Argos Ltd: Analysing Workforce Planning and Talent Management Report

This report provides a detailed analysis of resource and talent planning within Argos, a British catalogue retailer. It begins by examining current labour market trends influencing talent management and workforce planning, including the increasing demand for flexible work arrangements and the importance of education and training. The report then delves into the legal requirements crucial for workforce planning, such as the Unfair Dismissal Act, the Anti-discrimination Act, and the Equality Act. It also outlines the necessary skills for HR professionals, emphasizing discrete and ethical skills, as well as change management capabilities. Furthermore, the report explores job descriptions and person specifications for effective recruitment and selection, along with different recruitment methods. The report concludes by evaluating the stages of the HR life cycle within specific HR contexts and how these stages are integrated within the overall organizational HR strategy. This report provides valuable insights into the complexities of HR management within a large retail organization.

Resource and Talent Planning

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1.Current labour market trends that influence talent management and workforce planning1
P2.Different types of legal requirements for workforce planning..........................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3. Skill requirements for HR professional............................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P4. Job description and person specification documents for effective recruitment and selection
................................................................................................................................................6
P5.Different recruitment and selection method......................................................................8
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P6.Evaluate the stages of the HR life-cycle applied to specific HR contexts......................10
P7. Stages of the HR life-cycle are integrated within organisational HR strategy...............11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Resource and Talent Planning are the most important processes of an organisation and
employment management comes first to manage these processes. This includes coordination
among recruitment department as well as businesses in order to determine best talented
employee who can help in achieving the goals and objectives of the company. This report is
about Argos, which is a British catalogue retailer company founded by Richard Tompkins in
1972. Argos is subsidiary company of Sainsbury which was headquartered in England. The
present report is thus made with the purpose of analysing the current labour market trends that
are influenced by talent management team organisation (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014) . The
study entirely will emphasize on different kinds of legal requirement at the time of workforce
planing. In addition, this also includes job description and person specification documents for
effective recruitment and selection method (Briscoe, Tarique and Schuler, 2012) . Along with
this, the report elaborates about different types of recruitment and selection method. At last, it
describes about HR life cycle and various strategies that can be used by an HR manager so that it
can be implemented effectively in the company.
TASK 1
P1.Current labour market trends that influence talent management and workforce planning
Workforce planning is the plan of action used by employees to evaluate the needs of
labour and to deploy the workers effectively with advanced human resources technology. This
helps an organisation to prepare for their future and for better forecasting challenges which may
come across. Workforce planning provide the benefit to the organisation which include talent
identification, employee retention, identifying skill gaps and supporting your budget. In this, the
duty of the HR is to ensure that right people are hired for the right position thereby minimizing
the risks related with executing business strategy (Cascio and Boudreau, 2016). Talent
management refers to the expectation of required human capital for an organization and the
planning to meet those needs. This is the science of using strategic human resource planning to
improve business value and to make it possible for the companies to reach their goals and
objectives.
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Current labour market trends
The organisation is updating their operational activities and decision-making process in
order to increase their growth rate. In addition to providing a general picture of market trends,
the findings will also have important significance for employers and HR. The data and analysis
shows sustained high employment and demand for skills and labour. To increase the growth rate,
the organisation need huge number of employees who can achieve the organisation targets and
goals. Market trend helps an organisation to hire those employees who are in need of job. Some
of the market labour trend are outlined below:
 More people are searching for flexible work - Now a days, the job seekers searches for
flexible work. There are many individual who want to work past traditional age of 65 are
especially interested in flexible hours and in work from home. So, for this organisation
has increases the level of flexibility for employees. In this, Flexibility means working
hours of employees. It can be said that management department of Argos can give this
freedom to its employees in at least 3 times a month as every employee has their personal
life which gets affected by their professional life (Church and Silzer, 2013) . Therefore, it
can be said that this trend can be helpful for the company.
 Education and training outlook : The recent trend of education and training among
labour influences every organisation to adopt this strategy. The HR department of Argos
Ltd. are currently recruiting more employee's in the firm and providing them proper
training in accordance with their job designation. They are also providing education with
job to the new joiners. This Strategy of Argos build good relationship between the
employees and the organisation, which is good for the overall development of the firm.
 Part time Job: The main focus of HR managers of Argos Ltd. is to fill vacant positions
by recruiting more employees in the organisation. It is necessary for Argos Ltd. to recruit
and utilise the strength of part time employees also so that they can do their work more
efficiently (Cooke, Saini and Wang, 2014) . There are many people who are unable to do
a full time job so it is the responsibility if HR to recruit them as a part timers and utilise
their talents in a favour to increase the productivity of an organisation. Their talent can
also be helpful to achieve the organisational goals.
As per the above specified market trends, it can be said that said that all of them are
helpful for Argos in workforce planning as they are providing additional benefits to the
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employees. These strategies also influences interest of employees to work with the same
company for longer period of time.
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(Source: Current labour survey, 2018)
From the above graph it is interpreted that the labour rate of men is more than that the
labour cost of women. Where full time employment of men is around 15000, while on the other
hand for women it is around 11000. Where as in part time women get more wages then
comparing to men.
P2.Different types of legal requirements for workforce planning
Workforce planning is a method which is being utilised by a company in order to
determine needs of labours and deploy workers effectively through the use of human resource
technology. It is important for a company to analyse all the legal requirements before doing
workforce planning because this plays an important role while determining demand of a labour,
supply forecasting as well as legal requirement.
Trend analysis - With related to Argos Ltd, company can implement trend analysis so that they
can gather information and details which have an impact on future condition on an organisation.
This will be also beneficial for Argos Ltd's human resource manager, as they can analyse
employment data and also determine changes in order to create an effective strategy for an
organisation to attain market requirements of changing environment of business.
Supply Forecasting – This helps a company to do future prediction of events and to analyse
uncertain events which have occurred in past(Dessler, 2013) .
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Illustration 1: Current labour survey

It has analysed that, certain legal requirements are being needed by a company to be
taken into consideration during process of workforce planning within an organisation. These are
being discussed below. Unfair Dismissal Act, 1977 - This act is being implemented in order to neglect some
activities which have a negative affect on the staff members. It protects workforce from
sudden termination which is being given by an organisation without any notice. Here, in
context with Argos, this act must be used by its department while recruiting employees.
Moreover, it is also their responsibility to make employees aware about any unethical
activity that might cause them harm in future. Also, this act warns company to be loyal
with their personnel (Gallardo-Gallardo and González-Cruz, 2013) . Anti-discrimination Act, 1994 - Act was developed by authorities, in order to manage
employees discrimination related to their sex, age, gender, race, caste etc. In stated
scenario, Argos Ltd, treat their workforce on a merit basis. This will be beneficial for this
company to sustain their employees for a longer duration in order to raise their
productivity.
 Equality Act, 2010 - Main aim of this act is to eliminate gender inequalities and also
develop a culture within an organisation, under which tasks are being allotted to all staff
members as per their knowledge and skills. Here, Argos Ltd, must give compensation to
their workforce according to their results and performance. It is a step which an
organisation can undertake for smooth functioning and flowing of business operations or
activities.
As per the above specified legal acts, it has been analysed that all of them are followed
by Argos at the time of workforce planning. By adopting these legal acts, this company is
providing safe working environment to employees. This attracts more number of employees to
work with the same company in effective manner.
TASK 2
P3. Skill requirements for HR professional
Human resource manager of all organisations, must possess some skills that will help
them to do their job roles and responsibility properly within an organisation. According to the
above mentioned current labour market trend and legal requirement during the time of workforce
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planning, Human resource manager of Argos must have certain skills that will help them in using
same kind of activities systematically. Skills which are required by an HR manger are being
discussed below :
 Discrete and ethical skills: These skills displays ethical responsibility and knowledge
of a HR manager, which is being required by them while performing job role and
responsibility. It indicate that as a HR manager of Argos, it is their duty be aware about
legal legislations that will affect their job responsibility. Moreover, with this, it is
compulsory to abide by all legal rules so that they can remain loyal with their
subordinates and colleagues (Gold and et. al., 2013) . These skills are helpful for
protecting company from government, since they follow all the laws which are regarding
welfare of employees.
 Change management skill: Under this, change management means flexibility since
trends of labour market is rapidly changing on a regular basis. It has been determined
that, recently workforce wants good working environment and conditions such as part
time jobs, feasible working hours, job security and many more. So, it is important for HR
manager of Argos to identify these dynamic trends and provide same working condition
to their staff members in order to reduce labour turnover and sustain them for a longer
duration within their organisation.
Argos Ltd have HR manager, who have capability to work in manual manner, where as it
is required for them to adopt skills by which they can help their employees in adopting latest
technology. Along with this, HR manager do not have appropriate training and development
skills, due to which employees are not able to perform, therefore, it is required to adopt new
techniques of training and development. Along HR manager of Argos Ltd have read the
legislations related to employment in nation, so that they can provide proper facilities to them.
For example, manager have knowledge about the rules made by government about 10 years ago,
due to which their employees are not able to gain benefits which they can get according to new
laws. Therefore, it is important for them to keep their skills related to legislations, so that
benefits to employees can be provided.
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TASK 3
P4. Job description and person specification documents for effective recruitment and selection
In order to have an effective recruitment and selection process, job description and person
specification is required which has been discussed below.
Job Description – A Job description is a formal document that describes the general tasks, or
other related duties, and responsibilities of a particular position.
Job Description
Job Details
Post: HR Manager
Company: Argos Ltd.
Job Purpose
Role of Human Resource manager in Argos Ltd is to recruit and select suitable employees for
the organisation. Moreover, to resolve and handle grievances and issues of workforce within
workplace. Also they must have ability to solve the conflicts which take between their
employees and also between their customers. Also they must have capability to manage proper
training and development session to their employees.
Roles & Responsibilities
 Recruit and select best employees that are suitable for vacant post within an
organisation.
 Resolve conflicts of employees.
 Give rewards, compensation and incentives to workforce.
 Manage employee as well as employer within a company.
 Maintaining work culture.
 Giving training to new employees.
 Doing professional development of personnel.
 Providing appraisals.
 Sustain employees for a longer duration.
 Give solution for different problems.
 Manage resources that can help them in increasing their performance.
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Person Specification – The skills that a candidate must have in order to complete a task offered
by the company. This includes educational qualification as well as more personal qualification
that a candidate must possess.
Person Specification
Post: Human Resource Manager
Department: Human Resource Department
Key: This show that what is required when like an evidence:
(A): Application form, (I): Interview, (R): Role
Attributes Essential Desirable
Qualification & Experience MBA and B.com with human
resource as specialisation from
a authorised college.
Minimum 3 years of working
experience as a HR manager.
Along with this, it is required
that the candidate must have
experience of providing
training and development
sessions from last 2 years.
Experience of working in
human resource department as
a HR executive or manager.
Also have experience of
giving training and
development sessions.
Skills or knowledgedif f
erent types of legal
requirements
an organisation must take
into account when
workf orce planning
Effective communication
skills in both written and
verbal , interpersonal skills
and must be expressive. Also
have very vast knowledge,
which they can share to their
subordinates.
Ability to learn and adapt.
Moreover, having potential to
deal with grievances and
conflicts of employees. Also
have power to implement their
skills and knowledge in
handling different situations.
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As per the above specified job description and Person specification it can be said that
both of these documents helps company in the process of recruitment and selection. Job
description helps an HR manager in formulating right recruitment strategy that contributes in
matching employees skill and basic information with the vacant job position's requirement. As a
result, HR department can hire best employee for their organisation.
P5.Different recruitment and selection method
Recruitment is a process of identifying the jobs vacancies, analysing the job
requirements, reviewing applications, screening, short listing and selecting the right candidate.
To recruit, HR and staff requires more time and effort than simply scanning through Resumes or
CV. Understanding how a potential recruit can help to achieve organisation goals. To increase
the efficiency of hiring, the HR team of Argos follows some recruitment methods :
Internal Sources of Recruitment
Internal sources of recruitment means to hire the employees within the organization
internally such as : Promotion - Promotion is to upgrade the position of the employees by evaluating their
performance in the organization. This process shifts an employee from a lower position to
a higher position with more responsibilities, remuneration and status. (Huang and
Tansley, 2012). It is the internal method of recruitment which helps company in hiring
trustable employees who is aware about companies policies and working criteria.
 Transfer - Transfer is to interchange from one job to another without any change in the
status and responsibilities. This process can also be to shift employees from one
department to another department or from one location to another location, which is
depends upon the requirement of the position. It is the way of filling internal job vacancy
in the company by which company can choose its already existing workforce for filling
job positions in another branch located in other cities.
External Sources of Recruitment
External sources of recruitment means to hire employees outside the organization externally such
as :
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 Advertisements - Advertisements are the most well-Known and preferred source of
external recruitment. The job vacancy is announced through various print and electronic
media such as newspapers with a specific job description and specifications of the
requirements (Kavanagh and Johnson 2017).
 Campus Recruitment - Campus recruitment is an external source of recruitment, where
the educational organisation such as colleges and universities offers opportunities to hire
their students. In this process, the organizations visit technical, management, and
professional institutions for recruiting students directly for the new positions.
Selection Methods
Selection is the process of choosing or selecting the right candidate, who is most suitable
for a vacant job position in an organization. This is to interviewing the candidates and evaluating
their qualities, which are required for a specific job and then selecting the suitable candidate for
the right position (Longenecker and Fink, 2013) . This is the responsibility of the HR manager of
Argos to select the right person for the right job by following selection methods, which are as
follows :
 Employment Interview - Employment interview is a process in which one by one
session are conducted to know the better candidate for the job. It helps the interviewer to
discover the inner qualities of the individual and helps in taking a right decision. The HR
manager of Argos takes the right decision on the basis of the applicants ability and
performance. It is the way of hiring employee by analysing its skills, knowledge and
working capabilities in effective manner. It can be said that, it is a best of selecting
employees as in this HR manager can match up skill of employee with job requirement.
 Medical Examination – This is a process in which the physical and the mental fitness of
the individual is checked to ensure that the candidate has the ability to do a job or not.
This examination helps the organization in selecting the right candidates for the right job,
who are physically and mentally fit (Meyers, Van Woerkom and Dries, 2013) .
TASK 4
P6.Evaluate the stages of the HR life-cycle applied to specific HR contexts.
Human resource business also have a life cycle or business cycle, which are similar to
other life cycles which are being present in various areas of working. In includes various kinds of
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