Effective Strategies for Talent Management: A Unilever Case Study

This report delves into the critical aspects of talent management, using Unilever as a case study to explore effective strategies for attracting and retaining employees. The report begins with an introduction to talent management, highlighting its importance in addressing staff turnover and achieving business goals. It outlines the aims and objectives of the study, which include discussing talent management concepts, identifying challenges, and recommending strategies for improving staff retention. The report emphasizes the development of a project management plan (PMP), detailing essential elements such as quality control, resource allocation, time estimation, budgeting, risk assessment, and communication strategies. The research methodology includes qualitative research methods, with an inductive approach to data collection and analysis. Primary data was collected through questionnaires administered to a sample of five individuals. The data analysis section presents findings on employee perspectives on talent management, including the benefits of staff retention, the impact of talent management on productivity, recruitment styles, motivational techniques, and recommendations for better talent management. The report concludes with references and an appendix containing the questionnaire used in the study. This assignment is a valuable resource for students seeking insights into talent management practices.

Managing a Successful Business
Project

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE: To identify effective strategies for attracting and retaining people....................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................3
Aim and objectives......................................................................................................................3
Developing project management plan.........................................................................................4
Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart.................................................................................5
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................6
Conducting primary and secondary research...............................................................................6
DATA ANALYSIS..........................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................10

TITLE: To identify effective strategies for attracting and retaining people.
INTRODUCTION
Talent management is a process that starts with attraction of people by company and
involve all functions that help companies out in retaining their attracted skilled workforces
(Arghode, Brieger and McLean, 2017). This study is based on Unilever that is facing some
problems in managing talent. Increasing staff turnover is the main problem so, by conducting this
research, it can be helped out in knowing effective strategy of managing talent. This study will
discuss benefits that companies can take by attracting as well as retaining their skilled
workforces. It will further discuss importance of developing PMP or estimating time as well as
budget. It will further, discuss effectiveness of data collection and how it helps in accomplishing
goals.
LO 1
Aim and objectives
Aim:
“To explore effective strategies for attracting and retaining employees within business.
Study of Unilever”.
Objectives
 To discuss the main concept or process of talent management.
 To discuss benefits that Google can take by retaining talent workforces.
 To identify challenges faced by company in managing talent.
 To recommend ways or strategies of motivating and increasing staff retention rate.
Rationale
Talent management is the main process that can help companies in accomplishing their
goals. But for that they need having knowledge about appropriate ways by which they can attract
as well as retain their talented workforces. So, for making them aware about strategies is the
main aim of selecting this topic. This study can help companies in increasing staff retention rate
and taking competitive advantages.
Developing project management plan
Project management plan is one of the important document that plays a vital role in
successful completion of research. This document consists of some important information about

resources, cost, time and others and shows way of completing project (Dreyer, Macedo and
Velentgas, 2019). All important elements that are required for completing project are being
included in this. For managing project of knowing ways of increasing employees' retention rate
for better talent management, elements of PMP are discussed below:
Quality: Quality is the main element of research project that improves image. It shows
the degree of excellence and the main thing on which success depend. It is important for project
manager to maintain quality of their project for making their study successful and letting others
or viewers know that project manager has skills and knowledge of managing projects. For this
study, manager has used KIP and other tools for controlling, monitoring tools for managing
quality.
Resources: For completing any type of project, project manager requires having
appropriate resources. Resources help them out in completing their projects in a timely and
accurate manner. For conducting this project on knowing better ways of employees retention,
project manager has used technical staff, human resources and other tools.
Time: Time is other important element that should be considered by project manager.
Project manager requires making an effective plan in which he should estimate time in which
project can be completed. How much time will be taken for successful completion of the project
is known as time (McDonnell and et.al., 2017). This project is all about talent management in
which project manager requires identifying better strategies for increasing employees' retention
rate. Talent management starts with identifying or attracting talent workforces and end with
retaining to them. So, for completing the whole and long process and knowing better ways of
motivating employees, project manager has estimated 5-6 weeks.
Budget: It is important of setting an estimated budget as by setting budget, project
manager can measure its effectiveness and can protect against increasing cost. For estimating and
creating budget or cost, there is requirement of identifying resources that are available and
resources that will be required. By knowing total activities and functions, budget can be set out.
For this project estimated budget is around $2000.
Risk: Risk is a part of project. Risks may occur any time because projects are being
conducted in business environment and changes may occur in this environment any time. Some
examples of changes in business environmental factors include: climate change: Covid-19,
political changes, economic condition changes, changes in internal strategies etc. Some risks

have been identified by project manager that can create barriers in the path of its success such as:
climate change, lack of financial resources and others.
Communication: For making aware to all involved people of project, manager needs to
interact with them. For removing miscommunication and providing detailed and effective
information to all stakeholders, project manager have to make use of effective communicational
modes. For this project, manager has made use of E-mail and telephone modes for
communicating with their internal as well as external stakeholders (Moser and Korstjens, 2018).
Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart

LO 2
Conducting primary and secondary research
Research type: A form in which data are being gathered is known as research type. Researcher
collects data either in non-numerical form or in numerical form (Demirkesen and Ozorhon,
2017). When data are being collected in numerical form then it is known as quantitative and non-
numerical data is known as qualitative. For this study, qualitative has been used.
Research philosophy: A belief about ways in which information are being gathered is known as
research philosophy. In interpretivism philosophy, researcher takes human interest into
consideration and interpret elements in detailed manner. In positivism, researcher believes that
genuine knowledge he can derive from experience of natural phenomenon.
Research approach: Inductive and deductive are 2 main approaches that consists of steps of
broad assumption of detailed method. In inductive approach, researcher generate brand-new
theory as per their own and in deductive research approach, an existing theory is being developed
related to the topic. For this study, inductive approach has been used because it is associated with
qualitative research (Wael, 2017).
Data collection: Primary and secondary are 2 types of data collection. In primary type, all new
information are being collected by making use of questionnaire, survey, interview and others. In

secondary type, all second hand data that have been already published are being collected.
Primary data have been gathered in this study (Castleberry and Nolen, 2018).
Data analysis: After collecting any type of data., they need to be moulded for making them
accurate and it is known as data analysis. For analysing qualitative data, qualitative data analysis
are being used. For analysing numerical data, quantitative data analysis tools are being used. For
this thematic analysis tool has been used as qualitative because this study is qualitative.
Sample: Sample refers target people that are being selected by researcher for gathering primary
data. Sample plays a vital role as they provide effective and relevant information to the topic. 5
people have been taken as sample for this study.
DATA ANALYSIS
Benefits your company can take by increasing staff retention rate?
In this open-ended question all sample are being given equal and fair opportunities of
sharing their views. Out of total 5 sample, 2 employees said that their company can improve its
image by increasing staff retention rate. When employees stay with the company then they
improve image by words of mouth. Whereas, other 2 employees said that staff retention rate can
improve their productivity as skilled and motivated employees focus on their functions that
improve their performance. 1 employee said that retention rate can make their company
competitive.
Do you believe that talent management can improve overall productivity of the company?
In this question, 3 employees believe that their company can improve overall productivity
if they manage talent in an effective manner. On the other hand, 2 employees said that their
company can not improve productivity by managing talent, and they said that there are several
other factors that are required for improving productivity.
Which recruitment style is being used by your company for attracting skilled workforces?
In the context of recruitment style that is an important part of talent management, 4 employees
said that most of the time their company focuses and makes use of external recruitment. It helps
them out in bringing out innovative ideas within business. 1 employees said that external
recruitment is being used by their company in which vacant post is being filled either by transfer
or promotion.

Which type of motivation is being given by your company for retaining staff?
Motivation also plays a vital role in increasing staff retention rate or people management.
In this open-ended question, 3 employees said that their company provide non-financial rewards
as motivation. Whereas, 2 employees said that their company provides rewards, incentives and
other financial rewards as motivation.
What do you want to recommend to your company for better talent management?
This question is being asked for knowing effective strategies of talent management and
data colected by this question can help in accomplishing goal. In this context 2 employees said
that making use of democratic and effective leadership style can help their company in retaining
empoyees andmotivating. 2 other employees said that training is an effective way that can boost
confidence and employees can stay with the company. 1 employee said that internal recruitment
or appreciation can help their company in managing talent.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Arghode, V., Brieger, E.W. and McLean, G.N., 2017. Adult learning theories: implications for
online instruction. European Journal of Training and Development.
Castleberry, A. and Nolen, A., 2018. Thematic analysis of qualitative research data: Is it as easy
as it sounds?. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 10(6), pp.807-815.
Demirkesen, S. and Ozorhon, B., 2017. Impact of integration management on construction
project management performance. International Journal of Project Management. 35(8).
pp.1639-1654.
Dreyer, N.A., Macedo, A.F. and Velentgas, P., 2019. Primary Data Collection for
Pharmacoepidemiology.Pharmacoepidemiology. pp.342-354.
Ketmanto, D.P. and Hasibuan, M.A., Project Management Plan Design for Developing E-
learning Content.
McDonnell, A. and et.al., 2017. Talent management: a systematic review and future prospects.
European Journal of International Management. 11(1). pp.86-128.
Moser, A. and Korstjens, I., 2018. Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 3:
Sampling, data collection and analysis. European Journal of General Practice. 24(1).
pp.9-18.
Wael, R., 2017. Data Management Plan: HarassMap.Research Ideas and Outcomes. 3. p.e15133.

APPENDIX
Questionnaire
11 What benefits does your company can take by increasing staff retention rate?11 Do you believe that talent management can improve overall productivity of the company11 Which recruitment style is being used by your company for attracting skilled workforces?11 Which type of motivation is being given by your company for retaining staff?11 What do you want to recommend to your company for better talent management?