You have recently started work as Resourcing and Talent Management Officer in a sizable company that operates retail outlets selling jewelry: Resourcing and Talent Management Assignment, GCU, UK

Learning Outcomes

1. Play a leading role in the development and evaluation of resourcing and talent management strategies, diversity management and flexible working initiatives.
2. Manage recruitment, selection and induction activities effectively, efficiently, lawfully and professionally.
3. Undertake and evaluate long- and short-term talent planning and succession planning exercises with a view to building long-term organisational performance

Assessment brief 

You have recently started work as Resourcing and Talent Management Officer in a sizeable company that operates retail outlets selling jewellery, watches and some fancy goods in 50 locations on UK high streets and in airports.

The company is committed to a range of quite sophisticated HR practices. Recruitment and selection procedures for sales staff involve attendance at a one-day assessment centre, online personality tests and following up at least two character references. A wide range of flexible working arrangements is available as is a management development scheme which allows staff to develop management skills on-the-job and on off-site training days. All but a handful of management staff have been internally promoted, many having started as part-time sales assistants while at school or university. Pay is relatively high for the industry, while a very popular staff discount scheme is also operated. The company prides itself on its range of cutting-edge practices in the area of equality and diversity.

Thanks to strong branding and sound management, the company has enjoyed considerable commercial success in recent years despite tough trading conditions.  Nonetheless, it has, for the time being, decided to suspend its UK expansion programme. Instead, it has decided to start opening some new stores overseas in countries that continue to enjoy strong economic growth.

The company has never before operated any stores overseas but has employed consultants to undertake extensive market research in a number of locations.

Plans for the coming year envisage the opening of five new outlets located either at airports or in upmarket suburbs in the following cities:

• Warsaw
• Moscow
• Shanghai
• Mumbai
• Columbo

In the main, the company aims to staff these stores by employing local nationals with experience in jewelry retailing in their respective countries. However, it also accepts that for the first three or four years, in order to ensure the establishment of its existing high standards, the company will need to send existing managers from its UK stores to run the new outlets on an expatriate basis.