HRM in Squires Gardening Centres

The provided assignment is related to Human Resource Management (HRM) in the context of Squires Gardening Centres. It requires analysis of various HRM practices such as employment legislation, non-financial rewards, performance-based rewards, and their impact on organisational productivity and employee morale. The assignment also considers case studies from literature such as Chelladurai and Kerwin (2017) and references other relevant sources for a comprehensive understanding.

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................3
a) Importance, functions and purpose of HR to Squire's Garden Centres..................................3
b) Advantages and disadvantages of current recruitment and selection method used by
Squire's Garden...........................................................................................................................5
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................8
a) Job description and person specification for customer services assistant...............................8
b) Advert for Customer Service Assistant..................................................................................9
c) Recommendation of one other medium to fill vacancy of customer service assistant.........10
d) Questions that can be asked in interview for role of customer service assistant..................11
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................11
a) Benefits of Square's offering Apprenticeships to organisation and apprentices...................11
b) Development opportunities available for employees............................................................12
c) Range of rewards and benefits for staff. Extent up to which this will motivate employees
and their retention. ...................................................................................................................13
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................14
a) Define employee engagement and importance to employee relations..................................14
b) Ways to engage workers within Squire's effectively............................................................15
c) Explain how UK employment legislation influence human resource decision making.......15
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management refers to formal system used for organising people within
organization to acquire competitive assets. Main purpose of HRM is to enhance productivity by
optimizing effectiveness of individuals in organization. Major areas in which responsibilities of
human resource manager falls are: recruitment, compensation and benefits to employees and
designing work. Strategy of HRM is to amass, establish and absorb talent. Squire's Garden
Centres is a family owned horticultural business which serves local community. There are 15
Centres across North and West London, Middlesex, Sussex, Surrey. Business was founded in
1963 by D.J. Squire as landscape gardening business. It develops innovation and best practices in
UK garden centre industry. They won many industry awards. This report defines human
resource management, its purpose and scope. It also contains various aspects of human resource
management and where they are being used means applications of HRM. Effectiveness of key
elements of HRM are evaluated to understand the various elements. Last but nor least external
and internal factors which affects decision making in HRM are analysed.
Task 1
a) Importance, functions and purpose of HR to Squire's Garden Centres.
Human resource refers to effective and systematic way of developing and hiring
individual so that they act as valuable and effective to organisation. It is a process which includes
planning, organisation, directing and controlling human resources by giving them effective
training programmes, giving them compensation depending upon their work so that
organisational goals and objectives can be achieved (Alfes and et. al., 2013). In this context, HR
manager of Squire's Garden Centres need to analyse their requirements and needs of employees
in terms of their business perspective. Employees are given training so that their efficiency can
be increased and productivity of organisation can be enhanced. They are expanding their
business so that need of customers can be met and also overall profit can be increased.
Role of HRM:
Human resource plays an important role in accelerating profitability and
productivity of Squire's Garden Centres. Responsibilities and roles of HR manager are discussed
below:

Planning and forecasting: Organized formulation of plan begins with analysing and
assessing existing staff. HR manager determine that existing staff is sufficient to handle needs of
organisation and evaluates that whether more staff is required in future to meet organisations
goals or not (Budhwar and Debrah, 2013). Foremost responsibility of HR in Squire's Garden
Centres is to make plan and access required information so that effective results can be obtained
from their staff or employees. Planning comprises of five steps which consists of, analysing
objectives of company, approximation of demand and supply of human resources, analysing
manpower gaps within organisation, monitoring and control on human resource. Squire Garden
is medium sized organisation which deals with gardening and plants. HR of Squire's Garden will
analyse requirement of employees and will do planning to formulate process of recruitment and
carrying out different operations within organisation. Purpose of this is evaluate need of
employees and make plans.
Recruitment and selection: It is process in which candidates are identified and hired
efficiently so that vacancies can be filled. Recruitment refers to process of attraction, shortlist,
selection and appointment of appropriate candidate within organisation. In other hand selection
refers to action of choosing someone (individual) who is most suitable for respective job role. It
defines relationship between employer and employee. Human resource manager within Squire's
Garden works in extraordinary way in recruitment and selection stage effectively so that
potential candidate is appointed within their organisation. It will help Squire's Garden to reduce
unnecessary cost and enhance profitability as cost will be saved when skilled individuals are
hired and this will eventually lead to profitability. As Squire's Garden is medium sized company
it becomes important for them to retain their employees. They deals with horticulture business.
For creating employer of choice they need to retain their customers for this they can recruit
skilled individual. HR plays an important role as candidates sourcing is done by them. Purpose is
to meet requirements of organisation so that they can provide effective services.
Orientation: Effective orientation sessions are developed for new employees by Human
resource manager within Squire's Garden before work is accomplished. It help employees to be
aware of other employees, functioning and working culture of specific organisation. It also
ensures that employees get adaptive to conditions and effective relationships are formulated with
each other. It helps new employees to identify their duties and give efficient results. Squire's
Garden is small business which deals in horticulture. Orientation will help selected candidate to

acquire different skills by proving training with respect to tools used in specific business. It will
help to build employer of choice as they will be given extra knowledge related to specific
segment which will enhance their skills. This is important as candidate will know their role and
way in which they are required to work. This will also help candidates to enhance their
communication skills as they have to sell plants and deal with different kind of people. Purpose
of orientation is to make employees aware of different working methods used within business.
b) Advantages and disadvantages of current recruitment and selection method used by Squire's
Garden.
Recruitment process: Process in which individuals or candidates are attracted,
shortlisted and selected for job within organisation is referred to as recruitment process.
Squire's Garden have opted for Online recruitment process to acquire required number of
employees within their organisation. In Online recruitment process questions are asked within
website of Squire's Garden and candidate have to answer all these within specific time. This will
save time as well as money of organisation as process is carried out online.
Selection Process: Process in which suitable candidates are picked for job within
organisation is referred to as selection process. Squire's Garden's human resource manager has
opted for interview selection process in which questions are asked related with role they have
applied for. It occurs as two way communication between interviewer (2 managers are
conducting interview) and candidate. In interview two managers take interview related to
vacancies within organisation. They checks candidates based on their knowledge, skills
possessed by them, their personality and their communication skills.
Advantages and disadvantages of interview selection process and online recruitment
process are mentioned below:
Advantages and disadvantages of interview selection process and online recruitment
process
Process Advantages Disadvantages
Interview Selection Process  Organisation can
interpret conflicts
regarding questions as
it is flexible process.
 New questions are
needed to be asked
after certain time which
means process is non-

 Group interviews can
be conducted by
organisation which will
help individuals to
understand different
perspective related
with something
particular and it will
also remove
awkwardness of
individual.
 Company can have
more efficient and
effective opinions from
individuals.
 Individual can get
clarification and
feedback from
interviewer.
flexible.
 Applicants may get
nervous due to pressure
of giving accurate
answer and it consumes
lot of time.
 They are more
expensive.
Online Recruitment Process  Organisation can save
their irrelevant time
and cost.
 Potential candidates
can be recruited from
different locations.
 Squire's Garden can
enhance their
efficiency via usage of
this process.
 No intermediaries are
 More chances to
acquire unqualified
candidates.
 Morale of employees
can be harmed as it
consumes lot of time.
 Advertisements are
given which consumes
lot of money.

involved in this
process, which means
that time and money is
not wasted on it
Online source of recruitment is used by Squire's Garden in their recruitment process so
that effective candidates can be hired. On other hand Hanging garden of Babylon and New
Kingdom is taking in usage placement agencies and advertisements in their recruitment process.
Online Sources Placement agencies
 Candidates can be found by Squire's
Garden from different locations.
 Potential candidates can be appointed
by them which will benefit them to
achieve goals.
 Candidates are found from specific
locations.
 There is no surety that candidate is
having desired skills for specific role.
Interview selection process is used by Squire's Garden in their selection process to select
candidates. Hanging garden of Babylon has opted for ability and aptitude test.
Interview Process Ability and Aptitude test
 Candidates are directly chosen by
conducting interviews which comprises
of all questions related to gardening.
 Skills of candidates can be evaluated
based on their knowledge and
communication skills can also be
analysed.
 Drawback is that certain time as well as
amount is invested in this.
 This is conducted to analyse
mathematical ability of candidate.
 This do not specify that candidates have
effective skills related with specific job
profile. It just denotes numerical ability
of candidate.
 Drawback of this method is that it is
conducted as separate stage which can
be costly for organisation.

Task 2
a) Job description and person specification for customer services assistant.
Job Description
Job Details
Post: Customer Services Assistant
Company: Squire's Garden
Job Purpose
In Squire's Garden, role of Customer Service Assistant is to work efficiently in garden centres,
sell plants and related products which comprises of machinery and tools. Customer service
assistant will be responsible for assigning employees for carrying and loading heavy goods of
consumers.
Roles & Responsibilities
 Sowing, planting seeds and maintaining them by watering them and cut them when it is
required. Plants must be protected from diseases and pests by spraying various
medicines.
 Plants must be kept in different size pots as per size so that requirements related with
selling them can be accomplished.
 Efficient knowledge of making use of trolleys so that soil bags and heavy plants can be
moved.
 Usage of cell phones to make new stock arrangements.
 Appropriate options are given to customers related with choice of plants and way to
maintain them.
 Plants are displayed on pots and they are sold.
 Outstanding consumer services are given to every customer.
 Maintenance of plants on regular basis.
 Accountability on required resisters must be ensured and sales transactions are carried
out accurately.
 Customer service assistant also offers appropriate solution to problems of customers
related with plants.

Person Specifications:
Person Specification
Post: Customer Services Assistant
Department: Customer service department
Key: This show that what is required when like an evidence:
(A): Application form, (I): Interview, (R): Role
Attributes Essential Desirable
Qualification & Experience Diploma or graduation from
any agriculture/horticulture
college. Minimum 2 years of
working experience in
customer services.
Experience of working in
customer service in gardening
sector.
Skills or knowledge Effective communication
skills both verbal and written.
Exceptional skills like phone
etiquettes.
Keen consideration to serve
customers and ability to learn
changes in product line at best.
b) Advert for Customer Service Assistant.
Advertisement
Customer Service Assistant required
Candidates must be aware of gardening tools, machines and must have effective knowledge
related with their working.
Customer Service Assistant
Candidates with following applications and skills are eligible to apply-
 Minimum 2 years of working experience in a customer service sector.
 Must be responsible for taking care of plants and maintaining them by planting and
cutting.
 Capability to sell garden plants and garden tools.

 Guiding customers related with plants and ways to maintain them.
 Accurately achieve sales target and maintain proper records of products which are sold.
 Attractive incentives and salary will be offered to deserving candidate. As per their
experience extra benefits will also be provided.
Applications can be sent by potential candidates through e-mail to the following Applications
can be sent at given e-mail id [e-mail]. In case of any query contact at 0112-
7685297.
Schedule
Invitation for applications 25-28 January, 2019
Short listing of applications 5-7 February, 2019
Call for HR round 11-12 February, 2019
Interview date 13-15 February, 2019
c) Recommendation of one other medium to fill vacancy of customer service assistant.
Consultancy agencies like Talent plus can be given the responsibility to hire desired
candidates, apart from giving consultancy agencies and advertisement (Marchington and et. al.,
2016). By doing this organisation can save lot of money and time when these agencies are
involved. Key benefits of these are mentioned below:
 Best candidate can be chosen by consultancy agencies as they have broad understanding
of market
 Potential to find out eligible candidate with desired skill set.
 Strategic skills can be accessed by them as they have access to knowledge of many
applicants
 Systematic resource plan and appropriate budget is present with consultancy agency.
 advantages and disadvantages.
 Capability to identify efficient talent from broad range of candidates by arranging pool
drives and advertising job requirement in appealing way.
 Consultancy agencies have access to desired and better candidates who have desired
skills.

Squire's Garden business organisation can take use of a consultancy agency to fill there
required job position. These agencies will benefit them to find out appropriate and potential
candidates for their job who can fulfil there desired job requirement.
d) Questions that can be asked in interview for role of customer service assistant.
Different questions are mentioned below which can be asked at the time of interview for
role of Customer service assistant. This will have positive effect on decision making process
related with which candidate is suitable for appropriate profile. These questions are mentioned
below:
 Describe yourself and reason why you want to be part of this organisation?
 How will you handle aggressive customer's behaviour?
 What do you mean by customer service assistant and how you can satisfy customers?
 Can you tell something about tools and machines which are being used in gardening?
 How will you handle a situation where you are unable to solve problem of a customer?
Task 3
a) Benefits of Square's offering Apprenticeships to organisation and apprentices.
Apprenticeship refers to process of training individuals related to specific profession with
on job training. Heterogeneous apprenticeships techniques can be used by Squire's Garden to
gain benefits from employees. Employees must be trained when they are doing their job so that
they can acquire practical skills (Messersmith and et. al., 2011). This will build positive
impression of organisation and business will have opportunities in terms of magnificent
progression. This will enhance earning of individual in future.
Benefits of offering apprenticeship to firm:
 This process will help organisation to boost up candidates by making them realise their
potential so that they can work effectively.
 Sense of responsibility can be encouraged among potential apprentice and personal tasks
can be assigned which are kept under monitoring by Squire's Garden.
 Quality of services can be enhanced by providing effective training to apprentice by
which Squire's Garden can increase their productivity.
Benefits of offering apprenticeship to potential apprentices:

 Self development skills of apprentices can be enhanced by ensuring them about their
secured future.
 Apprentice will be able to give efficient services in terms of their job, needs and satisfy
requirements of Squire's Garden and its customers.
b) Development opportunities available for employees.
Apprenticeship refers to job training which involves studying and following master of
trade rather than what is learnt at school (Renwick, Redman and Maguire, 2013). Basically it is
work-based training programme which give employees opportunity to gain practical knowledge
while they are earning. Advantages of apprenticeship training programme are discussed below:
 Qualification and skills can be enhanced which will lead to deliver remarkable results in
their job.
 Apprenticeship gives individual an effective learning which will help him to gain
knowledge about various skills and it will also help him to gain experience.
 While attending apprenticeship programme in Squire's Garden individual can gain
experience in gardening and also in handling different types of customer who comes to
buy different plants (like aggressive, argumentative and many more).
 Squire's Garden offer different opportunities to their apprentice and with theoretical
knowledge they (Squire's garden) are made to work on different tools and machines.
Different development opportunities are given to employees i.e. earning while they are
learning. Squire's Garden can make development procedures, plans and theorize action plan as
per the procedure. By this individual can enhance their knowledge and skills, it provides them
golden opportunity. This will not only lead to effective production within Squire's Garden but it
will also enhance knowledge of individual. Squire's Garden has opted for this programme to
increase their productivity and profitability.
c) Range of rewards and benefits for staff. Extent up to which this will motivate employees and
their retention.
Wide range of benefits are given to employees at Squire's Garden to enhance their skills
and boost up their morale. Benefits and rewards which are given by Squire's Garden are
described below:
 Squire's Garden gives their employees non-monitory benefits to enhance their level of
motivation and provide employees with job satisfaction (Rubery and Urwin, 2011). They

(Squire's Garden) have implemented different non-financial benefits for their employees
which includes: taking offering leadership opportunities, giving employees recognition
which they deserve, ask for their views when Squire Garden is opting from some new
strategies or starting new venture and many more.
 Energetic, friendly customer environment is provided to employees so that they enjoy in
their working environment.
 Squire's Garden has ensured that they check their salaries with salaries offered by other
competitors. Salaries of employees are reviewed annually.
 Non-contractual annual bonus scheme is offered to employees, proportionate bonus is
given to them based on number on days they work.
 25% discount is given to employees after 3 months of service. Defined contribution
pension plan is offered to employees (Careers at Squire's, 2019).
 For retaining employees, long service badge and token of appreciation is given to
employees who are working from long. Apart from this gift vouchers are given to
employees who have maintained 100% attendance.
 Childcare voucher are given to employees in which they are exempted from NI and tax
by which employees can save money on childcare.
 Corporate membership cards are given to employees so that they can vist historic royal
palaces for free of cost.
 Discount scheme is available in which employees save their on daily purchase. Apart
from this gifts are given to employees who make difference to their business with their
outstanding performance.
This will help Squire's Garden to retain their customers and motivate them to continue working
at same place as each organisation do not give these benefits..
Task 4
a) Define employee engagement and importance to employee relations.
Employee Engagement: Concept in which effort is taken to describe and understand
nature of relationship between employees and organisation both in quantitative and qualitative
terms is referred to as employment engagement. Employees are the one who do their duty as full
time or part time as per their contract of employment (which is in written and oral form).

Employee engagement includes activities done within organisation like strategies, training
program etc. to keep their employees engaged. Squire's Garden Centres engage their employees
so that they can give their best as per their potential, in short it will motivate their employees as
they will learn new things (Schermerhorn and et. al., 2014). It will lead employees to attain
organisations values and goals effectively. Squire's Garden engage their employees by organising
different activities like involving employees in making business plans, design internal
magazines, create opportunities for on-board experience, organise functions and parties, create
learning opportunities for employees and many more.
Different issues may be faced by Squire's Garden if they will not engage their employees
within certain activities like rate of absenteeism will become high, poor safety incidents, poor
customer satisfaction and services, low productivity and so-on. Therefore it is very important for
organisation to involve or engage their employees in certain activities.
Importance of employee engagement in employees relation: Employee engagement
plays an effective role in employees relation within Squire's Garden. Importance is shown below:
 Greater employee satisfaction: When employees are engaged in such activities then
they feel that they are connected to organisation and they give their best up to their
complete potential to achieve organisational goal (Sheehan, 2014). This will increase
productivity of organisation and also lead employees to achieve their personal goals. This
will lead to satisfaction of employees within their work place. Strong relationships will be
built as they will work as a team to achieve goal and when they will work in a team
communication will take place.
 Enhance employee safety: Employees engagement activities are created by Squire's
Garden which allows two-way communication between employees and high authorities
like manager. This makes employees aware about their working surroundings and also
strengthen emotional and mental connection among organisation by creating such
activities. Policies are made by high authorities like abusive language will not be used
within their premises this will ensure healthy working environment and in this way safety
can be enhanced. This will help to create better relation as individual can talk with high
authorities and share their issues related with any conflicts which arises within work.

b) Ways to engage workers within Squire's effectively.
There are different ways which can be opted by organisation to engage their employees.
Some of ways followed by Squire's Garden are shown below:
 Encourage employees to speak up- Organisation must encourage their employees so
that they can speak up in meetings and public so that they can share their innovative and
valuable ideas. Various views can be given by them to find solution to problems which
are arising within Squire's Garden (Sparrow, Brewster and Chung, 2016). Employees can
give their view point related to particular perspective this will enhance confidence of
employees
 Help employees to know each other- Its important to know people who are working
beside you means colleagues. Individual needs to work as a team so that goals of
organisation can be accomplished. For this manager of Squire's Garden ensured that
certain activities are carried out within organisation so that employees work together and
know each other. This will help organisation to engage their employees as a team.
 Reward for well job performance- Squire's Garden Centre needs to make some policies
to motivate and encourage employees in efficient and effective manner. So that
employees put their all efforts and work accurately in their job role (Storey, 2014). By
giving rewards to employees their efficiency can be enhanced and they will be motivated
to work further.
c) Explain how UK employment legislation influence human resource decision making
Employment legislation: It refers to set of laws which governs employees within
organisation. This will have impact on employees and their unions which are formed within
organisation (Welch and et. al., 2011). Different laws are meant to be followed by organisation
to ensure smooth working of operations and functions (People theory, 2019). Some of them are
discussed below:
 The Equity Act, 2010:- This Act describes that no discrimination is carried out within
working premises related to age, gender, disabilities, religion and many more. Every
employee is given same responsibility and equal value based on their job role. These
factors are considered by Squire's Garden while making any decision so that healthy
working environment is created. At time of recruitment, selected candidates were given

certain rules and regulations related to various acts followed by Squire's Garden. Selected
candidates were made to ensure that they will follow these acts by signing agreement.
 Employee Right Act,1996:- This Act states that rights must be given to employees as
per what they deserve in terms of their retirement benefits, work space, remuneration,
rewards, salary and many more. Squire's Garden will take their decisions by which they
give appropriate rights to employees in terms of remuneration, recruitment, rewards and
many more.
CONCLUSION
From above report, it can be concluded that human resource refers to systematic process
for selecting and hiring individuals for specific job role within organisation. To these approaches
there are certain strengths and weaknesses which are must to be removed so that working of
organisation can be carried out effectively. Squire's Garden has implemented different methods
to boost up and motivate their employees. Certain legislative laws are followed by them so that
they can handle any kind of situation effectively. Employers are given non-financial as well as
performance based rewards so that organisational goals can be achieved with high accuracy. This
will lead organisation to enhance their productivity as well as probability by enhancing morale of
employees.

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