Human Resource Management in Retail Industry: Trends, Skills, and Expertise

This report analyzes the general trends influencing the retail industry, required skills, experience, and knowledge for HR managers, and the role of HR managers in the organization. It also includes primary research evidence and a relevant job advertisement.

Career Viewpoint
MG410
CW1 – Career Research Report
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Contents
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ....................................................................................................................................3
General trends influencing the Retail industry or profession ..........................................................3
The required skills, experience and knowledge ...............................................................................4
Evaluation ........................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................6
Reference list ........................................................................................................................................7
Appendices ...........................................................................................................................................8
Appendix 1: Primary Research Evidence...........................................................................................8
Appendix 2: Relevant job advertisement .........................................................................................8
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Introduction
This report aims to analyze about Human resource management. It is a division of
business which helps the organization to find and recruit the best people who are suitable for
the job position (Poba-Nzaou, Uwizeyemungu, and Clarke, 2020). The HR find different
talented candidates who had different inherent skills and provide maximum productivity to
the company. In this report there will be a brief discussion about different general trends
which affect the HR management, required skills experience and knowledge. Along, with that
there will be a brief evaluation of retail industry and role of HR manager in the organization.
MAIN BODY
General trends influencing the Retail industry or profession
After the pandemic situation the market has changed a lot. Many companies jobs are
not stable in today's world. Due to these reasons many individuals has lost their job. There
are certain changes which affect the retail industry. Customers had frequent changes on their
lifestyles (Mazurchenko, and Maršíková, 2019). The market is changing according to new
trends. Most of the companies has shifted their business online in this new normal. Retail
industry brands like Nike particularly sells most of their products directly to the customers
with the help of their websites. The company has to shut down their stores during peak Covid
times. This has impacted most of their business in the retail industry. New General trends
which are influencing the retail industry are described below:
 Selling Online is Non Negotiable – Due to the Covid scenario most of the
business has now shifted to online means. The majority of retail companies are
now selling their products directly to the customers. In the online selling the prices
of the products are fixed and non negotiable. Most of the revenues of retail
companies now comes from online selling (Hamilton, and Davison, 2018). Online
selling helps the companies products to preform better in the market. The products
could be widely promoted through different social media platforms like
Instagram, Facebook etc.
 Social commerce are Emerging Trends – The retail industry are experimenting
different ways of selling. E commerce tools like Shopify, 3D Cart helps the
retailer to reach out to new customers. On the other hand, they could engage their
audience with new schemes and discounting methods. This helps them to generate
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more revenues in the market. The HR manager also had to adapt to new ways in
the organization.
 Customers Experience is Interactive – Online websites and apps provide a great
user experience. This helps the retailers to get more traffic on their particular
websites. Nike websites are build professionally with a clear motive of providing
best user experience to its customers (Naseri, 2021). On the other hand, virtual
reality is another strategy which Nike is developing for the future. In the
upcoming future, this strategy plays an important role in revolutionizing the
market. The job of HR manger becomes tough because the management has to
hire the candidates who are talented in operating these particular softwares.
 Supply Chain Issues – Many Retail industries are facing supply issues of their
particular products due to Covid19. Many products in the market has higher
demand among the customers. Due to this the prices of several products are
inflated in the retail industry. The companies had to take prominent decisions by
observing multiple situations (Kim, Kim, and Hwang, 2020). Most of the
companies now include HR manger in making the decisions. The role of HR
management becomes more tough. They had to give valuable advice to the
management in order to overcome different market problems.
 Employee Wellness Program – The working culture is fast paced in today's
world. The HR management hast and improve and sharpen their practices. While
working in the organization. They HR manager needs to become motivated. In
order maintain a friendly and working environment for other employees.
 Creativity While Recruiting the candidates – There are different recruitment
technologies and sources to recruit people. The HR manager should use the AI
technology. In order to recruit the potential and suitable candidates for the
organization. The HR manager needs to adapt new ways to recruit taleneted
candidates for the organization.
The required skills, experience and knowledge
Good Communication skills are important for an individual in order to grow in a
particular workplace. Great time management and interpersonal skills help the individuals to
have an efficient growth in the upcoming future.
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HR manager needs to have different skills in the organization in order to become more
productive. Different skills are mentioned below:
 Communication – It is first and foremost skill which HR manager must have in
order to become more productive in the organization. The HR must have good
communication skills in order to coordinate with management. On the other hand,
the HR management had to recruit several talented candidates in the company. For
which the HR needs to best communication skill.
 Multitasking – It is another quality which HR manager need in order to do the
work efficiently. Their had different duties and responsibilities in the workplace
which they must fulfill (Scapolan, 2018). For example like recruitment of different
employees, managing data of employees data etc. Management of all these activities
helps the employees to become more productive. On the other hand, it also helps the
management to perform it's business operations smoothly.
 HR data and Analytic – Another important work responsibility which HR must
fulfill. They had to manage all the records of the employees in their management
system. The maintenance and management of this data is important because the
employees get pay according to this data in the organization. Updating these
databases according to multiple employee situations are important.
 Coordinating with Management – The main work duty of an HR manager is to
recruit talented candidates in the organization. On the other hand, they had to
coordinate with top management while recruiting several candidates.
Areas of Knowledge and expertise – These are relevant skills and abilities like
coordination, leadership etc. In order to become more productive in the organization.
HR manager areas of knowledge and expertise mentioned below:
 Recruitment and Selection – This is the most important expertise skill of an HR
manager. Their job perspective is to find suitable candidates for the organization. HR
manager should find productive employees which helps the organization to generate
more revenues in the market (Scheibmayr, and Reichel, 2021). Identifying a right
candidate for the job. This quality develops with time and experience. The HR must
posses necessary experience while working for a bigger organization.
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 Performance Management – Performance management means setting the right
objectives and goals for work. HR manager has to perform several duties and
responsibilities. They had to manage their work and time in an efficient manner.
Appropriate time management helps the HR manager to get the best performance
output while working in the organization. Effective performance of HR manager also
helps the organization to reach new and greater heights in the market. Nowadays, HR
advise is also included while making a valuable decision in the company.
Evaluation
I want to become an HR manager in the future. The vacancy which I find is best for
me. This job advertisement role needs an HR manager . I had the necessary experience and
qualities to fulfill this job profile. I also had experience of working as an HR manager in the
retail industry. I have all the inherent skills like identifying a suitable candidate for the job,
communication and multitasking skills. I can recruit several candidates who are talented and
become most productive in the upcoming future. Multitasking is also an quality of an HR
manager in order to manage all the operations in the company. I have this skill of
multitasking and managing different responsibilities in the organization. For example like
managing employees data and analytic. This helps the organization to become more effective
and help them to generate maximum revenues in the market. I can cop up with changing
market trends and recruit suitable candidates for the job. The role of an Hr manager could be
fulfilled by me very effectively. The main purpose of this job is to grow my overall skills and
gain more experience in the HR department. As a role of an HR manager there are several
other skills like Talent scouting and use of different recruitment sites to find the best
candidate. I have an better advantage among other candidates because I am technology
friendly and I know the use of other recruitment softwares.
Conclusion
From the above report it has concluded that the, there are several general trends like
negotiation in online selling, social commerce as emerging trends etc. which could affect the
retail industry. On the other hand, there is also an discussion about the role of HR manager in
the organization. Along, with that there is also a brief Analysation of different skills and
expertise knowledge which helps is most important for HR manager.
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Reference list
Hamilton, R.H. and Davison, H.K., 2018. The search for skills: Knowledge stars and
innovation in the hiring process. Business Horizons, 61(3), pp.409-419.
Kim, W., Kim, H. and Hwang, J., 2020. Sustainable growth for the self-employed in the retail
industry based on customer equity, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. Journal of
Retailing and Consumer Services, 53, p.101963.
Mazurchenko, A. and Maršíková, K., 2019. Digitally-powered human resource management:
skills and roles in the digital era. Acta Informatica Pragensia, 8(2), pp.72-87.
Naseri, R.N.N., 2021. Issues And Challenges Of Online Shoppingactivities On The Impact
Of Corona Pandemic: A Study On Malaysia Retail Industry. Turkish Journal of
Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT), 12(10), pp.7682-7686.
Poba-Nzaou, P., Uwizeyemungu, S. and Clarke, C., 2020. Patterns underlying required HR
and IT competencies: A content and cluster analysis of advertisements of HR manager
positions. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 31(16),
pp.2065-2088.
Scapolan, T.F.A.C., 2018. Digitalization and HR Analytics: a Big Game for an HR Manager.
In Human Resource Management and Digitalization (pp. 259-270). Routledge.
Scheibmayr, I. and Reichel, A., 2021. Bringing the algorithmic HR manager in: Behavioral
responses to algorithmic HRM. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2021,
No. 1, p. 15863). Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510: Academy of Management.
Appendices
Appendix 1: Primary Research Evidence
Name of contact ABC
Company Burberry
Job title HR Manager
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Date of contact 10/03/22
How did you contact them? Phone
Questions asked &
summary of their answers
What are you doing right now ?
I have just done Masters in Business management.
How are you fit for this role of HR manager ?
I have inherent skills and experience which include
leadership, problem solving, communication and managing.
Which are important for this role.
How are you different from other candidates in terms of
effectiveness ?
Other candidates does not have experience and managing
skills. Which I generally acquire for this HR role.
Appendix 2: Relevant job advertisement
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