2_RSTAssignmentPwC_Sep2017.docx

Unit Assessment: CIPD Level 5 Resourcing and Talent Planning (5RST)

Unit Type: Core Credit value: 6

Background to Unit – Resourcing and Talent Planning

A fundamental part of the human resource (HR) management role is concerned with the mobilisation of a workforce, taking responsibility for ensuring that the organisation is able to access the skills it needs at the time and in the places that it needs them to drive sustained organisation performance. This involves attracting, retaining and, from time to time, managing the departure of staff from the organisation. Achieving this requires insight-driven strategic and operational activity. Organisations are obliged to compete with one another to secure the services of a workforce in labour markets that are continually evolving. One of the major aims of this unit is thus to introduce learners to the strategic approaches that organisations take to position themselves as employers in the labour market and to plan effectively so that they are able to meet their current and anticipated organisational skills needs. Another is to introduce the key operational tools, techniques and practices that organisations use to resource their organisations effectively. These encompass recruitment, selection, workforce planning, staff retention, succession planning, retirement and dismissal processes. The purpose of this unit is to provide an overview of the way different organisations are managing these activities and which are the most effective in the context of diverse and distributed locations.

Learning outcomes

1. Understand key contemporary labour market trends and their significance for workforce planning.
1. Be able to undertake talent planning and recruitment activities
1. Understand how to maximise employee retention
4 Know how to manage dismissal, redundancy and retirement effectively and lawfully.

Assessment criteria

Learning outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

1. Understand key contemporary labour
market trends and their significance
for workforce planning.

1.1 Assess the major contemporary labour market trends in different country contexts.
1.2 Explain how organisations position themselves strategically in competitive labour markets.
1.3 Explain the significance of tight and loose labour market conditions.
1.4 Describe the role of government, employers and trade unions in ensuring future skills needs are met.

2. Be able to undertake talent planning and recruitment activities

2.1 Describe the principles of effective workforce planning and the tools used in the process.
2.2 Develop basic succession and career
development plans.
2.3 Contribute to plans for downsizing an organisation.
2.4 Contribute to the development of job
descriptions, person specifications and
competency frameworks.
2.5 Explain the main legal requirements in relation to recruitment and selection.
2.6 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of
different methods of recruitment and selection.

3. Understand how to maximise employee retention.

3.1 Explain why people choose to leave or remain employed by organisations and the costs associated with dysfunctional employee turnover.
3.2 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of
different approaches to the retention of talent.

4. Know how to manage dismissal,
redundancy and retirement effectively and lawfully.

4.1 Advise organisations on good practice
in the management of dismissals, retirements and redundancies that complies with current legislation.

Your task (3,900 words)

“You have been posed the following questions to answer by your Head of HR who is going to use this information to deliver a session to the Senior Executive Leadership Team.”

Question 1 (AC 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)

Write a short account which should briefly assess different labour market conditions in your own country and another country of your choice. In your account, briefly explain the significance of tight and loose labour market conditions and how organisations position themselves strategically in competitive labour markets.

Question 2 (AC 1.4)

Give a brief description of the role of government, employers and trade unions in ensuring future skills needs are met. (If you work in a country where Unions are illegal, you should clearly state this and indicate what other parties may be involved in ensuring future skills are met (for example, sector specific bodies responsible for skills development in the Oil and Gas sector)

Question 3 (AC 2.1)

Briefly describe the main principles of effective workforce planning and give some examples of any tools that may be used for this.

Question 4 (AC 2.2, 2.3, 2.4)
Give a brief account of HR’s role in each of the following:
– developing basic succession and career development plans
– contributing to plans for downsizing an organisation
– contributing to the development of job descriptions, person specifications and competency frameworks.

Question 5 (AC 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2)

· Explain some of the main legal requirements in relation to recruitment and selection and briefly assess the strengths and weaknesses of at least two different methods of recruitment and selection.

For programmes delivered outside of the EU, candidates should refer to local legislation. In the absence of local legislation, then candidates should refer to EU law.

· Go on to explain briefly why people leave or remain with organisations and provide a brief summary of some of the costs associated with dysfunctional employee turnover.
· Provide a brief assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of at least two different approaches to retaining talent.

Question 6 (AC 4.1)

Provide a brief summary of the advice you would provide to your organisation on ‘good’ and lawful practice for managing dismissal, retirement and redundancies.

Evidence to be produced

Answers to each of the six questions of approximately 3,900 words in total (divided appropriately across the questions).

You should relate academic concepts, theories and professional practice to the way organisations operate, in a critical and informed way, and with reference to key texts, articles and other publications and by using organisational examples for illustration.

All reference sources should be acknowledged correctly and a bibliography provided where appropriate (these should be excluded from the word count). Demonstrating evidence of wider reading through appropriate referencing will improve your answer and increase the likelihood of your work achieving a ‘Pass’.

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Submission Checklist

1. Assignment cover sheet
2. Answers to 6 questions (3900 words)
3. Appendices (if any)
4. References/Bibliography
5. Updated Personal Development Plan
6. Updated Key Learning Summary

Ref: RST/PwCAssBankEQA/SH/Sep2017