What Talent Strategies Do Best Companies Use? M&S and H&M Comparison

This report examines talent management strategies used by H&M and M&S to attract and retain employees. It begins with a project management plan outlining the timeline, resources, and milestones, followed by primary and secondary research. Primary data was collected through questionnaires administered to 20 employees of M&S, while secondary data was gathered from articles and journals. The findings, analyzed using frequency distribution, reveal that both companies emphasize training and development, a good work environment, and opportunities for continuous development. The report identifies key initiatives, such as job rotation and flexible working arrangements, as well as the benefits of talent management, including improved employee motivation and retention, and increased business reputation. The analysis also highlights challenges such as higher employee turnover and the demand for higher compensation. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and provides recommendations for effective talent management practices. A reflective practice section and project logbook are also included.

Managing Successful Business Project
(What talent strategies do the best
companies use to attract and retain
people?)
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Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
STEP 1: PROJECT MANGEMENT PLAN....................................................................................3
STEP 2 – CONDUCT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESEARCH.........................................7
STEP 3 – PRESENT FINDINGS..................................................................................................10
Recommendations......................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
STEP 4 – REFLECTIVE PRACTICE...........................................................................................16
Performance Review..................................................................................................................16
PROJECT LOGBOOK..................................................................................................................17
BUSINESS CASE PRESENTATION..........................................................................................19
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INTRODUCTION
Talent management introduces to the process of attracting and retaining talented and high-
quality employees at workplace. There are number of talent management strategies including
detailed job description, opportunities for continues development, reward and recognise right etc.
All these are main talent management strategies that are useful for an organisation in retaining as
well as attracting of talent within a workplace (Abdollahbeigi, 2021). For this project,
comparative analysis between two organisations i.e. H&M and M&S is used for achieving each
objective in successful manner.
STEP 1: PROJECT MANGEMENT PLAN
Project management plan
Project management plan is the process of achieving project objectives within given time
period. There are various advantages of using project management plan within a project such as
improved growth, improved efficiency etc. There are various components that are useful in
planning of a project (Allal-Chérif, Aránega and Sánchez, 2021). These are explained as below:
Components of project management plan Description
Time This is a main component of project
management plan that helps project manager in
completing if each activity of the study within
a given time period. In order to complete
project on talent management strategies,
around 10 weeks is required by researcher.
Resources There are various resources that are useful for
collecting secondary data about the talent
management. These are articles, books,
magazines etc. Along with this, there are also
some sources i.e. internet, transportation etc.
sources are needed for successfully completion
of existing project (Beamond, Farndale and
Hartel, 2021).
Quality Within a current project, quantitative research
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is used for getting valid outcomes. This
method is useful for project manager in
collecting of quality information in less time
period.
Cost In order to complete all steps of the research
project in effective manner, there will be a
requirement of cost i.e. €400.
Scope
Current research project has wide scope because for this, quantitative data will be used
that for collecting numerical information about the talent management. Current project will be
completed within given time period that is also shown as this project has wide scope (Čič and
Mladič, 2021). For completing this project, there are various activities that are completed in
successfully manner. These are, project management plan, primary and secondary research, data
analysis etc.
Milestone
There are various millstones for completing this project in successfully and effective
manner. These millstones are brainstorming the concept of talent management, literature review,
methodology, data collection and analysis etc. According to the current project, there are two
main millstones such as literature review and data collection.
Initiation, planning and execution
This part of the project includes research aim, objectives and questions that helps
researcher in exiting of current project successfully (Mamdouh Mohamed Abd El-Maksoud,
Sayed Amin and Samir Hizah, 2021). Aim, objectives and questions of the current project are
shown as below:
Project aim:
Main aim of this project is “To identify the major talent management strategies used by
company for attracting and retaining employees at workplace for longer time period”: A
comparative study on M&S and H&M
Project objectives
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 To identify the initiatives taken by M&S and H&M for managing talent within a
workplace
 To determine the benefits of talent management in improving of employee motivation
and retention
 To examine the challenges faced by an organisation while implementing talent
management strategies at workplace
Project questions
 What are the initiatives taken by M&S and H&M for managing talent within a
workplace?
 What are the benefits of talent management in improving of employee motivation and
retention?
 What are the major challenges faced by an organisation while implementing talent
management strategies at workplace
Work break down structure and Gantt chart
Work break down structure
Figure 1: Work break down structure of the project
(Source: Work break down structure of the project, 2021)
Gantt chart
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STEP 2 – CONDUCT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESEARCH
This is a part of research methodology that facilitate investigator in collecting of primary
and secondary information about the topic. There are some methodologies that are explained as
below:
Data collection: Primary and secondary are two methods of data collection that are used for
collecting information about the talent management strategies. For collecting primary
information, questionnaire is applied by researcher (Martínez-Morán and et. al., 2021). For
gathering secondary data, articles, books, magazines etc. sources are used.
Sampling: There are two methods of selecting sample such as probability and non-
probability. According to the given title or project, probability sampling is used and with the help
of this, 20 employees of M&S are selected randomly (Rondi and et. al., 2021).
Primary data collection: There are various methods of collecting primary information but
according to the existing topic or project, questionnaire is used by researcher. Questionnaire of
the current project is mentioned as below:
Q1 Do you have knowledge regarding the effectiveness of talent management within your
workplace?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2 What are the common talent management strategies used by H&M and M&S?
a) Developing a good work environment
b) Offered Pension plan
c) Provided opportunity for continues development
Q3 What are the initiatives taken by M&S and H&M for managing talent within a workplace?
a) Maintaining identify of each employees
b) Training and development
c) Working flexibility
Q4 What are the benefits of talent management in improving of employee motivation and
retention?
a) Helps in attainment of competitive advantages
b) Increased business reputation
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c) Retaining top talent
Q5 What are the major challenges faced by an organisation while implementing talent
management strategies at workplace
a) Higher employee turnover
b) Lack of leadership
c) higher total compensation demand
Secondary data collection: There are different sources of collecting secondary
information about the topic. These are books, journals, articles etc. Therefore, secondary
information of the current topic is gathered as below:
Initiatives taken by M&S and H&M for managing talent within a workplace
According to the Mujtaba and Mubarik (2021), there are various initiates taken by H&M
and M&S for managing talent at workplace for longer time period. These intimates are explained
as below:
Training and development: There are different methods of training and development
used by H&M and M&S such as e-learning programmes, on-the-job training, educational course,
work-related tutorials etc. These are important methods that help H&M and M&S in improving
of their employee’s knowledge, skills and competencies towards work.
Job rotation: This is another initiate taken by the human resource of H&M and M&S.
Workers lack eagerness if they do the similar type of work on daily basis. Therefore, job rotation
and temporary shifting of workers from one job to another in the company is important to keep
them motivated and engaged.
Therefore, all these are main initiates that are useful for both employees as well as an
organisation by improving their performance and productivity.
Benefits of talent management in improving of employee motivation and retention
As per the opinion of Pahuja, Chowdary and Mittal (2021), talent management within a
work pace is important part for an organisation in enhancing of motivation and retention of
employees. There are some benefits of talent management that are described as below:
Employee motivation: Employee of an organisation gets an opportunity of learning and
improving themselves that motivates them to perform much better. Therefore, increased
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motivation among employees will help company in reducing of high employee turnover and
retaining of workers from longer time period.
Boost up confidence: This is another benefit of talent management that facilitate an
organisation in increasing of motivation and retention of workers (WERBER, 2021).
Recognition and rewards fit up the confidence level among employees that turn to impact in
higher retention.
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STEP 3 – PRESENT FINDINGS
This is an important part of data analysis that introduces to the process of evaluating
gathered information through research analytical tool. According to the current project,
quantitative information has been collected from questionnaire and for evaluating this; frequency
distribution analysis is used by researcher. This technique helped researcher in analysing of
quantitative data in less time (Trullen and Bonache, 2021). Therefore, frequency distribution
table of the present project is mentioned as below:
Q1 Do you have knowledge regarding the effectiveness of talent management
within your workplace?
Frequency
a) Yes 15
b) No 5
Q2 What are the common talent management strategies used by H&M and
M&S?
Frequency
a) Developing a good work environment 6
b) Offered Pension plan 7
c) Provided opportunity for continues development 7
Q3 What are the initiatives taken by M&S and H&M for managing talent
within a workplace?
Frequency
a) Maintaining identify of each employees 8
b) Training and development 6
c) Working flexibility 7
Q4 What are the benefits of talent management in improving of employee
motivation and retention?
Frequency
a) Helps in attainment of competitive advantages 7
b) Increased business reputation 6
c) Retaining top talent 8
Q5 What are the major challenges faced by an organisation while
implementing talent management strategies at workplace
Frequency
a) Higher employee turnover 9
b) Lack of leadership 6
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c) Higher total compensation demand 5
Table 1: Knowledge regarding the effectiveness of talent management within your workplace
Q1 Do you have knowledge regarding the effectiveness of talent management
within your workplace?
Frequency
a) Yes 15
b) No 5
Interpretation: From the above mentioned table, it has been interpreted that most of the
participants have accurate knowledge regarding the effectiveness of talent management at
workplace. For this statement, 15 respondents said yes, whereas remaining 5 said no because
they does not have any idea about the talent management.
Table 2: Common talent management strategies used by H&M and M&S
Q2 What are the common talent management strategies used by H&M and
M&S?
Frequency
a) Developing a good work environment 6
b) Offered Pension plan 7
c) Provided opportunity for continues development 7
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Interpretation: There are different types of talent management strategies used by H&M
and M&S. For this, 6 out of 20 respondents have knowledge as development of good work
environment is main strategies that help both organisations in managing of talent within a
workplace. 7 participants have opinion as both organisations are offered pension plan that
increase talent management and retention at workplace. Remaining 7 respondents had knowledge
as providing opportunities for continues development is main strategy used by H&M and M&S
for talent management.
Table 3: Initiatives taken by M&S and H&M for managing talent within a workplace
Q3 What are the initiatives taken by M&S and H&M for managing talent
within a workplace?
Frequency
a) Maintaining identify of each employees 8
b) Training and development 6
c) Working flexibility 7
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