VALID THRU: 18-May-2024

Units Only 02-28-2024

AC 1.1 How can organisations strategically position themselves in competitive labour markets?

5HR02 Talent management and workforce planning

Learner Assessment Brief

Assessment ID / CIPD_5HR02_22_01

Level 5 Associate Diploma in

People Management

This unit focuses on the impact of effective workforce planning in considering the development of diverse talent pools and how to contract and onboard the workforce. It also includes analysis of the potential cost to the organisation if this is poorly managed and the tools and interventions required to mitigate this risk.

CIPD’s insight

Workforce planning (2021)

Workforce planning is a core business process which aligns changing organisation needs with people strategy. It can be the most effective activity an organisation can engage in. It doesn’t need to be complicated and can be adjusted to suit the size and maturity of any organisation. It can provide market and industry intelligence to help organisations focus on a range of challenges and issues, and prepare for initiatives to support longer term business goals.

This factsheet examines the concept of workforce planning. It distinguishes between strategic and operational workforce planning, `hard` and `soft` workforce planning, which work together to generate and analyse information before planning actions. It also explores the stages of the workforce planning process and highlights key issues and action points for implementation.

https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/organisational-development/workforce-planning-factsheet

Workforce planning guide (2018)

World economics, technology, demography and changing social attitudes are constantly influencing how we resource our organisations. The need for the right people, with the right skills, in the right roles, at the right time and at the right cost rings true now more than ever. With concerns over skills shortages and increasing competition to attract ‘talent’ to our organisations, considered workforce planning is an imperative that will keep businesses ahead of the curve. Workforce planning is a business process to align changing organisation needs and people strategy. It doesn’t need to be complicated, and any necessary complexity can be adjusted to suit the size and maturity of your organisation. Workforce planning will often be triggered by a specific event and/or a change to the structure of an organisation, such as through a merger, acquisition or a transformational change project. However, a focus on broader workforce planning will be important to your organisation at any given time.

https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/organisational-development/workforce-planning-practice

Please note that the purpose of this insight is to link you to CIPD’s research and evidence within the subject area, so that you can engage with the latest thinking. It is not provided to replace the study required as part of the learning or as formative assessment material.

Preparation for the Tasks:

Refer to the indicative content in the unit to guide and support your evidence.
Pay attention to how your evidence is presented, remember you are working in the People Practice Team.
Ensure that the evidence generated for this assessment remains your own work.

You will also benefit from:

Completing and acting on draft feedback from your Assessor.
Reflecting on your own experiences of learning opportunities and continuous professional development.
Reading the CIPD Insight, Fact Sheets and related online material on these topics as well as key research authors on the subject.

Task

You work for a large organisation that has just completed a restructure of its people function. You work in the resourcing team having previously specialised in employment relations. Your new manager is an experienced resourcing specialist and is delivering a webinar at a forthcoming CIPD branch event. The event is popular, with many bookings made. When participants make a booking, they are asked to include questions they would like answers to.

Your manager is keen to develop your knowledge of talent management and workforce planning and has asked you to prepare full written answers to the 15 questions the participants have raised. The questions are varied, and you want to impress your new manager with your answers as well as your ability to independently research any areas you are unfamiliar with. The questions will be answered during the webinar, so it is important your answers are focused, clear and concise.

In addition, you should make appropriate use of academic theory and practical examples to expand your responses and illustrate key points. Please ensure that any references and sources drawn upon are acknowledged correctly and supported by a bibliography.

To help the reader, please make use of headings and assessment criteria references to signpost the assessment criteria being addressed.

The 15 questions follow:

How can organisations strategically position themselves in competitive labour markets? (AC 1.1)
What is the impact of changing labour market conditions on resourcing decisions? (AC 1.2)
What is the role of government, employers and trade unions in ensuring future skills needs are met? (AC 1.3)
I am new to people practice and have heard that workforce planning is important. Before I try to convince others of this, I welcome the views of someone with more experience. Could you analyse the impact of effective workforce planning? (AC 2.1)
I want to introduce workforce planning in my organisation but I’m unsure which technique/s to use. Could you evaluate the techniques used to support the process of workforce planning? (AC 2.2)
Could you explain two approaches to succession and contingency planning aimed at mitigating workforce risks? (AC 2.3)
I tend to advertise all vacancies on our organisation’s website, then managers interview applicants. I would like to consider other recruitment and selection methods. Could you briefly assess the strengths and weaknesses of these methods as well as one other recruitment method and one other selection method? (AC 2.4)
I am aware employee turnover rates vary from one organisation to another but what turnover and retention trends exist and what factors influence why people choose to leave or remain? (AC 3.1)
I want to compare different approaches to developing and retaining talent on an individual and group level? Could you give me some pointers? (AC 3.2)
Could you evaluate approaches that an organisation can take to build and support different talent pools? (AC 3.3)
Could you evaluate two benefits of diversity in building and supporting talent pools? (AC 3.4).
I am trying to persuade managers in my organisation to take employee turnover more seriously but have been unsuccessful. Could you explain the impact associated with dysfunctional employee turnover? (AC 3.5)
Could you assess suitable types of contractual arrangements dependent on specific workforce need. (AC 4.1)
I have heard there are different types of terms in contracts – surely a term is a term. Can you differentiate between express terms and implied terms? (AC 4.2)
Could you explain the components and two benefits of effective onboarding? (AC 4.3)

Assessment Criteria Evidence Checklist

You may find the following checklist helpful to make sure that you have included the required evidence to meet the task. This is not a mandatory requirement as long as it is clear in your submission where the assessment criteria have been met.

Assessment criteria
		Evidenced Y/N	Evidence reference
1.1	Explain how organisations strategically position themselves in competitive labour markets.	Y	e.g., Answer to Q1, page 2
1.2	Explain the impact of changing labour market conditions on resourcing decisions.
1.3	Discuss the role of government, employers and trade unions in ensuring future skills needs are met
2.1	Analyse the impact of effective workforce planning.
2.2	Evaluate the techniques used to support the process of workforce planning.
2.3	Explain approaches to succession and contingency planning aimed at mitigating workforce risks.
2.4	Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different methods of recruitment and selection to build effective workforces.
3.1	Examine turnover and retention trends and the factors that influence why people choose to leave or remain.
3.2	Compare different approaches to developing and retaining talent on an individual and group level.
3.3	Evaluate approaches that an organisation can take to build and support different talent pools.
3.4	Evaluate the benefits of diversity in building and supporting talent pools.
3.5	Explain the impact associated with dysfunctional employee turnover.
4.1	Assess suitable types of contractual arrangements dependent on specific workforce need.

Assessment criteria
		Evidenced Y/N	Evidence reference
4.2	Differentiate between the main types of contractual terms in contracts.
4.3	Explain the components and benefits of effective onboarding.

5HR02 Talent management and workforce planning

Assessment Criteria marking descriptors.

Assessors will mark in line with the following assessment criteria (AC) marking descriptors, and will indicate where the learner sits within the marking band range for each AC.

Assessors must provide a mark from 1 to 4 for each assessment criteria within the unit. Assessors should use the mark descriptor grid as guidance so they can provide comprehensive feedback that is developmental for learners. Please be aware that not all the mark descriptors will be present in every assessment criterion, so assessors must use their discretion in making grading decisions.

The grid below shows the range for each unit assessment result based on total number of marks awarded across all assessment criteria.

To pass the unit assessment learners must achieve a 2 (Low Pass) or above for each of the assessment criteria.

The overall result achieved will dictate the outcome the learner receives for the unit, provided NONE of the assessment criteria have been failed or referred.

Please note that learners will receive a Pass or Fail result from the CIPD at unit level. Referral grades can be used internally by the centre.

Overall mark	Unit result
0 to 29	Fail
30 to 38	Low Pass
39 to 49	Pass
50 to 60	High Pass

Marking Descriptors

Mark	Range	Descriptor
1	Fail	Insufficient demonstration of knowledge, understanding or skills (as appropriate) required to meet the AC. Insufficient examples included, where required, to support answers. Presentation and structure of assignment is not appropriate and does not meet the assessment brief. Insufficient or no evidence of the use of references to wider reading to help inform answer.
2	Low Pass	Demonstrates an acceptable level of knowledge, understanding or skills (as appropriate) required to meet the AC. Sufficient and acceptable examples included, where required, to support answers. Required format adopted but some improvement required to the structure and presentation of the assignment. How can organisations strategically position themselves in competitive labour markets? Answers are acceptable but could be clearer in responding to the task and presented in a more coherent way. Sufficient evidence of the use of references to wider reading to help inform answer.
3	Pass	Demonstrates good knowledge, understanding or skills (as appropriate) required to meet the AC. Includes confident use of examples, where required, to support each answer. Presentation and structure of assignment is appropriate for the assessment brief. Answers are clear and well expressed. Good evidence of the use of references to wider reading to help inform answer.
4	High Pass	Demonstrates a wide range and confident level of knowledge, understanding or skill (as appropriate). Includes strong examples that illustrate the point being made, that link and support the answer well. Answers are applied to the case organisation or an alternative organisation. Answers are clear, concise and well argued, directly respond to what has been asked. The presentation of the assignment is well structured, coherent and focusses on the need of the questions. Considerable evidence of the use of references to wider reading to inform answer.