CIPD Level 5HR02 Talent Management And Workforce Planning Assessment Brief

5HR02 Talent Management and Workforce Planning

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 an 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 (July 2023)

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.

Strategic workforce planning (May 2023)

This guide introduces you to workforce planning and provides you with an overview of how to do it. It examines the key stages involved in workforce planning and offers a practical structure for determining your strategy, with illustrative examples to guide practice.

We’ll show you how to develop a workforce plan by walking you through two methodologies for workforce planning: a six-stage planning framework and a seven ‘rights’ principle. The planning framework offers six stages for conducting workforce planning in the right order; the seven ‘rights’ principle lists seven areas of the business that you need to consider.

People practitioners can use this guide to structure their (strategic) workforce planning, to identify the workforce challenges they may face ahead of time, and to put in place the appropriate actions to ensure organisational readiness and success.

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.
• Ensure that the evidence generated for this assessment remains your 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.

Scenario

Important Parcel is a long-established national parcel and package delivery service. Important Parcel is now finding it difficult to attract, recruit and retain staff throughout the organisation. You have just started in your new role as People Manager and have been asked to report to senior leaders on how these issues can be addressed. In preparation, you write answers to the 10 questions below.

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

• New entrants to the parcel delivery market and other labour market competitors have adversely affected ImportantParcel’s ability to compete in the labour market. Explain how Important Parcel can strategically position itself in competitive labour markets. (AC 1.1)
• Explain the impact of changing labour market conditions on resourcing decisions at ImportantParcel. (AC 1.2)
• You are aware that workforce planning has not been carried out in the past, and you decide to persuade the senior leadership team that this activity is worth doing. Analyse the impact of effective workforce planning, making clear how ImportantParcel could benefit from this activity. (AC 2.1)
• To strengthen your argument to introduce workforce planning, evaluate techniques that can be used to support the process of workforce planning. (AC 2.2)
• Currently, vacancies are advertised on ImportantParcel’s website. Line managers then interview shortlisted applicants. You feel that these are suitable recruitment and selection methods to use, but want to broaden the methods used. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of two different recruitment methods and two different selection methods. (AC 2.3)
• On examining employee turnover rates, you feel the rate is higher than it should be, and higher than internal targets. To try to understand this further, discuss the differences between avoidable and unavoidable turnover and the differences between push and pull factors. (AC 3.1)
• Retention of warehouse staff is an issue, as there are many labour market competitors. Compare the following retention approaches: realistic job previews, induction, job enrichment, and reward. (AC 3.2)
• To influence the senior leadership team to accept that employee turnover should be addressed, explain the impact of dysfunctional employee turnover. (AC 3.3) Important Parcel employs the majority of its employees on permanent, full-time contracts. You feel these contracts have their place, but it is time to consider whether other types of contractual arrangements could be beneficial to the organisation, especially when demand for delivery services increases and decreases. Assess the suitability of permanent, full-time contracts for delivery drivers as well as two other types of contracts. (AC 4.1)

At present, an ad hoc approach is taken to onboarding and typically involves the line manager ensuring new starter forms are completed and health and safety training provided. You identify that onboarding can be improved, but first need to convince others that investment in this area is worthwhile. Explain the benefits of effective onboarding. (AC 4.2)

Your evidence must consist of:

• Written responses to each of the 10 questions about the scenario above.
• Approximately 3900 words in total, refer to CIPD word count policy.

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 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 criterion 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 the 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 the unit level. Referral grades can be used internally by the centre.

Marking Descriptors