Human Resource Management Practices

This assignment provides a comprehensive analysis of human resource management (HRM) practices within organizations. The report emphasizes the importance of effective HRM for achieving business success by outlining key functions such as recruitment, selection, training, and employee relations. It also highlights the influence of employment legislation on decision-making processes and explores various methods to improve recruitment and selection strategies.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK1.............................................................................................................................................3
1. Purpose of the HR function and roles and responsibilities.....................................................3
2. Assessment of various approaches..........................................................................................6
3. Different methods used in HR practice with inclusion of case study....................................6
4. Approaches and effectiveness of employee relation and employee engagement...................7
5. Key aspects of employment legislations.................................................................................8
6. Evaluation of employee relation and employment legislations influence decision making
and meet business objectives......................................................................................................9
TASK2 .....................................................................................................................................10
7. Applications of HRM practices.............................................................................................10
8. Evaluation of various sources which improved recruitment and selection process..............12
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................13
REFRENCE...................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is the department of business organisation that looks for
hiring and terminating the employees. It focuses on the functioning of the people within the
business by assuring the best work practices are taking place in the organisation all the time.
Organisation undertaken in this report is Mark and Spencer which was founded in 1884 in UK
and deals in retail industry. This report will explain and purpose and functions of HRM. It will
also determine the various tools and techniques used in HRM to maximise the employee
contribution and how HR methods are employed in an organisation. This will also depicts the
employment legislations and importance of employee relation and how it influences the decision
making to meet business objectives. The later part of the report will elucidate the use of
technology in improving recruitment and selection processes.
TASK1
1. Purpose of the HR function and roles and responsibilities.
Human resource management is a important approach to the effectual management of
people in an organisation which will be beneficial for the company in gaining competitive
advantage. It is concerned with processing and administering programs that are planned to
increase the effectiveness of an organisation. It is the function within an organisation that puts
emphasis on recruitment and provide direction and guidance to the people who are employed in a
company (Anheier, 2014). There are various functions which are essential for HRM in Mark and
Spencer for smooth operations and accomplishing organisational goals and objectives. Following
are the functions and their purpose necessary for effective implementation of plans and policies
in Mark and Spencer and they are discussed below :-
Operative function
 Recruitment : It is a process which brings in a large pool of candidates for a job vacancy
and HRM department of Mark and Spencer is responsible for selecting an appropriate
person suitable for required job. The primary purpose of recruitment is to attract and
empower the large amount of applicants to apply for job in an organisation (Armstrong
and Taylor, 2014). It further helps in depicting the current and future necessities of
manpower in an organisation.

 Job analysis and design : This describes the nature of jobs like qualification, skills,
experience, knowledge, etc. Job design defines the roles, duties and responsibilities
required to accomplish goals and objectives of Mark and Spencer. The main purpose of
conducting a job analysis and design is to utilise the specific data to create a right fit
between job and employee, to measure the performance of an employee and ascertain the
value of task. It also investigates the needs of training and development of an employee
delivering that particular job (Beare, Caldwell and Millikan, 2018).
 Performance appraisal : Checking and analysing performance of an employee is
another crucial function of HRM. The main purpose of this is to determine the training
and development needs in an organisation, motivate and encourage employees but
reviewing their performances regularly for attainment of goals and objectives. It gives
feedback to the employees which inspires them to work with full zeal and confidence and
contributing in organisational development.
Managerial functions
 Planning : Human resource planning is the process of forecasting the future human
resource requirements in an organisation and determines the use of present manpower
resources effectively and efficiently which will be utilised to their full potential for
accomplishing goals and objectives in Mark and Spencer. Their main purpose is to recruit
and retain the labour resources with efficient quality and appropriate quantity and make
adjustments in demand and supply of labour (Deresky, 2017).
 Organising : According to this, work is assigned to every individual as per their skills
and activities which are integrated towards a common objective. The main purpose of
organising in HRM is it brings together many departments of the organisation to work
together through specialisation and leading to efficient administration and coordination. It
further improves the process of communication between various departments in Mark
and Spencer.
 Directing : This includes energizing employees at different levels and making them
contribute towards the goals and objectives of the Mark and Spencer. The main purpose
of this function of HRM is to encourage people to work willingly and efficiently to
accomplish organisational goals (Elsbach, 2014). It further helps in guiding and
motivating people.

Role and responsibilities of HR function
HR functions of Mark and Spencer has various roles and responsibilities to perform and
they are discussed below:
 Recruitment : The main role and responsibility of this function is to attract large pool of
candidates and from them organisation will select a suitable candidate who fits the right
in the job. It can be done through external and internal resources.
 Training : The main role and duty is to provide adequate and required training to the
employees through coaching, guiding, counselling for the personal and professional
development of people.
 Resolving conflict : Conflicts are unavoidable in business environment and HR
departments is responsible for intervening between the conflicting groups and hear out
their problems without being judgemental (Hopkin, 2017). They are accountable to take
necessary decision without any partiality which will be advantageous to the groups and
does not hurt the sentiment of any person.
Significance of HR
Human resources are essential to organisation and give various benefits to Mark and
Spencer which are discussed below:-
 They are accountable for entire process of recruitment and training in the organisation
which helps in developing personal and professionalism which will in turn contribute to
the efficiency and productivity of the company (Kerzner and Kerzner 2017). They
provide leadership training, team work management, etc. Effective training and
recruitment helps in acquiring efficient talent which will accomplish organisational
objectives of increasing market share, productivity and sales which will further increase
the objective of profitability.
 HR further helps in developing standardised, fair and strategical compensation plans.
They provides guidance to the people who determine the salary ranges within the
organisation. It will encourage and motivate people and leads to attainment of business
objectives of expanding business globally and as people will be motivated then it will
also help in achieving the innovation and creativeness in products and services of
business.

2. Assessment of various approaches.
There are various approaches in HRM which are necessary for Mark and Spencer for
effective and efficient utilisation of resources and helps in meeting the objectives. These
approaches and their assessment is discussed below :
 Performance management
It is the procedure of creating and developing a working environment which will enable the
people to work with their full potential and perform at their best (Laudon and Laudon, 2015).
There various approaches of this which Mark and Spencer will use for reviewing the
performances of their employees and they are:-
Attribute approach for measuring performance : This approach for measuring
performances, are based on certain set of attributes on the basis of which employees are rated
such as problem solving skill, team work management, communication, innovation, judgement,
etc. Graphic rating scale and mixed rating scale are used for measuring employees.
 Reward system
Reward system is the process set by the organisation to reward the performance and motivate the
people at various levels in Mark and Spencer. It consist of inter related process and practices
which amalgamate to assure that reward system is carried out effectively and efficiently in the
organisation. The following are the approaches of reward system:
Total rewards : It determines an approach which focusses on the needs to consider all
aspect of the work experience of value to employees. It aims to provide mixture of financial and
non financial elements of rewards as a whole. Financial rewards are further divided into basic
pay, contingency pay and employee benefits which is regarded as transactional rewards. Non
financial rewards consist of work experience, recognition, performance management, learning
and development and regarded as relational rewards.
 Recruitment : It is the process of hiring a talented and qualified pool of candidates in an
organisation. There are various strength and weaknesses of this which are discussed
below:
Strength Weakness
Cost effective and time saving if followed
online methods of recruitment.
High administrative cost of sifting applications
internal time and resource heavy

Some methods positively communicate the
recruitment messages and brands.
Potentially fails to create a diverse workforce,
as it limits the pool which may not be
representative of the external workforce
overall.
 Selection : This process refers to picking up the right person who poses the certain
abilities and qualifications to fill the jobs in the organisation. Following are the strength
and weakness of this process discussed below :
Strength Weakness
Proper assessment of test provides suitability
for candidates for various jobs.
The inferences drawn from the test can be
unreliable or unrealistic.
Proper selection is benefited in reducing labour
turnover rate.
Some people may not submit true information
due to the fear of exposure.
All this will be beneficial for employer and employee in properly meeting the business
objectives and goals. This will also reduce the chances of conflict as proper communication is
done through various channels.
3. Different methods used in HR practice with inclusion of case study.
During the period of recession, Mark and Spencer suffered adversely. Its sales dropped
and moreover employee turnover ratio increased as the company could not meet the expectations
of the employees (Rittinghouse and Ransome, 2016). It further provided them with lack of
security and they started feeling demotivated to work in the organisation.
For this purpose, Mark and Spencer used various methods and practices to gain attention
in the business market again and they are discussed below :
 They started motivating the employees with financial and non financial rewards. It
includes rewards like providing incentives, bonuses, etc. Non financial rewards are like
recognition, enrichment, promotion, respect, etc. They are the most important sources for
encouraging and inspiring employees to accomplish organisations goals (Roper and

Payant, 2014). It influences the decisions regarding the design of work place and safety
measurements of the workers where HR department will comply with the
 Motivating employees by analysing their needs and meeting their expectations will
further lead to decrease in labour turnover ratio or absenteeism. This will help in
retaining employees and reducing cost of recruitment and selection for the company.
 For increasing the sales and profitability, HRM will provide adequate training like
counselling, guidance, etc. which will be useful in developing individuals which will
ultimately contribute in improving the financial stability of the company.
 Organisation will adopt various laws and legislations which will ensure safety and
security of jobs to the employees. They will further adopt policies which will provide
environment free from illegal or harassment practices and assuring the safe and harmony
in the atmosphere where worker will feel comfortable in working.
4. Approaches and effectiveness of employee relation and employee engagement.
Employee relations
Employee relations is the process which refers to the organisations efforts for managing
relations between employees and employers. It is concerned with contractual, affection-al,
physical and functional relationship between employer and employee. The approaches which are
necessary for Mark and Spencer and effectiveness of employee relations are discussed below:
 Sociological Approach : This approach of employee relation forms behaviour structure
of social and cultural modification and causes adjustments in employer- employee
relations. It stresses on that industry is a part of society and it is a community made up of
individuals and groups with different family backgrounds, educational levels, personality,
etc. These variations in person's attitude and behaviour creates obstacles and conflict may
arise.
 Effectiveness of employee relations : Employee relations are very essential element in
business environment. With effective employee relations in Mark and Spencer, they can
attain the desired objectives smoothly. It can be done by adopting flexible practices like
flexible working hours for employees, flexible policies regarding leaves,etc.
Employee engagement
This is concerned with involving or engaging employee in the day to day activities of the
business. It is a concept through which employees feel motivated and devoted towards the work.

It is the extent to which employees are passionate about their work, committed towards the goals
and objectives of the organisation and work with full potential (Rosemann and vom Brocke,
2015) . The approaches and effectiveness of employment engagement are discussed below:
 Approaches : There are various approaches of employee engagement. One of the most
crucial of all is motivation. Its is the most important tool for involving people to work for
the attainment of organisational goals and objectives. People can be motivated with
financial and non financial tools like rewards, incentives, transfers, enrichments, respect,
attention, etc. Apart from this, effective leadership styles followed by leaders will also
influence people to engaged themselves in work.
 Effectiveness of employee engagement : Employees can be engaged in work by using
“employer of choice”. It indicates that many employers are willing to work in the
harmonious environment of the organisation. It further minimises the attrition rate and
employees feels to work with employers. Apart from this, employee engagement
provides effective decision making for the benefit of the organisation. This is very useful
in organisation as it helps in quicker recovery during the period of recession and financial
crises.
5. Key aspects of employment legislations.
Employment legislation is the law that governs employment within the workplace with
everyone who works (Employment law . 2019). The primary role of this is to prevent unfair
dismissal and practices at the workplace. In other words, it includes all types of protection
measures for employment in Mark and Spencer such as :
 Working time regulation 1998 : This law governs the working hours required for people
to work. It sets the limit on maximum number of hours a person can work, limits on
night work, rest breaks, leaves, etc.
 Health and Safety Act 1974 : Employers from various set of duties and initiatives intent
at protecting the health and welfare of their employees. It assures that employees are
secured from unhealthiness and their wellness, safety and welfare are safe and secure.
 Equality Act 2010 : This law treats men and women equal by providing equal pay for
equal work. It ensures that they are legally eligible to be paid at the same rate for work or
equal content.

6. Evaluation of employee relation and employment legislations influence decision making and
meet business objectives.
Maintaining healthy employee relation is a primary source of achieving success in
business world. For accomplishing objectives of Mark and Spencer effectively and efficiently, it
is very crucial that employer and employee share harmonious relations. When there is a good
employee relation in an organisation then it reduces the chances of conflicts. Such work culture
encourages that more work is done then complains as thoughts and ideas are mutually shares
among people. When work is done more then it leads to better and efficient decision making in
the organisation related to various matters like innovation, enhances creativity, maintains the
demand and supply (Rothwell, Hohne and King, 2018). This further helps in analysing the
market demands and preferences of the customers which channelises the decisions regarding
invention of new products or extension of market, etc. All this will ultimately helps in attaining
desired goals and objectives.
As mentioned earlier, employment legislations are the various laws and measures which
ensures the protection of employment. These laws helps in protecting the rights and interest of
people working in the Mark and Spencer. This has a influence on decisions regarding the design
of the workplace and safety measurements of the workers where the HR professional will
comply with minimum requirements otherwise they will be legally entitled to fines and penalties.
Their decisions will also influence while concerning with the formulation of plans and policies
regarding discrimination and inequality (Wrench, 2016). When organisation will follow all the
laws and regulations effectively and employees will feel safe, secure, motivated and comfortable
then they will work with full zeal and confidence which will further leads to accomplishment of
organisational goals and objectives.
TASK2
7. Applications of HRM practices.
For understanding the applications HRM practices, Mark and Spencer has developed job
description and person specification and posted that on LinkedIn and identified two perspective
candidates for required job by interviewing them and appointing offer letter to them. The CV,
job description, job specification, offer letter etc. are given below:

CV for applicant 1
Curriculum Vitae
Name: Joy jonas
Address : 6th Street, London, UK
Phone No.: 6789542578
Profile summary:
A qualified individual with MBA in finance and marketing having 5+ year of experience. I
want to work with an organisation where I can implement my theoretical knowledge practically.
Specialisation:
 Report preparation
 Content development
 Secondary and primary research Fluent in computer
Educational qualification: -
 Bachelor in Commerce. (B.com) Masters in Business administration in finance and Marketing
Declaration:
I hereby declare that all the information provided is true and is best of my knowledge.
Date: 2 march, 2019
CV for candidate 2
CURICULAM VITAE
Curriculum Vitae
Name: Nick jonas
Address : 9th Street, London, UK
Phone No. - 6565444556
Profile summary:
An MBA in marketing and human resources with an over 6+ experience as a business analyst. I
want to work with an organisation who can provides me the opportunities for self development
and to learn something new which can enhance my performance and organisational

productivity.
Specialisation:
 Recruitment
 Training and development
 Marketing management Making plans and policies
Educational qualification: -
 Bachelor in Science.
 Bachelor in technology from finance Masters in Business administration from economics
Declaration:
I hereby confirm that the above stated information is true to my belief.
Date: 1th March, 2019
Place:
Job Description
Job title : Business Analyst in Mark and Spencer
Summary : Work of business analyst will be to gather important company data and
compile it into reports for shareholders and managers. The candidate will
have to work on various projects and provide results which will make the
organisation more profitable.
Responsibilities : Define configuration specifications and business analyst requirements.
and duties Perform quality assurance.
Communicate key insights and findings to product team.
Working closely with clients, technicians and managerial staff.
Requirements : Experience of 5+ years in business field.
Degree in IT/ Computer science.
Bachelors degree in business.
Excellent planning, organising and time management skills.
Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Person specification
Essentials Desirables
Skills Strong analytical skill with the
ability to collect, organise and
analyse large amount of data
accurately.
Ability to manage variety of
tasks to meet deadline with
effective time management
strategies.
Previous experience of system
one, donor flex.
Software design and big
picture thinking.
Education qualification Evidence of professional
development.
Masters and bachelors degree
in business.
ISEB business analysis or
project management
methodologies.
Other requirements Evidences of qualifications
and experiences.
Citizenship proof and relevant
personal information.
Driving licence of UK
Interview questions
Q1.What are the competencies of business analyst?
Q2.How you will deal with changes in the business world in various policies?
Q3.How software like SAS or SAP can be used in day to day life of business world?
Q4.How block chain technology would be useful for M&S?
Offer Letter
ABC

Contact no. : 12345678
Email : abc@mark&spencer.com
Date : 31.01.2019
Subject : Job offer letter
Respected sir,
We are pleased to inform you that you are appointed as a business analyst in Mark and Spencer.
The terms of employment has been attached with this letter. You will be required to join our
organisation from 8.02.2019.
You can discuss this offer and seek advice on the terms of employment by 5.02.2019. If we do
not receive your response regarding this offer by the mentioned date then this offer letter will be
automatically terminated after that date.
Yours sincerely,
XYZ
HR manager of Mark and Spencer
8. Evaluation of various sources which improved recruitment and selection process.
Every successful organisation treats their workforce as an asset. Recruitment and
selection are the processes which identify and retain the pool of the candidates in the
organisation. It is very important for Mark and Spencer to improve its hiring and selection
processes with relevant sources which are discussed below :
 Using technology : Technology is the widely used term in business environment and
organisations are using this to get work done easily and quickly. Technology has
impacted the recruiting and selection processes (Sadgrove, 2016). For instance, while
recruiting, various test are organised which can be checked easily through technical
equipments and reduces the work and time of manual checking. It further provides more
relevant results.
 Social media : This has become very popular from last few years. It includes video
interviewing and considers applicants social media profiles as part of application instead
of screening the candidates. The most crucial way of recruiting and selecting with the use

of social media is referral sources. These are cost effective as social media are free to use
and anyone can use this and it has its own set of practices.
 Digital platforms : It is an advancement in recruitment and selection process. Companies
that aims to expand its operations globally has adopted the digital interview platform as a
central part of their recruitment and selection process. It is cost effective and saves lot of
time (Turner, 2016). It is beneficial as interviewer and applicant, both does not need to
travel distances. It allows video based interviews and creates flexibility for the people to
take part in this from anywhere and at anytime.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been concluded that human resource management is very
important for the business organisation. It has been understood from the above report that no
organisation can become successful without effective HRM practices and functions. It further
gives clear understanding of roles and responsibilities of HRM functions. This depicted that
employment legislation is very crucial for preserving the right and interest of the workforce.
Decision making is influenced by employee relations and employment legislations. It further
explains the various methods which should be used to improve the recruitment and selection
process.

REFRENCE
Books and Journal
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Sadgrove, K., 2016. The complete guide to business risk management. Routledge.
Turner, R., 2016. Gower handbook of project management. Routledge.
Wrench, J., 2016. Diversity management and discrimination: Immigrants and ethnic minorities
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Online
Employment law . 2019. [Online]. Available
Through :<https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/emp-law>