Human Resource Management in Marks & Spencer: Practices and Strategies

This report discusses the role of HRM in Marks & Spencer, including the purpose, key roles, and responsibilities of HR function. It assesses the approach to workforce planning, recruitment and selection, development and training, and performance management and rewards. The report also includes case study examples to examine the different methods used in HR practices.

Unit Number and Title Unit 1 – Business and Business Environment
Project Title Human Resources Employee Induction Manual (Part 1)
The Job Application (Part 2)
Statement of Authenticity:
I certify that the work submitted for this unit is my own and the research sources are fully
acknowledged.
Learner Name: Date:
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Table of Contents
Assessment Part 1: Employee Induction Manual
1.0 Introduction to the chosen organisation p
2.1 An explanation of the purpose of the HR function and the key
roles and responsibilities of the HR function P
2.2 The significance that HR plays in acquiring talent to meet
business objectives p
3.0 An assessment of the approach to:
3.1 Workforce planning p
3.2 Recruitment and selection p
3.3 Development and training p
3.4 Performance management and reward systems p
3.5 Inclusion of case study examples to examine the different
methods used in HR practices p
References p
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1.0 Introduction to the chosen organisation
Marks & Spencer (M&S) group plc was established in 1884 by Michael Marks and
Thomas Spencer. This is a British multinational retail sector company whose headquarter is
in Landon, England, UK. It engaged in selling products like clothes, home accessories, food
and beverages etc. mostly deal in its own label. Currently, M&S has approximately 959
stores across the UK and out of this 615 stores sell only food product by using different
mediums like TV, advertisement. Moreover, currently it is dealing in different brands Per
Una, Autograph, Good-move etc. It is into long term relationship with British manufactures
for dealing in clothes and food under the St Michael label. Mission of M&S is to provide the
best quality of product in a wide range and make it accessible to everyone It is listed on
Landon stock exchange and traded as part of LSE: MKS FTSE 250 index. It had earned over
£1 billion before tax and made a first position in British retailer in 1998. At present, it also
came under joint venture with Ocado for providing online food delivery to its customer.
Approximate 78000 employees are currently working in M&S company. The foundation of
M&S brand is to build values, satisfied customer, innovation, trust, quality of product etc.
2.1 An explanation of the purpose of the HR function and
the key roles and responsibilities of the HR function
Human resource management works as a foundation of the company. It includes
planning, recruitment, selection, training and development, motivation etc.
Planning
The main function of Human resource management is planning which include
recruitment, selection, learning and development programme to new and existing employees.
It analysis the current demand and supply of the man power in the company to meet
organizational objective. M&S company give more focus on getting right person suitable for
the right job as a part of key HRM practices. Organisation further provide resources &
training to employee so that knowledge and skills are better utilized (Fahim, 2018). Human
resource management of the M&S company make a plan like what are the vacant jobs present
in the company, what are the skills and experience required, what are the educational
qualification criteria etc.
Recruitment and selection
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Another function of HRM deal with recruitment and selection process. Recruitment is
a process where company is looking for potential candidate and encourage talent to apply.
Selection process is used by company to select the desirable person among the applied
candidates. M&S company use this process for getting new talent from the market. It uses
different types of recruitment tool like internet technology, direct advertisement, employee
reference, promotion and transfer etc. selection process vary from company to company like
written test, interview, medical examination etc (Koster and Benda, 2020). M&S company
uses internal and external selection process. Internal process includes promotion, transfer etc.
and external selection process includes on campus interview, job agency etc.
Performance management
Performance management is important for getting and retaining employee. company
use performance management tools like annual performance review, analyse feedback,
comparison with peers, customer review on employee performance. M&S company use 360-
degree feedback tools to analysis the performance of the employee. In addition to M&S also
provide continuous communication, clarification of job responsibility, priorities, performance
expectation, training & development programme (Koster and Benda, 2020). Which help in
encouraging their performance and in order to increase the efficiency in quality of work.
Increase productivity
HRM provide training and development programme, promotion, transfer, incentives
etc. to increase productivity which led to increase the brand value. M&S also use HRM to
provide friendly environment and culture so that employee feels engaged. Different
approaches like motivation, frequently meeting, flexibility at working place etc. is being used
by M&S company to maintain goodwill in the market. When employees are satisfied with
their work and environment this will automatically help in achieving organization goal.
2.2 The significance that HR plays in acquiring talent to
meet business objectives
Human resource management use different strategy to acquire new talent. Every company
want to attract and keep the desirable employee because it is directly connected to company
objectives. The role of HR is not only related to payments, incentives, complaints handling
but also plays significance role in recruiting, screening, interviewing, positioning etc. HRM
uses different types of techniques like on job training, career panning, online screening
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interview, advertising for job, defining job description etc. to get potential employee on the
right job.
New talent and innovative thoughts create positive impact on the growth of company.
It is managed as an essential assets of the company. HR makes an effort to manage
employees by developing their skills, improving capabilities so that it increases profitability
of company. A company with the satisfied workforce will grow automatically (Mwita, 2019).
M&S use human resource management as a fuel to acquire new talent. HRM also play crucial
role in M&S company for recruiting and selecting, training, advertising of job, allotment of
resources etc. further, it is also responsible for applying talent and skills into best practices.
Major reason behind the growth of M&S company is well managed human resources.
3.0 An assessment of the approach to:
3.1 Workforce planning
3 workforce planning
Workforce planning is defined as analysing, forecasting, planning, monitoring
employees demand and supply. It is also called as strategic planning where M&S ensure that
the right person is doing right job on right time. This is also ensured that, there is no gap
between requirement and actual workforce. HRM of M&S company understand the
requirement of job profile and then determine the specification. M&S use two ways to recruit
candidates. One is for getting new talent and other is for retaining old workforce. M&S adopt
different techniques like on campus interview, connecting with job agencies, advertisement
etc. for getting new talent from market (Bouaziz and Hachicha, 2018). On the other side it
adopts some strategies like promotion, transfer, motivation, increment in payment to retain
old employee. After selection of employee HRM analysis the gap between demand and
supply of the workforce and ensure that it should not be over supplied and under supplied. To
achieve that goal HRM use different techniques for efficient utilization of resources. At the
end M&S perform monitoring task where HRM provide training and development
programme, workshops, seminar etc. to improve quality of work and achieve organization
objective.
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4.2 Recruitment and selection
3.3)Recruitment and selection:
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Recruitment: In marks and spencer company recruitment is done in both internal and
external ways by the human resource manager.
Internal recruitment: Internal recruitment can be done either by promotion or by giving
transfer to the existing workforce within the organisation.
ADVANTAGES OF INTERNAL
RECRUITMENT
DISADVANTAGES OF INTERNAL
RECRUITMENT
 Chances of employee turnover
shortens with energetic and
motivated brainpower.
 Time and cost saving is the biggest
benefit for the organisation as they
recruit within the entity.
 Internal recruitment can become
hinderance with limited chance of
innovation and creativity.
 Promotion and transfer can still
leave the place vacant of previous
profile. Therefore, organisation
again have to fill the gap by finding
its substitutes.
External recruitment: External recruiting follows innumerable ways like campus
placement, job portals, field trip, employee referrals, etc.
ADVANTAGES OF EXTERNAL
RECRUITMENT
DISADVANTAGES OF EXTERNAL
RECRUITMENT
 The company gets wide range of
options of talented human resources.
 This process helps in injecting
creative and innovative mind in
organisation.
 The recruited person might not have
detailed understanding about the
company and its culture so, it can
become the hurdle.
 There is high chances that employee
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can resign the company early and
make the position unoccupied again.
Selection: In Marks and spencers company during selection stage they shortlists the potential
individual with qualified academeic and professional skills. Therefore, this stage includes :
Application forms and CV's: During this stage, manager related to the particular department
for whom the applicants are recruited goes through the CV of selected individual and
conducts a preliminary interview.
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
 The documents attached with the CV
are considered to be authentic free
from false information.
 Helpful for the interviewer to know
the interest of the interviewee and
choose them for the prescribed
position.
 The interviewer can be biased and
select only those human resource
who are known to them.
 Their is high chance of defraud by
applicants in providing wrong
information to get selected.
Ability and aptitude test: This stage evaluates the capability of individuals on the basis of
the aptitude test provided by the interviewer to interviewee to know the performance of them.
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
It creates high chances of selecting the best
employee for the organisation by judging
their results.
Sometimes we can't judge applicant on this
basis because there is high possibility of
passing the test without much knowledge.
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4.3 Development and training
Marks and spencer’s creates systematic setup to impart technical knowledge to their
employee to train them well for their job. Whereas, development refers to the overall growth
of the individual with deep insight of practical knowledge to be at the managerial position.
Advantages from the point of employer
Enhances the company’s overall performance with trained employees.
Advantages from the point of employee:
This process motivates the employees and help them to improve their productivity.
4.4 Performance management and reward systems
Human resource manager of Marks and Spencer make use of different method or
strategies to enhance performance and productivity of each and every individual. Likewise, it
continuously monitors the key actions or activities that are performed by each person in the
firm and identify the mistakes to find alternative method that could be used to improve
productivity for benefits of firm. Manager also put efforts to decide reward and recognition
that needs to be given to employees so that they are motivated to make best use of their
existing capabilities and skills (Michael, 2019). Such as increase in salary; promotions are
various method that are used by M&S manager to influence people to produce maximum
outcome so that company can yield more benefits. At the same time, it has included negative
punishment for people that have not work as per standard set or are lazy so that they are
motivated to work hard or make optimum use of their skills, capabilities and knowledge for
betterment of firm. Thereby, it helps in effective performance management and reward
system that lead in retaining highly talented individuals within organisation.
4.0 Inclusion of case study examples to examine the different
methods used in HR practices
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Human resource manager of M&S has make use of different method in its practice to
manage diverse range of people and achieve maximum result. So, numerous method used by
HR are providing security to employees, fair and performance based compensation and
selective hiring that helped company in enjoying high profitability. Such as:
1. Providing security to employees: It is one of the practice that has been used by the
HR manager of Marks and spencer to improve overall performance and productivity
of the firm. Such as it by providing security and safety of employees can influence
them to work hard for benefits of firm so that it can earn high profitability and market
share in future circumstances (Word and Sowa, 2017).
2. Fair and performance based compensation: Another practices that has been used
by the human resource manager of M&S is providing fair and performance based
compensation to employees. The manager has ensured that it pay equal salary and
wages to all on the basis of their actual performance and productivity. So that each of
the individuals is highly motivated to work for growth and expansion of firm in retail
sector of UK.
3. Selective hiring: Moreover, the another strategy that has been adapted by the Hr
manager of M&S while handling diverse range of people working in the firm is
selective hiring (Collins, 2021). It has devoted high time and efforts to select
particular talented individuals or right person at right place so that it can easily
complete the task in effective manner and goals can be achieved.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that HR manager plays crucial role in
planning, organising, staffing, controlling and coordinating range of people to work toward
achievement of common goals. At last it can be stated that all different method included in
HR practices helps in improving performance and productivity of organisation.
References
Bouaziz, F. and Hachicha, Z.S., 2018. Strategic human resource management practices and
organizational resilience. Journal of Management Development.
Collins, C. J., 2021. Expanding the resource based view model of strategic human resource
management. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32(2).
pp.331-358.
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Fahim, M. G. A., 2018. Strategic human resource management and public employee
retention. Review of Economics and Political Science.
Hamza, P. A. and et.al., 2021. Recruitment and Selection: The Relationship between
Recruitment and Selection with Organizational Performance. International Journal
of Engineering, Business and Management. 5(3). pp. 1-13.
Iqbal, Q., 2020. The era of environmental sustainability: Ensuring that sustainability stands
on human resource management. Global Business Review, 21(2). pp.377-391.
Koster, F. and Benda, L., 2020. Innovative human resource management: measurement,
determinants and outcomes. International Journal of Innovation Science.
Manenzhe, P. M. and Ngirande, H., 2021. The influence of compensation, training and
development on organisational citizenship behaviour. SA Journal of Industrial
Psychology. 47. p.9.
Michael, A., 2019. A handbook of human resource management practice.
Mwita, K.M., 2019. Conceptual Review of Green Human Resource Management
Practices. East African Journal of Social and Applied Sciences (EAJ-SAS), 1(2).
pp.13-20.
Word, J. K. and Sowa, J. E. eds., 2017. The nonprofit human resource management
handbook: From theory to practice. Taylor & Francis.
Table of Contents
Assessment Part 2: Recruitment and selection documentations
portfolio
1.0 The design of a job description for the position of marketing
manager p
2.0 A person specification for the position of marketing manager
p
3.0 A job offer letter for the selected candidate p
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4.0 An evaluation of the process and the rationale for conducting
appropriate HR practices p
An evaluation summary of employee relations and employment
legislation that relate to HR practices
6.0 The approach to and effectiveness of employee relations and
employee engagement, with mention of the flexible organisation
and flexible working practices and ‘employer of choice’ p
7.0 Key aspects of employment legislation within which the
organisation must work p
8.0 An evaluation of how employee relations and employment
legislation inform decision making and meets business objectives
P
References p
1.0 The design of a job description for the position of
marketing manager
Job description
Job description for marketing manager
Job title Marketing manager
Location UK
Working hours 7 hours daily
Reporting to Senior marketing manager
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Working with Senior marketing manager and marketing
team
Purpose of job Handling the sales requirement
Creating and implementing all the
marketing strategies
Working on effective making and
implementing of PR strategies
Main duties and responsibility To maintain coordination among the
marketing team and other departments.
To monitor the status of all the marketing
strategies being implemented within the
business.
To have a contingency plan in order to
ensure that in any contingency the work will
be managed in proper and effective manner.
2.0 A person specification for the position of marketing
manager
Person specification
Name of
Company:
Job title: Marketing manager
Job
Requirements
Essential Desirable
1
Qualifications
MBA or any post graduate
degree in marketing as
specialisation
Diploma course in the field of marketing.
2 Knowledge Knowledge relating to every
aspect relating to effective
marketing of the company.
Proper knowledge of decision making in order
to ensure proper working and knowledge
relating to use of latest digital marketing tools.
3 Skills Numeracy skill, coordination,
effective management,
relationship marketing and others
Effective use of social media and other digital
marketing tools
4 Experience At least 1 year of working More than 2 years of experience will be
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experience desirable.
5 Personal
Qualities
Researching skill, time
management, team working and
other.
Good communication skill, interpersonal skills,
leadership and others.
3.0 A job offer letter for the selected candidate
Job offer letter
Date- July 30, 2021
Subject- confirmation of job
Dear sir
This is to inform you that your appointment as marketing manager has been conformed
with the company and can start from 2nd of August, 2021. We are pleased to welcome you
in the company and wish you best of luck for your job.
Wishing you all the success in your role. Welcome to the team
Yours sincerely
Human resource department
4.0 An evaluation of the process and the rationale for
conducting appropriate HR practices
Evaluation of process and rationale for conducting appropriate HR practices
The HR practices are very important for Marks and Spencer to effectively being
implemented for proper management of the business. this is essential because of the reason
that in case good HR practices are employed then this will motivate the employees to work in
proper and effective manner (Armstrong, 2019). The rationale for conducting the appropriate
HR practices is that this will provide a satisfaction to the employees and as a result of this
they will work in proper and effective manner.
An evaluation summary of employee relations and
employment legislation that relate to HR practices
5.0 The approach to and effectiveness of employee
relations and employee engagement, with mention of
the flexible organisation and flexible working
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practices and ‘employer of choice’
Approaches and effectiveness of employee relation and employee engagement
For Marks and Spencer to be successful it is essential that effective employee
relations are being maintained within the business. the reason behind this fact is that when the
employees will be having good and cordial relation among them then this will keep them
satisfied. As a result of this employees will be working in proper and effective manner
(Azeez, 2017). The major approaches used by M & S for managing employee relation and
improving employee engagement are as follows-
 Flexible working condition- this is an approach which will assist M & S in managing
good employee relation. This is pertaining to the fact that when the effective working
condition are provided then this will motivate the employees to work in proper and
effective management.
 Employer of choice- this is another approach of effective employee relation wherein
the employees can have employer of choice. This will motivate the employees to
work in proper and efficient manner. The reason underlying this fact is that when the
employer will be of their choice then they will be comfortable while working with
them.
 Taking continuous feedback- this is another approach for the effective management
of employee’s relation. This is pertaining to the fact that when the continuous
feedback is taken from the employees then this motivates them to work in proper and
effective manner (Nie, Lämsä and Pučėtaitė, 2018). This is pertaining to the fact that
when the feedback is taken then employees feel that their views are considered in
management of company and because of this they feel precious.
6.0 Key aspects of employment legislation within which
the organisation must work
Key aspect of employment legislation
For effective working of M & S it is very important that they comply with all the
legislation relating to employment. This is pertaining to the fact that when these legislations
are complied then this provides for a base for better working. The different legislation being
followed by M & S are as follows-
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Equality act, 2010- this is an act which provides guidance to the company that there
must be equality among all the employees working within the company. there must not be
any sort of discrimination among the employees either on basis of gender, age, race or any
other basis. For M & S it is essential to have equality so that they can work in effective and
efficient manner.
Employment right act, 1996- it is also very essential for M & S to comply with the
employment right act. This is essential because of the fact that when all the rights are being
provided to the employees then they feel satisfied and happy within the organization. Thus, as
a result of this they work in proper and effective manner.
Health and safety at workplace act, 1974- this is another legislation which need to be
adhered by M & S. this is particularly because of the reason that when the proper health and
safety will be provided to the employees then this will motivate them to work in efficient way
which in turn will increase the overall capability of the company.
7.0 Evaluation of how employee relations and employment
legislation inform decision making and meets business
objectives
With the above evaluation it is clear that management of employee relation and
compliance with employment legislation is essential for the effective decision making. The
reason underlying this fact is that when the employee relations are being maintained by M &
S then this will motivate them to work properly (Anisimov and et.al., 2017). Along with this,
when M & S will comply with all the legislation then this will ensure that company focuses
on ethical and correct working. This in turn will create and develop a good working
environment and will improve the working condition and capability of the employees.
CONCLUSION
It can also be summarised that HR manager through following all rules and regulation
related to employment is able to smoothly promote its business operation. At last strong
employee’s relationship and job description, specification and interview process conducted
by HR has helped M&S in having talented employees in the firm.
References
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Anisimov, A.Y and et.al., 2017. Strategic Approach to Forming a Human Resource
Management System in the Organization. International Journal of Economic
Perspectives, 11(2).
Armstrong, M., 2019. Strategic human resource management. pdf drive. com.
Azeez, S. A., 2017. Human resource management practices and employee retention: A
review of literature. Journal of Economics, Management and Trade, pp.1-10.
Nie, D., Lämsä, A. M. and Pučėtaitė, R., 2018. Effects of responsible human resource
management practices on female employees’ turnover intentions. Business Ethics: A
European Review, 27(1). pp.29-41.
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