Strategic Talent Management in ASDA: A Project Report

This project delves into the talent management strategies employed by ASDA, a major British supermarket chain. The project's aim is to investigate the significance and advantages of innovative approaches and new initiatives used by organizations to achieve a strategic approach to talent management, with a specific focus on ASDA. The project includes a detailed project plan outlining time, cost, resources, and risk management, along with a work breakdown structure and Gantt charts. The research methodology encompasses research philosophy, approach, strategy, and choice, with a quantitative approach using surveys. The findings, based on both secondary data and a questionnaire administered to ASDA managers, highlight the importance of talent management, the new initiatives implemented, and the benefits derived, such as increased productivity, reduced labor turnover, and an enhanced brand image. The project concludes with recommendations for further improvements in ASDA's talent management practices, particularly in succession planning and employee engagement.

MANAGING A
SUCCESFUL BUSINESS
PROJECT
(What are the types of new initiatives and
innovative ways of working do companies put
in place to achieve a strategic approach to
talent management)

Table of Contents
SECTION 1- INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................3
SECTION 2- PROJECT PLAN.......................................................................................................3
SECTION 3- RESEARCH..............................................................................................................5
SECTION 4- FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................................7
SECTION 5- EVALUATION.......................................................................................................15
SECTION 6- CONCLUSION........................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17
APPENDICES...............................................................................................................................19

SECTION 1- INTRODUCTION
Talent management is defined as the important procedure of human resources for
attracting, developing, motivating and retaining high performing workforce. It is considered as
significant aspect in the organization because it focuses on managing and organizing every
employee in the workplace (Gallardo-Gallardo, Thunnissen and Scullion, 2020). The present
project is dependent upon innovative ways used by organisation to achieve approaches to talent
management, as it is the aspect that is constantly growing in every type of organization because
employees are essential resource. The chosen company in the current project is ASDA as it is a
British supermarket chain and the headquarters is situated in Leeds, England.
Aim of the project
“To study the importance and benefits of innovative ways and new initiatives of working
organizations use for achieving a strategic approach to talent management.” A study on ASDA
Objectives of the project
 To identify the concept of talent management for retaining best talent within the
organization
 To determine the various new initiatives and innovative ways to retain employees in the
workplace within ASDA
 To highlight the different benefits of initiatives adopted by ASDA to achieve strategic
approach to talent management
Questions of the project
 Define the concept of talent management for retaining best talent within the organization?
 What are the various new initiatives and innovative ways to retain employees in the
workplace within ASDA?
 What are the different benefits of initiatives adopted by ASDA for achieving strategic
approach to talent management?
SECTION 2- PROJECT PLAN
Project management plan is referred as plan used for planning, organising and directing
activities towards achievement of objectives of project. It is the plan that focuses on arranging
resources in such a way so that every activity and task could be done with great efficiency and
effectiveness.

Some of the components that are used in current project are given below:
Time:
Time is referred as one of the needed component in the project management plan because
every activity could be completed if it is done in specified time period. It is significant for
researcher to set appropriate and valid to complete every activity and task. The time needed for
achieving objectives of present project is 5 months.
Cost:
Cost is described as amount required by researcher to carry out activity and task in
systematic and proper manner. Investigator has focused on forming budget by allocating
activities so that appropriate work could be done without any chaos and shortage of funds. For
carrying out activities $300 is needed by investigation for the successful completion of project.
Resources:
Resources are referred as needed things or factors to conduct activities for achieving
specified objectives in proper way. The current research has used sources of secondary data such
articles, books, journals, websites of business etc. The other significant resources are
communication tools so that at right time information could be transferred.
Risk:
Risk is referred as one of the components that is predicted by investigator so that any
identified difficulty could be prevented at right time. There are some risks that could not be
prevented and are sudden so researcher makes back up plans. If one plan fails then researcher
could easily use another plan without any confusion.
Work breakdown structure:
Work breakdown structure is referred as structure considered by investigator for dividing
activities into smaller tasks in a proper manner. This is the structure that focuses on simplifying
activities of project for better achievement of objectives. So, in simple words it breakdowns the
activities of project into small components (Brčić and Mlinarić, 2018).

Gantt chart:
Gantt chart is described as project management plan that helps in systematic planning and
proper scheduling of projects. Generally, it is used to simplify projects that are complex. It is
used so that every activity could be graphically represented as it simply shows beginning and
finishing dates about the different elements of proposed project such as tasks, resources,
dependencies and milestones (Rianty, Latief and Riantini, 2018).

SECTION 3- RESEARCH
Research Methods
Research methods are very important in carrying out activities of project by collecting
and analysing appropriate information in an effective manner. In the current project also
researcher has used various kinds of research methodologies that are clearly defined below:
Research Philosophy:
Research philosophy is classified in two parts that are positivism and interpretivism
philosophy. For the evaluation of gathered data that is numeric information about the topic,
investigator is selecting positivism philosophy. It is useful as it is only concerned about
evaluation of statistical data in a very short time duration (Nayak and Singh, 2021).
Research Approach:
Research approach is the one of the important approaches for measuring collected
information to attain objectives. The two parts of approaches are: inductive and deductive
approach. Deductive is chosen approach in the project as it is about measuring relevancy of
numeric data to attain pre-defined aim and objectives.
Research Strategy:
There are different kinds of research strategies such as action research, archival research,
survey, grounded theory etc. These are the strategies used in the project as per its requirements
but in the present project, investigator is using survey strategy because it is effective in gathering
number data to meet objectives. In survey, questionnaire is used to gather information in
statistical manner (Babii, 2020).
Research Choice:
Qualitative and quantitative are two types of research choice. The current project is based
upon quantitative research choice because it is believed that this kind of information is more
reliable and accurate. Quantitative research choice is about collecting and analysing numeric
information about the strategic approaches to talent management (Bairagi and Munot, 2019).
Data Collection:
Primary and secondary are the two kinds of data collection. Investigator has chosen both
primary and secondary data collection method as it is necessary in collecting relevant
information. Primary is used by researcher for carrying out first-hand data from the method like

questionnaire and secondary is used for taking existing data from studies that have already taken
out by other people for different purposes.
Sampling:
Sampling is defined as the research method to choose participants for gathering
information to attain objectives. Probability and non-probability are two kinds of sampling,
researcher has selected probability sampling because it facilitates in choosing respondents
randomly. 12 managers are chosen as participants to gather data (Ragab and Arisha, 2018).
Secondary information
Define the concept of talent management for retaining best talent within the organization?
According to Anlesinya and Amponsah-Tawiah, 2020 talent management is referred as
method and process to get the appropriate workforce and assist them in growing their capabilities
to keep objectives of organisation in mind. This is the process that focuses on determining gaps
in talent and positions that are vacant. The talent management in organisation is focused towards
future so that skill of employees could be developed by providing at right time. Every
organization focuses on model of talent management process in which proper plan is made and
different strategies are also identified so that employees could be retained in the organisation for
a longer period of time.
What are the various new initiatives and innovative ways to retain employees in the
workplace within ASDA?
According to Painter‐Morland and et. al., (2019), efficient new initiatives and innovative
ways of talent management because it is not just good for workforce but it assists in growing
business. It assists organisation to outperform as compared to competitors. Some of the new
initiatives of retaining employees in the workplace within ASDA are:
Employee reskilling and training: ASDA provides employee training and reskilling to their
existing employees so that new position could be filled by existing employees only. This assists
in increasing motivation among existing employees as their work is given importance. This way
employees stay in the organisation for the longer time period as they are being promoted time to
time.
Recognition and rewards: ASDA offers recognition and rewards as one of the new initiatives to
attain strategic approaches to talent management. Employees are provided with different kinds
of rewards in terms of monetary and non-monetary that assist in increasing the living standard of

workforce. This encourages employees to continuously work in same organisation for the longer
time period.
Speeding process of talent management: ASDA focuses on speeding up the process of talent
management at right time. In this organization makes plan and development about the strategies
of talent management so that employees could be hired and provided training at right time.
What are the different benefits of initiatives adopted by ASDA for achieving strategic
approach to talent management?
According to Meyers and et. al., (2020), various kinds of talent management ASDA
experiences benefits because their employees are retained in the organisation for longer time
period. Some of the benefits experienced by ASDA with the assistance of new initiatives are:
Higher productivity: ASDA has increased productivity in terms of sales as well as profits. With
the help of new initiative like time to time training employees get great training to upgrade their
knowledge in doing certain tasks and activities. Employees clearly know about activities and
way of doing their duty in an effective manner.
Decreased labour turnover: With the help of new initiatives like developmental opportunities
employees stay in the company for longer time as they are being promoted to higher position
according to their performance. This ultimately assists in reducing labour turnover in the
organization.
Great brand image: Another benefit that ASDA has experienced with the help of new
initiatives of talent management is great brand image because workforce spreads great word of
mouth about company in the market.
SECTION 4- FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Questionnaire
Q1) As per your knowledge, do you find talent management necessary in the organization?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) According to you, what is talent management in the workplace of ASDA?
a) Attracting best candidate
b) Providing learning opportunities
c) Retention of best talent

d) Offering career development opportunity
Q3) What are the new initiatives adopted by ASDA to gain strategic approaches to talent
management?
a) Employee reskilling and training
b) Experience of employees
c) Speeding process of talent management
d) Integrated practices of hiring
Q4) What are the benefits of new initiatives of talent management to ASDA ?
a) Higher productivity
b) Decreased labour turnover
c) Great brand image
d) Talented employees
Q5) Do you have any suggestions for ASDA to improve talent management activities in the the
workplace?
a) Succession Planning
b) Job rotation
c) Employee engagement
Q1) As per your knowledge, do you find talent management necessary in
the organization?
Frequency
a) Yes 10
b) No 2
Q2) According to you, what is talent management in the workplace of
ASDA?
Frequency
a) Attracting best candidate 4
b) Providing learning opportunities 3
c) Retention of best talent 3
d) Offering career development opportunity 2

Q3) What are the new initiatives adopted by ASDA to gain strategic
approaches to talent management?
Frequency
a) Employee reskilling and training 3
b) Experience of employees 4
c) Speeding process of talent management 2
d) Integrated practices of hiring 3
Q4) What are the benefits of new initiatives of talent management to
ASDA ?
Frequency
a) Higher productivity 3
b) Decreased labour turnover 2
c) Great brand image 4
d) Talented employees 3
Q5) Do you have any suggestions for ASDA to improve talent
management activities in the the workplace?
Frequency
a) Succession Planning 3
b) Job rotation 5
c) Employee engagement 4
Question 1: Talent management necessary in the organization
Q1) As per your knowledge, do you find talent management necessary in
the organization?
Frequency
a) Yes 10
b) No 2

a) Yes b) No
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
10
2
Interpretation: From the above given data, it is interpreted that talent management is
necessary in the organisation.
Question 2: Talent management in the workplace of ASDA
Q2) According to you, what is talent management in the workplace of
ASDA?
Frequency
a) Attracting best candidate 4
b) Providing learning opportunities 3
c) Retention of best talent 3
d) Offering career development opportunity 2