Summative Assessment: Resourcing and Talent Planning (5RST/05)

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of resourcing and talent planning, focusing on the context of Marks & Spencer and the UK and Irish labor markets. It begins by assessing contemporary labor market trends in the UK and Republic of Ireland, comparing unemployment rates, minimum wages, and inflation. The report then explores how organizations can position themselves in competitive labor markets, including competitor analysis, employer branding, and the significance of tight and loose labor market conditions. The role of government, employers, and trade unions in ensuring future skills needs is also examined. The report delves into effective workforce planning principles and tools, and the importance of career development plans. It then discusses the contributions of job descriptions, person specifications, and competency frameworks, as well as the legal requirements for recruitment and selection and the strengths and weaknesses of different methods. The report concludes by analyzing employee turnover and retention strategies, including the costs associated with employees leaving, and approaches for talent retention such as flexible working hours. Finally, the report provides advice on good practices in the management of retirements, redundancies, and dismissals, considering current legislation.

Resourcing and Talent Planning.
Unit title(s): 5. Summative Assessment for
Resourcing and Talent Planning
(5RST/05)
Word Count 4242
Word Count 3943
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
RESOURCING AND TALENT
PLANNING
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
Table of Contents
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
1.1 Assess the contemporary Labour market in different country..............................................4
1.2 Explain how organisation position themselves in competitive labour market......................4
1.3 Explain significance of tight and loose labour market..........................................................5
1.4 Ensures the role of government, employer and trade union play in ensuring future skills
need.............................................................................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Describe the principle of effective workforce planning and the tools .................................6
2.2 Explain Career development plan.........................................................................................6
2.3 Contribution of Career Development plan for the organisation success...............................7
2.4 Explain contribution of Job description, Person specification and competency framework 7
2.5 Explain the main legal requirement in relation to recruitment and selection........................8
2.6 Explain strength and weakness of different method of recruitment and selection................8
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
3.1 Employees leaving and retaining in organisation and costs associated while employees
leaving the organisation .............................................................................................................9
3.2 Strength and weaknesses of approaches for talent retention...............................................10
Flexible working hours: -..........................................................................................................12
TASK 4 .........................................................................................................................................12
4.1 With current legislation advise organisation on good practices in management of
retirements, redundancies and Dismissals.................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
INTRODUCTION
Resource planning is a process of allocating tasks to human and non-human resources in a way that would
maximize the efficiency of the resources. Talent planning involves assessing the organization's current level of
talent and evaluating that against the current and future talent needs of the organization necessary to achieve
its strategic and tactical objectives. This process can also be used by company to know about availability of
resources. Planning for resources and succession planning is one of the most important tasks that organization
needs to perform. Present study will lay emphasis on Marks and Spencer. Marks & Spencer Group plc is a
major British multinational retailer headquartered in Westminster, London that specializes in selling high
quality clothing, home products and food products. Present study will lay emphasis on the major
contemporary labour market trends. It explains the significance of tight and loose labour market conditions. It
assesses the strength and weakness of different method of recruitment and selection.
TASK 1
1.1 Assess the contemporary Labour market in different country
A labour market is a place where both employee and employee interact with each other for the sake of
getting the best talent from employee point of view and for getting the best job which can satisfy the need
from the employee point of view. Labour market trend is used to change depending upon the country so the
comparison between two country labour market trends is as follows:
Country which are compared are the UK and Republic of Ireland as Mark and Spencer is operated in
both the countries. In the country like UK there is good labour trend as there is only four percent of the
unemployment in the country at the same time in the Republic of the Ireland it is 5.4 percent which is also at a
good site but the employment rate at the UK is much higher than Ireland which is 75.8 as compare to Ireland
59.5 percent which proves difficult for the organisation to hire a new talent for the organisation in the Republic
of Ireland, at the same time minimum wages of the Republic of Ireland country is too high as compare to the
UK, UK minimum wage rate is 1453.28 EUR per month as compare to Republic of Ireland 1656.20 EUR which is
also reduced the scope of the company to have many workers in the organisation in both the country as the
wage rate is high of both the country. Consumer price inflation is the concept which has been in the positive
favour for the Republic of Ireland but after going about all the data it can be said that the UK labour market
trend is way better than the Republic of Ireland but Republic of Ireland is trying best to improve that in coming
years (Al-Mashari and Al-Mosheleh, 2015, April) (Minimum wage rate, 2019) (Unemployment rate, 2019).
1.2 Explain how organisation position themselves in competitive labour market
competitive labour market, where the wage rate is determined in the industry, rather than by the individual
firm, each firm is a wage taker. This means that the actual equilibrium wage will be set in the market, and the
supply of labour to the individual firm is perfectly elastic at the market rate.
Analysis the competitor: Mark and Spencer should analysis the other firm in the competitor market
and should find out the differences through which other company is able to get a success should take a
corrective action in the organisation so that the organisation is able to survive in the Competitive market.
Observation can be focused on the incentive or the wages which is offered by other company and by
evaluating the information company can implement the same in the organisation.
Organisation Positioning “as employee of your choice”: Organisation in the competitive Labour market
has to make sure that they position them self as an organisation in which employee love and desire to work as
it will decrease the problem of employee turnover and it will also help them to have a large pool of the
candidate to choose from as employee automatically will apply for the position in the organisation. Employer
can do this by creating a positive candidate experience, communicating clear value to the candidate, by
reviewing the pay and benefits and by offering the good career growth opportunity.
Employer Branding: It is the term which defines the company's reputation and popularity from a
potential employee perspective, in simple words it is the process of creating and maintaining company
reputation. In the competitive Labour market Employer Branding helps the business in showcasing the
company as a great place to work and it also creates the good name of the company in front of the employee
(Bagstad and et.al., 2017).
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
1.3 Explain significance of tight and loose labour market
Tight Labour Market
It is the situation of the market in which economy is at the position of reaching the full employment
mark and it is getting difficult to recruit the new employee in the organisation which eventually resulting in
increasing the wages in the economy. Tight Labour market is always offers a tough challenge to the
organisation but it also helps the business in discriminating the competition in the market as in the tight
Labour every organisation is not able to attract the customer which helps the big firm like Mark and Spencer to
recruit the best talent available in the market which eventually increase their cost but the skill brought by the
employee can be beneficial for the organisation. Tight Labour market also helps the organisation in increasing
the efficiency of already hired employee as in the Tight Labour market organisation provides the training to the
old employee to better their skill so that they do not need to hire new employee (Costa and et.al., 2016).
Loose Labour Market
It is the situation in which economy is at the position where the number of jobs in the country is not
able to satisfy the number of job seekers in the country, which eventually rises the unemployment in the
organisation. Loose labour market helps the employer in getting good pool of the candidate who are looking
for the job and which helps the employee in selecting the best out of that pool. Loose labour Market helps the
employer in getting the best talent in the organisation at a lower wage as in the Loose market wage rate is low
and it also helps the employer in prevailing the employee for longer period as in this employee generally does
not leave the job more frequently.
After going through above information, it can be said that UK has Tight labour market whereas Republic of
Ireland has loose capital market.
1.4 Ensures the role of government, employer and trade union play in ensuring future skills need
Government in the UK and Republic of Ireland plays a crucial role in ensuring that the future skill needs
are met in the country as Government both countries promote the awareness of the skill set which is good for
the development of the individual in the future. Government provides the information to the citizen and
individual about the benefit which the skills can bring to them and also Government also Funded the many
training program in the UK so that the employee can get the knowledge about the same at a lower rate as a
result many employees has taken part in that and which has helped the Country in past also and will definitely
help in the future (Dickens, 2019).
Employer is the one who plays the most important role as the employer are the one who tries to be
one step ahead of the current position it helps them in observing the need of the skill beforehand itself which
force the employer to make a change in the policy and also employer organize the different meeting and the
training program to taught the employee about the need of the skill and in the training employee are able to
adopt the same skill which helps them in meeting the future need.
Trade Union always play a crucial role in supporting fresh and new employees in the workplace which
helps the employee in feeling motivated in the organisation which helps them in understanding the skills more
proficiently. Union trade also organizes free and low-cost training program to the employee so that they can
learn the new skills in the organisation.
TASK 2
2.1 Describe the principle of effective workforce planning and the tools
Principles
There are mainly two type of principles for effective work force planning which is performed in the
organisation (Harper and et.al., 2017).
Capacity-It is the principle in which organisation is used to see long term view and forecast of the critical roles
which will be needed by the organisation in the future it is the principle which looks more on the future
happening than the current situation.
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
Diversity- This principle also influences the organisation in looking at the performance of the employee in the
organisation and since that training are given to them to handle the future difficulties and corrective action are
taken to prevail the employee in the organisation. It is the principle in which short term demand of the
business is considered and the current situation of the organisation is observed in determining whether more
manpower is needed or not in the organisation. This principle forces the employee to identify the need and
competencies in context to the current industry or market situation
Tools
Business Objective: This is the tool which explain that the business objective and goals should be
clearly define to the employee so that employee feel clarity of the mind in the organisation which eventually
creates the good working environment in the organisation which helps the organisation in effective workforce
planning.
Workforce Gap: As the workforce include many individuals with different caste and background which
creates the gap between the employee, organisation always try to cut down the gap between them so that
they can prevail the employee for the longer period (Loucks and Van Beek, 2017).
2.2 Explain Career development plan
Where do I want to get to Actions Resources needed
I want to improve communication It is the third step in the career
development plan in which
employee used to plan to complete
the task. This plan includes the
process through which the task can
be completed. This plan also
includes the time interval which
force the employee to complete the
specific task till that point of time.
Generally, plan is prepared to be
clear about the work to be done at
the point of doubts.
It is the Second step in career
development plan in which
employee need to make sure that
they are having the knowledge
about the work to be done in the
organisation to achieve the goal and
need to make sure that they are
having the skills to complete the task
and if not having then need to have
a proper in advance only before
starting the work (Manojlovich and
Ketefian,
I want to improve my
communication skills
It is the fourth step of the Career
development plan in which
employee starts the work according
to the plan which was prepared in
the previous step and the employee
used to adjust and revise the plan
after seeing and observing the
condition which individual has
observed (Noe and et.al., 2017).
It is the stage in which employee
used to observe the progress or
success which employee have
observed during the process and if
find something is not going smoothly
than tries to remove the same.
2.3 Contribution of Career Development plan for the organisation success
career development plans have helped me in increasing organisation growth in many ways. Some of
them are as follows:
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
Career development plans helps me in taking the responsibility of the weakness by my own and they try
to overcome the weaknesses which I was facing which helps the organisation in increasing the effectiveness of
the work as the biggest issue which is faced by the organisation is to promote the roles and responsibility to
the employee but by the help of the Career development it is solved in my case in Mark and Spencer.
As career development plan helps me in defining the future career goal which clarifies my mind in the
organisation which eventually helps the me in building a good working environment in the organisation as
there is clarity of mind so the chance of conflict happening is very less (O'Sullivan and Caiola, 2016).
Career development plan motivate me to achieve the goal which helps me in forcing myself to
complete the work which eventually helps the business in increasing their efficiency level as the motivated
employee always gives their best result and I have also measured the change
By the help of the Career development plan I as an HR is able to do the self-assessment of their
performance which helps the employee in finding out the solution of the issue which is faced by the employee
which eventually helps the organisation as success of employee is interlinked with the organisation. (Saade
and Nijher, 2016).
2.4 Explain contribution of Job description, Person specification and competency framework
Job description is the written statement for the specific job, job description generally includes the
duties, roles and responsibility, condition and scope of the Specific job position. It also contains detail about
the name or designation of the person to whom the employee reports. As A HR I used to make the Job
description which helps me to promote the skills and roles and responsibility is required by the job.
Contribution of Job description: As a HR I will develop Job description which helps the organisation in
planning the staffing program in the organisation and also plays an important role in posting, recruiting and
selecting the candidate as it is the basis on which HRM department used to judge the candidate which helps
the organisation in getting the best employee.
Person specification is a description of the skills, experience, qualification and other attributes which
are required by the job. Person specification is always derived from the job description and forms the
foundation for the recruitment process. As a HR I used to make the Person specification and judge the
employee based on that only. (Shen, Chen and Wang, 2016).
Contribution of Person specification: Person specification proves as the important part of the employee
toolbox. Person specification helps the employer in communicating the attribute or scale which is desired by
the organisation and which helps the business in getting top quality talent only in the organisation.
Competency framework is a model that broadly describes performance criteria of the employee in the
organisation. Such Models include the competency that are applied in the multiple occupational.
Contribution of Competency framework: These helps the organisation in improving the profitability of
the organisation as this model provides the signal to the employee about what is expected by the organisation
which helps the employee to work according to that which provides the employee with the skill that will be
valued, recognised and rewarded. As A HR I used to guide and motivate the employee to work according to the
set criteria so that they can achieve the goal.
2.5 Explain the main legal requirement in relation to recruitment and selection
Minimum wage rate: Minimum wage rate, 1998: As per this legislation, it is
mandatory to give minimum of 1453.28 EUR pounds to the employee irrespective of their
skills which force the organisation to select or to recruit the employee with the multiple
skill set as if the employee will have numerous employee in the organisation as it will
increase the cost of the organisation and as cost always affect in the long run of the
business so the company always try to take the employee with multiple skill sets. So the
company should make sure that employee is given the minimum of the 1453.28 pounds
wages
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
Equality act 2010: As per this legislation there should be no description in the
organisation on the basis of age, sex, gender and caste so the organisation has to make
sure that the employee should not be selected on the basis of the age colour or gender it
should be selected on the basis of the skill which is possessed by the employee in the
Marks and Spencer
Background Check: Marks and Spencer has to also make sure that the company
do a background check of all the employee who are recruited into the organization as if
any case will be associated with the employee then the organization will be liable for
that. Company also need to make sure that the company also take the identity proof of
the employee for the future concern.
2.6 Explain strength and weakness of different method of recruitment and selection
Recruitment
Internal recruitment is the process of recruiting the employee from the organisation itself by the way
of promotion, transfer and Retrenched. This is generally used for urgent position or the senior level position.
Strength: It helps the organisation in recruiting the employee which is already trained and having the
knowledge about the job already it also helps the business in reducing the operational cost of the organisation.
Weakness: It is helpful for the temporary basis as in these one position opens when one position is
fulfilled and recruiter has to do a recruitment for the open position as the person who is promoted the
position which is acquired by him in past need to fill. and, it shorts down the pool of the candidate for the
organisation (Noe and et.al., 2017).
External recruitment is the process of recruiting the employee from outside the organisation. This
approach generally includes the selection of the candidate by the specific process of searching, rounds of
interview selection and the training.
Strength: It opens the room for the HR of the organisation to have a larger amount of candidate for
the position which eventually helps them to get a better employee with better skill set and as these approach
has the test and interview which helps the employer in getting better knowledge about the skills of the
employee.
Weakness: This is the approach which consumes lot of time as compare to the other approach as
these is the process-based recruitment style in which recruitment is done after three to four steps such as
phone interview, personal interview and test. It also increases the operational cost of the business in Marks
and Spencer (Saade and Nijher, 2016).
Selection
Psychometric Test: It is the type of the test which is done in the selection process to analysis the
skills, intelligence and the knowledge which is possess by the candidate.
Strength: It helps the organisation in finding out the skills and the knowledge which candidate are
possessing which helps the organisation in deciding the real value of the candidate and on the basis of that
employer can decide whether to recruit the employee or not in the organisation.
Weakness: Sometime employee feel nervous in the test which does not reflect in the result as result
only reflect the performance and which result in loosing good candidate.
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
Interview: It is the process which includes the conversation between employer and employee. There
are generally 2 to 3 rounds of interview before selection of the employee. Interview generally includes the
question of experience, skill and the negotiation about their wages.
Strength: This is the best way to judge the employee communication skills as interview involves the
discussion which helps the employer to judge the skills of the candidate (Manojlovich and Ketefian, 2016).
Weaknesses: It consumes too much time of the employee and it is also an expensive procedure for the
Marks and Spencer.
TASK 3
3.1 Employees leaving and retaining in organisation and costs associated while employees leaving the
organisation
Employees not retaining in organisation: -
 Lack of trust: - Employees usually leave the organisation when they don't have trust on the company.
It is duty of leaders to build trust as they are there to help them out. Mark and Spencer provide a
healthy working environment to staff members where leaders trust on employees and guide them so
that they can perform better. If such working environment will be their they will retain for long
period.
 Not being appreciated: - After working hard if employees work is not being recognised then leaving
company is the only choice for the employees. Mark and Spencer group gives value to good
employees and their hard work. As they think it is strength of the organisation, so leaders appreciate
them for their good performance. Time to time appreciation and reward can lead to employee’s
satisfaction and they will work in organisation for long period.
 Lack of respect: - No one like to work in an environment where employees are not respected for his
work. If they are not respected, then it is difficult for employees to utilize their ability and skills and
they will leave the organisation. So, Mark and Spencer group is having an environment where people
are respected which results in more hard-working employees for long period (Al-Mashari and Al-
Mosheleh, 2015, April).
M&S should trust their workers and must give them power to make their own decisions. This will
encourage them, and they will stay in the business for longer duration. Apart from this, if enterprise develop
communication with employees and give them reward then they will like the workplace culture and, in such
situation, they will retain in the firm.
Costs associated while employees leaving the organisation: -
- Cost of hiring new employees which may include advertising, screening and hiring. When employees in
Marks and Spencer group leave the company, they must bear cost of hiring new employees.
- New employees usually take one to two years to do productive work. So, productivity loss is there.
- Training cost: - As Marks and Spencer group usually invest 10 to 20 % of employee’s salary on training.
So, if new employees will be hired, it will include training cost.
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
- Cultural impact: - When new employee joins in Marks and Spencer group they usually take time to get
familiar in the new environment and their culture.
- Customer service and errors: - New employers usually take time to adapt working environment and
provide customers solutions of their problem. Marks and Spencer group usually face service-related
problem from new employees.
3.2 Strength and weaknesses of approaches for talent retention
Approaches to employee retention are as follows: -
Reward approach
This is considered as most effective techniques which helps in motivating workers and making them
positive towards the brand. There are two major approaches of reward: monetary and non-monetary. M&S
always provides monetary rewards the workers, it provides incentives to its staff members.
Strength Weakness
 It is straightforward way to meet the
financial needs of workers. As employees can
get additional funds apart from their salaries.
 This is done completely on the bases of
performance rather than personal
relationship of individual.
 It creates healthy workplace atmosphere
which is liked by people
 Flexible working is other benefit of this
approach in which persons can put extra
efforts to get extra benefits.
 It sometimes creates inequality among
employees.
 It is costly process for the organisation.
Friendly environment: - Organisation is having a friendly environment this will result in efficient work of
employees and are not hesitated to give their point of view. This will create a direct communication of
employees within and to the organisation mangers.
 Strength: - This approach is strength of Marks and Spencer group as employees are working happily
and giving their 100% for growth of the organisation. Employees shares a bond with the team and
each other which is best factor for job satisfaction (O'Sullivan and Caiola, 2016).
 Weaknesses: - This approach in Marks and Spencer group may lead to lower the working efficiency as
friendly environment may create laziness among employees and there will be no fear of doing work
on time. It may also result that employees are not giving respect to managers and are not listening to
them. Company is keeping balance so that task is achieved on time without any delay.
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
Motivation: -
 Strength: - Regular motivation is making employees of Marks and Spencer group work more
efficiently and are encouraged to work hard. Appreciating one employee can motivate other
employees to work so hard that they can also achieve by performing well.
 Weakness: - It may also become reason of jealous for other employees working in Marks and Spencer
group and may lead to negative working environment. If one is getting promotion and other
employee hard work is neglected, then he may become dissatisfied and may leave the organisation.
Flexible working hours: -
 Strength: - Expectation from employees must be according to their capacity to work. If employee
working in Marks and Spencer group is working in flexible hours, then he will do productive work in
short period.
 Weakness: - If employees are suffering from workload and are not getting flexible hours to complete
their task they may not retain for long period in Marks and Spencer group (Vieira and et.al., 2016).
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Resourcing and Talent Planning.
TASK 4
4.1 With current legislation advise organisation on good practices in management of retirements,
redundancies and Dismissals
 Dismissals management:  If employee is at a stage where he is not
having that efficiency to work as he was
working previously, as an HR manager of
Marks and Spencer group, should take
decision and make that person
understand that they have reached a
stage where they must get retired.
Termination of an employee in a
correct, fair and lawful manner can be a
good decision for the organisation. As it
will lead to joining of new employees
who are more efficient to do work. M&S
should follow employment rights act
1996 carefully, this legislation explains
that if the person is unable to work in
the firm effectively and has no capacity
to perform duties then entity has right
to dismiss the person. This decision
must be taken completely on the bases
of job performance of individual. The
government has implemented
the law that before dismissing
any individual from the
organization proper prior
information needs to be given.
The reason of dismissal also
should be known by the person
who is being dismissed from the
organization. In some cases, an
employee handbook or company
policy outlines a procedure that
must be followed before an
employee is terminated. If the
employer fires an employee
without following this procedure,
depending upon the laws of the
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