HR Management Strategies of TESCO during COVID-19 Pandemic

This report discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the human resource management practices of TESCO, a multinational retail company. The report analyzes the modifications made to the company's HR strategies in response to the crisis, the impact of environmental factors on the company's culture and HR plan, and the job design and hiring/firing strategies of the company. The report also uses David Ulrich's HR model and Storey's 27 points of difference between HRM and Personnel Management as benchmarks to evaluate the company's HR practices. Overall, the report highlights the importance of effective HR management in managing the workforce during a crisis and maintaining organizational performance.

Hr Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
A. Drawing on HRM models and concepts, discuss the ways in which HR strategies had been
modified or changed in response to the crisis........................................................................1
B. Analyse the impact of environmental factors on culture and HR plan of the chosen firm.2
C. Use any HR model and state how value is created by the firm.........................................3
D. Using Storey’s 27 points of difference between HRM and Personnel Management as a
benchmark, state what is being practised by the firm?...........................................................4
E. Analyse the job design strategies of the chosen firm.........................................................7
F. State the hiring and firing strategies of the chosen firm during this period.......................8
G. Use corporate examples of firms using good HR practices and literature to justify your
stand........................................................................................................................................9
H. Based on the discussion and debate what suggestions / recommendations would you make
to employers regarding HRM practices to maintain organisational performance?..............10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is undertaken as the activities of managers which mainly
concentrate upon hiring, inspiring and maintaining workforce in firm. Additionally, they tackle
the issues related with workers such as compensation, communication, training, motivation and
many more. In addition to this, it also ensures staff satisfaction and increases their contribution
towards accomplishment of organisational goals (Gupta, 2020). Entities have realised that
without personnel, no firm would be proficient to meet its targets. During the COVID-19
pandemic situation, human resource department into firm was focused to focus on various
challenges as well as difficulties in surroundings. Also, it outbreaks impacts whole entity s well a
developed hindrance in front of business practices. Within HRD, by assistance of effectual
human resource tactics, models, activities contributed its assistance for assuring that remote
working is conducted effectually and efficiently while undertaking the desires and requirements
of staff as well as entity upon simultaneously. Current report is performed upon TESCO that is
performing as multinational groceries business and general merchandise. They conduct their
business activities within retail sector as well as were developed into year 1919. This report
includes some topics upon Modification that TESCO consider into human resource strategies and
activities at the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, human resource management model
strategies that HRD of firm undertakes for managing personnel during COVID-19 are also
discussed in this report.
MAIN BODY
A. Drawing on HRM models and concepts, discuss the ways in which HR strategies had been
modified or changed in response to the crisis.
As the COVID-19 Outbreak occurs, the TESCO's HR department has to face major
modifications for implementing human resources strategies in order to respond towards crisis.
For instance, with aids of effect human resource model, TESCO assures that hr policies are
associated with business goals and tactics. For it, the entities HR department continuous ly check
their and staff requirements (Kasemsap, 2019). In respect of COVID-19, TESCO that focus on
rendering various training and development programmes to workers for retaining them long
duration. Additionally because of the affect of COVID-19 staff was needed to do their work from
home only. As TESCO which is known to be the large scale firm along with huge number of
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staff from diverse areas. Moreover, COVID-19 forced human resource management of entity for
changing its HR strategy where with assistance of effective human resource management
practices model HR manager intent toward providing staff safety, higher compensation as per
their performance, self management, selective hiring sharing vital information with workers and
equality among staff.
Whole these tactics aids TESCO in maintain effective connection with staff for conducting
business practices effectually even during higher complexities which have been raised because of
COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, this have been determined that for assuring that
modifications into strategy is implemented appropriately by HR department manager ensures
that there is efficient resource availability, styles of management and technology for using
efficacious practice to assures that workers are satisfied (Kreutzer and Sirrenberg, 2020). This
have been determined that COVID-19 not only impacted operations of the business but also
adversely affect on staff productivity as well as performance, as they were need to perform the
task from home that modify its whole working scenarios. For overcoming as well as responds to
particular crisis, TESCO's human resource department change hr strategies wherein with
assistance of effective human resource management practice model the HR manager
concentrates on basic prospects like maintenance, training and development as well as
encouragement that is vital human resource management concepts. In addition to this, it
effectively aids human resource manager to align staff performance along with firm's goals as
well as attain business targets during those periods in feasible way for satisfying desires and
expectations of customers.
B. Analyse the impact of environmental factors on culture and HR plan of the chosen firm.
HR department in firm act as a heart of entity irrespective to their scope, size as respective
unit is accountable for grabbing the attention, ratings, inspire those staff who are the lifeblood of
entity. This has been determined that COVID -19 outbreak drastically impacted firm into each
industrial sector as this destroyed the business performance way where firms were subjected to
perform its business practices with lower level staff at work area framework. Most of the
employees are needed to perform remotely as ordered through government because of COVID-
19 outbreak (Lin-Hi, Rothenhöfer and Blumberg, 2019). In addition to this, there were various
environmental aspects which has affected culture and human resource plan of firm. Additionally,
this have been determined that COVID-19 outbreak develops vital changes within TESCO’s
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human resource department. Chosen firm renders goods and services by convenience shop, super
store, and others. As COVID -91 pandemic situations enhances environmental factors that
impacted work areas effectiveness of organization. Because of pandemic situation, the UK
government implements various environment associated norms that is crucial for whole firm
within retail industrial sector. Furthermore, this outbreak formed TESCO’s human resource
department for making key modification into its human resource plan where they are needed to
concentrates on environmental as well as health implication into entity standards. Also, this have
been highlighted that Outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic forced human resource department to
develop modification into internal policies and staff relation where they are needed to rendered
training and development to workers by digital platforms. Along with this, it have been
determined that recruitment and selection also performed via through virtual performance or
internet that modify the physical interview as well as recruitment method of entity. Apart from
this, it has been also evaluated that labor supply and compensation is also an environmental
factors that affected on human resource culture and plan, within it HR computed effective
compensation amount as per labor supply with assistance of performing particular survey of
salary to assure that wages be competitive so that workers does not feel this satisfied.
C. Use any HR model and state how value is created by the firm.
Human resource management is evaluated through HR strategy for performing the
operations of human resource effectively and efficiently. Moreover, the model of human
resource plays vital tools which segregated accountabilities as well as roles and describes main
procedures responsibilities and ownership (Liu, Bartram and Leggat, 2020). At the time of
COVID-19 outbreak, this is crucial for TESCO’s hr department for managing the operations of
human resources in appropriate way. For instance, to assure that staff does not obtain
dissatisfaction as it may impact whole organization’s productivity and performance in addition
with client's satisfaction. Additionally, human resource manager of entity believes that effective
model of HR brings clear conceptions to human resource department.
Within it, by assistance of David Ulrich model, human resource department of TESCO
develops set of fundamental principle for conducting several kinds of human resource practices
effectively. Additionally David Ulrich describes the much common model of human resource
role that assists them for developing values. As per respective model, there are essential for
human resource roles that incorporate change agent, management expert’s strategic partner and
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staff champion. In respect of strategic partner this is related with initiatives alignment and human
resource practices with organizational tactics. Within this the TESCO 's human resource
department formed partnership with several kinds of digital platforms to facilitate appropriate
training to staff for assuring that workers are related with entity's goals. With assistance of
strategic partnership, TESCO's human resource manager be connected with staff for ensuring
that they are fully satisfied. In addition to this, it has been also determined that COVID-19
modify the way of training programmes where TESCO's management through focusing on e-
learning platforms to assured that workers may learn from all over the geographic regions at any
period. With assistance of respective platform the human resource administrative ensures that
personnel are involved for performing in efficient way. While in respect of management experts
through evaluating various information sources, HR department of TESCO undertakes benefits
of digital human resource techniques to encourage staff with aids of several retention strategies.
At end in respect with staff champion, this is considered as one of the essential human resource
manager accountability where they developed value with assistance of undertaking. Benefits of
stronger online network, digital platform as well as effectual networking technique to involve
staff for resolving its problems which they are going through this time
D. Using Storey’s 27 points of difference between HRM and Personnel Management as a
benchmark, state what is being practised by the firm?
Storey's 27 point essentially researches the relations among various human resource
management activities which have been adapted. This basically differentiates among soft as well
as hard kinds of HRM. Additionally, this has been determined that personnel management that
focus on maintenance of whole personal system as well as management in entity. While
undertaking the explanation about HRM, it is considered as a strategic approach as well as
essentially concentrates on forecasting the requirements of staff as well as regularly observes and
adjusts whole resource system (Mazur and Walczyna, 2020). Additionally, this has been
determined that in respect of personnel management is related with planning, arranging,
compensating, complying and managing individuals with an intent to contribute firm's staff. In
addition to this, HRM incorporates activities related to hiring, maintain, facilitating training to
staff, rendering them advantages and compensation, formulating staff relationship as well as
assuring that entity comply with whole worker's regulations and norms. In respect of TESCO, it
have been determined that firm consider usages of human resource management as a benchmark
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of staff. With assistance of respective entity competent as well as hard work obtain valued in
effective and efficient way (Косимова, 2020). The difference among personnel management and
HRM may be explained below with assistance of Storey’s 27 points:
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E. Analyse the job design strategies of the chosen firm.
For performing the human resource operations as well as practices effectively the job
design strategies plays essential role. As these tactics mainly explain the relation among the
dimensions of job design as well as staff desires, job characteristics aspects and work results,
essential psychological states and workers development requirements for motivating them
towards attainment of entity’s goals. In addition to this, the human resource manager of TESCO
undertakes several kinds of job design strategies for doing development into working motivation.
Additionally, job rotation is undertaken as the much crucial job design strategy which have been
consider through human resource manager.
Job rotation: This is the kind of job design strategy where staffs are moved from one job
to other. With assistance of it, human resource manager of TESCO intent towards minimizing
job boredom as well as it aids entity to formulate flexible personnel. Additionally, this aids them
to have multi- competent workers who may able to perform various kinds of roles and
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accountabilities. Furthermore, the respective company of human resource manager takes benefits
of job enlargement strategy. Within it staffs are interested with extra accountabilities to plan,
coordinate and schedule its task for encouraging workers. Along with this, in it entity’s human
resource management facilitates several forms of advantages like financial and non financial
benefits.
TESCO undertake its workers as one of the essential assets as these are accountable for
high customer satisfaction. For instance, the TESCO’s human resource department check usages
of alternate working schedule options, that is mainly developed to render convenience to staff so
that they may maintain is personal period as well as working time balance. Also, respective kind
of job strategy plays vital role during COVID-19 period as within work from home staff are
going through challenges for managing its work life as well as personal life balance. Within it,
human resource manager of TESCO consider utilization of compressed working weeks, short
work weeks, flexible time and telecommunication for motivating workers and retaining them in
firm for long period.
F. State the hiring and firing strategies of the chosen firm during this period.
COVID-19 developed circumstances wherein firms into each industrial sector needed to
form staff perform its business practices form remote working. Moreover, during this duration,
entity have to consider effectual hiring as well as firing workers strategies for assuring that entity
is performing with effective individuals into team. In addition to this, it have been determined
that for hiring the competent workers, human resource manager of TESCO have to assures they
treat candidates as a customers. So, at the period of COVID-19 HR manager utilise recruiting
strategy where it grab the attention of competent candidates with usages of social media as well
as execute staff referral session. Additionally, HR manager have to continuously involve
checking resume that is posted online and also tracks the poll of talent for identifying ideal
applicants. Where as in respect of firing strategy, TESCO effectively assures that firing would be
performed by appropriate tracking upon staff performance in order to safe guard the ventures.
Within it, human resource manager assures that whole desires is accomplished incorporating
fraction as well as disciplinary policy for assuring that entity do not tackle lawsuits. During the
period of COVID-19, the TESCO undertake some firing strategy in respect of previous
performance. Also, the firm’s human resource manager assures that the past warning is being
facilitated to workers via written notice.
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At the time of COVID-19, Respective entity hires staff based upon its abilities as well as
commitment. Within it, they assure that workers are having much mental strengths for working.
Additionally, during this period, human resource recruits at TESCO’s hires candidates who are
not compatible with modifications. Along with this, respective firm hiring strategy is inclusive of
opting candidates those who having character and several forms of soft skills like social
intelligence, as with assistance of it firm may able to perform effectually into distinct
circumstances. Apart from this, TESCO also involves specific components into its hiring strategy
wherein they focus on person those who have soft skills such as communicational, emotional,
interpersonal and intelligences skills.
G. Use corporate examples of firms using good HR practices and literature to justify your stand.
Human resource department is undertaken as one of the essential section in firm who have
accountability to grab the attention, inspire and retain personnel for long time duration as well as
continuously facilitate them training as to attain business objectives for assuring high
competition within particular sector (Nawaz, 2020). Moreover, there are various kinds of human
resource activities which have been consider through several entities like TESCO competitors
such as Sainsbury utilize performance linked bonus where incentives are being rendered to staff
based upon its performance. While this have been determined that ASDA undertakes benefits of
360° performance management feedback system where they consider feedback from its higher
management, and subordinates to assure that affirmative workplace atmosphere is being
managed within organization. In respect of TESCO, they intake usages of safe, healthy and
happy work area human resource activities, sharing of knowledge, system of fair evaluation,
rewards and many more for motivating staff performance. Additionally, with aids of respective
human resource activities of entity that mainly intent towards enhancing staff performance for
becoming much in competitive sector. Along with this these human resource practices enable
organization to maximize sales as well as minimize cost for performing business practices with
highly competent workers while minimizing wastes as well as developing quality (Zabala,
Campos and Narvaiza, 2021).
H. Based on the discussion and debate what suggestions / recommendations would you make to
employers regarding HRM practices to maintain organisational performance?
COVID-19 pandemic has bounded international business as well as economy. Within it,
for overcoming the adverse affect of COVID-19 upon business practices human resource
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department may play key role (Otoo, 2020). In it, they may not only enhance staff performance
but might enhance its critical thinking competencies, understanding and others as well as may
also able to retain them for long duration so that entity may conduct with talented and
experienced person.
Maximization of staff engagement with digital tools:
This is suggested to TESCO human resource management to maximize staff engagement
with assistance of exploring its understanding as well as competencies by aids of digital learning
platform. In addition to this, it is an appropriate way by that staff empowerment may be perform
and also with it they become ongoing learner as well as may share it's new knowledge a d
competencies along with other in entity (Puhovichova and Jankelova, 2020). Also, human
resource manager of TESCO is also suggested to invest into digital learning library as to aids
internal talent development initiatives and person learning requirements.
Job security and wellness benefits
At the COVID-19 period various staff has fear to lose its job. For instance, it is suggested to
TESCO human resource management to render job security to their workers. Apart from this,
they are also suggested to provide various kinds of health and wellness benefits to staff and its
families for valuing its contribution towards firm. With assistance of overall above mentioned
recommendation in respect of human resource management practices, TESCO's hr department
may able to maintain its business performance through valuing staff performance. Additionally,
it would enhance the sense of encouragement as well as belongings within personnel which
would motivate them to perform much hard work so that they may able to facilitate high level of
customer satisfaction even during pandemic situation (Singer and Cohen, 2020)
CONCLUSION
As per the above report, it has been concluded that human resource management plays vital
role as it is undertaken as the activities of managers which mainly concentrate upon hiring,
inspiring and maintaining workforce in firm. Additionally, they tackle the issues related with
workers such as compensation, communication, training, motivation and many more. In addition
to this, it also ensures staff satisfaction and increases their contribution towards accomplishment
of organisational goals. Entities have realised that without personnel, no firm would be proficient
to meet its targets. Additionally, COVID-19 developed circumstances wherein firms into each
industrial sector needed to form staff perform its business practices form remote working.
10

Moreover, during this duration, entity have to consider effectual hiring as well as firing workers
strategies for assuring that entity is performing with effective individuals into team.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Gupta, A.D., 2020. Strategic Human Resource Management: Formulating and Implementing HR
Strategies for a Competitive Advantage. Productivity Press.
Kasemsap, K., 2019. Promoting strategic human resource management, organizational learning,
and knowledge management in modern organizations. In Advanced Methodologies and
Technologies in Business Operations and Management (pp. 879-891). IGI Global.
Kreutzer, R.T. and Sirrenberg, M., 2020. Fields of Application of Artificial Intelligence—Health
Care, Education and Human Resource Management. In Understanding artificial
intelligence (pp. 167-193). Springer, Cham.
Lin-Hi, N., Rothenhöfer, L. and Blumberg, I., 2019. The relevance of socially responsible blue-
collar human resource management: An experimental investigation in a Chinese
factory. Employee Relations: The International Journal.
Liu, C., Bartram, T. and Leggat, S.G., 2020. Link of patient care outcome to occupational
differences in response to human resource management: a cross-sectional comparative
study on hospital doctors and nurses in China. International journal of environmental
research and public health, 17(12), p.4379.
Mazur, B. and Walczyna, A., 2020. Bridging sustainable human resource management and
corporate sustainability. Sustainability, 12(21), p.8987.
Nawaz, N., 2020. Exploring artificial intelligence applications in human resource
management. Journal of Management Information and Decision Sciences, 23(5), pp.552-
563.
Otoo, F.N.K., 2020. Measuring the impact of human resource management (HRM) practices on
pharmaceutical industry's effectiveness: the mediating role of employee
competencies. Employee Relations: The International Journal.
Puhovichova, D. and Jankelova, N., 2020. Changes of human resource management in the
context of impact of the fourth industrial revolution. Industry 4.0, 5(3), pp.138-141.
Singer, G. and Cohen, I., 2020. An objective-based entropy approach for interpretable decision
tree models in support of human resource management: The case of absenteeism at
work. Entropy, 22(8), p.821.
Zabala, K., Campos, J.A. and Narvaiza, L., 2021. Moving from a goods-to a service-oriented
organization: a perspective on the role of corporate culture and human resource
management. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing.
Косимова, Д., 2020. Improving Human Resource Management in the Oil and Fat Industry
Based on Structural Changes. Архив научных исследований, (18).
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