Research Report: Analyzing Touchstone's Workforce Issues and Solutions

This research report investigates the workforce challenges faced by Touchstone, a not-for-profit enterprise providing mental health and wellbeing services. The report begins with an overview of Touchstone and its mission, followed by an outline of the research aims, objectives, and rationale. A comprehensive literature review explores factors influencing employee retention and attraction in nonprofit organizations, including pay, career growth, access to talent, behavioral motivations, and workplace diversity. The methodology section details the interpretivist research philosophy, deductive approach, descriptive research design, and secondary qualitative research strategy employed. Data collection methods are based on secondary research, with data analysis conducted qualitatively. The findings and discussion section analyzes the reasons behind Touchstone's workforce issues, and the conclusion provides recommendations for improvement. The report emphasizes the importance of effective human resource management in attracting and retaining employees, suggesting that providing career development opportunities, flexible working hours, and aligning with employee values can enhance workforce stability.

Running head: RESEARCH REPORT
RESEARCH REPORT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Executive Summary
The Not for Profit enterprises often face certain issues while they are engaging in the business. In
line with this, the given report is focused towards ensuring that the study will be able to find the
reasons for the inadequate workforce at the Touchstone enterprise and provide recommendations
to improve the same. The research follows a systematic structure whereby, the study outlined the
background of the issue, provided recommendations based on the same and in line with this,
examined the reasons why the Touchstone has been facing issues relating to the adequate
workforce.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Overview......................................................................................................................................4
About Touchstone........................................................................................................................4
Research aim................................................................................................................................5
Research Objectives.....................................................................................................................5
Research Rationale......................................................................................................................5
Literature review..............................................................................................................................6
Research Methodology....................................................................................................................9
Overview......................................................................................................................................9
Research Philosophy....................................................................................................................9
Research Approach......................................................................................................................9
Research Design..........................................................................................................................9
Research strategy.......................................................................................................................10
Data collection...........................................................................................................................10
Data analysis..............................................................................................................................10
Research ethics..........................................................................................................................11
Summary....................................................................................................................................11
Findings and Discussion................................................................................................................12

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Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................14
References......................................................................................................................................15

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Introduction
Overview
The Touchstone Limited can be understood to be a Not for profit enterprise which serves
the various communities as present. In consideration with this, the passion is to secure that the
rights and entitlements of the various individuals can be met with accordingly (Albrecht et al.
2015). In line with this, it is integral to understand that, although the kind of work which they
engage in tends to help the society and will help them in making the world a better place,
however, very often the different enterprises are unable to find appropriate members to work
with and hence, are not being able to ensure that they are able to carry out and attain their goals
in a successful manner (Berman et al. 2019). Hence, it is in consideration of this that, the firm
would be required to see to it that, it is successfully being able to hire the right kind of employees
and in association with this, are being able to ensure that, the employees remain in the firm for a
long time and are being able to work well for the goals of the firm. Hence, this research is being
conducted to find the reason why the Touchstone has been facing these issues and the manner in
which they will be able to engage retaining more organizational members and ensure that their
vision and vision can be met with accordingly.
About Touchstone
The Touchstone has been in the domain for more than 30 years and provides mental
health and wellbeing services to the community and helps them in achieving the right kind of the
services at the right time (Touchstonesupport.org.uk 2020). In consideration with this, it is
integrate to ensure that, the firm has been providing a range of innovation services so as to
maintain the health and wellbeing. Additionally, Touchstone is strongly committed to providing

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independence, choice and equality. In consideration with this, Touchstone services are designed
to ensure that the staff can stay committed, knowledgeable as well as resourceful,
Research aim
The aim of the research is to outline the adequate workforce issues which are being faced
by Touchstone. In consideration with this, the paper will outline why the enterprise has been
facing workplace problems and the paper aims to provide solutions to improve the same.
Research Objectives
The research objectives which have been outlined for the study can be mentioned to be as
follows:
1. To understand the various workforce issues which are being faced by Touchstone?
2. To analyze why the enterprise has been facing the workforce issues.
3. To recommend ways in which these issues can be resolved.
4. To understand how an enterprise will be successfully able to attract reliable employees.
Research Rationale
The reason why the research is being conducted is because the Touchstone as a nonprofit
enterprise has been performing considerably well, however, at present it has been facing issues
regarding gaining an adequate workplace environment and the right kind of employees (Bratton
and Gold 2017). Hence, this study will focus on the manner in which the enterprise will be able
to hire and retain the right kind of employees.

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Literature review
The Human resource management forms an integral part of the organization and in
consideration of this, it becomes essentially critical for the enterprise to ensure that they are
successfully being able to engage in effective relationships with the different employees so that
they are being able to see to it that, the right kind of employees can be hired and they can be
adequately retained in the enterprise. Hence, according to Brewster et al. (2016), the selection
and the retaining of the best talent requires hard work and practice. As the enterprises which are
Nonprofit associations do not offer a pay which can be essentially made use of by the various
employees, these leads to further issues relating to the retention of the different employees.
Hence, it is in consideration of this fact that, there are various reasons why the different
employees present in the workplace do not want to ensure that they continue doing so for a
longer time frame (Cascio 2015).
In consideration of this, there are a large number of reasons why the different employees
are not willing to get themselves associated with the work which is there at the nonprofit
organization. Firstly, the pay which is offered to the different employees has a greater role to
play in deciding whether the employee will be able to maintain the association with the
enterprise for a longer time frame or not (Chelladurai and Kerwin 2018). In addition to this, very
often, the Non-profit organizations do not really offer a good pay to the different employees who
are present and in consideration with this, the different employees may remain under the belief
that, they would be required to work hard and not yet receive a good pay.
In addition to this, another reason why retaining and acquiring the different employees
can be understood to be difficult because their does not exist any career growth aspect (DeCenzo

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et al. 2016). In consideration with this, it is rather effective to understand that, they would be
required to see to it that, when they fail to offer the employees with adequate growth
opportunities then in such a case, it would become rather difficult for them to see to it that, they
are successfully being able to offer the different employees with the right kind of offers so as to
see to it that, they are being able to engage in better jobs and related opportunities.
In association with this, the different NGOs are often unable to target the right kind of
employees because they do not have access to the right kind of avenues with the help of which
they will be successfully able to get the right employees (Fletcher 2017). The HR department at
the different Non Profit Organizations tend to base their overall hiring based on the word of
mouth and it is in consideration with this that, the different employees are not being able to retain
and target the right kind of employees.
According to…, another reason why the particular enterprise has not been able to
successfully hire and retain the right kind of employees can be mentioned to be the fact that, the
behavioral reasons of the different employees may differ to a great extent and in consideration
with this, it may mentioned to be quite specific that, employees or individuals in general might
not necessarily enjoy working for a non-Profit organizations as they may generally be motivated
by the profit motives. Hence, these employees may not be motivated to perform well and may
feel that they have a better opportunity someplace else and may not be able to continue working
for the enterprise.
… States that the concepts related to the workplace diversity and inclusion may also be
considered to be another reason why the different employees may not be willing to perform
adequately well. Very often certain employees may be under the belief that, they are not being

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given the right kind of pay or there considers to be a disproportion in regards to the educated and
skilled man power. Hence, in this domain, the employees may not necessarily be comfortable in
carrying out the different operations successfully and in consideration of this; they may not
remain with the firm for a longer time frame.
Hence, the different Nonprofit oriented organizations would be essentially required to see
to it that, they are successfully being able to put the workplace environment into place and
ensure that the time bound growth can be provided to an employee and in consideration with
values and visions of the enterprise, the career development opportunities and the flexible
working hours as well. Once the different enterprises will be providing the employees with
adequate opportunities which will help them to perform well in the long run.

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Research Methodology
Overview
The research is required to be carried out in a manner such that, the overall objectives of
the research can be carried out successfully. In consideration of this, this section of the report
will outline the research methods which have been used for the study in order to ensure that
research questions can be answered in the right manner.
Research Philosophy
The research philosophy based on which the paper has been designed can be essentially
mentioned to be the Interpretivist Research philosophy. In this kind of a research philosophy a
particular phenomenon is undertaken and related research is undertaken in the same domain
(Flick 2015). By using this research method, the researcher will be successfully able to find the
issues being faced by the employees at the workplace and how the firm has been struggling
pertaining to the same (Silverman 2016).
Research Approach
The research approach is the overall manner in which a particular research is generally
carried out successively (Glesne 2016). In consideration with this, the research approach which
has been selected for the study can be mentioned to be the Deductive research approach. In the
deductive research approach, the author will find out certain details and depending on that the
author will deduce relevant information out of the data which will be collected accordingly.

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Research Design
The research design can be rightfully described as the overall format which will be
essentially followed for the study. In consideration with this, it becomes essential to understand
that, the research design which has been adopted for the stud is the descriptive research design
(Gray 2019). In this kind of a research design, the author will necessarily formulate the study in a
manner such that the reason for the research can be carried out in an accurate manner.
Research strategy
The research strategy can be mentioned to be the overall strategy which is generally
adopted to carry out the research in the right manner. In consideration with this, the research
strategy which has been selected can be mentioned to be the Secondary Qualitative research
method whereby, the information has been collected from the secondary sources and the data
shall be analyzed in the qualitative manner (Kumar 2019).
Data collection
The data collection method can be mentioned to be the technique using which the data is
usually collected in order to carry out the research in a successful manner. In line with this, the
data collection method which has been selected for the study can be mentioned to be the
Secondary research method (Mackey and Gass 2015). Here the data will be selected from the
journals, reviews, magazines and related sources.
Data analysis
The data analysis can be described to be the means using which the data which is
collected is analyzed. The two available methods of data analysis can be essentially mentioned to
be the Qualitative data analysis and the Quantitative data analysis. In consideration with this, the

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data analysis method which has been selected for the study can be mentioned to be the
Secondary method.
Research ethics
The research ethics can be rightfully defined as the manner in which the research would
be required to follow all the considerate ethical norms and criteria’s which are present and
largely pertain to the study which is given (Quinlan et al. 2019). In line with this, it is important
to mention that, this research has followed all research ethics and those university norms.
Moreover, all the resources which have been used for the study can be understood to be authentic
in nature.
Summary
Hence, the study followed a systematic format using which the research methods which
have been applied for the study have been defined considerably.

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Findings and Discussion
Hence, as found from the Literature review and related analysis, it can be essentially
mentioned that, there are a large number of reasons why the different enterprises who are
Nonprofit firms like the Touchstone are not being able to perform well can be stated to be
because they lack adequate knowledge, training and associated motivational factors to be able to
perform accordingly (Noe et al. 2015). In consideration of this, it needs to be held critical that in
order to retain the employees in the rightful manner, the Touchstone would be required to follow
the given steps in order to ensure that the right kind of steps are being adopted.
a) Training and development: The Touchstone would be required to see to it that, it is
successfully being able to train the employees who join the organization by using the proper
trainers then in such a case, it is critical to ensure that, proper trainers are being hired who will
assist in ensuring that the employees are being provided with adequate training so that they are
being able to specialize in their respective areas and with the assistance of this, they are being
able to ensure that they are satisfied with their work and remain associated with the enterprise for
a longer time frame and the quality of work in which they are engaged in improves to a greater
extent (Marchington et al. 2016).
b) Effective Performance appraisal: The performance appraisal can be mentioned to be an
integral part of the study and in consideration with this, it is necessary to ensure that, effective
performance appraisal is undertaken in order to see to it that the various employees are being
able to remain satisfied with their work and along with this, the different employees have to
provide with an adequate opportunity to improve their overall functioning.

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c) Improved recruitment procedure: Another step which can be rightfully initiated by the
enterprise can be mentioned to be the systematized recruitment procedure (Stewart and Brown
2019). Pertaining to this, it can be rightfully mentioned that, the Touchstone as an enterprise
would be required to see to it that it is being able to improve the recruitment procedure so as to
ensure that the right employees are hired and the different employees who are necessarily
associated with the firm are being able to achieve their overall goals rightfully.
d) Ensuring employee satisfaction: Another successful measure which can be adopted by the
organization can be mentioned to be the employee satisfaction. There are various ways which
can be adopted by the enterprise in order to ensure that, the existent employees remain associated
with Touchstone. In such a consideration the firm would be essentially able to ensure successful
operations (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015). The formation of a transparent HR system
would be critical to consider the overall successful transactions and also to see to it that the HR
policies are supportive of the firm`s employees.

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Conclusion
Therefore, from the given analysis it can be mentioned that all enterprises often tend to
face certain issues and related problems. In consideration of this, it becomes very important for
the firm to ensure that it is being able to face all these problems. Hence, this study was based on
the research problem which aimed to find the reason why there existed problems relating to the
adequate workforce acquisition and hiring at the enterprise named Touchstone which is a Not for
Profit organization. In consideration with this, the study followed a comprehensive format
whereby the background of the company was followed by the analysis of the various issues
being faced by the enterprise, Literature review theories, Research methodologies and finally the
findings had been provided. Certain recommendations to improve the issue have been given.

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