Human Resource Management Assignment PDF : Microsoft

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Section 1...........................................................................................................................................1
a. Purpose of HR function and their importance to company................................................1
b. Strengths and Weaknesses of present selection methods of company...............................2
c. Two improvements to enhance their selection procedures.................................................3
Section 2...........................................................................................................................................3
a. Person specification for the role.........................................................................................3
b. Advantage and disadvantage of current methods of advertising jobs................................4
c. Recommendation of job advert for receptionist vacancy...................................................5
Section 3...........................................................................................................................................5
a. Microsoft offer graduate training schemes and internships and its benefits to both employee
and organisation......................................................................................................................5
b. Evaluate benefits of flexible working arrangements..........................................................7
c. Evaluate how Microsoft motivates its workers..................................................................8
Section 4...........................................................................................................................................8
a. What is employee engagement and why it is important.....................................................8
b. Evaluate key approaches to engage workers......................................................................9
c. Identify key elements of employment legislations and how they influence HR decision
making..................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is defined as the procedures to recruit as well as develop
staff so that firm can attain their targeted objectives. Moreover, it is considered as one of the
crucial function that concentrates upon hiring or administration by facilitating guidance
(Brewster, 2017). As per the given scenario the chosen company for this report is Chocola
Fantastica and Microsoft. Chocola Fantastica is the leading UK based firm that is located in
South Wales. They produced tailored made chocolate-based greeting cards. Microsoft is a well
known American Information technology organisation having headquarters is in Washington,
U.S. This report covers the human resource function and their significance, selection methods
strengths and weaknesses, person specification, advantage and disadvantage of advertising jobs
and recommendation regarding job advert for receptionist vacancy. Moreover, benefits of
graduate training schemes, internship and flexible working arrangements for employee and firm
are also explained. Apart from this employee engagement and its key approaches as well as key
elements of employment legislations are also mentioned in this report.
Section 1
a. Purpose of HR function and their importance to company.
HRM is defined as the procedures that includes hiring as well as choosing staff as per its
skills and knowledge with managing personnel within firm efficaciously. Moreover, this deals
with organising induction sessions, giving training and others. Whole these helpful into growth
as well as welfare of staff within company. The main purpose of respective organisation human
resource management is to recruit and chose proficient candidates for particular job position. so,
some of the HR functions are: Reward performance management: All firm facilitates financial and non financial
benefits to their employees so that work are to be performed effectively. This assist in
enhancing the staff satisfaction level (Cascio, 2015). Both of them are the key aspects
which leads towards employees retention for long duration. In context of Chocola
Fantastica, human resource manager facilitates many facilities like medical bills, paid
tour for 2 days once in a year and others. As they are facing the problems of employees
retention, this help them by facilitating compensation to their staff based on its
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performance so that they are encouraged as well as inspired to provide its effective
performance. Compensation involves salary, incentives and many others.
 Training and development: This is considered as the essential function of human
resource management as it aids them to facilitate trainings and development programmes
to their staff on regular basis. Investment into training as well as development of lower
level employees maximises cost to respective firm that is the huge problem. For resolving
this Chocola Fantastica can recruit proficient trainer those who have efficient knowledge.
Also, online training may be facilitated at work area. It will assists respective firm
workers to maximise its knowledge as well as skills and also drive towards staff
retention. Moreover, it also aids to enhance workers efficiency level in context of
productivity. Chocola Fantastica required to facilitate training to its workers for the
growth in future. Human resource management have to concentrate upon their
subordinates as well as evaluate its skills and provide them training consequently.
b. Strengths and Weaknesses of present selection methods of company
Selection is considered to be the vital procedures for choosing proficient candidates.
There are many selection methods such as interview, group discussion, role play and others
(Girard and Girard, 2015). Few of the methods that is applied through Chocola Fantastica is
own- assessment test and interview. Its strengths and weaknesses are discussed below:
Own- assessment test: In this English and Math test are performed for knowing about its
communication and numerical skills.
Strengths Weaknesses
 This method of selection saves the time
as well as cost of the respective
organisation. Also, own- assessment
test can be give from any where no
need to come at particular place.
 The main weakness of this test is that it
does not provide accurate result for
selecting the candidates as individuals
who is good in English and Math test
might not be good performer.
Interview: This is considered as the methods in which interviewer within firm judge
people and its knowledge and confidence level which are required for the certain position. Its
strengths an weaknesses are:
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Strengths Weaknesses
 The interview method of selection is
helpful for Respective organisation to
acquire the knowledge related to skills
as well as proficiency of large number
of candidates and choose effective one
from those.
 This is very time consuming and costly
as in this interview have to analysis all
the candidates one by one.
c. Two improvements to enhance their selection procedures.
The two potential improvement that can be adopted through Chocola Fantastica for
enhancing selection procedures are discussed below: Structured interview: This is defined as assessment methods which is formulated to
evaluate abilities of candidates regarding vacant position through inquiring systematically
regarding past experiences and future plans (Hitt, Xu and Carnes, 2016). Due to this
selection process Chocola Fantastica can able to hire effective candidates.
 Psychometric test: There are various test which is organised within psychometric like
aptitudes, personality and others. It will aids Chocola Fantastica to get knowledge about
the person appropriately.
Section 2
a. Person specification for the role.
Person Specification
Position: Receptionist
Section: HRM
Company: Chocola Fantastica
Attributes Essential Desirable
Experience and Qualification  Diploma from high
schools.
 Certified degree in
typing.
 Experience to work on
certain companies
software and also have
knowledge maintain
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 Basic knowledge of
computer.
data manually.
Knowledge or skills  Effectual
communication skills
in both the way verbal
and non-verbal.
 Also have basic
knowledge of MS-
Office
 Should have capability
to adopt modification
as well as deal
efficaciously in
difficult
circumstances.
b. Advantage and disadvantage of current methods of advertising jobs.
Job advertisement is defined as the announcement for the opening job vacancy.
Moreover, this is a print or e- notification of intent to recruit individuals to do particular task at
firm (Noe and et. al, 2015). Within Chocola Fantastica, their HR manager currently using the
notice boards and internal recruitment methods of job advertisement. Advertising upon notice
requires a innovative aspects and usually they place most of the advertisement on noticeboard
that they are putting on main entrance. Therefore, the advantages and disadvantages are
discussed below:
Advantages:
 This is helpful in reducing the advertisement cost as well as saves the time. Also, minimises the training cost as employees are hired from inside so they already have
knowledge about the working culture, position, job role and others.
Disadvantages:
 As they are using the notice board method of job advertising, so they can not able to
recruit the proficient talent from outsides.
Internal recruitment: This is defined as the recruiting the staff in the firm internally. In this
vacant positions are filled through internal staff. Some of its advantage and disadvantages are:
Advantages:
 This methods is less time consuming as well as cost effective methods as employees are
recruited through internally.
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 This enhances the employees engagement as staff get opportunities to enhance their
career.
Disadvantages:
 This limit their pool of candidates as employees are recruited from firm inside.
 It outcomes in inflexible culture as staff can get very much comfortable with the way
things are accomplished which enhances conflicts.
c. Recommendation of job advert for receptionist vacancy.
Job vacancy advertisement is a vital tool which invites candidates regarding vacant post
within firm. Moreover, this is tool which maximises the pool of staff as well as increase growth
and profit as well (Noe and et. al., 2017). It have to be placed in such an area which grab the
attention of more candidates as well as influence large applicants. Hence, this will enhances ratio
of skills into business that leads towards development. Therefore, this is suggested that human
resource manager of respective firm have to place the job vacancy advertisement in company on
newspaper as it is considered as the effective way to create awareness among people. Moreover,
further it will maximises the Chocola Fantastica marketing position into competitive marketplace
thereby facilitating an edge over their competitors.
Section 3
a. Microsoft offer graduate training schemes and internships and its benefits to both employee
and organisation.
Training is defined as the improvement of skills as well as knowledge regarding
particular competencies. This assists person to maximise productivity, ability, performance and
others (Ones, Viswesvaran and Schmidt, 2017). Some of the graduate training schemes of
Microsoft are discussed below:
Graduate training
schemes
Meaning Benefits to Microsoft Benefits to employees
of firm
Aspire (About the
Aspire Program, 2019)
This is defined as the
that is designed for
the top performing
graduates from the
 It is helpful to
involve staff.
 Develop trust as
well as
 Promote ups
and down of
efficacious
communication
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various roles. In this a
structured programme
is provided to
candidates of real
world experiences,
online resources etc.
alignment.
 Motivate open
communication.
 Retain as well
as obtain
talented one.
within firm
ladder.
 Performance
get developed.
Internship is considered as the working experiences that is provided through company for
few period. It is prefer through graduates in order to obtain certain skills, knowledge and
experiences regarding particular position (Rockström and et. al., 2017). Some internship
programmes conducted through respective organisation are discussed below:
Internship
programmes
Meaning Benefits to
organisation
Benefits to firm's
staff
Commercial internship
programmes
This internship
programme is provides
through Microsoft in
all over the world for
12 Months. In this
mentor is provided to
all intern and give real
project work to them.
 Productivity
can be
maximised.
 Identified the
future
employees.
 This help
respective firm
to innovate and
shape business
of tomorrow.
 Expanded the
career path.
 They get
opportunity to
improve their
current skills
and also assists
to expand
themselves in
other field
through side
projects.
Engineering
Internship
programme(About the
Intern Program, 2019)
This internship
programme is
provided by firm to the
engineer students for
 Through this
they can
enhance their
productivity
 Obtained
competitive
salary.
 Knowledge and
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12 weeks with flexible
initiation dates. In this
perks, relocation
allowance and benefits
are given to intern.
and
profitability.
 They can get
one productive
staff for less
time period at
low cost and
develop
effective
network in
future.
skills can be
obtained as
opportunities
are given to
work on real
projects.
b. Evaluate benefits of flexible working arrangements.
Flexible working arrangement are defined as the working programmes which permit staff
to has more changeable schedule against standards work hours. Herein, workers are provide
more freedom to accomplish its work as per its preferences (Soomro, Shah and Ahmed, 2016).
Moreover, within flexible work arrangement workers are permitted to select its suitable time for
performing its job activities. This is advantageous for both company and staff as well as this
leads towards enhancement of job satisfaction into workers. Some kinds of flexible working
arrangement which is performed by respective organisation are discussed below:
 Work from home: Within working arrangements of Microsoft, workers are permitted to
do their work from home. Staff can free to accomplish its task and perform their role
from its home. It is not necessary for them come to office and complete their working
hours.
Benefits for company Benefits for employees
 Also, this leads to maximise
organisational profitability and
productivity.
 It assists to them to cultivate long term
employee which improve an enhancing
 This help staff to minimise their
overheads expenses.
 This aids them to feel relax and work
with full potential.
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knowledge regarding its business.
 Flex-time: In this flexible working arrangement, staff has the right to select its working
hours according to its choices. Workers has to accomplish its core work hours but time
period they can chose according to its wish (The Benefits and Perks of Working with
Microsoft. 2016).
Benefits for employees Benefits for company
 This aids staff to maintain effective
work life balance.
 With the assistance of this, they can
manage its personal and professional
work efficaciously and also leads
towards living healthy life.
 It assists to maximise the involvement
as well as morale of staff.
 It is also helpful in developing effective
relation among workers and minimise
staff turnover.
c. Evaluate how Microsoft motivates its workers.
Motivation plays essential role into firm so that workers can perform their work with full
potential. Few ways where respective organisation can influence its staff through providing them
a particular advantages in its job role are discussed below which will be included while
designing the job role.
 Various benefits such as exclusive discounts that involves staff discounts as well as prime
discounts are provided to workers as it will helpful in satisfying them and motivates them
to do the work with full potential.
 Staff are provided paid vacation for about 15 days as well as also few paid leaves so that
they feel relaxed and satisfied. Moreover, this encourage them to do the work effectually
and appropriately.
Section 4
a. What is employee engagement and why it is important.
Employee engagement is considered as the workplace approach which is formed for
ensuring staff are committed towards its firm's objectives as well as values, motivate to put
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potential into the success of company and maximises its own sense of well being. Employee
relations is defined as the multi-disciplinary area which examine the employment relationship
that is maintaining difficult relation among staff and employers and others. This plays crucial
role to maintain staff relation within Microsoft that has been discussed below: Lower absenteeism: Engaged staff are more encourage as well as concentrated about the
self development and its firm. They have to be very much careful regarding the success
of its group. In context to Microsoft, staff are well involved as well as organisational
focused towards its company's mission thus it have been identified that workers come
daily at proper time without any leaves. So that in future it will aids them to maintain
efficacious employee relation.
 Maximisation in staff safety: Engaged workers are very much connected towards its
working environment in both way mentally and physically (Tian, Cordery and Gamble,
2016). They feel some forms of connection as well as attachment towards its firm.
Further, this minimises the failure incidents at respective company as involved workers
are more concentrated about its task instead of anything else. As incidents related to
failure get minimised this moves towards a optimistic relations among workers and its
managers.
b. Evaluate key approaches to engage workers.
Microsoft have adopted the several approaches which is helpful for the staff involvement.
Some approaches are discussed below: Communicate and encourage with intelligent video: It is defined as the modern
approach of employee engagement as by leveraging videos for training, communication
and delivering data with the assistance of stream. This effective features provides various
means to find and interact with its videos so that whole Microsoft staff can able to access
appropriate content in simple an quicker way. Thus, it aids them to develop its employees
communication as they can able to interact with many people as well as obtain training
through video, share their data in more effective manner and others. Through this,
organisation can determine importance and values of employee’s engagement in order to
attain desired targets easily. This will encourage employees to get engage with others.
Moreover, it has positive impact as with the help of this firm can able to share the
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information quickly and in effectual way. Also, it has negative impact as this is the
expensive and time consuming approach.
 Yammer: As open communication aids them to improve the transparency and develop
stronger communities by sharing effectual practices and crowdsource ideas to leads
initiatives. Therefore, this particular approach assists respective organisation for
developing involvement with whole person who are performing in firm with the help of
social networking. Also, it enhances communication for developing transparent culture,
permit first-lined staff informed and others. Thus, Yammer approach of employee
involvement assists Microsoft to gather data and feedbacks from its network of
colleagues as well as develop communication for obtaining efficacious outcomes
(Employee Engagement Summit. 2018). Moreover, it has positive impact upon firm as
with the help of this employee’s engagement and communication enhance in
organisation. Also, it has negative effect upon firm as this is inconvenient for long and
detail message that receive may forget previous spoken message.
c. Identify key elements of employment legislations and how they influence HR decision
making.
Employment legislation is defined as the body of laws which regulate the relationship
among employees as well as employers. The problems that are addressed through it involves
legal working ages, discrimination and many others. However, these are utilised through
organisation to safeguard the workers from unusual attitudes of its employers of higher
authorities. HR department is undertaken as one of the significant part of firm as without this it
can not able to perform their activities in efficacious manner (Yahya and Tan, 2015). Moreover,
they are answerable for creating any methods and strategies in context of human resource
activities which is performed within firm. But before developing any plans or regulations, it is
significant for Microsoft HR to comply overall legislation that is related with the activities of
business. There are few important regulations which is established through UK government and
are utilised by respective firm are mentioned below:
 Equality Act, 2010: This is the legislation that is established through UK government
for facilitating equal rights to the workers who works in company. In case Microsoft
management comply this particular laws then it have to facilitate equal rights to all the
staff who are working at similar position. With the assistance of this, they may get fair
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pay, equal rights in respect of training, employment etc. to both male as well as female
candidates and also reduces the sexual discrimination. This impact the HR decision
making as legislation denotes towards providing equal opportunities to each and every
person that helps to HR department in evaluating the performance of an individual and
they take decisions of reward to personnel.
 Data protection act, 2018: It is defined as the United Kingdom act of parliament which
was established in year 1988. this was formed for controlling how individuals or
consumers informations are utilised through company. Currently the main purpose of this
act is to empowers employees to take control of its data and supports the businesses of
UK. So, the Microsoft have to assure that any information or data of their employees
should not be given to any other individuals or company. This impacts the decision
making of their firm as this develops the trust and faith into the mind of suppliers,
consumers and so on. Moreover, the HR have to develop policies to make sure that all the
information of employees and customers are to be protected through this act.
CONCLUSION
As per the above report, it have been concluded that HRM has an effective role into
business development within competitive marketplace. The function as well as purpose of human
resource management are advantageous in accomplishing workforce demand and supply in firm.
Moreover, this is essential that employment legislation are to be adopted through the higher
authorities for for operating the activities of business appropriately. Henceforth, this is crucial
that job specification into human resource management practices have to be prepared
appropriately through firm's manager. Also, some internship and training programmes such as
commercial, engineering and other programmes are use to provide effective opportunities to
people.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
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Girard, J. and Girard, J., 2015. Defining knowledge management: Toward an applied
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Noe, R. A. and et. al., 2015. Human resources management. Instructor, 2015.
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Rockström, J. and et. al., 2017. Sustainable intensification of agriculture for human prosperity
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Soomro, Z. A., Shah, M. H. and Ahmed, J., 2016. Information security management needs more
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Tian, A. W., Cordery, J. and Gamble, J., 2016. Staying and performing: How human resource
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Online
Definition of Employee Engagement. 2019. [Online]. Available through<https://inside.6q.io/the-
definition-of-employee-engagement/>
The Benefits and Perks of Working with Microsoft. 2016. [Online]. Available
through<https://www.businessinsider.in/The-benefits-and-perks-of-working-with-Microsoft/
articleshow/52503638.cms>
Employee Engagement Summit. 2018. [Online]. Available through
<https://resources.techcommunity.microsoft.com/employee-engagement-summit-2018)
>
About the Intern Program. 2019. [Online]. Available through:<https://www.microsoft.com/en-
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ie/earlycareers/aspire-program>
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