Human Resource Management Case Study: Electrical Network Holdings

This case study focuses on the Human Resource Management of Electrical Network Holdings. It compares the Ulrich and McKinsey models, evaluates ways to become more ethical, and aims to improve employee engagement.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1.Comparing “McKinsey” model with Ulrich model of HR and stating which one is the best
suitable in today's workplace.......................................................................................................3
2.Evaluating ways for ENH in becoming even more ethical.......................................................6
3. Aiming to improve employee engagement in the poor relationship that appears to exist
between the workforce and HR....................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is the strategic approach who practices recruiting, hiring,
deploying and internal management of the business. In other words, human resource is a
department who is responsible for providing their efficient and effective results to the company
and contributes in the growth and development of the organization. Electrical Network holdings
is a company delivering the services of commercial and domestic electricity distribution system
and infrastructure across the United Kingdom. It has been identified that ERH human resource
department needs to work on their duties to grow and develop the organization at successful
level (Chowdhury, Dey, Joel-Edgar and et.al., 2022). The report will illustrate the comparison
between the two models of HR and express that which model will be appropriate for the ENH.
Along with this, report will demonstrate how ENH can become more ethical and some ways to
improve the employee engagement between the workforce and HR department.
MAIN BODY
1.Comparing “McKinsey” model with Ulrich model of HR and stating which one is the best
suitable in today's workplace
Ulrich model
This model is widely used around the world by all the big companies and client oriented
companies to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of their HR departments. Ulrich's model help
the companies in organizing their responsibilities and roles of the HR departments, by actually
defining who is accountable and responsible for the tasks which contribute in the smooth
functioning of a company's business (Shakil, Hassan and Qureshi, 2019). This model was
established in 1995 by David Ulrich.
Ulrich's model is divided into 4 sections namely:
 Strategic partner
 Change agent
 Administrative expert
 Employee champion
Strategic partner: Strategic partner helps in managing the growth and development of a
workforce. They are engaged in first ascertaining the demands of the customers and then review
the processes and systems which might help in delivering the customers needs even more

efficiently. It is the strategic HR channel that is highly used in a business environment by the
internal members in order to communicate to the HR departments. With this, partners also
provide perks of partnering with the company and other quality experiences that others can avail.
Change agent: A change agent is engaged with going through the culture of the company and
coming up with different ideas of how to make it better, both in terms of professional and
personal perspectives (McMackin and Heffernan, 2021). After this, they then connect with the
line managers for leading and facilitating changes in order to turn the organization into a
healthier place for each and every individual. For example, as the environment of the business
world is all time fluctuating so to bring changes in the culture of an organization becomes
equally important as simply running the organization. So here, change agent refers to an HR duty
that is indulged in communicating the internal changes in a workplace. The changes are basically
accomplished by the training employees and are lead by the line managers.
Administrative expert: An administrative expert of the HR department does all the work
associated with the costs, management of people and the all over delivery of regular business
output. This generally results in effective functioning of both, the HR department and the
company as earlier the work of the HR was limited to checking the quality standards of the
services that were delivered but now it is completely engaged with delivering qualitative services
as the least costing possible.
Employee champion: The work of the employee champion is linked up with providing the
employees a sense of happiness and belonging in the company. The employee champion assures
the employees speak up at the work and feel respected and heard amongst the colleagues. It is an
HR duty to support the process of delivery and practicalities which ensure safeguarding. The
champions sometimes also come up with the surveys to identify the employees views and
perspective and measure their satisfaction. This creates a committed and competent workforce
which increase the productivity of the company.
McKinsey 7S model
McKinsey's model is a framework that is based on the organizational design of a
company. It is associated with depicting the question of change leaders managing organizational
changes effectively by strategizing the all over interactions between the 7 main elements namely:
structure, system, skill, strategy, style, shared values and staff (Masfi, Sukartini and Hidayat,

2020). It is that tool which emphasizes on the bright future and well-being of an organization,
thus, it is the best model that can be used by the HR departments in order to serve fruitful result
to any company.
Strategy: Strategy is a very important element of this model as it helps in creating successful
change executions and also helps a company in gaining good competitive advantage (Hancock
and Schaninger, 2020). Here with great and unique strategy the HR departments can enhance the
productivity and inculcate positivity in the company's inner environment. But for this, the HR
should always set objectives which the strategies are expected to achieve and secondly, a plan
should be there of how the action will be taken in order to meet those objectives were set.
System: Systems are engaged with the operational procedures and business processes that are
there in an organization for completing a business's daily activities. It is the business's SOPs that
comprise workflows and practices which directly influence the decision-making and
productivity of the company. Here the HR management of a company can maintain and proceed
with the employees' information on their software and state all the policies and procedures there
itself for the employees to follow. With the right system in the place the HR department can
create a good environment in the company.
Structure: This refers to the clear set of instructions and policies which are made to avoid all the
confusions and chaos in a workplace. This provides every employee with a sense of
reasonability and accountability in the company. With this the HR department can maintain a
clear structure of their ow as well as the employees working for the company.
Skills: Skills play an important role as it directly influence the productivity of the company. The
HR is always expected to update the personal set of skills as it directly affects the functioning of
an organization, with good skills the HR can take the organization on a next level.
Style: It is engaged with the style of management that exists in a company. Here the HR
departments can set a good and quality level of management which will increase the employee
satisfaction and productivity.
Shared values: These are the values that govern the health of an organization. The HR
department of any organization should hold good shared values so that they can create positive
environment on the company and create a healthy atmosphere.

Staff: It is engaged with the staff's required skills, talent, size of the workforce and motivations
in a company. The HR department should focus on the size and skills of the workforce while
recruiting new employees and also pay attention to the timely motivation of the employees.
As per the best suitability; the ENH can implement the use of Ulrich's model as the
model is used by large organizations and ENH being the one, should definitely implement this
very model. Ulrich will enable the HR department of the company to delegate the tasks
efficiently and will also provide accountabilities and responsibilities which will result in smooth
functioning of the organization. So the company should implement the model and take advantage
of the qualitative services, low costing and enjoy the benefit of good profits.
2.Evaluating ways for ENH in becoming even more ethical
Every organization that is indulged or is contributing to the economy in some or the way
should be ethical and hold good values as it directly impacts the image of the company. The
ethics and values that a company adheres influence the decision-making of the company in
number of ways. Thus, ethical environment of a company boots the employee retention rate,
draw good candidates to the company, draw great investors and offer various other benefits to
the companies. So it is the responsibility of every company to add ethics as well as boost the
values of the company
Here are different ways in which ENH can become more ethical:
CSR: It is an ethical responsibility which is concerned with assuring, that the organizations are
conducting their operations in an ethical and fair manner (Ferrell And et.al., 2019). It protects the
interests of the stakeholders for example; the suppliers, employees, communities, customers etc.
with this, a positive environment is created and practices that avoid nature harm are carried on.
CSR is also one determinant of the sustainability.
Health and safety: This is also an ethical issue as the safety and health of the employees at a
workplace should be the first priority of a business organization. To make the employees feel
secure about their jobs comes under the basic ethics of a workplace (Koven and Perez, 2021).
The culture and the environment of workplace should be designed in such a way that it does not
affect the health of the employees working there. With great security the employees tend to
perform great as their interests are associated with interests of the company. ENH should also

create a safe and healthy environment as it will only benefit the company in the future be it in
terms of the productivity or in terms of great workforce.
Transparency : The more is the transparency at a workplace, the more the workplace is said to
become successful in the future. Transparency refers to both open communication and honesty. It
brings the trust amongst the customers, employees, investors and partners (Valentinov,
Verschraegen and Van Assche, 2019). ENH should definitely bring transparency in its culture so
that the employees, customers and other important people who are the part of the company can
trust one other and perform even more efficiently. This will also safeguard the interest of the
people working in the company but at the same time, the confidential information should never
be disclosed.
3. Aiming to improve employee engagement in the poor relationship that appears to exist
between the workforce and HR
Employee engagement is the concept in which an individual employee should feel
satisfied at the workplace and can stay with the company for longer period. The organization
ENH is required to keep their focus on the employee engagement areas so that they can retain
them in definite manner and can develop the growth and development of the firm accordingly.
To establish and run any kind of business, it is important for an individual organization to
understand the roles and duties of them from where they can successfully grow and develop the
firm at appropriate manner. At the ENH, it has been identified that company's culture and
environment is not good and creating difficulties for the employees working over there which
leads them to get frustrated in higher manner and provides the poor outcome and results. The HR
of the company have a duty and responsibility to provide the appropriate environment at the
workplace from where the employees and staff members of the organization can be able to
perform their working activities in appropriate terms and can grow in respective order
(HATAMI, SEYED and et.al., 2019). However, ENH HR management needs to improve their
employee engagement areas with is existed between the staff and HR department which creates
difficulties in wider manner.
To perform any kind of work at the workplace, the management has to put their focus on
the satisfaction level of the employees from where only the workings can be improved and can
provide the beneficial outcome to the firm and overall increase the productivity level. By

adopting the excellent way of employee engagement will provide the different kinds of benefits
such as improve work culture, reduces the turnover, increase amount of productivity, builds the
better relationship between each other and much more. Thus, implementation of the appropriate
employee engagement strategies by the ENH HR management can get the profitable outcome
and results and can drive the company to grow and develop at successful level (Karatepe,
Rezapouraghdam and et.al., 2020). In general, the relationship between the human resource
management and employees should be very good from where the staff and employees can share
their views and issues which they are facing within the workplace can be got solved by HR
department and also let them feel a valued part of the business enterprise. Here, demonstrating
some appropriate strategies which needs to be adopted by the ENH management for the better
employee engagement at the workplace.
Conduct training programmes: By conducting the appropriate and excellent training
programmes will enable the employees of the ENH to get engaged with each other in definite
manner. Training programmes are conducted by the HR to improve the knowledge and skills of
an individual person where getting interacted and connected with each other will make the
employees to understand each other ideologies and understanding from where the employee
engagement will be increased (Albrecht and Marty, 2020). Along with this, providing the
training session will lead the employees to feel valued part of the company where the HR is
responsible and putting efforts for the betterment of the employees.
Supply right tools: HR management of the ENH also can supply the right tools to the
employees of the company from where they can easily connect with the HR in definite manner
and cannot get difficulties for sharing their issues and problems which they are facing at the
workplace. Accordingly, HR of the company can provide the options of emails to connect with
them and can also personally meet them regarding any issues which they face within the
premises. Along with this, employees also can connect with the HR by the software which is
created specifically for the interaction and communication between the employees and
management and can get connected in respective manner.
Give individual attentions: An individual employee works hard for the company where they
need a proper recognition and appreciation as well. HR management of ENH can consider this
point and can appreciate the employees for their efforts and discipline which they maintain at the
workplace by following and practising the protocols (Dubbelt, Demerouti and et.al., 2019). By

giving attention to individual employee and putting the efforts to know the problems which they
face in the premisses is the main mission of the HR of the company from which they can resolve
their issues and can provide the appropriate satisfaction and motivation to an individual. By
putting the attentions to an individual, it will also help to build a relationship between them from
which it will become easy for the HR to identify and solve the issues.
CONCLUSION
The above mentioned report has concluded the role of the human resource management
at the workplace who help and supports the firm to grow and develop at successful level. In the
report, it has included the two HRM models and illustrated which one fits the best within the
mentioned business workplace. Along with this, it has described how the company can become
more ethical in the market and can grow accordingly. However, at the last of the report some
appropriate strategies has been performed for enhancing the employee engagement between the
workforce and human resource in effective manner.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Shakil, R.M., Hassan, M.A. and Qureshi, M.I., 2019. Understanding the Relationship Between
HR Roles and HR Effectiveness: A Conceptual Review. Management Research
Spectrum. 9(1). pp.78-82.
McMackin, J. and Heffernan, M., 2021. Agile for HR: Fine in practice, but will it work in
theory?. Human Resource Management Review. 31(4), p.100791.
Masfi, A., Sukartini, T. and Hidayat, A.A.A., 2020. Performance improvement model utilizing
the mckinsey 7S approach for public health centers in sampang regency of Indonesia.
International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research. 9(3). pp.5073-5076.
Hancock, B. and Schaninger, B., 2020. HR says talent is crucial for performance-and the
pandemic proves it. McKinsey & Company. 27.
Ferrell, O.C. And et.al., 2019. Business ethics, corporate social responsibility, and brand
attitudes: An exploratory study. Journal of Business Research. 95. pp.491-501.
Valentinov, V., Verschraegen, G. and Van Assche, K., 2019. The limits of transparency: A
systems theory view. Systems Research and Behavioral Science. 36(3). pp.289-300.
Koven, S.G. and Perez, A., 2021. Corruption and business ethics. In Oxford Research
Encyclopedia of Business and Management.
Albrecht, S.L. and Marty, A., 2020. Personality, self-efficacy and job resources and their
associations with employee engagement, affective commitment and turnover
intentions. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 31(5), pp.657-
681.
Chowdhury, S., Dey, P., Joel-Edgar, and et.al., 2022. Unlocking the value of artificial
intelligence in human resource management through AI capability framework. Human
Resource Management Review, p.100899.
Dubbelt, L., Demerouti, E. and et.al., 2019. The value of job crafting for work engagement, task
performance, and career satisfaction: longitudinal and quasi-experimental
evidence. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 28(3), pp.300-
314.
HATAMI, S., SEYED, and et.al., 2019. Human Resource Management Social Responsibilities:
A Meta Synthesis Approach.
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Karatepe, O.M., Rezapouraghdam, H. and et.al., 2020. Job insecurity, work engagement and
their effects on hotel employees’ non-green and nonattendance behaviors. International
Journal of Hospitality Management. 87, p.102472.
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