Human Resource Management Report

This report analyzes HRM practices in Barclays Bank, covering its role, purposes, different approaches to workforce planning, recruitment, selection, development, training, performance management, and reward systems. It evaluates the effectiveness of these practices in raising business profit and productivity, emphasizing the importance of employee relations and employment legislation in influencing HRM decision-making. The report concludes by illustrating the application of HRM practices through job specifications and interview questions for HR manager and chef positions.

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................1
P 1 Analyse role and purposes of HRM ................................................................................1
P 2 Approaches to workforce planning, recruitment and selection, development and training,
performance management and reward system and also strengths and weakness...................3
...............................................................................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3. Presenting the benefits of different HRM practices in Barclay's for employee and
employer.................................................................................................................................5
P4. Evaluating the effectiveness of different HRM practices in context of raising business
profit and productivity............................................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P5 Importance of employee relations in respect to influence HRM decision-making...........8
P6 Key elements of employment legislation and impact on HRM decision-making.............9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................11
P7. Illustrating the application of HRM practices ...............................................................11
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Business organisation aims at providing motivation and satisfaction to employees so that
they retain in business and also put their best efforts in the activities and operations of business.
HRM adopts to different practices in order to effectively motivate employees and improve their
performance level. BARCLAYS Bank is situated at London and it is British multinational
investment banking concern that also provides financial services. The present report explains the
different HR practices adopted by HRM in order to bring effectiveness in operations and also to
provide motivation and satisfaction to employees. Strengths and weaknesses of different
approaches of recruitment and selection are explained in the report. Learning, training and
development programs, flexible working options, performance management and rewards
management are different types of HR practices that will be explained in the report. Importance
of employee relations and employee legislation will be also discussed in the present report. The
report further focuses on illustrating applications of HRM practices.
TASK 1
P 1 Analyse role and purposes of HRM
Human resource management can be defined as an area or department which is
responsible for managing the human resources of an organisation along with their performance
through training and development programs. Human resource management is also responsible
for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the employees working in the company
(Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). This department also plays an important role in developing a
healthy environment within an organisation.
Functions of HRM in Barclays bank
There three major roles of HRM -
Building commitment – One of the most essential roles played by the human resource managers
within Barclays Bank is to enhance the commitment of employees through motivation. It also
helps in retaining the skilled employees in the organisation for longer time. Human resource
management use effective motivation strategies to increase the dedication of their employees that
improves productivity.
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Recruitment and selection – These are a primary functions of human resource management;
this department undertake assessment of skills and personality test to select the best candidate
suitable for a particular job vacancy. In addition to this, they also focus on developing employee
handbooks that leads in explaining the process and policies to new candidates.
Employee relations – Human resource management also plays an important role in maintain
employee relations. The human resource managers resolve each and every issue related to
employees in Barclays Bank through effective communication. This department focuses on
responsible in managing disputes among employees.
Purpose of HRM
The main purpose of HRM has been discussed as per below context –
 Improving effectiveness and efficiency of the employees or human resources
 Developing positive relationship between employer and employees within the
organisation
 Development of skills and knowledge of the employees
Key features of Strategic Human resource management
 There is a clear link between HR practices and policies and entire strategic aim of the
organisation as well as organisational environment.
 There are few organising schema linking interventions of human resource management
so that they are supportive mutually.
Elements and scope of Strategic human resource management
According to the “Armstrong’s Handbook of strategic human resource management”,
there are three main elements of strategic human resource management as discussed below –
1. Internal procedures of organisational change are necessitated or caused due to processes
of external change in the environment.
2. Under these new pressures such as technology, competition, customer’s demand etc, in
the environment management needs to develop new and effective strategies to advance or
defend corporate interests.
3. This strategic response needs organisational responses, if the company is able to achieve
or implement new strategy it will be essential to design and implement changes in each
and every aspects of human resource systems or structures.
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Soft and Hard approaches of HRM
Soft HR management – According to this approach employees are treated as the most essential
resource in the business and a source of competitive advantage employees are treated as
employees and their demands and needs are planned accordingly. These approaches concentrate
on the needs of the employees, their motivation, roles, rewards etc. The strategic focus of soft
HRM approach focus on longer term workforce planning (Kianto and et.al., 2014). The soft
HRM approaches includes strategic focus on longer term workforce planning, regular and strong
two way communication, competitive pay structure for the employees etc.
Hard HRM management – This approach treats employees simply as a resource of the
organisation, strong relation with corporate organisational planning – what resources business do
we need, how do we get them and how much will they cost. Identify workforce needs of the
business and recruit or manage accordingly. The Hard HRM management includes short term
changes in number of employees, minimal communication from the top level to bottom level,
Pay enough to retain and recruit enough staff.
P 2 Approaches to workforce planning, recruitment and selection, development and training,
performance management and reward system and also strengths and weakness
Recruitment and selection procedure can be defined as one of the most essential elements
for hiring employees. Recruitment refers to the entire procedure that includes attracting, short
listing, selecting and appointing most suitable candidate for job vacancies. On the other hand,
selection can be referred as the series of stages through which candidates are screened for
choosing a potential individual for the specific vacancy in the organisation (Debroux, 2017).
Therefore, approaches of recruitment and selection has been examined below –
Internal source approach – The main objective of this approach is to hire employees internally;
job openings are thus informed to the employees of Barclays bank by providing them with
internal communication or advertisement through hierarchy. This approach is so helpful and
strong because it negatively influences employee turnover by minimising cost for achieving
competitive advantage. Examples of internal recruitment includes -
Strength
1. Giving opportunities for higher positions
leads to increased employee loyalty.
2. Employees are well aware of organisational
culture.
Weakness
It reduces the opportunities to ding new talent
from the market.
May leads to conflict among the employees as
some employees do not get selected.
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It also assists in minimising employee
turnover.
External source approach – External sources of recruitment refers to encourage highly talented
and skilled candidates in a way that apply for vacant positions in Barclays Bank. Job vacancies
are informed to the external environment by utilising different methods as campus recruitment,
advertisements, job portals, employment exchanges etc.
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Strengths
It helps in making sure high level of
productivity.
It will also assist Barclays Bank for
promoting
Weakness
It is time consuming and also needs higher
cost.
External source approach is also unstable and
can lead to hiring of wrong employees such as
criminals.
TASK 2
P3. Presenting the benefits of different HRM practices in Barclay's for employee and employer
As HRM practice are basically involves recruitment and selection and they also want to
create a positive working environment. Further, it also benefited for both the employees as well
as employers of Barclay's bank and these are as follows:
Benefit for employees:
 Maintaining relation with employees are quite essential because HR managers solve the
disputes between the employees so that they can work easily and helps the managers to
attain the defined goals of a firm.
 HRM practices also satisfy the employees and also encourage them in order to contribute
towards a company's intellectual assets. Apart from this, the worker's knowledge and
skills are also increases a business competitive advantages as well.
 It is further analyses that HRM practices also creates a positive working environment and
due to this, the employees of the firm will easily adjust themselves and can help to
accomplish the goals of a business in an effective manner (Shappell and et.al., 2017).
 Training and development is another HRM practice that help an employee a lot such that
through training, the employees of the firm will easily raise the performance level so that
it will be beneficial for both the business as well as for employees (Ones, Viswesvaran,
and Schmidt, 2017). Moreover, this also also assist workers to develop a career track in
order to pursue their future opportunities.
 Even HR also motivate the employees and hire the best workers so that it will help them
to increases the productivity and on the other side, if workers do their work in effective
way then HR also rewards them in a form of promotion or incentives that helps to hold
the employees and benefit in the context of employee.
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Benefits for employers:
 Through HRM practices, the skills of employers are develop that help them to guide their
employers more, such that through training and development sessions for employers, they
can easily enhance their current skills and through continue sessions, a person will groom
themselves that will further beneficial for their future as well.
 HR main function is to build a better and flexible workplace and in the context of
Barclay's, it has a diverse workforce and it has been analyzed that if a business have a
diverse workforce then it helps to hold on the employers (Kavanagh and Johnson,
2017). This is so because, in flexible workplace employer can customize aspect to their
job as it suits to their lifestyle and this also helps to generate more ideas and motivate
peoples in order to raise their performance. This all will directly creates positive impact
upon employers as well as business.
 The human research department main function is to grow good working relation among
the employees such that they posses the responsibility of seminars and meetings in which
all the employees and employers come and contact with each other. As a result, this
develop a better relationship among them.
P4. Evaluating the effectiveness of different HRM practices in context of raising business profit
and productivity.
Learning, training and development practices by human resource management is
considered to be as very effective. As this practice assist employees in developing the skills,
knowledge and core competencies which is required for performing specific task. Training
provided by human resource manager in BARCLAYS Bank has helped management in
promoting the creativity. The training provided by manger or leader assist employees in
increasing their working efficiency as productivity. It helps employees in improving their
performance. Human resource manager in BARCLAYS Bank provides workers with an
opportunity to grow which increase the level of motivation and results of which employees work
with dedication as well as support an organisation in accomplishing desired objectives. Human
resource manager in BARCLAYS Bank has develops high performing working culture through
training its workforce which has assisted an organisation in gaining the competitive advantage. It
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is due to the training employees working in BARCLAYS Bank has ability to provide the quality
and quick services to customer (Berman, Bowman and Van Wart, 2019.).
Trained workers has helped an enterprise in increasing sales and profitability. It is the
training and development practices by human resource manager in BARCLAYS Bank which
has supported an enterprise in development of highly skilled as well as talented workforce. High
performing employees are those who have gained knowledge and developed skilled through
training and now they are performing good in an organisation. They have made significant
contribution in development of innovative environment. Such initiatives taken by botyh high
performing workers as well as human resource management team in BARCLAYS Bank has
supported firm in increasing productivity (Banfield, Kay and Royles, 2018). Training and
development is considered to be as an effective human resource management practices at it s
enables them to update their skills and knowledge which is very much crucial in order to support
an enterprise in fostering growth. Training helps management in developing more energy as
well as motivation which is very much crucial in order to enhance productivity.
It is the method used by the human resource manager in BARCLAYS Bank for
promoting the collaborative learning which can be beneficial for both employees and company.
In context of BARCLAYS Bank, an organisation makes huge capital invest on training and
development of workers. The present motive of training program organised by human resource
manager in BARCLAYS Bank is to help employees in developing the technical as well as
professional skills, as through these types of employees capabilities an organisation can earn
higher profits. Strategic training provided by human resource manager in BARCLAYS Bank has
helped firm a lot in generating the good outcomes in terms of productivity, quality, performance
etc. Training provided by the human resource manager in BARCLAYS Bank has assisted in
strengthening the group effort for enhancing productivity (Kaiser and et.al., 2015). Innovative
training approaches adopted by human resource manager in BARCLAYS Bank has supported
workers in increasing the competency level of employees which is very much essential in order
to increase productivity.
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TASK 3
P5 Importance of employee relations in respect to influence HRM decision-making
Employee relations play very important role in Barclays because it helps to build
effective relationship whether it is personal and professional. It makes managing of human
relations at workplace to create good and healthy relationship (Shields, Brown and Plimmer,
2015). Following are different importance of employee relations that influence positively on
HRM decision-making: There are several issues in which individual cannot take decision alone: In the
business, individual alone cannot take decisions in several issues. Therefore, it is
essential to recruit several people and maintain relationship among them so that it would
be beneficial to fulfil business requirements with taking participation of different people
(Kim and Bae, 2017). Work become easy through sharing among all: When work share among different
people, it assists to solve issues and problems in systematic manner. With this regard,
work become easy in Barclays that increase positive relations between different people.
As a result, HRM decision-making is effectively run when work become easy to gain
desired level of outcomes (Johnson and Szamosi, 2018). Individual feels motivated to maintain trust: With the help of employee relationship,
each individual of Barclays motivated to build their trust on each other. As it is useful to
follow all rules and regulations, which is increases effectiveness to take HRM decision-
making.
 Healthy employee relationship encourage people to solve conflicts: Furthermore, in
Barclays employee relationship must develop successfully to encourage people and solve
conflicts as well. In this regard, several employees take participation so that among them
conflicts will be resolved to take right HRM decisions (Shields, Brown and Plimmer,
2015).
Furthermore, trade union also play important role in UK businesses because it assists to
protect and consider advance interest of its members. With this regard, it can be stated that strong
trade union movement develop more benefits among all workers in the country. This is because,
there are several activities taken by trade union such as negotiate agreements with employers on
the basis of pay and conditions. In addition to this, it is also discusses several members with legal
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and financial advice (Dhingra, Ottaviano and Reenen, 2016). As a result, people accompany with
their members so that trade union considered disciplinary and grievance meetings. Furthermore,
it helps to provide members with legal and financial advice that would be considered
effectiveness at workplace. With the help of trade union, effectively work can be develop that
assists to recognise several advantages to develop partnership with employers. Hence, it is
successfully ascertained relationship that is more profitable for union and its members. In
Barclays, trade union determines terms and conditions of employment that helps to certain
categories of worker such as production line operatives and technicians (Waddington, 2015).
Main objective of such collective bargaining is to deal with appropriate functions and operations
of the business.
P6 Key elements of employment legislation and impact on HRM decision-making
In order to maintain effective relationship and take HRM decisions, it is essential to focus
on key employment legislations that assists to develop significant advantages at workplace of
Barclays. Therefore, HR of the chosen business need to consider following elements of
employment legislations: Anti-discrimination Act 1991: According to this legislation, in UK main aims is to
protect people from unfair discrimination, sexual harassment and other objectionable
aspects that provides to bring complaints to resolve it in appropriate manner (Hakim,
2016). In other words, this act promote equality of opportunity for each person by
protecting them from unfair discrimination in certain areas of Barclays from sexual
harassment. As a result, it positively impacts on HRM decision-making to take decisions
without bias. Diversity Act: Diversity act considered duty to challenge prejudice and it considers
disadvantage to promote importance of human rights, enforcing equality laws on age,
disability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. It assists to encourage
compliance with human right act (Noe, Hollenbeck and Wright, 2017). As a result, it
impacts positively on HRM decision-making which helps to maintain appropriate
functioning at workplace. Data Protection Act 1998: According to this act, HR manager of the business need to
protect people from their personal data protection. Therefore, it can be stated that
protection lay down rules about data that people can easily used. This act covers
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information or data that are stored on computer or an organised paper filling system
(Gilbert, Jimmy and Jacques, 2017). In Barclays, there are 8 principles followed that are
related with data protection act such as fairly and lawfully processed, processed for
limited purposes. Adequate, relevant and not excessive. Equality Act 2010: As per this key legislation, it can be stated that HR manager need to
legally protect people from discrimination at workplace in wider society. It replaced
previous anti-discrimination laws with single act for making law easier to understand and
strengthening protection in some situations (Countouris, 2016). In Barclays, it is also
provided protection for certain illnesses which established as a disability. This act
influence HR decision-making that long term adverse effect on their ability to carry
normal day to day activities. This act legally protects people from discrimination at
workplace in wider consideration. Hence, HRM decision-making activities continuous
develop to protect people in some situations. Health and safety 2005: Health and safety act 2005 assists to maintain healthy and safety
effectiveness at workplace. In this regard, employer and employee include fixed term and
temporary employees at workplace of Barclays. Furthermore, it can be stated that this act
established for main provision that secure health and safety in all workplace (Shields,
Brown and Plimmer, 2015). As a result, it applied to all workplace at all times to solve
problem of risks, size and operations. It impacts positively on HRM decision-making to
lays down wider ranging duties on employers. As a result, they protect at workplace for
take appropriate decisions.
 Minimum wage pay act 1948: According to this act, HR manager of the business need to
provide appropriate amount of wages as minimum wage pay. This act comprises as an act
which make provision for and connection with national perspective. It is related with
remuneration of a person that employed for his/her work in business. In Barclays, this act
impact positive when appropriate amount of wage has been provided to every person of
the company.
TASK 4
P7. Illustrating the application of HRM practices
1. Job Specification document and five interview questions for a HR manager position
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JOB DESCRIPTION
HR Manager
BARCLAYS Bank
Reports to:
HR Manager reports to Chief Executive.
Primary Purpose:
The HR manager is responsible for working across all the levels of organisation and for
providing informed, efficient and professional services on every aspects of Human Resource
Management and their strategy. HR manager needs to ensure that delivery about deliver of
programs and initiatives are closely aligned to organisation's vision and objectives. HR
Manager also needs to assist HR Director and also to provide recommendations and suggestions
in relation to developing the organisation and its operations.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITY:
 Managing the remuneration structure and reviewing salary.
 Providing recommendations to Chief Executive.
 Providing training and development to employees and also ensuring that it is linked with
organisational goals.
 Working in collaboration with Manager Governance and Culture in order to identify and
develop culture of organisation.
 Implementing and maintaining policies, practices and legislative requirements.
 Maintaining health and safety at working environment and also following regulations for
health and safety of employees.
 Leading, monitoring and reviewing performance management system.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:
 Relevant Tertiary qualification and experience in management of Human Resources and
organisational changes.
 Capability to operate both operational and strategic with expertise in strategic
development.
 Demonstrated commitment for team work and construction of collaborative and
supportive team.
 Demonstrated ability for critically analysing issues and problems and accordingly
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developing and implementing strategies and solutions.
 Excellent communication, leadership and management skills.
 Ability for preparing high quality written reports, actions, policies and plans.
2. Person Specification document for a Chef position at Jamie Oliver star restaurant
PERSON SPECIFICATION
CHEF
Jamie Oliver Restaurant
Essential Desirable
Knowledge
Knowledge of food hygiene standards ✔
Knowledge of Health and Safety regulations ✔
Knowledge of food, nutrition value and safe
preparation
✔
Skills and Abilities
Ability to work reliably and punctually ✔
Manage the work effectively and work
necessary hours and including weekends
✔
Ability to communicate appropriately and
clearly at all levels
✔
Ability to deputise for Head Chef ✔
Ability to assist in managing inventory and
stock levels
✔
Qualifications
Catering at NVQ level 3 or equivalent ✔
Qualification recognised by the Institute of ✔
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Hospitality
No criminal record ✔
Experience
Experience of working in health or social
care setting
✔
Proven experience for effectively supporting
team for delivering catering solutions
✔
Experience in range of diverse catering
environment
✔
CONCLUSION
Human Resource Management of an organisation aims at effectively motivating and
encouraging employees so that they feel satisfied and also brings improvements in their
performance. Present report explains different functions and purposes of HRM which are
applicable to workforce planning and resourcing the organisation. Nature and scope of strategic
HRM and approaches of planning and resourcing are discussed. Different HR practices adopted
by HRM helps business organisation to bring effectiveness in business operations and activities.
Various recruitment and selection approaches assist in bringing talent in the organisation who
effectively put their efforts in business operations and accomplishes organisational goals.
Employee relation is maintained in order to provide motivation to employees and also retain
them in business organisation. Employee legislation brings impacts on the HRM decision
making process and working of the business organisation. The different HR practices brings
benefits for both employer and employee and results in improving the performance of employees
and accomplishment of overall goals and objectives.
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