Table of Contents
Talent Management and Workforce Planning are critical pillars of modern People Practice. This unit explores how organizations can strategically align their human capital with overarching business goals through gap assessment, supply and demand prediction, and the implementation of robust workforce interventions. By mastering these processes, people professionals ensure that their organization attracts, develops, and retains the right talent to thrive in a competitive landscape.
About This Unit
Talent Management and Workforce planning comprise all gap assessment, prediction, analysis, talent supply and demand, formation of suitable workforce management interventions. All these processes ensure that employees and new hires are the right fit for an organization and achieving strategic goals. Therefore, the unit’s scope encompasses the effects of effective workforce planning in the contemplation of talent development of different bases, outsourcing methods, and new hire orientation. In addition, the unit also involves the projection of the losses an organization may incur in the event of poor management and control measures and tools that would reduce the costs.
What You Will Learn
The unit will provide a clear perspective into various trends visible in labour markets and their impacts on personnel planning. The unit mainly expounds on the tactics used by organisations to center themselves strategically, such as onboarding and contractual arrangements, and the effects of dynamic labour markets when seeking critical resources. Besides, Talent Management and Workforce planning also provide clarity on succession, pros and cons of different talent sourcing practices for better personnel outcomes, and foolproof plans development. One will also learn how to assess organisational employee retention and turnover and analyze various methods ideal for talent retention, development, and consequently, the establishment of talent bases.
Detailed Learning Outcomes & Assessment Criteria
Learning Outcome 1: Understand contemporary labour market trends and their significance for workforce planning.
Completing this section will increase learners’ understanding of non-traditional labour market trends and their influences on personnel planning through:
- AC 1.1: Strategic Positioning: An explanation of how organizations strategically position themselves in competitive labor markets. This involves understanding competitor analysis, the strengths and weaknesses of competitors’ employee experience, organizational positioning as an employer of choice, attitudes to reward and culture, employer branding, and organizational image, ethics, and reputation. Examples from leading organizations like SAP and Google can illustrate effective strategies .
- AC 1.2: Market Impacts: An explanation of the impact of changing labor market conditions on resourcing decisions. This includes defining “tight” (high demand, low supply) and “loose” (high supply, low demand) labor markets and analyzing how these conditions, along with macro-environmental factors (e.g., PESTLE analysis), influence decisions related to employer branding, recruitment methods, retention strategies, and contingency planning .
- AC 1.3: Stakeholder Influence: A discussion on the role of government, employers, and trade unions in ensuring future skills needs are met. This covers governmental responsibilities in skill development and funding, employers’ roles in providing training and quality work experience, and trade unions’ efforts in promoting access to learning and training .
Learning Outcome 2: Understand how to plan and implement resourcing strategies.
The second learning outcome is a better understanding of why personnel planning is a critical aspect in people management which is achieved after:
- AC 2.1: Impact of Planning: An analysis of the impact of effective workforce planning, particularly in terms of forecasting demand for labor utilizing both internal and external sources of supply. This involves breaking down the impact into components such as forecasting demand, forecasting internal and external supply, analyzing gaps, and developing strategies to address these gaps .
- AC 2.2: Planning Techniques: An evaluation of the techniques used to support the process of workforce planning. This includes assessing methods like managerial judgment, working back from costs, and systemic approaches, considering their positive and negative elements and applicability across different contexts. Data used for forecasting, such as promotion/demotion rates, employee turnover rates, and critical incident analysis, are also considered .
- AC 2.3: Succession & Contingency: An explanation of two approaches to succession and contingency planning aimed at mitigating workforce risks. This involves discussing how developing talent pools, using appraisals to identify progression interests, and building development plans can reduce risks associated with key personnel departures .
- AC 2.4: Recruitment & Selection: An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of different methods of recruitment and selection to build effective workforces. This includes evaluating various recruitment channels (e.g., social media, job boards, internal methods) and selection techniques (e.g., interviews, ability tests, job references), highlighting their advantages and disadvantages .
Learning Outcome 3: Understand approaches to developing and retaining talent.
After this unit’s completion, a student will view the significance of streamlined onboarding and the management of contract-based recruitments because of unit-specific exercises that include:
- AC 3.1: Turnover & Retention Trends: An examination of turnover and retention trends and the factors that influence why people choose to leave or remain. This includes analyzing voluntary vs. involuntary turnover, avoidable vs. unavoidable turnover, push and pull factors, and statistical analysis such as crude turnover rate and stability analysis. Factors like job contentment, leadership styles, ethics, and motivation are key considerations .
- AC 3.2: Development Approaches: A comparison of different approaches to developing and retaining talent on an individual and group level. This involves defining talent and discussing various retention strategies such as appraisal, training and development, flexible working, and fair rewards, applied at both individual (e.g., coaching, mentoring) and group levels (e.g., team-based learning, workshops) .
- AC 3.3: Talent Pools: An evaluation of approaches that an organization can take to build and support different talent pools. This includes defining talent pools and assessing methods like inclusive recruitment, learning and development initiatives (coaching, mentoring), and the role of performance reviews .
- AC 3.4: Diversity Benefits: An evaluation of two benefits of diversity in building and supporting talent pools. Benefits include enriched perspectives, increased creativity, improved decision-making, lower employee turnover, and a positive impact on employer brand .
- AC 3.5: Turnover Impact: An explanation of the impact associated with dysfunctional employee turnover. This covers both direct costs (e.g., recruitment and selection costs, induction training) and indirect costs (e.g., loss of productivity, skills, knowledge, morale) .
Learning Outcome 4: Understand contractual arrangements and onboarding.
The Talent Management and Workforce Planning unit encompass insight on the importance and reasons for effective personnel management in organizations that will enable students to:
- AC 4.1: Contractual Types: An assessment of suitable types of contractual arrangements dependent on specific workforce needs. This involves matching workforce needs to various contract types (e.g., permanent, temporary, full-time, part-time, zero-hours, contractor) and considering how work can be delivered in different ways, including the ‘gig economy’ .
- AC 4.2: Express vs. Implied Terms: A differentiation between express terms and implied terms in contracts. Express terms are explicitly agreed upon, usually in writing, while implied terms are not written but are understood or imposed by law or custom .
- AC 4.3: Effective Onboarding: An explanation of the components and two benefits of effective onboarding. Components include pre-employment information, organizational and departmental information, role clarification, socialization, and support. Benefits include smooth cultural assimilation, appreciation of organizational norms, and improved employee effectiveness and retention .
Who Is This Unit For?
This unit is suitable for persons who:
- Are HR or Learning and Development professionals pursuing managerial positions.
- Have years of work experience in the fields or whose job description involves implementing workforce management, learning and development solutions.
- Are learners capable of answering degree-level assignments.
- Are professionals seeking to boost their credibility in HRM.
The essential qualification for the CIPD’s 5th Associate level is completing the CIPD’s 3rd associate level and cuts across all units within the course. However, for persons without a CIPD background, the course is still ideal for individuals with a passion for people management and who are willing to implement policies and strategies covered through coursework in actual work settings.
How We Can Help
We provide unrivaled services for all CIPD levels focusing mainly on carefully curated solutions that engage our vastly competent workforce. Our personnel consists of a group of professionals qualified in different fields, including L&D and H.R., who can tackle any needs necessary in boosting the credibility of assignments. Apart from providing our clients with plagiarism-free work, we also strive to ensure that they are satisfied with the quality of the work based on the grammar and information provided. What sets our organization apart is 24-hour customer support to ensure all assignments, irrespective of short deadlines, are delivered in time and with top-notch quality.
Recommended Resources
- CIPD Knowledge Hub: www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service): www.acas.org.uk
- Taylor, S. (2018): Resourcing and Talent Management. London: CIPD Kogan Page.
- Gibson, A. (2021): Agile Workforce Planning. London: Kogan Page.
- Baker, T. (2014): Attracting and retaining talent: becoming an employer of choice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Clutterbuck, D. (2012): The talent wave: why succession planning fails and what to do about it. London: Kogan Page.
- Cook, M. (2016): Personnel selection: adding value through people – a changing picture. 6th ed. Chichester: John Wiley.
- Dinnen, M. and Alder, M. (2017): Exceptional talent: how to attract, acquire and retain the very best employees. London: Kogan Page.
- Guion, R.M. (2015): Assessment, measurement, and prediction for personnel decisions. 2nd ed. Hove: Routledge.
- Marchington, M., Wilkinson, A., Donnelly, R. and Kynighou, A. (2020): Human resource management at work: the definitive guide. 7th ed. London: CIPD Kogan Page.
- Newell Brown, J. (2011): The complete recruitment guide: a step-by-step approach to selecting, assessing and hiring the right people. London: Kogan Page.
- Pilbeam, S. and Corbridge, M. (2010): People resourcing and talent planning: HRM in practice. 4th ed. Harlow: Financial Times/Prentice Hall.
- Sparkman, R. (2018): Strategic workforce planning: developing optimized talent strategies for future growth. London: Kogan Page.
- Weeks, A. (2020): Talent management. Factsheet. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Available at: www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/resourcing/talent-factsheet
- Weeks, A., Reilly, P. and Hirsh, W. (2018): Workforce planning practice. Guide. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Available at: www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/organisational-development/workforce-planning-practice
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between a ‘tight’ and ‘loose’ labor market?
A tight market has high demand for labor but low supply (making recruitment difficult), whereas a loose market has high supply and low demand (making it easier to find candidates but potentially harder to retain them).
How does an Employer Value Proposition (EVP) help in 5HR02?
An EVP is the unique set of benefits an employee receives in return for their skills. It helps an organization position itself as an “Employer of Choice” in a competitive market .
Do I need to use real-world examples in my 5HR02 assignment?
Yes. CIPD assessments require you to apply theories to either a case study organization or your own workplace to demonstrate practical understanding.
What are the hidden costs of employee turnover?
Beyond direct recruitment fees, turnover includes indirect costs like reduced team morale, loss of organizational memory, and the “productivity dip” while a new starter gets up to speed.
Why is diversity important for talent pools?
Diversity brings enriched perspectives and increased creativity, which improves decision-making and helps the organization better reflect its customer base.
What is the difference between express and implied contract terms?
Express terms are explicitly agreed upon (usually in writing), such as salary or hours. Implied terms are not written but are expected by law or custom, such as the duty of mutual trust and confidence.
