Attracting & Retaining Talent: Microsoft's Strategies Explored

This report provides an overview of talent management strategies, focusing on how companies attract and retain employees, using Microsoft as a case study. It covers the meaning of talent management, Microsoft's specific strategies, and the challenges faced during implementation. The project management plan, work breakdown structure, and Gantt chart are outlined. Research methodologies, including primary research through questionnaires and secondary research via literature review, are detailed. The findings from the questionnaire are presented, interpreting employee understanding of talent management, its importance for company growth, key elements, benefits, and the impact on profitability and productivity. The report concludes by reflecting on the research process and providing recommendations.

Managing a successful
business project
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Table of Contents
E – Portfolio: What talent strategies do the best companies use to attract and retain people?.......3
Task 1- Research Overview............................................................................................................3
Part A- Project Planning.................................................................................................................3
Introduction............................................................................................................................3
Aim and Objectives................................................................................................................3
Project management plan ......................................................................................................4
Work break down structure....................................................................................................5
Gantt chart..............................................................................................................................5
Part B- Conducting research...........................................................................................................7
Literature review................................................................................................................7
Research methodology.......................................................................................................8
Task 2 Present findings...................................................................................................................8
Findings..................................................................................................................................8
Task 3 – Reflective practice..........................................................................................................22
References.....................................................................................................................................24
Books and Journals...............................................................................................................24
Appendix.......................................................................................................................................25
Questionnaire........................................................................................................................25
Project Logbook...................................................................................................................26
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E – Portfolio: What talent strategies do the best companies use to attract and
retain people?
Task 1- Research Overview
Part A- Project Planning
Introduction
Talent management is the process of attraction, selection and retention of employees that
involves a combined human resources practises within across the employee life cycle. It
comprises about workforce planning, employee engagement, training and development and
other activities which comes under and handle by human resource department of specific
organisation. In organisation , talent management used as a form of strategy in order to attract
and improvise employees productivity in effective manner. The main purpose of talent
management is better developed to encourage or motivate employees regarding their goals
(Nowak and Scanlan, 2021). For this report, the company is selected Microsoft Corporation is
an American Multinational technology corporation which produces better computer related
software, consumer electronic etc. According to this report, the topic are covers project
management plan, Gantt Chart, Work Break Down structure, research method which described
in report. In last section, recommendation and reflection upon undertaking are also made within
the report.
Aim and Objectives
Aim: “To determine the different talent management strategies applied by the companies to
attract and retain the employees. A case study on Microsoft”.
Objectives:
 To understand the meaning of talent management within any organisation.
 To analyse the various talent management strategies used by Microsoft for attracting and
retain their employees within the organisation.
 To evaluate the challenges faced by Microsoft while implementing talent management
strategies.
Project management plan
Basic Description
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Aim and Deliverables The aim of report is to determine the different talent management
strategies applied by the companies to attract and retain the
employees. A case study on Microsoft”. This topic is helpful for
retain talent management within the small scale logistic
organisation and achieve effective growth in the profitability and
productivity (Mujtaba and Mubarik, 2021).
Time This is consider as one of the important aspect of specific study as
it assist in attaining about research objectives within given time
frame. It consists the importance for investigator towards set time
for each and every activity. In context of present study, the data is
collected in form of journals, articles and so which represent the
quality of study is high. The time taken for the research project is
2 Months.
Quality This factor reflect about the quality as well as effectiveness of the
information that is gathered by the researcher. Further more, it is
important for research to collect data from relevant or authentic
sources where it helps to maintaining high and proper quality
within the study.
Communication This aspect is determines the resources and tools which assort for
better communicating the data collected through investigation.
Along with, activities which conducted through it. There are
various methods which used by researcher to communicate such
as verbal (Jooss, Burbach and Ruë., 2021). Non verbal
communication are through E-mail, online messaging application
to better communicate findings and other things to study for
better associated through member within systematic manner.
Risk It is measured with every study which is associated through some
kind of risk and resources, not having proper coordination,
miscommunication, funds and so on. Due to which research
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objectives not attained proper manner.
Resources This is a most essential part of every research activity as it helps to
motivate researcher to better understanding the study in proper
manner. It is important for every researcher to have a backup plan,
as it help to dealing with issues and implement the solution in
effective manner.
Work break down structure
It is a part of project management and system engineering is a deliverable oriented
breakdown of a project into smaller components. A better work break down structure is the main
key for deliverables of project management to better organise managerial sections (Mitosis and
et.al., 2021).
Gantt chart
This structure is commonly assorted for graphical depiction of a specific project
schedule. It is type of bar chart which showing the start and finishes dates of project's elements
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such resources, planning and dependencies. It helps to assess how long project must undertake
for determine the resources are needed and plan in order to accomplish task (Tarique, 2021).
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Part B- Conducting research
Literature review
Meaning of talent management in organisation.
According to the Mona Momtazian, (2020). The talent management is majorly handle by
human resource department of specific organisation. As it plays a important role where it helps
the company to attract and retain potential for better accomplish objectives and growth as well
as success at market place. This is important for an Microsoft company, for focus on developing
by using strategies like help to managing talent as it impact positively on performance and
profitability of an organisation (What is Talent Management and Why is It Important, 2021).
Talent management strategies used by Microsoft for attracting and retain their employees
within the organisation.
As per the opinion Hannah Malmstrom, (2021). There are different strategies of talent
management which is use by the company which involves a constant process of attracting
potential customer. In context of Microsoft, there are some of the activities like Talent
Management and performance appraisal are the two major keys which helps to improve better
productivity and also getting recognise employees efficiency (10 talent management strategies,
2021). This is helpful for gaining effective management tools and track the employees
performance for gaining more appropriate ways to attract and retain their employees within the
company.
Challenges faced by Microsoft while implementing talent management strategies.
As per the opinion of Andre, (2020). It is determine that one of the major challenge
which faced while implementing where talent management strategy increase the cost that reduce
the revenue level of an organisation (Makarewicz, 2021). In addition to this, it is analysed that
sometimes issues raised within among employees and employers. Further more, it is consider to
enhance other issues to better encourage employees as well as increase employees turnover ratio
and many more (6 challenges of talent management, 2021). In addition to that, company face
the issue in diversifying the nature and try to generate the interest in their employees. This may
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get the chance to the company for overcome the above mentioned challenges and set an
effective portfolio for the employees of respective company.
Research methodology
Primary research: It is referred as a method for collecting data and gather new
information in the nature. In addition to that, it will be helpful for analysing the situation and
gain the appropriate knowledge for getting a valuable and reliable information. This method is
self conducted, require a high amount of budget and work on the basic research questions. The
researcher using quantitative research methodology hence, the opted primary method is
questionnaire (Binnie and et.al., 2021). This is related to manage large scale data with an
effective manner to consider the situation in an effective manner.
Sampling: This is defined as the process for choosing an appropriate sample size from
the large number of population. The two forms of sampling is probabilistic and non-probabilistic
method. Here, the researcher use the probabilistic sampling method with the 30 respondents as
the size of sampling. These respondents are the employees of Microsoft company and mainly
the one who hold the specific position in the company.
Secondary research: This is referred to the secondary approaches, which help in
gathering data with the secondary sources. There are different type of sources such as books,
journals, internet and online articles (Uzuner, 2021). All is related to manage systematic
progress for considering different approaches to manage information on the topic of talent
management and its need within the local or multinational organisation.
Task 2 Present findings
Findings
Questionnaire Frequency
Q.1 Do you understand the meaning of talent management?
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Q.2 According to your perspective, whether employee's
retention are important for the growth of the company or not?
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a) Yes, it is important 28
b) No, it is not that important 2
Q.3 What are the key elements of talent management used by
an organisation?
a) Recruitment 10
b) Performance management 5
c) Development 8
d) Reward management 7
Q.4 What are the different benefits taken by Microsoft while
using effective talent management strategies?
a) Increased equity 5
b) Effective employee's management 10
c) Better planning 5
d) Effective workforces 10
Q.5 What are the major strategies used by Microsoft in order
to attain ad attract the employees?
a) Track the performance 8
b) Provide career development path 5
c) Clear goals 5
d) Use effective training management tools 12
Q.6 As per your view, is the above mentioned strategies attract
and retain the company's employee for longer period of time?
a) Yes 20
b) No 10
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Q.7 What is the impact of talent management strategies on the
profitability and productivity of the company?
a) Positive 20
b) Negative 7
c) Neutral 3
Q.8 Can the Street stream, a courier company can implement
the same strategies for attracting talented employees in the
organisation?
a) Yes 28
b) No 2
Q.9 What are the major challenges faced by Microsoft while
implementing talent management strategies?
a) Encouraging the passion 10
b) generate the new interest 10
c) Being diversified in nature 10
Q.10 What is the best ways to measure talent management
process used by the Microsoft for their employees?
a) By Potentials 15
b) By Outcome 5
c) By ability 10
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Data interpretation
Questionnaire Frequency
Q.1 Do you understand the meaning of talent management?
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Interpretation:
From the above graph, it is interpreted that 25 out of 30 respondents are know the basic
meaning of talent management. Whereas, 5 out of 30 respondents are not aware with the actual
meaning of talent management. So it is very important for the companies to work on the training
and development of employees and make them aware with meaning of talent management
strategies. Microsoft try to expand the basic understanding of talent management in their
employees. Hence, it will be helpful for attract and retain more employees.
11
a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
20
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Questionnaire Frequency
Q.2 According to your perspective, whether employee's retention
are important for the growth of the company or not?
a) Yes, it is important 28
b) No, it is not that important 2
Interpretation:
From the above graph, it is interpreted that 28 out of 30 respondents said that employee's
retention is important for the growth of company. Which means that employees of Microsoft are
able to understand the meaning and importance of employee's retention in respect of growth of
company. Whereas, 2 out of 30 said no it is not that important for the growth of company. That
shows, the company need more effective strategies to use high employee's retention.
12
a) Yes, it is important b) No, it is not that important
0
5
10
15
20
25
30 28
2
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