Workforce Planning: Labor Market Trends, Retention Strategies, and Future Skill Needs

This article discusses the challenges of recruitment and retention in the face of labor market trends, and suggests strategies for retaining staff, meeting future skill needs, and positioning the organization strategically in the labor market. It also explores the role of government, employers, and trade unions in meeting future skill needs.

Running head: WORKFORCE PLANNING
WORKFORCE PLANNING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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What labor market trends might make it hard for the company (in the case
study) to recruit and retain the staff they need? What developments might
change the situation?
The labor market trends that makes hard for the company to retain their staffs as well as
recruitment of the new staffs , the labor market trends involves the increased competition in the
recruitment of the employees, increased communications regarding the organization’s strategies
that is listening more to the employees (Deming 2017). This makes the PTP Soda Drinks to lack
in the recruitment process and they are unable to retain the staffs (Kalleberg 2018). The labor
market trends involves the unemployment that makes the company inefficient in retaining their
staffs.
The developments that are required for PTP Soda Drinks Company to undergo for the
implementation of the workforce planning are:
 The organizations need to focus on the developing of the new talents and the focus
need to retention of the employees than the recruitment of the employees. The soda
drinks company need to invest more time and efforts in development (Dube, Lester
and Reich 2016.).
 The organization need to increase the communication for the employees regarding the
organization’s strategy that is vital for the company for developing the proper
communication plan for keeping the employees more updated and aware of the
strategies, listening to more of the concerns.
 The recruitment and the talent management budget for the company should increase.

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 The organization need to use the new media and the technology for the recruitment
and they need to place more focus on the employer brands, career development and
paying benefits of the organization.
 The organization need to increase the communications for recruiting the well
qualified talents, difficulties of the recruitment of the senior and the skilled
employees, and from the last survey it has been found out that the median cost of
hiring the senior managers and the directors have decreased. It has also been
recommended for the PTP Soda Drinks to hire the skilled and the senior manager for
training, developing and motivating the staffs of the company (Hyde 2015).
Explain the significance of ‘tight’ and ‘loose’ labour markets
Tight labor market signifies that there are more number of jobs as compared to the
availability of the skilled people for that jobs. In such a situation it becomes challenging to fill
the vast supply of vacancies with limited availability of the demand of the work force. On the
other hand, a loose market labor market signifies that there is abundance of labor but
organizations have limited vacancies to cater the demand of the workforce. In such a complex
situation, there are limited number jobs available which can create a crisis of unemployment.
Kuwait tend to experience a tight labor market which means there is ample jobs in technical and
management field yet there is not enough workforce to meet the demand of the organization
(Abbott 2014). Further, the lower level of job as in the junior staffs, Kuwait has a loose labor
force signifying that there is ample workforce yet for such posts there is not ample number of
vacancies to fill in the posts.

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Recommend two differing approaches that could be taken in the short term as
a means of improving the organisation’s ability to retain staff effectively
The two measures that can be taken in short term as a means of improving organization’s
ability to retain staff are mentoring program which will help the employees to develop strong
relationship and act as a solid foundation to improve the performance of the employees.
Mentoring helps the employees to inculcate confidence in the short term which can be
complemented with a robust feedback mechanism where issues of the employees can be sorted in
the short term (Cloutier et al 2015). An organizational leader shall reinforce the motivation
among the employees and enhance teamwork among the various employees. The company
should incentivize the employees by rewarding them through weekly appraisal and boost their
confidence as appreciation can have a propelling effect on the employees to perform consistently
well (Deery and Jago 2015). The organization should value their employees by recognizing them
as a part of the organization through appreciation and encouragement. This not only have a
positive influence among the employees but also ensures that the employees make good use of
their skills when mentored in the right direction. Further, feedback will help them to understand
their shortcomings in short term as well as to add a sense of worth towards their tasks. It is also
equally important that the employees understand that they are valued and short term training will
ensure their competencies are upgraded which will ensure that the employees do not feel that
their job has brought a stagnancy in their career. A training program can give an instant boost to
their career in a very short period of time. This will help organization to retain staffs for a short
period and motivate them to remain committed to their work. The organization should ensure
that the employees are not stressing out due to their job and maintaining a work life balance
(Mowday 2013). The organization should also take an online survey to assess the opinion of the

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employees regarding their work which help the executives to understand their issues and further
roll out a plan for an efficient workforce.
Suggest reasons why people might choose to leave their organisation, and
explain the direct and indirect costs associated with this? (300 Words)
There are many reasons due to which employees leave their jobs which range from both
personal and professional reasons. To work in an organization in an effective and efficient
manner, the satisfaction of the employees is strongly desired. It is the employees who have the
ultimate task of increasing the productivity of the organization. After serving for a certain period
of time in an organization employees often find their career to be stagnant. The growth prospects
within the organization are also not lucrative when the employers do not give the requisite due
rewards and recognition to the employees. Hence the employees tend to become disinterested in
their respective jobs. The work culture and environment also significantly affect the members.
However, if a company work with undue rules and regulations or have extremely strict
guidelines, minimum flexibility and unfair compensation employees tend to leave their job.
Along with compensation, job profile should ensure job satisfaction to the employees. When
employees are recruited without adequate assessment of their skills, the mentoring program is
unable to improve their performance. Often employees are looking for better compensation
hence when the workforce are not duly paid for their work done, they get demotivated to
improve and enhance their productivity (Bergeron 2013). As a result of employees leaving the
jobs, a large number of direct and indirect costs are involved due to frequent leaving of jobs by
the employees as training of the employees bears an additional cost to the employees which the
organization has to undertake to ensure a quality service from the employees. The recruitment

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process, advertisement of jobs, publication of journals, further the other formalities involved in
the also bears some cost to the organization. The compensation to all the professionals involved
in the recruitment process comes with a cost to the management.
Explain how the organisation might position itself strategically within the
labour market and the implications of this? (250 Words)
The increase in the number of similar organizations providing nearly similar products and
services to the people, has increased the competition in the contemporary economic market.
Nowadays, the organizations have to focus on improving the image of the brand in the minds of
the people. PTP soda drinks should position itself strategically within use the data, survey and
other information related of the available job seekers and design jobs accordingly. If organization
analyzes the demand of the workforce and present themselves according to the needs to the trend
of the labor market. Further organization should adequate compensation policies, incentive
policies and other lucrative opportunities where the candidate needs to understand its own career
growth plan as it will help to take well informed decision while choosing a particular job. The
implication of this effort will be directly on the company as it will be able to retain the
employees, employees will be well informed about their career progression plan (Sung and Choi
2014). The employees will be interested and will try to enhance their work performance in the
organization which would have a positive effect on the growth trajectory of the company. The
company will ensure that it has a dedicated team of workforce which will help the organization
to meet the challenges of the company easily as all their employees will be motivated to work
towards a predefined goal. An organization growth is largely dependent on the workforce it
houses hence it should understand the needs of their employees.

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How might government, employers in general and trade unions (in a general
sense) ensure that future skill needs are met?
The government, employers and trade unions can ensure that the future skills are met
when the there is an alignment, coordination and integration between the job vacancies and the
workforce. Government should ensure job oriented education so that when the student complete
their education they are readily available to be recruited by the industries (Kwenin et al. 2013). A
significant collaboration of the industry with the required universities which can frame training
programs so that the workforce are ready for the job once they complete their training. If the
employees are exposed to training at the earliest level they will understand the requirement of the
jobs accordingly and hence a most appropriate candidate is chosen for the required job. Trade
union can play a vital role in bargaining with the organization regarding the compensation of
employees, working hours, flexibility, working environment, other facilities which can bring
ease for the employees in the workforce (Dusterhoff et al. 2014). Employers should be well
aware of the professionals which are being hired so it can be assured of the skills of the
employees. Employers should strengthen the feedback mechanism where the employers are
questioned and regularly communicated which will enthuse a healthy working environment, thus
employees can be felt as a part of the organization. Further, the employees should also regularly
communicate with the employer which will instil an inert confidence, employees can feel that
they are being valued and hence they will be motivated to work towards the attainment of the
goals of the organization.

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What steps should the organisation take to ensure that future skills needs are
met? To what extent and how might career and succession planning feature in
the organisation’s strategy?
The steps that an organization can take to ensure that the future skills and needs are met
is that is can regularly monitor the performance of its respective employees and recognize the
talent and provide training to the employees to handle other changes in the job profile due
changing and dynamic market trends. Regular research and development activities by the
organization will help to understand the parameters which after detailed scrutiny the company
can understand the future needs of the company and hence integrate their skills according to the
demand of the latest trend. For example, a marketing personnel, apart from their traditional
marketing skills should understand the dynamics of online marketing in the eve of increasing
online presence of the consumers of the soda drinks (Aggarwal and Thakur 2013). The
organization should be clear and precise in career and planning feature so that employees know
their current position and be well informed of where they actually want to reach. This strategic
plan will not help the organization to retain employees but also motivate them to increase their
productivity to reach their desired position or goal. The compensation and incentive policies
must also be clear to the employees so that they are well aware of the goals and objectives of the
organization. Hence, the employees can certainly synchronize it career growth with that of
organization so that they can receive the fruits of the growth phase equally as stakeholders.
Please also comment on how you will transfer the new knowledge and skills
gained during this assignment into working practices. You may also use this
reflection for your CPD. (200 Words).

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To improve the working of any organization, it is necessary to evaluate its internal
working conditions and analyze what are the various shortages which prevent the organization
from achieving its targeted production level. Once this knowledge has been acquired, it is
essential to transfer this knowledge to the employees and help in the development of their
requisite skill level. The new technology, skills and the exposure to understand the real working
environment and gained during the assignment has helped me to understand that the dynamics of
organization can ensure its positive growth trajectory by deploying relevant practices and
procedures. Further, for CPD, one should clear of their roles and responsibilities of their
respective job profile, their development of their career, their contribution to the growth of the
organization and further study and understand the changing role and responsibilities according to
the dynamics of the market trends (Farndale and Kelliher 2013). Further, one can be clear of the
mission and vision of the organization as it will help them adopt right path, strategy and develop
rights skills for meeting the current and emerging challenges meeting the cut-throat competition
with the emerging industry rivalry, change in taste and preferences of the customers.

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