Comprehensive Report on Resource and Talent Planning for Argos Limited

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of resource and talent planning, focusing on the context of Argos Limited. It begins with an introduction to resource and talent planning, emphasizing its importance in aligning company operations with recruitment strategies. The report then explores workforce trends influencing planning and talent management, including the impact of an aging population and the effects of globalization and demographic changes on the retail industry. It also examines legal arrangements affecting workforce planning, such as the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Equality Act 2010, and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The report further delves into worker market trends, legal requirements, and anticipated skills, discussing job analysis methods like interviews and questionnaires. It covers job design, succession planning, and the stages of the HR lifecycle within Argos, providing insights into recruitment, selection, and employee performance. The report concludes by examining the HR lifecycle stages and strategic approaches within the organization, offering valuable insights into talent management practices.

Resource and talent planning

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Present workforce trends which influence workforce planning & talent management.. .1
P2. Legal arrangements on company which consider workforce planning............................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3. Present worker market trends and legal requirements which include anticipated skills with
an organisation........................................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P4. Job description and individual specification....................................................................7
P5. Various applications of recruitment and selection.........................................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P6. Examine various stages of HR life-cycle.......................................................................10
P7. Examine the stages of HR life-cycle within organization..............................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Resource and talent planning is defined as a most important aspect for an organisation
engage in any industrial sector. Entity engages in the activity related to ensuring that there is
formative coordination take place between operations of company and recruitment team in
context with different aspects like selection of proper channel of networking, maintenance of
skill individual for future recruitment and delivery of schedule resources (Boocock, Page-
Tickell and Yerby, 2020). This allows company not only to manage their labour force in best
effective manner but also allows them to utilise their resources in efficient way. Present report
include discussion on Argos Limited which is conducting their business in retailing sector, it was
founded in 1972 and headquarter in Buckinghamshire, England. Further this report includes
discussion on wide range of legal requirement at workplace that is required by company to
implement in the process of workforce planning along with different method of selection and
recruitment process. Along with this report also include HR life cycle and human resource
strategy that are required to be considered by organisation in the process of talent planning
TASK 1
P1. Present workforce trends which influence workforce planning & talent management
Human resource management is a significant element in a business organisation as they
have responsibility to manage overall workforce of entity at framing policies, plans and
strategies in order to develop every individual in an effective manner. By taking advantage of
HR strategy and plans this unit aim towards creating a positive and healthy workforce culture in
order to retain experienced and skilled employees for long period of time. In addition to this the
department also have responsibility to overcomeovercome conflicts and issues in workplace
structure of organisation as to facilitate performance of employees in order to accomplish
organisational objectives in a well defined manner. Argos operates their services in retail
industrial sector which is one of the most competitive segments. In this HR manager have
essential responsibility as to recruit talented, potential and skilled workers and retain them by
framing policies as to increase organisation profitability. While is talked about labour plan it is a
crucial and systematic aspect of an organisation in which any modification in plans and strategies
are done as to modify a workplace environment of organisation. This process assist Argos
management to formulate most stable workplace environment for HR department through which
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we can overcome challenges and issues and lead towards more stable growth industry in order
lead company to gain more competitive advancements.
Overview of the organisation:
Argos Limited conducts their business function in retail sector at having more than
29,768 workers. Organisation offer different type of product and services to customers with high
quality and affordable price range in order to ensure their loyalty towards organisation.
Types of labour
Semi-skilled labour: In this sector of Semi skilled labours employees over having qualities
related to mechanical ability and scale in context with machinery operating are involve
Skilled Labour:
This involves labour like carpenter, dishwasher, typist and, toolmaker, etc.
Unskilled Labour:
Unskilled labour mainly involve those individual those who perform their work mainly
with their hands. They mainly lack in skills and training that are required for tasks.
Such current labour trends are disused below:
Ageing Populations:
It has been determined that in majority of country that is a fast aging process. For
examples in Japan individuals are aging at fast rate that create young workers deficiency in all
over the country (Srihandayani and Kusnendi, 2020). Due to this US, United Kingdom and
Germany predicted to recruit younger workers in order to utilise their skills fresh talent for
organisational benefit. Issue related to population ageing create significant impact upon hiring
talent fresh and skilled workforce in organisation that can further impact upon workforce
efficiency of entity.
Industry:
Strategic approaches of Human Resource Management and its impact:
It has been determined that industrial revolution leads towards increase in number of job
in a rapid manner. Along with this most of the jobs are computerized. For example there is a
reduction in store sales job as it is replaced with streaming and moving services. In this company
looking forward to recruit individual and labour for streaming, however does not affect supply of
product and services.
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Human resource management strategic approach include different type of policies and
plans through which organisation can ensure effective management of workforce through which
the performance can be stimulated in an effective manner. With the assistance of systematic flow
in organisation utilisation of resources and talent can be undertaken in an effective manner
through which more profitability can be ensured. Performance of employees is appreciated with
the help of performance appraisal, development of opportunity and efficient process of selection.
In relation with HR manager of Argos it is essential for them to ensure that organisational
structure is having proper coordination in functions and performance of employees. As it is most
important key through which entity can generate maximum profitability in short span of time. If
it is talked about labour market it is defined as a platform in which employers and employees can
face-to-face interact with each other. However there are different type of employment trend that
are affecting job rate in nation and domestic market segment.
Human resource process and its impact in Economic composition:
Retail industrial segment is one of the most leading sectors in all around the world and
they have significant and maximum contribution in a country economy. Thus, it is essential for
organisations involved in this segment to have proper understanding related to necessary
legislations and laws that are applied on their organisational structure and undertake all
economical changes into consideration as to form strategies against them in order to overcome
fluctuations. It has been identified that UK is facing financial crisis in its economy, due to brexit
as this pose a threat of on country economy. Stable economy acts as the most essential aspect for
an organisation to ensure competitive advancements. If it is talked about Argos management,
entity is required to undertake use of cost effective strategies and policies in as to overcome this
challenges. In this by hiring effective workforce and conducting operations in less operating cost
can ensure maximum advantages.
Current Market trend that are affecting Argos talent management
Globalisation: Due to globalisation the result of competition in the industrial segment
especially in retail industry is high as organisations are competing with each other with
aggressive marketing and affordable product and services. However globalisation also aid
organisation to maximize their competencies by increasing their market share and by expanding
their business in different geographical locations in all around the world. Globalisation also
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allows Argos to operate their business in any country of their choice and maximise that
profitability at great extent.
Demographic change: It has been evaluated that demographic change indicates towards
increase and decrease in the rate of population of any area in a country (Yu, Huang and Long,
2020). It has been determined that if the population level is high then there is higher availability
of population. In terms with United Kingdom it has been evaluated by government that in
country population are getting age in a faster rate. This issue can create negative impact upon
Argos operations as company may find inefficiencies of young workers.
P2. Legal arrangements on company which consider workforce planning
In order to operate business operations in any segment organisation are require to understand
importance of legal legislations and laws on entity. As it is a powerful force that can increase or
decrease brand image of entity. In context with Argos HR manager of company is having
responsibility to identify all the major legislations and necessary rules that are applied in retail
industrial segment as to further facilitate smooth functioning.
Employment Rights Act, 1996:
It is most important act that facilitate right of employees in organizational workplace
structure (Rejeki, 2020). With the application of this law in to workplace unit Argos manager can
effectively able to facilitate increasing in performance of employees as with the help of this
entity can protect employee’s right and can further promote ethical working condition.
Equality Act, 2010:
As per according to this act it is essential for an employers to provide equal workplace to
each and every employees. In relation with Argos manager it is essential for them to ensure that
they offer their workforce an environment in which they did not get discriminated on any basis
like caste, colour, race, sex, nationality, gender and more. This aid entity to retain their
employees for long time period and further allow them to create effective goodwill in
marketplace.
Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974:
Health and safety at work at is an essential legal application that is required to be abided by
an employer. It is essential laws that lead towards offering safe and secure workplace
environment to all the employees. Argos manager by adopting this act into practice can
effectively promote healthy workplace structure that further lead towards retaining of employees
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for long period of time. With the application of this law and enforcing it into effective manner
company can formulate effective relationship with their employees and can maximise their
productivity at great extent that further lead organisation to gain maximum profitability.
TASK 2
P3. Present worker market trends and legal requirements which include anticipated skills with an
organisation
Methods of Job analysis
Interview Method:
In order to recruit candidates, interview method is being undertaken by HR manager of
Argos in which they ask different type of questions to interview employees. This method is also
been undertaken by HR manager in order to ask existing employees related to work performance
as to know their expectations that are being facing by them in entity.
Observation Method:
It is most important responsibility of a manager to properly observe performance and
working conditions of employees in order to improve them in continuous manner with the help
of different tools and techniques. In this segment Argos HR manager take advantage of work
method analysis, incident techniques and direct observations.
Questionnaire Method:
It is one of the most effective methods that Argo senior manager undertake in which they
form certain number of questions as a questionnaire and further ask employees about their
opinion and views. With the help of this method company, lead towards maximizing productivity
of employees by undertaking their opinions into consideration.
Methods of collecting data and information
Primary Method-
In this method of data and information Collection Company gathers information from first
hand sources (Chetan, 2020). In this data are not previously used anywhere in this method like
direct interview interviews and questionnaires are involved.
Secondary Method-
In this method information are mainly collected through feedbacks, computer database,
magazines, existing files and more.
Job Design
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It is termed as a work design and framework that are defined as an essential element for
human resource management. In this different methods and content are being undertaken as to
that have relationship between job and personal requirement, social requirement, technological
requirement and organisation requirement. Argos manager undertake use of different strategies
and policies in job design aspect as to increase performance of employees effectively.
To identify skills and abilities of employees in context to succession planning
Succession plan is an essential element that leads entity to make significant increase in
performance and effectiveness of organisation. With the use of different method of selection and
recruitment HR manager of Argos identify ability and skills of employee and further provide
them suitable job role in organisation. Along with this with the use of succession planning
already existing employee’s performance are evaluated and they further get promoted. It is
essential for an organisation to undertake the process of succession planning into consideration
in order to ensure the process of replacement of ineffective individual with effective one. In
relation to this there are different capabilities for planning of work force and talent management
a defined.
Current Skills-
Communication skill:
Communication skill is a crucial aspect through which HR manager of respective
organisation develop relationship with employees by communicating with them on regular basis.
Along with this it also ensure that company is having strong interaction with workforce for this
they undertake use of verbal communication, oral communication and written communication
skill in order to effectively convey essential information to each and every employee. With the
help of this skill HR manager of company ensure that employees are connected with organisation
in which they can freely express their opinion and views. Inefficiency of communication in
organisational workplace structure can lead towards decrease in performance and conflicts that
for the decrease overall profitability of entity.
Forecasting:
It is mainly defined as a predication that allow manager to predict certain aspects like
requirement of employees, future requirement of resources equipments, machineries and
development and training programs in order to accomplish organisational goals in best effective
manner. Forecasting allow HR manager to reduce unnecessary wastage of resources and
maximise company success rate.
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Anticipated Skills-
Change management:
It has been evaluated that there are dynamic changes that prevails in business
environment and have capability to affect organisation in number of ways. For this HR manager
of Argos take advantage of effective strategies, plans, policies and measures through which they
can make employees adaptive towards any change in effective manner. For example technology
is changing at constant rate thus in this as to increase innovation in organisation operations
company implement regular change in technology. For this they, collaborate performance of
employees with change and further encourage employees with many training sessions in order to
increase their work performance increase their work performance.
Performance Management:
With the use of performance management Argos HR manager make sure that
performance of each and every employee are regularly monitor as per according to daily basis
work. In this they also appreciate deserving candidate with many rewards and motivates others in
order to increase organisational effectiveness.
Comparison between Argos and Waitrose & Partners
Argos operates their function in online retail sector and provides different type of services
and products in Ireland and United Kingdom. While on the other hand Waitrose and Partners are
gaining higher profitability and revenue comparatively to Argos. In addition to this,
organisational structure of Waitrose and Partners is having more 52,590 employees, while Argos
performs their business operations with having 29,768 approximately.
TASK 3
P4. Job description and individual specification
Person Specification
Post: Accountant
Department: Accounting
Attributes Essential Desirable
Experience &
Qualification
CA degree. The experience of
Accountant within a renowned
Experience in working with the
Accounts department for at least
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corporation for at least 5 years. 3 years.
Skills or knowledge Presentation as well as analytical
skills along with knowledge of
accounting concepts and practices
is essential.
It is desired that the candidate
should have basic MS Excel
knowledge along with extensive
knowledge of accounting as a
whole subject.
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Person Specification
Post Marketing manager
Department Marketing
Qualification  Bachelors Degree in Commerce field.
 MBA with marketing as the subject of specialisation
Skills Required  Tactical skills
 Interpersonal skills
 Presentation skills
 Team working ability
 Communication skills
Experience 3-5 years of experience in working as a marketing manager within a top
company.
Job Description
Company: Argos Ltd.
Job Details
Post: Marketing manager
Company: Argos Ltd.
Job Purpose
Promotion of the products and services of the company for the purpose of development of
strong customer relation and assurance of long term business continuity in market place.
Roles & Responsibilities
 Development of promotional and advertising strategies to capture the attention of large
number of individuals at market place.
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 Development of strategies for development of strong customer relations.
 Creating and implementing appealing branding strategies that can help the entity in
increasing its customer retention rates.
 Developing appealing and lucrative content for marketing to ensure business continuity
for the long run.
P5. Various applications of recruitment and selection
Internal Recruitment:
In this method of selection organisation offer opportunity to their existing employees
through which they get promoted to new proposition with higher responsibilities and package. It
is a time and cost saving method through which entity can stimulate efficiency of their
production.
External Recruitment:
In this method of recruitment organisation hire candidates from outside business structure
in order to fill require job vacancy within entity. With the help of this method Argos HR
manager hire candidates from larger pool and fulfil recruitment goals of organisation.
Interview:
In this method HR manager of respective organisation ask different type of questions to
candidates in order to evaluate their knowledge, skills and potential for required job position.
Written Test:
After conducting interview, HR manager of Argos undertaker written test of employees in
which questions related to technical, maths and reasoning are included as to accomplish
objectives of entity.
It has been analysed that there are different types of internal and external selection mode has
been undertaken by management of Argos in order to recruit highly potential, talented and
skilled employees in order to increase organisation production efficiency. For this HR manager
of Argos take use of advertisement methods in order to make candidates or employees aware
about new job opening in company. Further it has been evaluated that in the process of
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recruitment and selection HR manager undertake use of official website of company and
employees agencies to make employees aware about opening in Argos any department.
TASK 4
P6. Examine various stages of HR life-cycle
There are five stages of HR life cycle which are explored below.
Selection and Recruitment:
In this collection of resume or CV of candidates are done of candidates those who are
looking forward for a job opportunity in company.
Orientation:
In this method employers are further communicated with organisation job role,
workplace structure and all the essential information that are required to be known by newly
joined candidate.
Career planning and performance management:
In this stage HR manager lead towards developing environment to employees by offering
them personal and professional development. In this proper training and development courses are
being offered by Argos HR manager in order to stimulate maximum performance from
employees.
Succession Planning:
In this stage inefficient employees get replaced with those who are having more efficient
skill talent and potential (Ross, Sambrook and Stewart, 2020). It aims towards, increasing
organization competiveness in business environment.
Exit:
It has been evaluated that manager of company is having responsibility to manage process
of employees exit from entity.
According to the evaluation it has been identified that with the effective implementation of
all the above mentioned stages Argos Limited HR manager can effectively able to conduct their
HR functions and activities in a feasible manner. In addition to this, application of these stages
into HR practices also allows in increasing efficiency organisational operations and
accomplishes entity goals and objectives in best effective manner. Further it has been evaluated
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that stages like Selection and Recruitment, Orientation, Career planning and performance
management, Succession Planning, Exit effectively aid HR manager of Argos Limited to hire,
train, increase performance capability and ensure easy exit of employees. This will significantly
aid respective organisation to gain maximum satisfaction level from employees. Through this
entity can effectively able to conduct their operations by assuring maximum profitability.
P7. Examine the stages of HR life-cycle within organization
First stage:
It is one of the most important and initial stage in which strategies, plans and policies are
being developed by HR manager related to selection and recruitment process in order to hire
talented candidates.
Second stage:
Second stage indicates towards development of positive and formative relationship
between Argos and employees. In this different type of induction programmes undertaken by HR
manager of Argos as to make employees aware related to company objective, vision their roles
responsibilities as to make them comfortable with their job role.
Third Stage:
At the stage Company HR manager effectively in the process of evaluating performance
and knowledge of employees and further impart them with more skills through training and
development sessions in order to make significant increase in organisational productivity.
Fourth Stage:
This is the fourth stage in which entity HR manager engage in the operations of
developing effective policies and norms by undertaking benefits of employees such as reward,
motivation schemes in order to retain them for long time.
Last Stage:
At this stage respective organization HR manager develop efficient database for their
employees that can be further used by them during the period of termination due to retirement or
any other reason.
HR life cycle
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HR life cycle there are different type of essential steps and stages at an HR manager
undertake in order to effectively conduct the process of recruitment and selection through which
profitability and performance capability of organisation can be increased
Recruitment and selection:
In this there different type of initiatives that are be taken by HR manager of Argos. In this
that take advantage of effective advertisement methods in order to attract large number of
talented and potential employees.
Orientation:
Effective orientation program are being conducted by Argos HR manager in order to
facilitate communication between workforce and company in order to provide employees with
necessary information.
Career planning and performance management:
At this stage Company HR manager provide efficient development as well as training
courses in order to maximize their skills and abilities to perform organisation objectives.
Succession Planning:
HR manager hire skilled, efficient employees in order to maximise overall productivity
and workforce efficiency of organisation.
According to the evaluation this has been signified that, HR life cycle is most important
aspect of Human Resource Management as it effectively describes different type of stages that an
employee goes through in an organisation. All stages have different set of responsibilities and are
required to be effectively abided by HR manager of entity in order to overcome challenges and
opportunities in an effective manner. With the application of this, Argos HR manager can
effectively invest in employee and can further assure more effective and stronger workforce, as
Argos business strategy is to maximize efficiency of their operations and increased productivity
at great extent. Thus, in order to fulfil their business strategy Argos HR manager is required to
develop their employees and strengthen their performance to create more value. In this,
integration of each and every stage in HR life cycle HR manager of entity can effectively
accomplish their business objectives in effective manner. It has been identified that in context
with each and every stage HR manager of Argos effectively taking advertisement method
advantage to influence attention of potential employees, provide orientation sessions, formulate
effective communication within workforce, offer development and training courses in order to
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develop employees according to each and every stage and to further utilise their potential for
company profitability.
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CONCLUSION
As per according to the above mentioned report it has been concluded that, resource and
talent planning is the most crucial and essential aspect for any organisation that allows them to
effectively manage their workflow. In this different type of strategies and policies are being
undertaken by HR manager in order to provide employees with positive, healthy and effective
workplace environment through which organisation can maximize their profitability at great
extent and can ensure long-term sustainability in respective industrial sector.
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