Resourcing and Talent Planning (RTP)
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
On completion of this unit, learners will (those highlighted in bold pertain specifically to this
assessment):
1. Understand key contemporary labour market trends and their significance for different kinds of
organisation and
in different country contexts.
2. Be able to undertake core talent planning activities.
3. Know how to contribute to the development of resourcing strategies.
4. Be able to manage recruitment and selection activities effectively and within the expectations of
the law and
good practice.
5. Understand how to maximise employee retention.
6. Know how to manage dismissal, redundancy and retirement effectively and lawfully.
Assessment criteria (those highlighted pertain specifically to this assessment):
Learning outcomes
The learner will:
1
Understand key contemporary labour market trends and their
significance for different kinds of organisation and in different
country contexts.
2
Be able to undertake core talent planning activities.
3
Know how to contribute to the development of resourcing
strategies.
4
Be able to manage recruitment and selection activities effectively
and within the expectations of the law and good practice.
5RTP (NAB I305001) Version: Aug 13 – Assessment Brief
Assessment criteria (AC)
The learner can:
1.1 Evaluate the major contemporary labour market trends in
different country contexts.
1.2 Explain the significance of tightening and loosening labour
market conditions.
1.3 Describe the role of government, employers and trade unions
in helping to ensure that future skills needs are met.
2.1 Describe the principles of effective workforce planning and
tools used to carry it out.
2.2 Develop basic succession and career development plans.
2.3 Contribute to plans for downsizing an organisation.
3.1 Analyse the relative strengths and weaknesses of labour
market competitors.
3.2 Explain how organisations position themselves strategically in
competitive labour markets.
3.3 Evaluate why and how organisations seek to be seen as
employers of choice.
4.1 Contribute to the development of job descriptions, person
specifications and competency frameworks.
4.2 Explain the main legal requirements in relation to recruitment
and selection.
4.3 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of major methods of
recruitment.
4.4Assess the strengths and weaknesses of major methods of
selection.
5
Understand how to maximise employee retention.
6
Know how to manage dismissal, redundancy and retirement
effectively and lawfully.
5.1 Explain the costs associated with dysfunctional employee
turnover and ways of calculating them.
5.2 Examine why people choose to leave or remain employed by
organisations.
5.3 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different
approaches to the retention of talent.
6.1 Explain the main legal requirements in relation to dismissal,
retirement and redundancy.
6.2 Advise organisations on good practice in the management of
dismissals, retirements and redundancies.
Your task (AC 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3)
1. You are asked to distinguish between the following HR activities:
workforce planning
succession planning
career development planning
Briefly define each of the three terms, clearly explaining how the tools and activities differ in each
case and then
explain, using examples, how each could be relevant when an organisation is anticipating the need to
downsize
over the coming three years. (AC 2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
2. Your manager reads an article in which the term ’employer of choice’ is used. She is interested to
know whether
your organisation should seek to achieve this status, what the advantages and disadvantages are and
what would
need to be done in order to achieve this objective. Your answer should make reference to organisations
that
have positioned themselves as employers of choice. (AC 3.1,3.2, 3.3)
3. Staff turnover in your organisation is a problem and you have been asked to set out a business case
for investing
some resources in reducing staff turnover and to identify and explain which measures aimed at improving
employee retention would be most appropriate to adopt and why. (AC 5.1, 5.2, 5.3)
Answers should equate to a maximum of 1000 words per task, together with a list of cited references.
Throughout the assessment:
you must make sure you refer to the assessment criteria above to ensure you are meeting all of it in
your answer. You need to be aware that each task above may cover more than one assessment criteria
and each criteria may be covered in more than one task;
you are strongly advised to read the assessment guidance that accompanies the assessment (focus on
the assessment criteria relevant for this assessment), so that you can answer the question(s) within
the
context provided in the assessment itself;
you should refer to best practice and relevant legislation where appropriate, and include reference to
appropriate literature sources to demonstrate your wider reading. Demonstrating evidence of wider
reading through appropriate referencing will improve your answer and increase the likelihood of your
work achieving a ‘Pass’. Failure to reference properly will result in an assessment being ‘referred’.
5RTP (NAB I305001) Version: Aug 13 – Assessment Brief