Workforce planning and recruitment pack

Case study

You are a member of the people practice team within OcMara Industries. You have been asked to help the team understand labour market trends and the impact the changing labour market has on resourcing decisions.  OcMara is a global organisation based in Japan that produces 2 billion barrels of crude oil per year. The main organisation headquarters are situated in Tokyo, and the company has 15 other offices located in countries such as India, Saudi Arabia, USA, China, Germany and the UK.

To become more competitive in the global energy sector, OcMara is moving into more sustainable energy sources. The organisation is looking to develop more environmentally friendly production processes, and therefore needs to reconsider its resource and talent planning needs.

The main objective of sustainability is to reduce environmental impact in ways that are sustainable for the earth and for the person.

The oil and gas industry is making progress on becoming more sustainable, through the use of new technologies that will cut costs and ultimate bring down their carbon footprint.

OcMara currently have two main people practice objectives:

·       The first is to recruit staff who have the capabilities and skills to help OcMara move into these new areas of business.

·       The second is to retain existing staff who are being poached by competitors.

Preparation for Tasks:

·       Plan your assessment work with your assessor at the start of the assignment. Where appropriate, agree milestones so they can help you monitor your progress.

·       Refer to the indicative content in the unit guide and support your evidence.

·       Pay attention to how your evidence is presented. Remember you are working in the people development team for this task.

·       Ensure that the evidence generated for this assessment remains your own work.

You will also benefit from:

·       Acting on formative feedback from your assessor

·       Reflecting on your own experiences of learning opportunities, training and continuing professional development

·       Taking advantage of the CIPD Factsheets, Reports and Podcasts, and any other online material on these topics.

 

Task 2 – Workforce planning and recruitment pack

It must link to the OcMara case study, and include a wide range of research and references to achieve the highest marks.

 

– brief introduction and an overall conclusion

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:

·       AC 2.1 – An analysis of the impact of workforce planning in terms of forecasting demand for labour utilising both internal and external sources of supply.

 

Analyse the impact of effective workforce planning. The task is an analysis of the impact of workforce planning in terms of forecasting demand for the labour, utilising both internal and external sources of supply. (Analyse To study something in detail, considering the pros and cons)

For 2.1, you need to analyse. This means to study something in detail considering the pros and cons. You need to do this looking at workforce planning in terms of demand for labour, utilising both internal and external sources of supply.

Therefore, you need to analyse the impact that forecasting has on workforce planning for OcMara. For example, what are the positive and negative impacts of forecasting as a workforce planning activity? What are some of the problems with workforce planning forecasting?

You could consider Labour market conditions and sources of data could be used to support your discussions. You could discuss and consider the impact of forecasting in terms of internal and external supply.

You could develop internal staff. Do you have the right internal staff available for the next project? What are the pros and cons of internal supply? What are the pros and cons of external supply to OcMara?

Remember that OcMara are looking to move towards a more sustainable energy source industry and therefore your answer should be related to the Labour market data and in this area and it should include wider reading and research in relation to the labour market supply within the energy sector.

·       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). ( Evaluate: To judge the importance, value or amount of something by using evidence, information and knowledge. A recommendation can then be made based on this information.)

 

AC 2.2 – Evaluate the techniques used to support the process of workforce planning. 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.

For 2.2, you need to evaluate, which means to judge the importance, value or amount of something. Use evidence, information, and knowledge of three different approaches (promotion/demotion rates, employee turnover, and critical incident analysis) which can be used to support the process of workforce planning.

Therefore, you should start with a definition: “what is meant by promotion demotion rates” and then an evaluation of pros and cons, and an overall judgement of how effective this approach is to support the process of workforce planning.

You should define employee turnover rates and evaluation of the pros and cons of this technique as an approach to support workforce planning.

You should provide an overall judgement of how effective this approach is to support workforce planning. Finally, you should define what is meant by a critical incident analysis and how this effectiveness is used as an approach to support workforce planning. You should bring in your own examples to support your discussion. For example, the different approaches used, possibly within your own organisation or an organisation that you are familiar with.

·       A C 2.3 – Explain approaches to succession and contingency planning aimed at mitigating workforce risks.

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.

An explanation of how appraisals can be used to identify who is interested in progression, managing contingency and mitigating risks through OcMara developing their own talent pools. Looking at this in a bit more detail for 2.3, you need to explain which means make something clear to someone else so that your reasons for your decision are easy to understand. You need to show how appraisals can be used to identify those within an organisation who are interested in progression opportunities and how it can be managed to use contingency and mitigating risks to OcMara in terms of developing their own talent pool.

You should therefore start with an introduction to say what is meant by succession and contingency planning and how these measures can be used to mitigate workforce risks through development of talent pools. You should introduce appraisal and reference and provide wider reading to support your discussions through benefits and drawbacks of appraisal as a technique for succession and contingency planning.

You should discuss her appraisals. She could be used to identify staff development or promotion within OcMara and who may be interested in progression or moving into suitable energy sector or the relevance of this approach through succession planning.

How can it be used to identify short skills within OcMara? You should discuss how appraisal can be used to manage staff contingencies within organisations to understand what talent exists and what development needs OcMara has. You should link your answer to discussing these approaches and how these can mitigate a workforce risks.

For example, risk to recruitment due to a tight labour market. Remember to include a wide range of support to discuss and help show your answer.

·       AC 2.4- 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. (Assess:To examine content and decide whether it meets the pre-determined criteria. You would then give your opinion, based on the facts and information you have been provided with.

 

 

AC 2.4 – Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different methods of recruitment and selection to build effective workforces. An assessment of the use of social media and advertising to recruit employees. An assessment of interviews and job references as a method of selection.

These assessments should highlight strengths and weaknesses (AC 2.4). Looking at 2.4 in more detail, you need to assess, which means to examine the content and decide whether it meets a predetermined criteria. You should give your opinion based on the facts and information you have been provided with, the strengths and weaknesses of using social media in recruitment as a method. You should look at this and assess the strengths and weaknesses of using possibly interview agencies and job references as selection methods.

You should write five overall quality paragraphs. Your first paragraph should assess the strengths and weaknesses of how effective social media is used as a method of recruitment. You should support your assessment with a range of wider reading and research references to discuss the relevance of this for OcMara in terms of using effective workforce planning. The second paragraph, you should assess the strengths and weaknesses of how effective advertising is used as a method of recruitment.

You should support your assessment with a wide range of reading and research and also discuss how this could be relevant for OcMara to use and build an effective workforce. The third paragraph should assess the strengths and weaknesses of effective interviews and how it can be used as a method of selection. You should support your assessment with a range of reading and research references and discuss how this could be used for OcMara to use and help build an effective workforce. The fourth assessing of strengths and weaknesses links with effective job references as a method of selection.

You should support your assessment with a range of reading and research and show how this could be an option for OcMara in terms of building an effective workforce.

Produce an overall paragraph providing your opinion, and which needs to be the most effective for OcMara, in terms of implementing recruitment and selection. This obviously needs to be supported with further research and further understanding.

·       AC 4.1- An assessment of how OcMara could introduce zero-hour and contractor contracts for the new staff it is hoping to recruit (AC4.1).

 

AC 4.1 – Assess suitable types of contractual arrangements dependent on specific workforce needs. An assessment of how OcMara could introduce zero hour and contractor contracts for its new staff and how it’s hoping to recruit (AC 4.1).

For 4.1, you need to assess which is to examine the content and decide whether it meets the predetermined criteria.

You should then give your own opinion based on facts and information you have been provided with.

Two different types of contractual arrangements need to be looked at: zero hour contracts and contractor contracts. And you’re looking at this in terms of OcMara introducing them for new staff in the future. You should start with an introduction as what is meant by contractual arrangements for OcMora and how the workforce can be matched to these different contractual arrangements supported with evidence of wider reading and research. For example, what is zero hour contracts, and would this work for OcMara? This could be repeated for contractor contracts.

Use of best practice and case study organisations could be used. Have a look at maybe the CIPD fact sheet to help you complete this section. You would then write an assessment of the benefits and drawbacks of zero hour contracts for new staff and at OcMara. If these were introduced, would they help with the recruitment of new staff? You would then write an assessment of benefits and drawbacks of contractor contracts for new staff and OcMara, if these were introduced in the future, with the help of the recruitment of new staff.

You should think about the benefits and drawbacks in terms of financial terms, in terms of work practice terms, behavioural terms, attendance, sickness and performance reporting of these new staff, on these different contractual terms. You should also provide an overall conclusion to how effective these would be for the organisation OcMara.

·       AC 4.2 – A discussion on the differences between express and implied terms of contracts and what is meant by custom and practice ( Differentiate: Recognise or ascertain a difference to identify what makes something different.)

 

AC 4.2 – Differentiate between the main types of contractual terms in contracts, a discussion between expressed and implied terms of contract and what is meant by custom and practice (AC 4.2).

Looking at 4.2 in more detail, you need to differentiate which means discuss the differences between expressed and employed terms of contracts and what is meant by customer and practice.

You could therefore write this in five separate paragraphs, as discussed below. For the first paragraph, you could introduce what is meant by expressed and implied terms.

Using a range of references to support your discussion. You should include examples of express and implied terms in your discussion. You could then write another paragraph discussing the differences between express and implied terms. For example, what are the main differences between these and how do they work in practice for employees and employers, such as the ones at OcMara?

You could then write a third paragraph which identifies what is meant by custom and practice and include examples from your own experience and wider reading and researchers support your discussions.

You should discuss some of the problems with custom and practice, for both OcMara and the employees, if they were removed. You could then discuss the differences between explicit and implied terms, and custom and practice, supported with your own evidence of wider reading and research of your own examples. You could also bring in case law if you wanted to use this to support your argument and discussion.

For your final paragraph, you should provide an overview summary of your discussion as these are important to show the different contractual terms and how they would work for OcMara.

·       4.3 – 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).

 

4.3 – Explain the components and benefits of effective onboarding. An explanation of how role information and socialisation can be included in an effective onboarding programme.

An explanation as to the benefits of onboarding and the terms of appreciation in terms of the organisation’s culture and norms and employee effectiveness (AC 4.3). Looking at 4.3 with a bit more detail, you need to explain, which means that you need to make something clear to someone else and give reasons which will enable them to have a better understanding. As the role needs to be focused on, look at information and socialisation as components of effective onboarding within OcMara, following the recruitment and selection process. You should explain the benefits of onboarding to OcMara and employees, in terms of allowing new recruits to appreciate the organisation’s culture and norms, and help them become effective in their own roles quickly and effectively before they start.

You could write an introduction on why onboarding is important and detailing some of the components, such as socialisation and role information. You must use wide reading and research to support your discussions, and you could use information from the CIPD publications relating to onboarding practises.

You could explain why these elements should be included in successful onboarding programmes and how they make onboarding effective. You could discuss some of the benefits of successful onboarding, such as appreciation of the organisation’s culture and how it will help employees understand their role and develop effectiveness in their new role. You should provide an overall conclusion to OcMara, as these will highlight the importance of the process and also understand the importance for onboarding for all people in the business, including the new recruits.