Human Resource Management: Strategic and Functional Perspectives

This assignment reviews various sources on Human Resource Management (HRM), covering both strategic and functional perspectives. It discusses key concepts such as workforce differentiation, emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and organizational resilience. The assignment also touches on the impact of corporate strategy on HRM, innovation practices in SMEs, and the role of mindfulness at work. It concludes with a summary of HRM functions, highlighting their importance in organizational performance.

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Purpose and scope of human resource management.........................................................1
P2 Strength and weaknesses of recruitment and selection methods.......................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P3. Benefits of HRM practices to both employee and employer...........................................6
P4 Effectiveness of HRM practices........................................................................................9
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................9
P5 Importance of good employee relationship in ITV...........................................................9
P6 Elements of employment legislation affecting HR decisions of ITV.............................10
TASK 2..........................................................................................................................................12
P7 Application of HRM practices........................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
This report is based on HRM principles and strategies on recruitment and selection as
part one, employee performances, their developments and rewards as part two and last, employee
relationships with their employers (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). The unit comprises three case
studies on Woodhill College, Tesco PLC and ITV. The report explores various aspects of Human
Resource Management via different case studies of above companies and portrays true impact of
HRM in real life companies.
TASK 1
P1 Purpose and scope of human resource management.
The purpose and scope of HRM regarding the sourcing of an appropriate individual is a
crucial part of the strategic human resource management, i.e. matching human resource to the
objectives and operational need of organization and guaranteeing a optimum utilization of
human resource of company. Human resource management is not only related with keeping the
number of human resource within organization and quality of workforce required but also with
selecting and promoting people who matches the culture and the strategic requirements of the
organization.
The key objectives of Strategic sourcing is to guarantee that the organization is
Recruiting people who can accomplish needs of company in order to achieve business goals.
Like strategic HRM, strategic resourcing is basically about the amalgamation of business and
selection of right employee at right designation so that the latter contribute to the achievement of
the former (Armstrong, 2011). The idea of the strategic competency of an organization heavily
relies on its resources capability in shape of its people (the resource-based view). Therefore, the
objective is to make sure that a particular organization achieves competitive advantage by the
means of recruitment, and retaining and developing more talented people than its competitors.
The woodhill college is facing huge attrition rate in employee. So, the college is
developing workforce planning in order to maintain their personal information and qualification
information lined with their performance. This will helps in organising various training and
development plans for workforce to increase their efficiency through development of new skills.
HR Functions and activities
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HR management is not a single homogeneous occupation – it comprises a range of roles
and activities that differ from one firm to another and from one level to another in the same
organization. The main functions of HRM consists the following:
Recruitment: The accomplishment of goals and objectives by recruiters and employment
authorities is usually assessed by the amount of positions they fill and the time it consumes to fill
those positions (Berman and et. al., 2012). Recruiters who work in-house practices of HR
department in Woodhill college that provide recruiting and staffing services play a crucial role in
providing a self motivated and talented workforce according to need of organization. The main
functions of recruiters in the company are advertising job postings, identifying various sources of
applicants, screening interviewees, conducts preliminary interviews and organize hiring
operations, working along with senior managers who are accountable for making the final
decision in selecting right candidate.
Safety: Maintaining workplace safety is one of the key factors in HRM. Under the
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers are obliged to provide a safe working
environment to their employees. One of the key roles of HR Department is to provide workplace
safety training in order to spreading awareness in workforce about safety measures to be
followed during working with machinery and other resources of company.
Employee Relations: Employee relations is the HR discipline responsibility for
establishment of the employer-employee relationship by means of measuring job satisfaction,
employee engagement and resolving workplace conflict.
Compensation and Benefits: This function deals with setting up compensation structures
and appraising employee by providing competitive pay practices according to current market
scenario.
Comply with law: Compliance with employment laws is an acute HR function (Boxall
and Purcell, 2011). HR Department needs to be aware about the federal and state employment
laws such as Employment Rights Act 1996, Working Time Regulations 1998, National
Minimum Wage Act 1998 along with many other rules and regulations in-forced by government
of UK in order to provide ethical and legal approach to HR practices.
Training and Development: It is function of HR department that ensures delivery of all
tools and technology to employee required in order to complete their respective task while
working with organization (Bratton and Gold, 2012). Employer should ensures delivery of an
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ample orientation training in order to provide challenging environment to employees through
introducing them into transitional period of new organizational culture (CHUANG and Liao,
2010). Many HR departments also offer leadership training and professional development to
their employees by creating future growth opportunities for them.
Illustration 1: HRM functions, 2017
Source 1: HRM functions, 2017
Workforce planning is the fundamental process of human resource management that is
moulded by the organizational strategy and ensures the selection of right number of people with
the right skills, in the right place at the right time to deliver short- and long-term organizational
objectives (Daley, 2012). The workforce planning approaches followed by Woodhill College are
as follows:
 Succession planning – 62 per cent;
 Flexible working – 53 per cent;
 Demand/supply forecasting – 53 per cent;
 Skills audit/gap analysis – 49 per cent;
 Talent management – 42 per cent.
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P2 Strength and weaknesses of recruitment and selection methods.
The approaches made use of by Woodhill College with regard to recruitment and
selection process are defined below:
 Own corporation internet site – woodhillcollege.ac.uk.
Woodhill College is using their website to publish their recruitment advertisement so
which is an authentic way to communicate about needs of organisation but it has a huge less
scope because it just deliver information which are usually visit their website. It is having a less
scope of delivery of information so it is a weakness process of their recruitment process. The
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woodhill college is using its official website woodhillcollege.ac.uk in order to communicate
about the job vacancies in college and requirement of staff. Presently firm is only using
organisation website to attract more and more applicant towards job availability. Organisation is
using this method to attract employee in order to authenticate the process of recruitment in
business entity.
The selection process is the sieving the right applicants from the pool of prospective
candidates for the job requirements of organisation. The selection process involves various
activities in order to selection an appropriate candidate for the job. The different methods
involved in selection of an individual are as follows:
Short-listing- This involves online screening or short-listing the available CVs in
database of Woodhill College. This process involves rejection of applications through matching
the person specification with the job specification required.
Aptitude test- This test helps in selection of the candidate with the ability of reasoning an
making effective decisions in workplace.
Interview- This helps in identifying capabilities, skills and knowledge of individual that
are required to perform well in job. This process helps in selecting the person with the requires
set of competencies to perform task efficiently. The structured interview is used by woodhill
college in order to select an appropriate candidate from a pool of large numbers of applicants.
The college is recruiting candidates through analysing skills through designing an structured
interview with defined set of questions.
Strength of this selection process:
 By using this Woodhill can select best candidates for them, it provides an opportunity
select best suitable candidate.
 Aptitude test can help to evaluate candidates which are skilled according to need of
college.
 Interview process can help to Woodhill to select a confident candidate which has a
better personality and communication skill.
Weaknesses of this selection process:
 Experienced employees can select better candidates so it has a huge need of experience.
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 Another Woodhill has a single round of interview in which interviewer can never
analyse actual skills of new candidate.
TASK 3
P3. Benefits of HRM practices to both employee and employer.
Training and development are two different processes that are developed by HR
department in order to enhance various skills in employees and for development of future career
opportunity of workforce of company working with organization passionately. However, they
are highly inter-linked with each other (Guest, 2011). Training is merely a short term on going
process consisting of an event but development specifies the steady and long term procedure
relevant to the development of personality and maturity regarding their potential capabilities.
Training Development
The methodical presentation of formal
processes to communicate knowledge and
support people to obtain the skills essential for
them to perform their jobs satisfactorily.
The advancement or realization of a person’s
aptitude and potential via the provision of
learning and educational experiences.
Customer Expectation effecting Tesco
The training and development program of Tesco is built on the concept of increasing
efficiency of employees in order to offer excellent services to the customers and perform all the
necessary tasks in-and-out of the store in a professional manner. The present changing needs in
the customer needs for company, drive it towards another orientation of training and
development program that will leads to the development of business because professional
activities and proper customer care are one of the significant factors that attract the customers.
Undoubtedly, customers are the most important entity for any business and for that, customer
expectations should have ability to bring alterations in the business strategy of an organization.
Expectations such as likes and dislikes of customers, different demands, security and healthy
atmosphere with good service providers, confidence in customers which consequently makes
them happy (Harzing and Pinnington, 2010). To achieve the above customer's expectations, there
is a definite need to train staff. By doing so, Tesco is able to achieve its the business target
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efficiently and effectively by optimum utilisation of its resources. However, the main purpose of
training and development program is not only to please the customers but to support business
growth as well.
Identification of training needs by Tesco
Typically, training must have compliance with Tesco needs and objectives that are
generally diagnosed while installing the essential marks in flooring of business. The two main
vital plans, ‘expand’ together with ‘diversification’ have been the important reasons for pursuing
a career development process.
Pc achievements in the company, marks that you will find an serious undertakings and
success plan to pursuits in-store with non-store, the staff must have several abilities together with
some identified competency in order to perform task effectively. That people hired thorough
wider selection approaches with identifying abilities are usually important for successful
implementation of any improvement in the company (Hendry, 2012).
Methods of training followed by Tesco
On and Off the job training:
 Coaching – Hired employee can certainly help students together with inspire these
ascertain options. Coaching is given to employee of company in order to provide
appropriate direction to perform an task and develops life long skills in workforce.
 Mentoring – Skilled new member takes on that purpose of advisor. This is training type
which is provided to employees by monitoring performance of person. Mentor supervise
task performed by individual and guide workforce to work effectively. Mentoring is
development of responsible long term relationship between employee, employer and
organisation. This helps in developing potential in employee by directing and monitoring
performance.
 Job rotation: This is defined as individual is provided exposure to new skills and
functionalities of company by working in different departments of organisation. This
involves rotation of responsibility and task with individual capabilities. (Huselid and
Becker, 2011).
A lot of these a certain number of training options get endowed by Tesco to enhance the
capabilities of their employees just by providing top quality solutions to problems faced by
workforce in workplace. Today, Tesco is able to overcome any risk effectively by employing
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person with efficient abilities to perform task along with newer skills gained after training. That
skilled people are generally utilizing their capabilities and helps in gaining competitive
advantage in the corporate world together.
Benefits of structured training programme for Tesco and employee
That employee progress process made use of by Tesco supports the idea with refining the
talents together with plus points of it's people. Thanks to that progress process, the firm harvests
people who are successful, vital plus more confident with regard to company enrichment (Smith,
2014).
That a certain number of training curriculum is usually necessary for company to increase
capabilities of their employees and develop new skills according to the changing technological
needs. End result illustrates that world-wide-web gain (without tax) with Tesco comes up with
improved to help around 3000 Euros. The complete amount of Tesco shops with United
Kingdom improved and it is now across, 150 which includes large sized access of hypermarket
trend to help small to medium sized Tesco Exhibitions. That a certain number of process
produced a better charge with profit with it's Expense along with the gross sales sound improved
on such basis as that pouring facilities purchased at Tesco.
P4 Effectiveness of HRM practices.
Currently, Tesco PLC's is developing new HRM strategies like implementing new
technology in functioning and providing training and development to employee in order to use
resource of organisation effectively. The training process helps in development of new skills in
individual and this will contribute in higher revenue generation by achieving goals efficiently.
The company produced higher returns on investment compared to its costs to raise the capital
needed for that investment. As of now, its earning exceeds returns over its costs incurred in
training and development of employees (Source: calculated using TTM income statement data).
Therefore, the training program has definitely helped Tesco PLC in earning positive returns on
new investments which will consequently ripe an increased growth in the future (Jiang and et.
al., 2012).
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TASK 2
P5 Importance of good employee relationship in ITV.
Employee relations at ITV are highly focused in managing and maintaining the
employment relationship, taking into consideration the effects of the notion of the psychological
contract. This exhibits the dealing with employees either collectively via their trade unions or
individually; dealing the employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and issues
arising from employment; and offering employees with a power and connecting with other
collogues, subordinates working in company.
Employee relations are mostly about how managements and employees reside together and what
approaches can be taken to make that work efficiently and collectively. There are two views
about the relationship (Lengnick-Hall, Beck and Lengnick-Hall, 2011). The first viewpoint is the
idea that management and employees share the same concerns and henceforth, it is in both their
interests to cooperate. This was conveyed by Walton (1985: 64) as the principle of mutuality. A
similar belief is stated in the notion of social partnership, which exhibits that as stakeholders, the
parties engaged in employee relations must focus in working together to provide an healthy
environment of work in organisation by developing good work culture. To analyse ITV
employee relationship with employers and top management, it must be stated that both these
views are highly important for the organization in maintaining employee relations. However,
maintaining 15 communication/consultation groups located at different business centres for only
15 per cent of employees indicates that company is focusing on building good relationship with
employees to large extent. Moreover, ITV has to conduct employee consultations at a frequent
level which also appears to be unnecessary.
Another downside of ITV is that they hardly deliver engagement which is the
responsibility of the line managers under the HR policies. It shows that their employee
communications by the line managers are weak and inefficient.
P6 Elements of employment legislation affecting HR decisions of ITV.
Various legislation in relation to human resource management that affects HR decisions
are as follows:
Employment rights Act 1998: This defines various rights of employees that are to be
secured by employer in the workforce.
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Equality Act 2010: This defines that HR decision made by employer in workplace should
comply with equality law that every employee should considered equal while providing growth
opportunities or in utilisation of resources of firm. Organisation should follow this law in their
functioning to provide equal opportunity of career development without discriminating in
working environment.
Working time regulation act 1998: This shows that UK government defined working
hours in the organisation. This defines that person can not work more than 48 hours in a week. It
is allowed by UK government only when the employee himself is an waiver to work more than
48 hours in weak and do not resistr otr work in overtime in order to earn more salary. If
employee are less than 18 years, the person can not work more than 8 hours per day i.e. 40 hours
a week.
Data Protection Act 1998: This act defines various provision that restricts employer to
keep information and personal details of employee confidential and protected. This can be useful
for an organisation to protect information which is available on internet or another sources.
Trade Union Act 2015: This act describes different responsibility of maintaining good
relationship between employee and employer with help of involvement of trade union. The trade
union resolves various disputes between the employee and employer and helps in developing an
negotiable decision by accomplishing acceptance from both the parties.
Define the Position
Any employment contract will have to provide a potential employee with a perfect
understanding of the job requirements, containing the name of the position and the essential
duties it entails. In case of ITV, the contract should state the location and hours of employment.
Use brief and direct language, not allowing any doubt as to the ITV’s employer expectations.
Length of Agreement
When ITV develops a contract, it should comprise elements favourable to both parties.
According to contract law should maintain consideration of both parties to form an agreement
which is enforceable by law. Thus, an employment contract should provide an original term of
employment and specify conditions that are relevant to the employee and the employer, reduce
or terminate the contract term (Purce, 2014).
Performance
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In studying performance requirements for attachment in the contract, ITV should bear in
mind in establishing any skills they would like upgraded in the course of the term of the contract.
They will need to include any other performance measures they plan to measure and for which
they will hold the new employee accountable.
Compensation
Any potential employee expects an employment contract that defines compensation.
When ITV discuss a salary and put the figures in the contract, it must specify a base wage and
edict the method of payment - salaried, hourly or commission. They must also commit their
overtime authorization policy to the contract.
Benefits
If applicable, they can include benefits that contain non-disclosure language, non-
solicitation periods, a non-recruit agreement and a non-complete clause.
Termination
Although not a pleasant thought, ITV must cover appropriate termination language.
Precisely clarify what happens if an employee is let go with or without cause. They must be sure
to include a definition of both scenarios and cover compensation terms that apply in each
incidence (Sparrow, Brewster and Chung, 2016). Disciplinary process is terminating the
employee from job. This can be fair dismissal or unfair dismissal dependent upon the response of
employee after re-leaving him from responsibility. The steps followed in disciplinary action at
work are as follows:
 Communicating standards to employee.
 General discussion.
 Verbal warning.
 Written warning to continuous unfair action of employee.
 Later is followed by suspension.
 Investigate suspension dismissal.
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TASK 2
P7 Application of HRM practices.
Job Advertisement
Job title:
Salary:
Package:
Job category/type:
Location:
Vacancy:
Lecturer in Psychology (Education and
Research)
£31,909 to £44,998 (Grade G) per annum
Substantial holiday allowances,
flexible working hours,
pension scheme and relocation package (if
applicable).
Academic
Woodhill college
This full time post is vacant immediately on a
permanent basis. Woodhill College is looking
to appoint a Senior Lecturer in Psychology to
contribute on the research profile of
Psychology in London.
Suitable platforms to place advertisement for Woodhill college
Premium Job Boards:
 Job.ac.uk: Online job portal.
 Woodhillcollege. ac. uk: Portal of college itself.
 Indeed (Storey, 2014).
Job Specifications
 Person have accomplish his duties on job efficiently through efficient teaching style.
 Person should have good communication and writing skills.
 Individual should be participative in order to take new initiative in inter-school
workshops.
 Dealing in research project in Science of masters while performing his duties in Woodhill
college effectively.
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 This job specifies some responsibility that bound individual to maintain healthy working
environment in organisation.
The person appointed is likely to have the skills and experience listed below:
Attributes Essential Desirable
Knowledge A strong understanding of the
subject area pooled with a
broad subject background
enabling contributions to
teaching programmes
Skills Outstanding interpersonal, oral
and written communication
skills. Proven record of skill to
conduct high quality research
which is reflected in the
authorship of high quality
publications, in the areas of
computer science (Hesterly
and Barney, 2010).
Recognised record of ability to
handle time and work to strict
deadlines. Confirmation of
ability to teach and supervise
academic work by
undergraduates, masters and
doctoral students
Qualifications PHD PHD in first grade.
Previous Experience Work experience in other
college for 5 years.
Assessment of student work
appropriately. Engagement
with scholarly/professional
community, pastoral care of
students.
Personal Qualities Commitment to academic
research, Commitment to
superior teaching and
nurturing a positive learning
environment for students.
Who has developed in
knowledge how to teach
students.
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Commitment to unceasing
professional development,
commitment to public
communication. Commitment
to Woodhill College's policy
of equal opportunity and the
capacity to work amicably
with colleagues and students
of all cultures and
backgrounds.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that HRM have essentially turned into something that organizations
do rather than an ambition or a philosophy. The term HRM is considered normally in use as a
way of explaining the method of handling and managing people effectively. A considerable
summary of what HRM means today, which focuses on what HRM is rather than on its
philosophy, was quoted by Terziovski (2010), representing the new generation of commentators.
HR strategies carries out what an organization wishes to do regarding its HRM policies and
practices and how they should be integrated with the business strategy with each other.
Human resource management (HRM) is actually the management of work and people
towards the sought after results. It is a fundamental movement in any firm in which human
beings are employed. HRM is not something whose presence needs to be fundamentally
justified. HRM is an unavoidable consequence of starting and growing an organization.
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