Analysis of Human Resource Management Practices in Marks and Spencer

This report analyses the practices of human resource management and its impact on employee engagement and retention in Marks and Spencer. It covers the conceptual framework of HRM, strategies used for employee retention and engagement, challenges faced in implementing HRM practices, and more.

TO ANALYSE THE PRACTICES OF
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Overview of the topic..................................................................................................................3
Overview of the company............................................................................................................3
Research aim and objective.........................................................................................................3
Research question........................................................................................................................4
Research rational.........................................................................................................................4
Summary of Overall structure:....................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................6
What is the conceptual framework of human resource management and employee retention?..6
What are the strategies used by the Human resource management to retain employee and make
engagement?................................................................................................................................6
What is the impact of human resource management practices on employee engagement and
retention in Marks and Spencer?.................................................................................................7
Identify the challenges faced in implementing the practices of human resource management in
Marks and Spencer?.....................................................................................................................8
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:...................................................................................................9
REFERNCES.................................................................................................................................12
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INTRODUCTION
Overview of the topic
Human resource management is a systematic approach which is used to manage people of
the organisation. Human resource is the biggest assets of the company without them organisation
cannot achieve goals or objectives in effective and efficient manner. It is primarily concerning
for every business to manage their employee so that they can make good engagement and retain
them for long period of time. For this the HR mangers designed many practice and policies that
can be used by them so that they can improve the performance and productivity of the
organisation. In this report the researcher will investigate about various policies and approaches
that can be used by the companies so that they can retain their employee and can make better
engagement (Armstrong and Taylor, 2020)
Overview of the company
From completing this research, the company that is selected is Marks and Spencer. M & S
is a British multinational retail company. The headquarter of the company is in London, England
the company is also listed in London stock exchange. It was founded on 1884 by Michael marks
and Thomas Spencer. In UK brand has 76 stores that are expanded in more than 32 cities. Apart
from this the total numbers of store that is expanded all over the world is 1463. The company
deals in various goods and services like clothing, food and beverages, furniture and financial
services.
Research aim and objective
Aim: To analyse the practices of human resource management and its impact on employee
engagement and retention: “A study on Marks and Spencer”.
Objective:
 To know the conceptual framework of human resource management and employee
retention.
 To identify the strategy used by the Human resource management to retain employee and
make engagement.
 To discern the impact of human resource management practices on employee
engagement and retention in Marks and Spencer
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 To identify the challenges faced in implementing the practices of human resource
management in Marks and Spencer.
Research question
1. What is the conceptual framework of human resource management and employee
retention?
2. What are the strategies used by the Human resource management to retain employee and
make engagement?
3. What is the impact of human resource management practices on employee engagement
and retention in Marks and Spencer?
4. Identify the challenges faced in implementing the practices of human resource
management in Marks and Spencer?
Research rational
The main purpose for choosing the topic impact of human resource management practices
on employee retention and engagement is to achieve two objectives that is personal and
professional. In respect of the personal it will help in determining the strategy that can be
effectively used by the organisation to retain their employees and make an effective engagement
with them. This will also aid in knowing the techniques of human resource mangers which can
be inherit in own personality. In fact, it will assist in enhancing more skills and knowledge about
the practices. In aid of the professional perspective it will help in developing the professional
skills so that it can be helped in making career in that profession. This will also help in knowing
the jobs that are available for human resource managers. This research will also help in making a
sound professional career along with a building effective personality that is required to perform
the task related to that field (Bailey and et. al, 2018).
Summary of Overall structure:
The report coves various chapters that is written in systematic order so the effective report
can be made. These steps are as follow:
 Introduction: This is the first chapter which includes the overview of the research topic,
aim and objectives, research question, rational and many more. This is the very important
chapter and need to be address properly.
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 Literature review: The next chapter of the report is literature review which contain all
the past published data of the chosen topic. This is used by the researcher to gain detailed
understanding by using various secondary source data.
 Research methodology: It is the systematic process of gathering, analysing and
interpreting the data obtained so that proper test can be analysed to obtained data.
 Conclusion and recommendation: The very last chapter of the research report is
conclusion and recommendation. In Conclusion a short summary is written down about
all the topic that is covered in the research. Recommendation is used to provide
suggestion that can be taken by the organisation to improve their performance.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
What is the conceptual framework of human resource management and employee retention?
According to Mone and London (2018),Human resource management is gaining more
attention with the pass in times. Gone are the days when organisation only manage their
production but know there is very necessary to manage the human of the organisation. Human
resource management is a systematic process of attracting, hiring, developing and retaining the
best employee so that they can gain competitive advantage out of it. There are five main roles
that are performed by the HR mangers of the organisation. These are talent management,
compensation and benefits, training and development, HR compliance and workplace safety. It is
very important for the mangers to solve all the queries of the employee so that they can make
effective engagement with them. This will also help them in making a good communication so
that goals and objectives can be accomplished on time. In the other part retention means a rate at
which employee can be retain in the organisation for longer time period. Employee retention is a
positive approach and it is very vital if the organisation want to achieve success. Employee
retention is an organisational capability to gain their employee for higher period. The more the
retention rate organisation will be at the position of managing their employee in effective
manner. It is becoming a very high priority in the recent time because the competition in the
market is so strong that to gain competitive advantage it is necessary. If the organisation keeps
the best employee, then they can solve any uncertainty without any difficult as well as their
performance will also enhanced (Flynn, Valentine and Meglich, 2021).
What are the strategies used by the Human resource management to retain employee and make
engagement?
As per the Pandita and Ray (2018), There are various strategy and practices that can be
used by human resource management team so that they can retain employees and engages with
them in effective manner. The foremost strategy that they can develop is great on boarding and
orientation program. The human resource managers should set up an orientation program for
their new hire so that they can teach them about the culture and the company policies which they
can apply so that they cannot feel difficult to work with the organisation. The next approach that
they can design to retain and engage the employee is providing a fair and equal compensation to
the employee so that they can get the basic pay to meet their needs and wants. There salary also
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needs to be appreciate over time because this help the companies to retain their staff because
salary and wages are the two important part of the employee for which they work. Rewards and
perks is also vital because this will help in motivating the employee and also their productivity
increases by this. Effective communication channel is one of the important approach which will
help in engaging the employee in greater way. Positive communication helps the staff to feel as a
part of the organisation and they will work as a family. Next practice that can be used by the
business is providing continuous feedback on the employee performance. The human resource
management team should meet one to one employee and provide them the review by evaluating
their performance on regular basis so that they can develop their skills and knowledge for
professional growth (Cooper and et. al, 2019).
What is the impact of human resource management practices on employee engagement and
retention in Marks and Spencer?
In the view of Berman, and et. al, (2021),There is a positive relation between the HRM
practices and employee retention or engagement. If the strategy that is adopted by the Marks and
Spencer is effective then it will impact in retention the employee for longer life and can make
effective communication. The foremost impact is that it will help them to make a good
relationship with the manger and employee. Employees will effectively engage themselves with
the organisation goals. They will combine their personal and organisational goal and will work
toward achieving them in effective and efficient manner. The next advantage is that if the
employee will get good remuneration and amenities then they will not think of switching the
company. They will look their development within the organisation. Staff will grow their skills
and knowledge within the company, also serve business for more time. The most important
benefit is that if human resource uses practices in good manner than they will enhance their
productivity level and try to gain more perks or rewards so that they can fulfil their desire.
Employee retention is good as it will also help the organisation to gain competitive advantage
from the rivalry and create a god image in the market. The next impact is that it will also help the
organisation to rate a good will and brand image which help them to attract more new employee
without investing more money in attracting the talented staff toward the organisation. Hiring cost
will be reduced and can be used to develop a good infrastructure for their employee so that
effective engagement and retention can be made (Carnevale and Hatak, 2020).
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Identify the challenges faced in implementing the practices of human resource management in
Marks and Spencer?
According to the author, Challenges are the part of the organisation which occur in the
organisation when they try to adopt or implement new strategy for their employee. These
problems are also been faced by Marks and Spencer when human resources management team
implement the practices so that they can retain and engage their employee. The first challenge
that is faced by the M&S is engaging the workforce because making interaction with the
employee is not an easy task they need to review all their staff so that they can make
communication which directly impacts the goals and they will make communication with the
manger. Reviewing a large staff is the problem because for this they need time and money. The
next challenge is deciding the budget for each strategy. While designed the practice the company
need capital and for this proper analysis is to made so that they can allocate enough fund for
making the approach a cost effective method. Another problem that encounter by the Marks and
Spencer is that designing those plan and policies which help them to retain employee for wider
period. They should need to develop those technology and methods that help the employee in
reducing their work load and for that a detailed research need to be done which require expertise.
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
Research methodology is a systematic approach of the research section which is used to
collect, analyse and interpret the data in more scientific way. The main focus of this part is to
attain the goals and objectives in more effective manner so that research gap can be analysed
from the past published study. In this organised information is collect so that result can be
obtained. There are two types of research methodology that is quantitative and qualitative.
Quantitative methodology is used when the data need to be gathered in numeric digit that is in
number, figures etc. on the other hand qualitative research is used when the information is not in
the form of numeric but in words. In this research report the investigator has selected Qualitative
methodology because it will help in getting in depth knowledge about the topic. It will also help
to know the emotional and feeling attach by the employees (Snyder, 2019).
Research philosophy: This is that part of the research section which is based on a set of
belief that is applied by the investigator to collect data. Positivism, realism and Interpretivism are
the kinds of research philosophy. Positivism is used when the validity of the data is get and when
data is based on quantitative nature. Interpretivism is used when in depth study is to made about
the emotions that is attached by the investigator. This is also used when the information is of
Qualitative form. Realism is used when researcher want to test the assumption based o the study.
In the current investigation Interpretivism philosophy is selected because the information that is
need to be gathered is of Qualitative form.
Research approach: Inductive and deductive are the approaches which iis used to analyse
the data in more appropriate manner. When the data is based on numbers and figure then
deductive approach is chosen and when it iis in the form of words than inductive approach is to
be used. Another difference is deductive is used when the information is to be analysed for large
respondent and inductive approach is used when the applicants are of small number. In the
present investigation the examiner will be chosen inductive approach because in dept study can
be get and more validity, reliable data can be measured (Ledford and Gast, 2018).
Research strategy: These are those methods and techniques which is used to gather data for
the population. There are so many types of strategies that can be used by the investigator some of
them are Survey, action research, literature review, experimental and case study. As per the need
of the current research report the examiner would be selected literature review to obtained
information. This will help in gathering the data in shorter time period and also detailed
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information can be selected from vast secondary sources. One of the advantages of this is also
that it is less expensive than any other strategies (Bairagi and Munot, 2019).
Research choice: There are three choices that can be made by the investigator to select
the type of data. Mono method, mixed method and Multi method. Mono method is used when
only single type of data is to be obtained that is either quantitative or qualitative. Mixed is used
when both type of data is to be obtained and Multi method is used when both type of data is
collected multiple time. In the current investigation Mono method is selected by the researcher as
information is that is to be obtained is of Qualitative nature.
Time horizon: It is that type of framework which is used to know the point of time at
which data is obtained. Cross sectional and longitudinal are the two time framework that is used
to know the specific time. Cross sectional time horizon is used when information need to be
obtained for single time. Longitudinal is used when the data need to be obtained multiply time
for particular topic. In the current topic the data is to be gathered by using cross sectional time
framework because researcher wants to obtain for single time and also in shorter time gap
(Novikov and Novikov, 2019).
Data collection: It is the technique which is used to collect data from the two sources
that is primary and secondary source. This help in gathering accurate and exact data for the topic
selected. Primary source is used when the examiner when fresh data which is collected for the
first time by the researcher himself. Secondary source the name itself says when data is used
various time and is of second hand. In the current report secondary source of data collection is
selected by the examiner to obtain the information. There are various secondary sources through
which data can be obtained that is books, journals, articles, magazines and many more. The
researcher will be chosen Thematic as the research instrument for analysing the data that is
obtained.
Sampling: It is the technique which is used to select the respondent from whole
population. Probability and non Probability are the two ways through which respondent can be
selected. The foremost is chosen when the respondent gets an equal chance to get select and later
is used when they do not get an equal opportunity to get selected. In present research Probability
sampling is chosen in that random sampling technique is selected to choose the respondent of
fair and random basis without any biasness. The respondent for the current investigation will be
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the employees of Marks and Spencer so that accurate information can be measured (Kumar,
2018).
Research and findings
Theme 1 – To know the conceptual framework of human resource management and employee
retention.
Through the above collected data it has been analysed that human resource management and
employee retention is very crucial part of business. Human resource management can be describe
as the practice of business for successfully management all employees in order to attain desired
goals. It has been identified that this will likewise help them in making a decent communication
so objectives and goals can be refined on schedule. In the other part retention implies a rate at
which employee can be hold in the organization for longer time-frame. It has been determined
that employee retention is a positive methodology and it is exceptionally essential to make
progress. Employee retention is an organizational capacity to acquire their employee for higher
period. The more the retention rate organization will be at the place of dealing with their
employee in viable way. It is essential for company to successfully perform human resource
management practices in order retain talented employees.
Theme 2 – To identify the strategy used by the Human resource management to retain employee
and make engagement.
Through the above collected information it has been analysed that there are different
effective plan or strategies to hold and connect with the employee. This consists of giving a fair
and equivalent compensation to the employee so they can get the essential compensation to
address their issues and needs. It has been analysed that there salary additionally should be
appreciate over the long term since this assist the organizations with holding their staff since
salary and wages are the two significant piece of the employee for which they work. Rewards
and other benefits is likewise essential since this will help in persuading the employee and
furthermore their productivity increments by this. It has been determined the effective and proper
communication is also effective human resource management strategy. Viable communication
channel is one of the significant method which will help in connecting with the employee in
more prominent way. Through this it has been analysed that these strategies will help human
resource management to successfully retain employees.
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Theme 3 – To discern the impact of human resource management practices on employee
engagement and retention in Marks and Spencer
As per the above gather data and information it has been analysed that human resource
management practices will lead to have major impact on employee engagement and retention
practices. The main impact is that assuming human resource involves rehearses in great way than
they will improve their productivity level and attempt to acquire advantages or rewards so they
can satisfy their craving. Employee retention is great as it will likewise assist the organization
with acquiring competitive advantage from the contention and make a divine being picture on the
lookout. It has been analysed that the following effect is that it will likewise assist the
organization with rating a kindness and brand picture which assist them with drawing in more
new employee without putting more money in drawing in the gifted staff toward the
organization. This will assist Marks and Spencer company to improve its performance in market
area as well as attain desired goals.
Theme 4 – To identify the challenges faced in implementing the practices of human resource
management in Marks and Spencer.
Through the above collected information it has been analysed that there are several challenges
which is faced by company by implementing the practices of human resources management. The
crucial challenge that is looked by the Marks and Spencer is facing in the workforce since
making connection with the employee is definitely not a simple undertaking they need to survey
all their staff so they can have communication which straightforwardly effects the objectives and
they will make communication with the trough. Auditing an enormous staff is the issue in light
of the fact that for this they need time and money. The following test is choosing the financial
plan for every system. Due to these challenges company is not able to perform in better manner
and enhance its productivity.
Conclusion
From the above report it has been analysed that human resource management is essential part of
business and it will lead to have major impact on overall performance of organisation. There are
five main roles that are performed by the HR mangers of the organisation. These are talent
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management, compensation and benefits, training and development, HR compliance and
workplace safety. Human resource management practices will also help the organisation to rate a
good will and brand image which help them to attract more new employee without investing
more money in attracting the talented staff toward the organisation.
Recommendation
As per the above gathered information it has been analysed that there is recommendation for
Marks and Spencer company which will help in enhancing its performance. It is recommended
that respective company needs to be consider proper training and development practices for
improving performance of employees. There are many advantages of training and development
for an organization, however the advantages of employee training and development sway
employee profession development also. At the point when employees sense that their employer is
assisting them with further developing their abilities and information base, they feel roused, and
this builds their work fulfilment and resolve. Through training and development respective
company will be able to retain employees for longer time duration. Retention is really difficult
for employers yet holding solid specialists can be accomplished through vocation development.
Indeed, training and development has become so incorporated inside organizations that it is
frequently utilized as a competitive advantage while employing. So training and development of
employees is effective recommendation for Marks and Spencer company.
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Pandita, D. and Ray, S., 2018. Talent management and employee engagement–a meta-analysis of
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Cooper, B., and et. al, 2019. Well‐being‐oriented human resource management practices and
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processes, and problems. CQ Press.
Carnevale, J.B. and Hatak, I., 2020. Employee adjustment and well-being in the era of COVID-
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Snyder, H., 2019. Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and
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Kumar, R., 2018. Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage.
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Bairagi, V. and Munot, M.V. eds., 2019. Research methodology: A practical and scientific
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Ledford, J.R. and Gast, D.L. eds., 2018. Single case research methodology. New York, NY:
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Stewart, G.L. and Brown, K.G., 2019.
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