to
use talent management strategies. Talent management practices have evolved over the years to
engage employees towards the achievement, goals and objectives. Strategic talent management
practices at every important in every organisation in today's environment. This report determines
importance of talent management and key issues faced by company and what all measures are
used by company to overcome from talent management strategies. Talent management is defined
as the process of getting a right talent on the board and helps them to grow to their skills and
developed their potentials and productivity. This is concerned with the right process of getting
right people on board and enabling them to achieve their personal and organisational goals
(Alziari, 2017). This project consists of Vodafone company. Vodafone group plc is a British
multinational telecommunication company which has its headquarter is in England UK.
Company was founded in the year 1991 by Ernest Harrison and Gerry Whent. Now it is
operating in all over the world. It provides its services in Asia, Africa, Europe and Oceania. And
it is operating in more than 48 countries. There are about 93,000 employees working in
company right now. This project covers aims and objectives, project management plan and work
breakdown structure. It also consists of Gantt chart to provide time frame and stages for
completion a project. This report covers small-scale research and finding and data using
appropriate for meeting project aims and objectives. Then it recommends a result of findings and
data analysis. Then at last it reflection on the value of undertaking the project to meet stated
objectives.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
P1 Devise project aims and objectives.
Company overview: This report is covering about issues and challenges faced by
Vodafone company. Vodafone group plc is the British multinational telecommunication
company of Europe. It was founded in the year of 1991 by Ernest Harrison and Gerry When.

Company is served in worldwide as it is operating in more than 48 further countries including
Asia, Africa, Oceania etc. there are about 93,000 employees working in company currently
(Collings, Mellahi and Cascio, 2017). The product which company sells are Mobile phone,
Broadband, digital television, internet television and fixed line telephone etc. The topic of the
research is more important because it helps the investigator in enhancing his skills and
capabilities. The reason behind choosing this topic is that investigator needs to know about the
talent management issues and challenges faced by a company.
Research aim:
“To determine the key challenges and issues faced by a company in using of talent
management strategies. A study on Vodafone company.”
Research objectives:
 To determine the importance of talent management in Vodafone company.
 To identify the key issues faced by Vodafone company in using of talent management
strategies.
 To determine the measures used by Vodafone company to overcome from talent
management issues.
Research question
 What are the talent management strategies used in Vodafone company?
 What are the key issues and challenges faced by Vodafone company in using of talent
management strategies?
 What are the measures company is adopting to overcome from talent management issues?
Literature review
Talent management is the process of retaining right talent in the organisation. There are
certain strategies which re to be used by company in order retain employees for long run.
Company is using strategies like providing training and development sessions to the employees
and rewards management. This helps employees ion retaining for long run. Then company is
facing certain challenges like increase in employees turnover and inappropriate demands of

employees. There are certain measures that company is using are controlling on employees
turnover and providing them better training an development sessions.
P2 Produce project management plan
A Project management plan is a formal document that defines how a project is going to
be carried out. This project outlines the scope, budget, transportation and timeline and its very
primary to keep a project on a track. A is very important to create a comprehensive project
management plan before the starting of a project. There is an introduction of project life cycle
that should be discussed within all stakeholders before the execution of the stage. It is essential
to write a plan so that managers can understand what should be the next step. There are several
stages that are used in making a project plan (Collings, Scullion and Caligiuri, 2018). Theses
stages are starting from initiations stage, execution, monitoring, controlling and at last closing
stage. The main purpose of project management plan is to develop the project and plan and
identifies all the information which is required for project development. Components of project
management plan are:
 Scope: Scope is related with the determining and documenting of some aspects related to
projects. It refers to goals, objectives, aim and task and deliverables etc. This project aims
at challenges of talent management facing by different business sectors and how these
challenges can be improved by taking various measures. The research is focusing on the
importance of talent management and their challenges faced by company. If talent
management is good then employees will retain in the company for long run.
 Time: Time refers to the estimated duration in which a project is to be complete in
appropriate manner. This can be done by using Gantt chart and WBS which is work
breakdown structure. Investigator is taking four weeks to complete this project designed
by Vodafone company. Every manger needs to know about the definite time that is to be
used by investigator to complete a task in effective manner. Time helps the employees or
researcher in making schedule of the time in which research is to be finished (Hejase and
et. al., 2016).
 Quality: Quality is concerned with the raw material and sources that are being used in
project completion. Secondary research information has taken from the certified sources
and this assured a quality of work. It is from the literature review. Quality should be very
effective and good so that information should be very accurate and it should be keep

confidential so that it cannot be reveal to other people. If quality is good, then most of the
customers are satisfied with the products or services company wants to sells.
 Communication: Communication refers to the conversion between two or more people.
It should be very effective while conversion with other people. It can be oral or written.
For creating any research both of these methods are necessary for the investigator.
Investigator should make effective communication with the customers and employees so
that he can get appropriate information about the research he wants to do (Jooss, Burbach
and Ruël, 2019). Also there should be proper communication between all the departments
of the company because this may result in achieving the goals and objectives.
Investigator is using both oral and written communication while conducting survey.
 Risk: Risk is concerned with the outcomes that can be negative. There is a risk while
creating a research. As the results could be inappropriate, limited sources, lack of finance
and ignorance of customers etc. Risk also involves lack of skilled employees and
workers. It is important for the company or researcher to know about all the risk involves
in the project. Pre- planning of the risk helps in handling with them at the time of any
situation in future.
 Resources: Resources are used in the project are pen, paper, time, and responses etc.
these resources are essential for completion of project and company needs. Resources
includes human, financial and physical which is important for the organisations and the
investigator both in maintaining a research proper and accurate.
 Cost: Cost refers to the amount that is required by the investigator to complete the
project task. For completion of this project company has spent around £400 for collection
of information through primary data and also it needs more £50 to conduct research
through secondary data. So, this is important to create a budget in advance (Krishnan and
Scullion, 2017). So that investigator did not feel any type of difficulty afterwards. It is
important to maintain a budget that helps the company and researcher in identifying what
cost has been required by any activity or task.
P3 Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart
For the measurement of time frame work various techniques are used by investigator.
These techniques are Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart.

Work breakdown structure: It is the structure that is defined as the process of dividing
various activities into the simple and manageable form. It is used by the managers to execute the
project work. Work breakdown structure is the transferable hierarchical decomposition of
determining the work which is executed by project team to achieve all the objectives of the
project. This structure creates common understanding of the project in the organisation (Liu and
et. al., 2020). Every decrease in the level of WBS hierarchy defines more detailed information
about the project. It should be very expressive at each level of the WBS to create better
understanding.
Gantt chart: Gantt chart was first invested by Karol Adamiecki in the year 1890. Gantt
chart is usually used by the investigator to manage a project and helps them to make a schedule

of the activities to perform within a time limit. It is very useful way to define all activities within
a definite time limit. Left side of Gantt chart mentioned all activities and their top time. Every
activity is represented in the form of bar. The position as well as length of bar defines starting
date, duration of activity and completion date (Morris, Snell and Björkman, 2016). Gantt chart
will help the researcher in making schedule of the time and their activities to be performed
according to the definite time.

TASK 2
P4 Carry small scale research applying primary and secondary methods.
Research methodology: Research methodology is a concept of defining tools and
techniques that is used to select, process, and analyse data and information about the given
project work. Research methodology helps the investigator in identifying of various methods that
are used in the research project. There are some kinds of research methodology methods that are
used in this project (Pandita and Ray, 2018). These are discussed below:

 Primary method: Primary research method is used by the investor in which relative
information is collected by researcher direct from the sources without depending on the
data which is collected by any other person previously. Primary research is done by the
researcher to identifying the information which needs depth analysis. It can be collected
by conducting questionnaire survey, observation and interviews etc. in this research,
research is using questionnaire survey to conduct a research.
 Secondary method: Secondary research method is also used by investigator to collect
data and information by some other person. Secondary data is the data which is collected
through by some other person and investigator is showing their information in results. In
this existing data and information is gathers to have the effectiveness of research.
Investigators collect information from various sources these are books, libraries, and
websites and blogs etc. this research is cost effective and quickly effective (Taylor,
2018). in this research project, investigator is selecting this methods by taking literature
review.
 Quantitative research: Quantitative data and information is collected through numerical
data and facts and figures. This research is used by researcher to make predictions and
identifying averages. This also generalise biology, economics and marketing. Secondary
data can be collected through several methods like correlation, experimental research and
descriptive research. Quantitative research can be prepared by identifying research
problem, research questions and the last step is to review them and develop a research
plan.
 Qualitative research: Qualitative research is the research in which information and data
can be gather but by not using of numerical data, facts and figures. They are used for the
depth analysis of any problems. This research is used for the depth evaluation of any
information and finding out new ideas and opinions of the information. It is usually used
in social science and humanities and education sector etc. some of the methods that can
be used in qualitative method is grounded theory, action research, ethnography and
phenomenon research etc. it’s also uses several methods like questionnaire survey,
interviews and observation methods to conduct a research. It is very appropriate in
collecting a data (Whysall, Owtram and Brittain, 2019). researcher is selecting this
qualitative research because it helps in bring information through books and journals.

 Sampling: Sampling refers to the process of collecting statistical data and determining
observations from large number of group. Sampling is the random way to select an item
from among the large number of item of same nature and they have been equal chances
of being selected in a group. Sampling also consist of various methods like random
sampling, area sampling and cluster sampling. Organisation does sampling because of
identification of preferred products from the customer point of view. Sampling is also
used in Vodafone company to know about the customer’s preferences and their priority.
The sampling method which is random sampling because this gives equal chances to the
respondents of being selected.
 Questionnaire: It is an instrument of research which includes set of relative questions
that in sequential was to gather information and data from relative respondent.
Questionnaire can perform important role in measuring customer behaviour and their
attitudes and beliefs and opinions. It is seen as the quick and cheap method of collecting
information and data (Wiblen and Marler, 2019.).
Questionnaire
Particulars Frequency
Q1. Do you know about the concept of talent management in Vodafone
company?
a) Yes 40
b. No 10
Q2. Is Vodafone company is using talent management strategies in its
business environment?
A. Yes 28
b. No 18
c. can't say 4

Q3. Do you know why employee leave from the Vodafone company?
a. Dissatisfaction of working environment. 12
b. Poor salary 8
c. No better growth opportunities 5
d. Dissatisfaction of management 5
e. no extra benefits 18
f. Other reason 2
Q4. Do you think retaining employees results in achievement of
organisational goals?
Frequency
A. Yes 30
b. No 12
c. Can't say 8
Q5. According to you, is company is taking effective measures to talent
management issues and challenges?
Frequency
a. Yes 25
b. No 10
c. Can't say 15
P5 Findings and data
In this research investigator is using both primary and secondary methods. But to conduct
questionnaire survey primary method id used.
Theme 1 concept of talent management
Q1. Do you know about the concept of talent management? Frequency

A. Yes 40
b. No 10
Interpretation: In the above graph, the survey is conducted within 50 respondents. From
these respondents 40% of the people knows about the concept of talent management and rest
others 10% did not know about the concept of talent management. Talent management is the
process of getting right people on board and increasing their skills and ability. This also results in
developing their capabilities and results in retaining of employees for longer duration of time in
an organisation.
Theme 2 talent management strategies
Q2. Is Vodafone company is following talent management strategies
in its business environment?
Frequency
A. Yes 28
b. No 18
c. can't say 4
Interpretation: In the above graph, it is seen that most of the people think that Vodafone
company is truly following talent management strategies in their business environment. About
28% thinks that company is effectively using talent management strategies in their organisation.
18% of the people thinks that company is not following talent management strategies effectively
in the organisation. 4% of people thinks that they can't say about this. They don't know about the
process of company.
Theme 3 Why employees leave
Q3. Do you know why employees leave from the company? Frequency
a. Dissatisfaction of working environment. 12

b. Poor salary 8
c. Not better growth opportunities 5
d. Dissatisfaction of management 5
e. no extra benefits 18
e. Other reason 2
Interpretation: In the above table, from 50 respondents, 12% of people thinks that
employees are leaving because they are dissatisfied by working environment. 8% of people
thinks that because of poor salary employees are leaving from the company. Then 5% people
thinks that employees re leaving because there is no better opportunity in the company. 5% of
other people thinks that there is a dissatisfaction of management in the company. Then 18% of
the people thinks that there are no extra benefits provided to the employees. Rest last 2% of the
people thinks that there are other reasons by which employees re leaving a company and not
retaining in an organisational.
Theme 4 retaining employees results in achievement of organisational goals
Q4. Do you think retaining of employees can help the organisation
in achieving their success?
Frequency
A. Yes 30
b. No 12
c. Can't say 8
Interpretation: In the above graph, it is seen that 30% of the people thinks that
attainment of employees results in increasing success of the company. 12% of the people thinks
that retaining of employees in a business environment cannot leads to success of company and
rest others 8% of people don't know about the concept. At last most of the people thinks that
retaining for long run of employees results in increasing performance of company and by they
can increase their profits and revenues also.
Theme 5 effective measures

Q5. According to you, is company is taking effective measures to
talent management issues and challenges?
Frequency
a. Yes 25
b. No 10
c. Can't say 15
Interpretation: In the above graph, among 50 respondents, 25% of people thinks that
yes company is effective taking measures to talent measurements issues and challenges faced by
them. 10% of people did not think that company is taking effective measures to talent
management strategies issues and problems. Ad rest other 15% can't say about that.
TASK 3
P6 Recommendation
For the better improvement of business organisation, some of the recommendations are
given to the company. These are discussed below:
 It is recommended that Vodafone company should provide equal opportunity to the
employees and efficiently create better talent management strategies in the working
environment.
 Also, it is recommended that company should more focus on the measures taken by them
to talent management issues and challenges.
 Many of the employees thinks that` company is taking effective measures to overcome
from talent management issues an problems. From the above analysis it is also
recommended that company should have have to make certain strategies that could help
employees ans staff members in retain in company for long run.
 Terre ascertain challenges and issues which are to be faced by company, so they needs to
focus on those issues and challenges of talent management strategies so that they could
retain employees for long run.

TASK 4
P7 Reflection
This research is done for the first time by me. I have faced several issues and challenges
while conducting this research. But I achieved my goals and objectives in effective manner and
also within a given time limit. While doing this research identifies my strength and weakness.
My strength are good time management and communication skills. And my weakness is lack of
decision making skills, lack of risk taking skills etc. I have enhanced my strengths and also my
weakness. I started taking risk and making good decision related to the projects and my aims and
goals. This research helps me in effective communication and also I enhance my skills and
abilities. This will help me in making good communication with other person. By this I will be
able to learn new things in my career which will helps me in my near future. By this report I have
worked on my weaknesses. As weaknesses helps me in making them more effective in terms of
conducting research. This research helps me in managing my stress and works on my weakness.
This will helps me in my near future. I have make use of certain methods in this research. Like
this is qualitative researches and quantitative research method. By this I have learnt various
things and enhance my knowledge and skills. I have read many books and journals which has
helped me in gaining proper knowledge and learn new things. Then I have communicated with
many other people in order to conduct a survey.
Conclusion
From the above project it has been concluded that project management is the important
part of every business management. Organisation needs to make appropriate goals and objectives
to conduct a research and investigation. Vodafone company is a largest company in the world as
it has large number of customer base and all customers are very satisfied with the company
services and products. Vodafone company has its objectives and goals which is to be shared with
employees and staff member of the company so that they will work with their full efficiency. In
this project there is a research methodology which is used by the investigator while doing
research. He is conducting research through questionnaire survey and by using both the methods.
Primary and secondary source of research s used in the above project. There are also some risk in
conducting of research which is to be faced by investigator. Company is using effective way to
conduct a research and also they have effective ways to handle with that situation. This helps the

investigator in completing their values and enhance performance and achieve them determine
gaols and objectives.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alziari, L., 2017. A chief HR officer’s perspective on talent management. Journal of
Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance.
Collings, D. G., Mellahi, K. and Cascio, W. F. eds., 2017. The Oxford handbook of talent
management. Oxford University Press.
Collings, D. G., Mellahi, K. and Cascio, W. F., 2019. Global talent management and
performance in multinational enterprises: A multilevel perspective. Journal of
management. 45(2). pp.540-566.
Collings, D. G., Scullion, H. and Caligiuri, P. M. eds., 2018. Global talent management.
Routledge.
Hejase, H. J. and et. al., 2016. Talent Management Challenges: An Exploratory Assessment from
Lebanon. International Journal of Business Management & Economic Research. 7(1).
Jooss, S., Burbach, R. and Ruël, H., 2019. Examining talent pools as a core talent management
practice in multinational corporations. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management, pp.1-32.
Krishnan, T. N. and Scullion, H., 2017. Talent management and dynamic view of talent in small
and medium enterprises. Human Resource Management Review. 27(3). pp.431-441.
Liu, Y. and et. al., 2020. Talent management and the HR function in cross-cultural mergers and
acquisitions: The role and impact of bi-cultural identity. Human Resource Management
Review, p.100744.
Morris, S., Snell, S. and Björkman, I., 2016. An architectural framework for global talent
management. Journal of International Business Studies. 47(6). pp.723-747.
Pandita, D. and Ray, S., 2018. Talent management and employee engagement–a meta-analysis of
their impact on talent retention. Industrial and Commercial Training.
Taylor, S., 2018. Resourcing and talent management. Kogan Page Publishers.
Whysall, Z., Owtram, M. and Brittain, S., 2019. The new talent management challenges of
Industry 4.0. Journal of management development.
Wiblen, S. and Marler, J. H., 2019. The human–Technology interface in talent management and
the implications for HRM. In HRM 4.0 For Human-Centered Organizations. Emerald
Publishing Limited.

Appendix
Project Logbook
Week 2 Week4 Week 6 Week 8 Week 10
Update on week basis
Have you completed your
daily task?
Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Have you fulfil the
requirement?
No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Identification of risk?
What are the issues and
problems you have faced at
the time of research?
What challenges do you
face?
Time Cost Communic
ation
Decision
Making
Resources
Overcome from those
challenges?
Work
division
Making
budget in
advance.
By reading
books and
participatio
n
Taking
proper
decision
Allocation
of task
What you learn about
myself?
Did this research is useful
for me or not?
No Yes Yes Yes Yes
How well I have performed? Not good Good Needs to
improve
Better Excellent
How did I contribute? Skills
and
ability
Efforts Capability Knowledge
and
developme
nt
Experience

How this learning will help
me in future?
Completi
on of
work
Participatio
n in
activities
Achieveme
nt of goal
as well as
objectives
Work
performanc
e
Time
managemen
t
Project status: On,
Ahead,
or
Behind
On, Ahead
or Behind
On, Ahead,
or Behind
On, Ahead,
or Behind
On, Ahead,
or Behind
Signature of Tutor
Performance Review
 What was the project supposed to accomplish?
Yes, project was achieved on given time period. I performed best in
order to complete given work in appropriate manner so that aim and
objectives are accomplished.
 Did the project succeed in its aims? How do you know?
Specifically, please outline any evaluation and assessment
undertaken.
The aim of assigned project work is identifying various kinds of
strategies as well as initiatives that are taken by enterprise for building
diversity and inclusive workforce.”- A study on Next Plc. I think assigned
project work has succeed their aim and objectives because of taking
feedback on regular basis from high authority.
 What things do you think worked well and why?

There are different works which are assigned to me that should be
completed in given time period. As I made time framework for all types
of activities that is required for given work.
 What problems emerged during the project and how were
they tackled? Was there timely identification of issues and
resolution during the project process?
Main problem emerged during the project was time period as collection
of data and information requires more time which is not possible to
gather in that short period of time. For tackling with such problem, I
have applied time framework to accomplish it in given period of time.
Each and every issues were timely identified and proper solution was
provided.
 What did you learn from undertaking the project?
There were several skills which I have learned from undertaking project
work such as communication, risk taking and so on. I also focused on
improving my weak area.
 How would you rate your performance as Project Manager?
Being the project manager, I rate myself as 7 out of 10 for my
performance due to lacked in few areas.
 What strengths and weaknesses of your performance did you
identify?
With this performance, I have easily analysed my strong as well as weak
points. The main strengths includes time management, decision making,
leadership and weaknesses are risk management and communication. I
have to improve my weak areas in appropriate manner.
 How will this inform and support your continuous
professional development?

This information will helps me in continuous professional development
through improving weaknesses for success and growth of my career.

Questionnaire
Q1. Do you know about the concept of talent management?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2. Is Vodafone company is following talent management strategies in its business
environment?
A. Yes
b. No
c. can't say
Q3. Do you know why employee leave from the company?
a. Dissatisfaction of working environment.
b. Poor salary
c. No better growth opportunities
d. Dissatisfaction of management
e. no extra benefits
f. Other reason
Q4. Do you think retaining of employees can help the company in achieving their
objectives and goals?
A. Yes
b. No
c. Can't say
Q5. According to you, is company is taking effective measures to talent management
issues and challenges?
a. Yes
b. No
c. can't say