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Unit details

  • Core unit
  • Level 5
  • 7 credits

A fundamental part of the Human Resource (HR) management role is concerned with the mobilisation of a workforce, taking responsibility for ensuring that the organisation is able to access the skills it needs at the time and in the places that it needs them to drive sustained organisation performance. This involves attracting, retaining and, from time to time, managing the departure of staff from the organisation.

Achieving this requires insight-driven strategic and operational activity. Organisations are obliged to compete with one another to secure the services of a workforce in labour markets that are continually evolving.

One of the major aims of this unit is thus to introduce learners to the strategic approaches that organisations take to position themselves as employers in the labour market and to plan effectively so that they are able to meet their current and anticipated organisational skills needs.

Another is to introduce the key operational tools, techniques and practices that organisations use to resource their organisations effectively. These encompass recruitment, selection, workforce planning, staff retention, succession planning, retirement and dismissal processes.

The purpose of this unit is to provide an overview of the way different organisations are managing these activities and which are the most effective in the context of diverse and distributed locations.

This unit is suitable for persons who:

• seek to develop a career in HR management and development
• are working in the field of HR management and development and need to extend their knowledge and skills
• have responsibility for implementing HR policies and strategies
• need to understand the role of HR in the wider organisational and environmental context.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit, learners will:

  • Understand key contemporary labour market trends and their significance for workforce planning.

  • Be able to undertake talent planning and recruitment activities.

  • Understand how to maximise employee retention.

  • Know how to manage dismissal, redundancy and retirement effectively and lawfully.


Learning outcomes

The learner will:

1. Understand key contemporary labour market trends and their significance for workforce planning.

2. Be able to undertake talent planning and recruitment activities.

3. Understand how to maximise employee retention.

4 Know how to manage dismissal, redundancy and retirement effectively and lawfully.


Assessment criteria

The learner can:

1.1 Assess the major contemporary labour market trends in different country contexts.

1.2 Explain how organisations position themselves strategically in competitive labour markets.

1.3 Explain the significance of tight and loose labour market conditions.

1.4 Describe the role of government, employers and trade unions in ensuring future skills needs are met.


2.1 Describe the principles of effective workforce planning and the tools used in the process.

2.2 Develop basic succession and career development plans.

2.3 Contribute to plans for downsizing an organisation.

2.4 Contribute to the development of job descriptions, person specifications and competency frameworks.

2.5 Explain the main legal requirements in relation to recruitment and selection.

2.6 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different methods of recruitment and selection.


3.1 Explain why people choose to leave or remain employed by organisations and the costs associated with dysfunctional employee turnover.

3.2 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to the retention of talent.


4.1 Advise organisations on good practice in the management of dismissals, retirements and redundancies that complies with current legislation.

Course no longer available

Please click below for details about a suitable alternative.

See current qualifications