TMU4026 – Human Resource Management
Assessment 2: Workforce Planning and Capability Development Report (Individual)
Institution model: UK university (business school undergraduate programme)
Assessment type: Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA)
Submission format: Written report
Word limit: 1,500 words ±10% (excluding references)
Weighting: 35% of module mark
Academic year: 2025/2026
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Module Context
Human resource planning links organisational strategy with day-to-day staffing decisions. Managers are expected to forecast workforce needs, identify skill gaps, and design practical development actions that support performance and continuity. Assessment 2 evaluates the ability to apply these principles to a realistic organisational setting using academic evidence and professional judgement.
Assessment Description
Students prepare an individual analytical report based on a medium-sized organisation operating in any sector. The organisation may be real or realistically constructed, but its context, size, and workforce profile must be clearly described.
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The report examines current workforce challenges and proposes a structured plan for improving capability over the next two years.
Task Requirements
- Provide a brief organisational background, including industry, workforce size, and main roles.
- Identify and explain three workforce planning issues affecting performance or service delivery.
- Analyse current skill gaps using at least one HR planning or capability framework.
- Propose two realistic training and development initiatives that address the identified gaps.
- Explain how the initiatives will be evaluated using appropriate performance indicators.
- Support arguments with a minimum of six academic sources.
Presentation Guidelines
- Formal report structure with headings and sub-headings.
- 12-point font, double spacing, standard margins.
- Harvard referencing style for in-text citations and reference list.
- Third-person academic writing.
- Similarity index must comply with institutional academic integrity policy.
Marking Criteria and Rubric
| Criterion | Excellent (70–100) | Good (60–69) | Satisfactory (50–59) | Fail (0–49) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organisational context and problem identification | Context is clear, specific, and well integrated with workforce issues. | Context is clear with minor gaps. | Basic description with limited connection to issues. | Context unclear or inaccurate. | 20% |
| Application of HR planning concepts | Frameworks applied accurately and critically. | Appropriate application with limited depth. | Descriptive use of concepts. | Incorrect or missing application. | 25% |
| Training and development proposals | Initiatives are feasible, well justified, and clearly linked to gaps. | Initiatives are relevant but partially justified. | Initiatives loosely connected to analysis. | Unrealistic or unsupported proposals. | 25% |
| Use of academic sources | Wide range of high-quality sources used correctly. | Relevant sources with minor referencing errors. | Limited academic support. | Little or no academic evidence. | 20% |
| Structure and clarity | Logical flow and clear academic style. | Mostly clear with minor issues. | Organisation is uneven. | Poor structure and language control. | 10% |
Workforce planning allows managers to anticipate capability shortages before they reduce productivity and service quality. Empirical research shows that structured development systems improve both employee retention and operational reliability when aligned with organisational goals (Becker & Huselid, 2019, https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2018.0093). A firm employing targeted skills audits and formal training pathways is better positioned to stabilise staffing levels during periods of growth. Clear performance indicators such as time-to-competence and error rates provide practical evidence of progress.
Peer-Reviewed References
- Becker, B.E. and Huselid, M.A. (2019) ‘High-performance work systems and firm performance’, Academy of Management Annals, 13(2), pp. 1–28. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2018.0093
- Jiang, K., Hu, J. and Liu, S. (2021) ‘HR systems and employee capability development’, Academy of Management Journal, 64(6), pp. 1819–1845. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2018.0218
- Boxall, P., Purcell, J. and Wright, P. (2020) The Oxford Handbook of Human Resource Management. 2nd edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198794590.001.0001
- Noe, R.A. and Kodwani, A.D. (2023) Employee Training and Development. 9th edn. New York: McGraw-Hill. https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/employee-training-development-noe/M9781264120984.html