Question
Task 1 – Poster presentation (strategic positioning and labour market)
The manager of the people practice team is looking to learn more about the labour market. They have asked you to prepare a poster presentation for the forthcoming monthly team briefing. Your manager wants you to research the labour market trends, focussing on the best practices of an organisation named “SAP” who won the Employer Brand Management Awards in 2019 in five different categories.
You will also need to carry out your own research into the changing labour market conditions across the UK and what different energy companies are doing to retain staff. The following links may help you:
The poster presentation must include:
- An explanation of how “SAP” strategically positions itself in the competitive market place. Focus on the characteristics of employer of choice, employer branding and organisational image, and how these can be applied to OcMara. (AC1.1).
- An explanation of the changing labour market conditions and its impact in the UK. Make sure to discuss the differences between tight and loose labour market trends, focussing specifically on the energy sector. Your explanation should also include the decisions energy companies are taking in relation to retention strategies, recruitment methods and skill shortages in this sector caused by recent global crisis (AC1.2).
- A discussion of the role of the government, employers and trade unions in ensuring future skill needs are met in the UK global energy sector (AC1.3).
Task 2 – Workforce planning and recruitment pack
Now that you have completed your poster presentation, your manager has asked you to produce a workforce planning and recruitment pack. You will present this at the next HRBPS meeting, next month.
The workforce planning and recruitment pack must include an introduction, conclusion and the following points:
- An analysis of the impact of workforce planning in terms of forecasting demand for labour utilising both internal and external sources of supply (AC2.1).
- An evaluation of the effectiveness of promotion/demotion rates, employee turnover rates and critical incident analysis techniques which are used to support the process of workforce planning (AC2.2).
- An explanation of how appraisal can be used to identify who is interested in progression, managing contingency and mitigating risks through OcMara developing their own talent pools (AC2.3).
- An assessment of the use of social media and advertising to recruit employees. An assessment of interviews and job references as methods of selection. These assessments should highlight strengths and weaknesses (AC2.4).
- An assessment of how OcMara could introduce zero-hour and contractor contracts for the new staff it is hoping to recruit (AC4.1).
- A discussion on the differences between express and implied terms of contracts and what is meant by custom and practice (AC4.2).
- An explanation of how role information and socialisation can be included in an effective onboarding programme. An explanation as to the benefits of onboarding in terms of appreciation of the organisation’s culture and norms and employee effectiveness (AC4.3).
Task 3 – Retention of talent proposal presentation pack
OcMara currently have the objective to retain talented staff. The people practices manager has asked you to produce a presentation that can be delivered at the next senior managers meeting. Produce a presentation pack with notes that will include:
- An explanation of how motivational issues and management style can impact retention and turnover rates within OcMara (AC3.1).
- A comparison of how training and development and workplace characteristics can be used to develop and retain talent for individual and groups of employees (AC3.2).
- An evaluation of how coaching and mentoring initiatives and performance reviews can be used to build and support different talent pools. (AC3.3).
- An evaluation of two benefits that diversity can bring to OcMara with regards to building and supporting talent pools (AC3.4).
- An explanation of the direct and indirect costs associated with dysfunctional employee turnover (AC3.5).
Solution
Task 1 Briefing Paper on Retention and Talent
1.1 How SAP Strategically positions itself in Competitive Market Place
It is clear from Donald et al. (2018) that the Higgs model is suitable for understanding the organization’s standing. In the SAP case study, for instance, the company’s performance in a number of highly competitive industries has earned it an Employer Brand Management Award for 2019. In addition, the Higgs Model’s stipulations may be given top priority by the OcMara organization.
Employer’s Choice- According to Polc (2021), an employer of choice is one that has the culture, leadership, and management strategy, and incentive to recruit and retain the most talented employees. The case study of OcMara shows that the company is a popular place to work because of its emphasis on employee appreciation and recognition.
Organisational Image– Due to the company’s emphasis on oil and gas as areas of competitive advantage, it has been able to effectively invest in roughly 2 billion barrels of crude oil annually. As a means of accomplishing this, Ansoglenang et al. (2018) advocated for a mandate for entities to invest in the image of their organizations. How? By making sure their employee value proposition is distinct and effective at communicating who they are and what they stand for.
Employer Branding– Recognizing employees, customers, and all other stakeholders is essential, as noted by CIPD (2021). Those who put this method to use in the OcMara case study would improve their chances of developing accurate models that accurately portray the company as an industry leader. This is important for lowering turnover and attracting the best possible personnel.
1.2 Changing labour market conditions and impact in the UK
According to CIPD (2022), the labor market is seen as an opportunity for various actors (employers and workers) through their cooperation. They oversee recruitment, employee development, and other HR policies in light of the company’s ethos. Newman, & Jacobs (2023) define a tight labor market as one in which unemployment is low and there are many available jobs that aren’t being filled by qualified applicants. Conversely, loose labour markets is defined in CIPD (2022) as having a high supply of labour with the market slacking with less vacancies and a lot of jobseekers. The proper labor market in the UK energy sector is characterized by low unemployment rates. As a result, the costs of providing such wages will begin to rise.
Impact in UK Labour Market
According to CIPD (2021a), businesses have reduced output and increased expenses as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic. Specifically, this applies to the energy industry’s troubled job market. Its impact can be seen in the following areas:
Retention Approaches- For the UK energy industry to remain competitive, it must offer competitive compensation and benefits packages to retain and recruit top talent.
Recruitment Methods- Recruitment strategy for the UK energy sector is a process used to facilitate resourcing, with a focus on both active and passive candidates and an emphasis on referral approaches for employees. OcMara’s management is tasked with making sure their referral and remote work policies are constantly being evaluated for development.
Skills Shortages- As CIPD (2021a) points out, the energy industry in the United Kingdom is experiencing a labor shortage, which has led to wage increases. Workers’ desires to leave are mitigated by offering them a second chance to reconsider their choices and more enticing working conditions in an effort to address skill shortages, particularly in the energy sector.
1.3 Role of government, Employers and Trade Unions
Government
Apprenticeships funding- Approximately 95% of the total number of apprenticeships at the UK case study organization are funded entirely by the government (Conlon et al., 2021). The remaining 3% is managed by the staff. Participation in apprenticeship programs is crucial for the development of future skills as a whole.
T-Levels Funding– What this entails is the technical equivalent of a four-year degree in the UK’s corporate world. Taking advantage of available L&D is crucial in today’s competitive job market. In the energy industry, education might take up to 315 hours.
Role of employers
Companies like OcMara make it a point to work with educational institutions to help their employees get the training they need for rewarding careers. Additionally, OcMara sectors guarantee they are making the most of technical possibilities to enhance operations while minimizing any potential drawbacks. Adedoyin and Soykan (2020) point out that in the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, there is a greater possibility to investigate these technical opportunities.
In addition, by helping their companies become industry leaders, they are able to better utilize the talents of their employees and provide better results. It’s clear that you keep a close eye on the staff and ask them pointed questions in an effort to figure out how to fix any problems that arise.
Role of Trade Unions
OcMara employees should collaborate with trade unions to provide individualized training programs. The goal is to lay the groundwork for long-term success, learning what you need to know to make the most of your educational opportunities as they arise.
Moreover, in accordance with the findings of Eduqas (2023), trade unions are cited as providing an enlighten of employees to appreciate their rights and enroll in various L&D opportunity. UnionLearn (2022) shows that trade unions offer sufficient opportunities for all team members to take English and Math classes. The goal here is to help adult students achieve a higher level of literacy.
3.1 Motivational Issues and Management Style Impact Retention and Turnover
With support from the Herzberg theory of employee motivation, indeed (2022) hypothesized that investing in employees’ “holistic motivation” would lead to a high retention rate. The idea here is that happy, motivated workers will provide better results for their company.
OcMara is committed to its workers’ success and advancement through the strategic use of a variety of motivational strategies. Consistently inspiring individuals in their ideal roles is achieved through the adoption of suitable leadership and management. OcMara’s management and leadership philosophy is consistent with the facts presented by Faupel and Süß (2019) and is thus effective in their business endeavors. In the end, the goal of establishing a consistent set of duties, expected behaviors, and mentality among staff members is met.
In OcMara, the authoritative style of management is not appropriate for their Generation Z and Millennials who form the majority of their employees. Hence, success in management of turnover would include adoption of collaborative style of leadership where all the employees interests are prioritised and integrated in their practice. This is affirmed by Indeed (2022) which identify a collaborative/persuasive management style as appropriate for ensuring the best employees retention is achieved.
3.2 Training and development and workforce characteristics
Cloutier et al (2015), highlight the importance of training and development in assisting organizations to retain a larger proportion of their workforces. In the case of OcMara Industries, giving employees such an opportunity fosters a sense of belonging within the company as a whole and an eagerness to advance in their chosen field.
Individual Level
Learning and development opportunities– According to Baker et al. (2019), it is clear that high-level skills capacity development is noted to lead to 80% success and professional development initiatives contributing to 80% of an increase in retention. Therefore, for individuals, it is relevant coming up with capacity development strategies which are core for retention of top talents.
Job Design– As defined in CIPD (2021d), the job design is relevant if pursued appropriately for establishing the main roles and responsibilities of employees and systems and procedures appropriately adopted or followed. For developing and retaining top talents, job design promote the level of coordination and optimising work functions to create an optimum value and performance maximised. In this regard, an entity is noted as providing high-level quality job roles and as such an increased commitment.
Group Level
Employer of choice- By being an employer of choice, Cloutier et al (2015) argue that different employee groups assume a feeling that they are the priority to their organisations and appreciate their wellbeing. This is in regard to physical health, emotional wellbeing, financial performance and social health.
Employer brand– In line with the findings by Cloutier et al (2015) 70% of the organisations perceive their employer brand as the priority in terms of consideration prior resourcing process. An employer brand is an organisation highly ranked as a top performer. This is with the employees being appropriate ambassadors of the roles leading to value increase and organisation performance.
For the identified approaches, their comparisons include;
3.3 Coaching and mentoring initiatives and performance reviews
According to the research of Haseeb et al. (2019), it is important in the modern business sector to guarantee both long-term business viability and the continuity of corporate strategy. This is essential for OcMara Industries to run efficiently and capitalize on opportunities in the UK energy market.
Some examples of these many strategies are:
Coaching – According to MacLennan (2017) ‘s research, organisations that investing in coaching lead to an increased organisation talent management through counseling and obtaining feedback as part of the organisatio performance. In OcMara, coaching in an entity would prioritise on support on the staff individually or as core area of the group for enabling them to offer an optimum performance. The advantages of this include boosting the overall confidence, improving job performance and building an effective communication skills. This demand immense time and energy for implementation and failure in fitting organisation goals.
Mentoring– mentoring provide employees with better opportunities to learn and grow in their careers. In the OcMara Sector, training and education for workers are conducted in a competent and individualized manner. The result is a larger pool of qualified candidates because of an increase in relevant abilities. The advantages of this approach include receiving of a timely support and guidance with confidence levels increased. The disadvantages include failure of the relationship kicking off when the mentor and mentee lack the compatibility.
Performance Reviews- This, as stated by CIPD (2020), necessitates the incorporation of appraisal methodologies into a comprehensive practice in order to accomplish good performance management. The optimal performance management cycle can be identified with the use of thorough performance reviews. Used effectively, it serves as a compass for compensation, advancement, and feedback based on strengths and development. Guaranteed assessment of top performers, highlighting of areas for improvement. For the drawbacks, they include immense time being used in their implementation and often overwhelming for the managers engaging multiple employees. Also, they are primarily based on human assessment and as such impacted by rater errors and biases. This is also being a waste of time and resources if inappropriately implemented.
3.4 Benefits of diversity on OcMara with Building and Supporting Talent Pools
According with the conclusions of Farndale et al (2017) report, diversity and inclusion are essential to create and sustain massive talent pools as a tactical endeavor. As a result of people working together to combine their interests and expectations of working autonomously, it is easier to recruit candidates from a wider range of backgrounds. OcMara, a company that operates in the energy industry, relies on a variety of methods for decision making and employs team members who are reflective of the numerous departments they serve.
Among the advantages are the following:
Increased Employees Engagement- According to Triastuti et al. (2020), securing the participation of representatives from different groups is possible if diversity and inclusion are successfully integrated. In the OcMara Industry, for instance, this would amount to addressing all facets of personnel management with high confidence. In addition, having access to a big pool of talent is crucial for facilitating effective collaboration among all parties involved in order to boost performance and outcomes. Both the company and its workers will benefit greatly from this.
Innovativeness and Productive- Research by Khan et, al (2022) shows that innovation enhances the capacity to harness creativity and originality while providing superior value to customers. At the same time, they are making an effort to incorporate a more streamlined and contemporary methodology into their daily operations. Our hope is that this will lead to a rise in customer gratitude and a more substantial increase in value acquired.
Furthermore, as a central aspect of this technique, by embracing diversity and inclusion, a massive talent pool is generated with the potential for expanding and refining overall concepts and chosen strategy. The significance of this lies in the fact that it increases performance and productivity by allowing for the development of a wider range of skills and knowledge.