Strategic HRM & Organizational Outcomes

This assignment requires students to critically examine the role of strategic human resource management (SHRM) in influencing organizational outcomes. Using a combination of academic sources and case studies, students will analyze how HR practices impact employee attitudes, behaviors, and overall organizational performance. The assignment aims to evaluate students' understanding of SHRM theories and their ability to apply them in practical contexts.

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Different purpose and functions of HRM.........................................................................1
P2. Strengths and weaknesses of approaches adopted at the time of recruitment and selection
................................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3. Benefits of HRM practices...............................................................................................4
P4. Effectiveness of HRM practices for increasing profits and productivity.........................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P5. Significance of employee relations in order to influence decision-making of organisation
................................................................................................................................................7
P6. Key factors of employment legislation and their impact on HRM decision making.......8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
P7. HRM practices used in work related context:-.................................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Human Resource Management (HRM) plays a vital role in the success operation of
business. There are different task and activities that must be performed by HR department for
managing all the employees of business. The different activities performed by organisation
include recruitment, selection, training, development and other functions in order to improve all
the organisational structure of organisation. Under this assignment, the company preferred is
ASDA which is UK based supermarket founded in 1949 and deals in wide variety of services
like clothing, selling food, electronics and various grocery items. In today’s dynamic
environment, organisation sustains only when they make changes according to the demand and
trends of external customers. Further, it gives details about the purpose and scope, methods
which were used in internal external recruitment in order to fulfil the requirement of vacant job
position and significance of HRM practices in corporate culture in order to accomplish daily
targets (Anderson, 2013).
TASK 1
P1 Different purpose and functions of HRM
Every organisation established with different purpose and objective and in order to
accomplish the vision, they divided the targets into different targets so that they can be achieved
in specified time period. Different types of functions are performed by HR team of ASDA
according to the vision and resources available to company. Further, manager formulates various
types of strategic policies, procedures after identifying the requirement of internal employees and
clients.
Purposes that are associated with HRM are described as follows:- Maintaining employee relation: - Company like ASDA comprises large employees in
organisation specialised in different fields. It is utmost duty of HR manager to
communicate with every individual in order to create balanced environment which
enable them to accomplish their goals at specified time period. Optimum utilisation of resources: - In organisation, plan is formulated by HR manager
by considering the available resources because it gives basic idea about the needs and
requirements coming at future. On the basis of such prediction, company analyses the
1

quantity of goods which required to be manufactured according to the demand of
external customers which lead to reduction in cost and enhance productivity. Framing of legal laws: - At the time of deciding objectives, HR department needs to
focus on all mandatory laws enforced by government. Further, they formulate such rules
and regulation that help in maintaining ethical practices and avoid all unfair trade
activities. The main objective behind it is to increase the goodwill and brand image
among society where they established.
 Corporate culture: - It is vital for every organisation to maintain decorum and peace in
working environment which also ensures the comfort zone of internal employees.
Establishing good ethical principles and creating the feeling of team work is the most
important responsibility of HR manager.
Various functions that are performed by HR division of ASDA are stated below:- Planning: - It is considered as the first function of management in which all the activities
are planned in advance which include framing of strategic policies, procedures and events
that must be related to the vision and mission of company. Staffing:- This is second and the most important function performed by HR department
in which they fill all the vacant job positions by using different source of recruitment so
that daily task are easily accomplished. The main criterion behind it is to select skilled
and able professionals who increase the efficiency and effectiveness among individuals. Career development:- In order to beat all the challenges of external environment, it is
utmost responsibility of HR manager to organise the systematic programmes related to
training and development events for all the existing and new employees in which all the
topics related to digital techniques and changes arising in organisation are discussed
which further improve the personality of individuals.
 Retention of employees: - In ASDA, work activity of organisation is divided into
different departments so in order to satisfy customers, HR department needs to formulate
such events like rewards and recognition program in which those employee who perform
well are rewarded that improve their motivational factor and inspire them to perform in
the best manner(Bloom and Van Reenen , 2011).
2

P2. Strengths and weaknesses of approaches adopted at the time of recruitment and selection
Recruitment can be described as procedure in which pool of applicants applied for vacant
job position on the basis of which final candidate is selected after considering all the factor that
satisfy the requirement of vacant profile. It is considered as the most important procedures in
which HR team has to select the best suitable individual who gives profitable outcomes in future
to company. Selection is done after recruitment in which it has been decided who gonna be
finally selected. There are two most common methods of recruitment used by ASDA at the time
of recruiting employees for ASDA are stated below:-
 Internal sources: - This type of recruitment process is most common and easy method in
which individuals are selected internally from organisation without getting published the
news externally. This source is effective at the time when person is required urgently and
it is easy for HR manager to select candidates according to their skills and abilities.
Further, it is cost effective and save the time without using much efforts on external
sources.
Advantages and disadvantages of internal source of recruitment:-
Advantages Disadvantage
It is less costly and save the time of
organisation.
Kills the talent of new blood by selecting all
the employees internally.
Under this case, individuals are already
familiar with all the rules and regulations.
Existing employees are resistant towards
changes which create hurdles in beating
challenges of rivalry.
HR manager knows exactly all the abilities and
skills of existing employees.
Increases the chances of politics between
internal employees which create conflicts and
confusion.
It helps in enhancing the morale and
motivation factor in employee task and targets.
Employees are less developed because of lack
of training and development events.
Good performance is also rewarded under
internal sources.
Selection process is not effective because of
lack of availability professional individuals.
3

External sources: - This method is most popular and utilised in every big and medium sized
organisation in which HR manager selects all the candidates outside the organisation. All the
human resources team organise systematic plans in which they decide the source through which
they publish the entire information related to vacant job position in which different medium has
been used like social media, newspapers, magazines and internet sites are used to communicate
the information related to empty position (Boxall and Purcell, 2011).
Advantages and disadvantages of external recruitment
Advantages Disadvantages
When new employee come in organisation
bring new blood having different perspectives.
Sometime there is a chance when wrong
employees are selected who fails to accomplish
task of that profiles.
Cheaper and faster method than training
methods.
Heavy expenditure in organising training
development programmes for all the new
employees.
Availability of high level professional thinks
out of the box at the time of complex situation
for rational decision making.
Lengthy and time consuming process.
Easily understand all the new techniques of
working style according to external
environment.
Chances of conflicts and disputes arise because
of different thoughts and opinion among new
and existing employee.
TASK 2
P3. Benefits of HRM practices
HRM plays a significant role at the time of using different types of practices for
managing operations of company. Rational utilisation of these practices allow organisation to
improve their whole structure of working. Different activities like recruitment, selection, training
development and compensation policy are done by considering objective and that ensure the
better coordination between superior and subordinates. These practices are utilised in order to
4

understand market need and customer demand. Benefits associated from these practices are
stated as follows:- Employee development: - Employee is considered as an important asset of organisation
so, continuous improvement in them ensures growth of organisation. HR manager needs
to organise systematic training programmes are conducted in which professional trainer
are invited who discuss on all the recent market topics and provide direction that how to
use innovative techniques in simplify the whole procedures of organisation. For example:
in ASDA, HR manager must organise such innovative programmes which improve
productivity and efficiency of overall workforce. Reduce conflicts and disputes: - It is duty of manager to maintain ethical practices in
corporate culture. ASDA must ensure that employees having better relation with their
superior so that at the time of any issue and conflicts they discuss together and sorted out
easily by discussing in team. Using effectively all the HRM practices allows them to
reduce all the conflict and achieve targets in an effective manner. Establishing flexible workforce: - It is very important for HR manager to establish
flexible work structure that allows existing employee to adopt all the possible changes
that arise in external environment. If modification is made easily, then it allows
organisation to grab possible opportunities and reduce threads also.
 Motivating employee efforts: - Different HRM practices have been used in order to
motivate employee at the time when they are performing any particular tasks. ASDA are
facing various complex problems at the time of interacting with daily customers in such
case, superior provides direction to workforce how to effectively handle all the things
(Daley, 2012).
P4. Effectiveness of HRM practices for increasing profits and productivity
There are different types of practices which must be conducted in human resource
department for managing all the work effectively. These practices include promotion,
motivation, performance management and recruitment process. Further, in order to perform in
team such practices are used which allow to enhance their productivity and efficiency. All these
can be accomplished by implementing action plans formulated by management in an effective
manner. Different factors and elements which are advantageous for employees from ASDA
employees are described below:-
5

 Talent management: - This department decides the sustainability factor of organisation
so HR manager needs to decide that how to manage talent of employees. Manager must
have fuller knowledge about all the skills and abilities present in each employee so that
productivity and efficiency can be increased by delegating the responsibility of work
according to talent of workforce. Continuous improvement of the department allows them
to get competitive edge over competitors. Information system: - It is considered as that department which administrate the entire
information related to details of employees, stock available, fixed asset and other data
related to external clients. Company must update their information system with updated
technologies so that effective communication is possible. For example, ASDA establishes
their own information system in which innovative and creative methods are used to
maintain everything in an effective manner. Good intellectual skills must be present
among all the working staff of company so they interact with their customers in better
manner. All the above things help them in accomplishing the objective in optimum
manner and increase the market share of company. Coherent thinking: - It is the systematic policy that is followed at the working place in
which leaders give the strict order to their team mates to complete all the task within the
stated deadlines. HR manager must establish such practices which say that if individual is
not able to complete their target in time, then they are not able to enjoy the benefit of
promotion and further incentives.
 Logical thinking: - In today’s dynamic environment, the latest technologies have been
coming up by various rivalries at fast speed which create barriers in the development of
big organisations. For example, ASDA in order to earn profit and maintain brand value
need to incur expenditure on innovative project so that they also introducing some
creative features in their grocery items, clothing products and home insurance which
provide fuller satisfaction to consumers(Guest , 2011).
All the above mentioned points must be considered in order to sustain and get the competitive
advantages over competitors which improve profitability and brand image of company.
6

TASK 3
P5. Significance of employee relations in order to influence decision-making of organisation
Success of organisation depends upon the coordination and harmony maintained by
workforce. So, it is vital responsibility of HR manager to preserve good relations between
superior and subordinates. Team work can be possible only when the entire workforce interacts
with each other without any differences and share their thoughts and opinion at the time of
solving complex situations. The importance of employee relation can be described below:-
 If employees maintaining the good relation, then it motivates them to complete all the
daily targets in specified time period. This helps management to explore all the business
opportunities for strengthening the market position of organisation.
 It allows organisation to establish good corporate culture which maintain fair trade
practices in their working style and ensure honesty and integrity among employees.
 If there is no conflict and dispute among the members, then it allows the organisation to
establish all the changes in their organisation structure which can be easily accepted by
workforce without any problems.
 Good relation among employee allows them in maintaining the quality standards of
products and services provided to costumer on regular basis. The main objective behind it
is to establish trust and long term relationship with target audiences.
 Healthy relationship among superior and subordinate allows in establishing positivity
among employees and removing all the negative factors among working people.
 If any work requires the whole team support, then that can be executed only when all the
staff members listen each other’s problems and opinion that ensure the accomplishment
of targets in an effective manner.
 Employees must be rewarded by awards and attractive incentives if any individual
performing outstanding by using their creative thinking and think out of the box in
particular situations (Huselid and Becker, 2011).
Therefore, employees of ASDA require to maintain healthy relationship between superior and
their team so that effective decision-making is possible which allows them in increasing
profitability and marker share.
7

P6. Key factors of employment legislation and their impact on HRM decision making
In order to maintain the growth and sustainability of organisation then in it is utmost duty
of HR manager strictly adhere with all the legal legislation enforced by government. These laws
are formulated with an objective of protecting the interest of employees from unfair business
practices. ASDA is considered as second largest multinational supermarket who deals in
different products comprises of skilled and professional workforce manage healthy employee
relation which ensures free flow of communication channels among staff members. HR
managers must use their HRM practices for managing the employees in an effective manner.
Different laws that need to be implemented mandatory in ASDA organisation are stated as
follows:- Minimum wages Act: - ASDA HR team needs to establish such policy of compensation
and daily wages which ensures the minimum wages of employees so that no issues and
problems arises in future. This act states that employee must ensure minimum wages and
if they don't get according to their position, he or she has right to file the suit against
company. It is enforced in all organisations that consist of more than 15 employees. Anti-discrimination Act: - This act states that no employee can be discriminated on the
basis of caste, creed and gender inequality. HR manager must enforce policies equally on
all workforce in relation to promotion, demotion and rewards recognition. In other words,
every staff member must be treated in justifiable manner.
 Age Discrimination: - This law states that no employer has any right to fire or retrench
all those employees who attain the age of 40 years. The rule is applicable on all those
companies who employ more than 20 employees in their business operations (Jiang and
et. al., 2012).
TASK 4
P7. HRM practices used in work related context:-
In organisation application related to different HRM practices must be applied with the
objective of accomplishing all the goals in effective manner. Two basic practices used in ASDA
company are described below:-
Job specification: - It is considered as official legal document that contains the statement
related to employee characteristics and professional qualifications required in order to perform
8

all the task and objectives of particular vacant job position. This term is derived from job
analysis. It further discusses about all the competencies, skills and experiences needed in
particular job position. For this, proper examination has been conducted in order to perform all
the task of organisation (Kehoe and Wright, 2013).
JOB SPECIFICATION
Organisation Name:- ASDA
Job Profile:- Assistant Human resource manager
Qualification- MBA or PGDM in human resource
Eligibility criteria:-
 Ability to handle all the task related to managing people of organisation.
 Capable of handling superior and subordinate relationship.
 Establishing the coordination and harmony among employees.
 Ability to use all the ethical practices in their HR policies and procedures.
Desirable criteria:-
 Having an experience of 3 years or more.
 Adequate knowledge about all the HR policies and practices.
 Good personality and effective communication skills.
Job description- It is a broad, legal and written statement of specific job that is based on
different findings based on job analysis. It describes the individual duties, responsibilities,
functions and working conditions of job along with job title.
Job Description
Company name:- ASDA
Department name:- Human Resource Division
Job title:- Assistant Human Resource Manager
Location of job:- New castle
Job summary:-
Organisation is looking for suitable candidate who is well experienced and professional in the
field of Human Resource Management. The applicant must carry such knowledge and skills
9

which allow them to work effectively.
Role:-
Proper compliance of all rules and regulation.
Maintaining good corporate culture and execute changes effectively.
Designing proper framework in organising training development programmes.
At the time when the whole procedure related to recruitment has been executed, then for final
selection, HR manager needs to conduct interview in which questions related to general
knowledge has been asked and format prescribed below:-
CURRICULUM VITAE
Curriculum Vitae
Name:- Jonny Lawrence
Address: 28th street, Birmingham lane, London
Phone No:- 658798546
Profile description:
Require an MBA professional in human resource having an experience of 3 years in order to
become the part of organisation.
Specialisation:-
 Full knowledge about the procedures of recruitment and selection.
 Ability to solve all the conflicts related to management.
 Training and development
Educational Qualification:-
 B.COM
 Master’s in Business Administration
Declaration:-
I hereby declare that all the data provided is true and best of my knowledge.
Date;
Place:
10

CONCLUSION
It has been clearly concluded from above project that Human Resource Management plays a vital
role in running the business in an effective manner. ASDA, the UK based supermarket has to
perform various functions through their HR department for accomplishing all the task in good
manner. Further, it must ensure that all laws and legislation must be adhered in working practices
for increase market share and productivity of company.
11

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Anderson, V., 2013. Research methods in human resource management: investigating a business
issue. Kogan Page Publishers.
Bloom, N. and Van Reenen, J., 2011. Human resource management and productivity. In
Handbook of labor economics (Vol. 4, pp. 1697-1767). Elsevier.
Boxall, P. and Purcell, J., 2011. Strategy and human resource management. Palgrave Macmillan.
Daley, D.M., 2012. Strategic human resources management. Public Personnel Management.
pp.120-125.
Guest, D.E., 2011. Human resource management and performance: still searching for some
answers. Human resource management journal. 21(1). pp.3-13.
Huselid, M.A. and Becker, B.E., 2011. Bridging micro and macro domains: Workforce
differentiation and strategic human resource management.
Jiang and et.al., 2012. How does human resource management influence organizational
outcomes? A meta-analytic investigation of mediating mechanisms. Academy of
management Journal. 55(6). pp.1264-1294.
Kehoe, R.R. and Wright, P.M., 2013. The impact of high-performance human resource practices
on employees’ attitudes and behaviors. Journal of management. 39(2). pp.366-391.
Kraaijenbrink, J., Spender, J.C. and Groen, A. J., 2010. The resource-based view: a review and
assessment of its critiques. Journal of management. 36(1). pp.349-372.
Lengnick-Hall, C ., 2011. Developing a capacity for organizational resilience through strategic
human resource management. Human Resource Management Review. 21(3). pp.243-
255.
McCauley, S., 2012. Introduction. In The Dilemma of Boundaries (pp. 117-121). Springer,
Tokyo.
Meredith Belbin, R., 2011. Management teams: Why they succeed or fail. Human Resource
Management International Digest. 19(3).
Ployhart, R. E. and Moliterno, T .P., 2011. Emergence of the human capital resource: A
multilevel model. Academy of management review. 36(1). pp.127-150.
Renwick, D. W., Redman, T. and Maguire, S., 2013. Green human resource management: A
review and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews. 15(1).
pp.1-14.
12

Vörösmarty, C .J. and et. al. ,2010. Global threats to human water security and river biodiversity.
Nature. 467(7315). p.555.
Online:
Recruitment and selection process. 2017. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://hr.ucr.edu/recruitment/guidelines/process.html>.
13