Literature Review and Research Study Analysis

This assignment requires analyzing a compilation of research studies and literature reviews on diverse subjects such as human resource management, sustainability, and environmental science. The collection includes papers from reputable journals like Journal of Business Ethics, Academic Pediatrics, Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, International Journal of Radiation Biology, and more. The analysis should focus on summarizing the key findings, methodologies, and implications of each study to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research. This task will help in developing critical thinking skills, ability to synthesize complex information, and enhance knowledge on various topics.

Human Resource
Management

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Purpose and functions of HRM needed for workforce planning......................................1
P2 Strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection .............3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3 Benefits of HRM practices for employee and employer...................................................5
P4 Evaluate the effective of different HRM practices to increase organisational profits......9
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
P5 Importance of employee relation to influence HRM decision making..........................10
P6 Elements of employee legislation and its impact on HRM decision making ................12
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................13
P7 Applications of HRM practices in work related context with examples.........................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Human Resource Management deals with planning, directing, controlling, staffing and
coordinating employees. Human resource is a function which deal with different type of people
or issues which is related with training, hiring, developing and organizing of the employees. The
study is based on Barclay Bank which is a British multinational investment bank and financial
company headquartered in London. This report will outline HRM functions and their purpose.
Further, report outlines strengths and weaknesses of recruitment and selection approaches
implied in the company. This report also includes benefits of HRM practices for employers and
employees. Further, it will derive employee relation benefits with the help of employee
engagement model. Thus, it will identify job specification of HR manager which will provide
outline over HR skills of bank after training.
TASK 1
P1 Purpose and functions of HRM needed for workforce planning
Human resource management
Human resource management is a process of planning, directing, controlling, staffing,
coordinating organisational activities and manpower. HR manager of Barclay bank is focused on
encouraging and motivating candidates for increasing their work performance, effectively and
efficiently. Human resource management is persuasive in nature that is focused on different
factors which influence staff that is attitudes, beliefs, motivation and individual behaviours
(Chauhan and Wilkins, 2018).
Scope of human resource management
 Motivating employees: Barclay bank focus on the employees needs and motivate them
for giving recognition and giving flexibility to analyse the work.
 Build relation between employee and employer: This drives scope of HR individual
where focus of person is on managing relationship between employee and employer for
better communication or coordinating.
 Managing occupational of health and safety: HR of Barclay bank follow systematist
approach of managing health and safety. It encourages the candidate for healthy work
force to compile the health and safety of candidates.
Functions of Human Resource Management and its Purpose
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 Recruitment: Recruitment is a process of hiring candidates. It includes selecting the
candidates for vacant job, attracting candidate for job, negotiation of salary, screening,
job description, etc. (Dinkevich, 2017) HR manager of Barclay bank is responsible for
assigning work to right candidate for right position. The purpose of recruitment is to
ensure staffing of employee as per vacancy, job profile and corporate culture of firm
(Quero and et.al., 2016).
 Training and development: HR manager of Barclay bank provide training to the
candidates for enhancing their skills and ability of work force. Training in Barclay bank
is organised on regular basis to ensure improvement in skills and competencies of staff as
per changing business environment. Purpose of training and development is to enhance
the performance and productivity of bank. The firm organises different on the job training
session which are purpose oriented.
 Performance management: Performance management motivates the candidates for
enhancing their performance and assign work according to their ability. Candidates work
according to the requirement of the company to achieve productive outputs with self-
motivation. The purpose of performance management is to analyse interests of candidates
in job role. Further, it helps the employer in managing activities and different approaches
which helps in outlining appreciating performance of employees like rewards system,
incentives, bonus, etc. (Attig and Cleary, 2015).
 Selection: Selection is the most important function of 'Barclay bank 'because selection is
where HR manager have to select candidates for vacant position. In this section, HR
manger will take interviews, group discussion, ability test, etc. In selection process
purpose of HR manager of Barclay bank has to select right candidates as per requirement
of job role and position.
Hard and Soft Human resource approaches
Hard approaches
According to hard approach employees work with firm the firm for minimum pay.
Further, as per this performance of employees is also rewarded on the basis of achieving of goals
and objectives (Anifowoshe and et. al., 2018). Barclay bank owns global presence for which
firm complies to hard approach of HRM where focus of firm is on instructing employee to work
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effectively as per job function. This reduces the risk of human errors at work. The implication of
hard HRM is supported with structure of Barclay bank follow which is tall and hierarchical.
Soft approaches
According to soft approach employees are treated as important assets of the firm and give
them the liability to express their need and requirement. Soft HRM practices are suitable for
Barclay bank because focus of employer win respect to this is on proving growth opportunities to
staff. Further, it focuses on empowerment of workers. There is communication between both
lower level and top level. For using soft approach, Barclay bank focus on long term plans and
achieve goal.
P2 Strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection
Recruitment is the process of shortlisting, attracting, appointing and selecting applicant of
the vacant job profile in an organisation. It includes the activities related to searching out the best
candidate for the job with proper recruitment methods. Barclay Bank applies both internal and
external sources of recruitment to come out with good and talented crowd of applicants for the
job.
Internal Recruitment
Internal recruitment in 'Barclay bank ‘is done through various elements or techniques
which are performed internally in an organisation. It can be done through Transfers, Promotions
and employment of existing employees. These factors of internal recruitment acts as a strength
for the firm as it leads to increase in employees’ retentions as their motivation level increases
which results in improves productivity for the company. It also proves to be negative for this
company as it restricts entry of new people in an organisation and also all the manpower
requirement cannot be fulfilled through internal recruitment.
External Recruitment
External recruitment is undertaken by this company through different methods which is
external to an organisation Employees seeking jobs in this case are from outside the boundaries
of the firm. This have a positive effect on company as it allows fresh new thoughts in an
organisation and have negative impact as it is time consuming and tough.
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Methods of Recruitment Strengths Weakness
. Transfer (Internal
Recruitment)
This attempt to recruit the
candidates as applied by
the company is to
interchange candidates
from one job to another
without any change in their
positions. It may be in
departments or between
one location to another but
roles and responsibilities
will remain same for
employees. This strength of
technique for searching a
candidate can be beneficial
for this company as it saves
the time of searching and
weakness of this approach
is as it restrains entry of
new talented employees
(Benson, 2014.).
 Transfer provides a
career path to an
employee where
promotions are not
available. It acts as a
motivating factor for
employees to work
with efficiency and
increase productivity
of this company.
 By transfer employee
gets exposure to new
skills and knowledge
which ultimately
results in better
working style which
helps in resolves in
profits of company.
 This technique is also
positive factor for the
company as it reduces
timing of searching of
candidates through
transferring employees
from current
employees.
 This factor acts as
motivating factor for
this company as to
recruit employees
 This technique of
searching candidate
also sometimes acts as
negative factor of this
company as it restrains
entry of new talented
employees resulting in
lower productivity of
company.
 Transfers also results
in rise in cost for the
company as expenses
regarding arranging
training sessions
increases because
when employees are
transferred to different
locations, they need
little guidance and time
to get aware of
working style,
environment, rules of
that branch so to make
familiar with those
factors training needs
to be conducted.
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through advertisements
able us to go through
various new skilled
authorities which can
be proved as strength
for this firm and will
provide us with
talented employees
required by this
company.
Advertisements (External
Recruitment) This
company announces job
vacancies through various
print and electronic media
with specific job
description and personal
specification for the
requirement of the job. The
strength of this approach is
to be beneficial for the firm
as it allows large number of
hiring in short span of time
and weakness is that it
involves high cost in
advertisements (Dalmia,
2014).
This factor acts as motivating
factor for this company as to
recruit employees through
advertisements able us to go
through various new skilled
authorities which can be
proved as strength for this
firm and will provide us with
talented employees required
by this company.
Advertisements also gives and
proves negative for this
company as it increases cost of
the company .and major factor
is that descriptive description
of job which we can provide
through personal interaction
cannot be possible and
effective through
advertisements.
METHODS OF STRENGTH WEAKNESS
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SELECTION
INTERVIEW
HR manager of Barclay
bank focuses on
interview as a selection
process where
employer examine the
background,
knowledge, skills,
attitude of candidate
who are applying for
job. It helps employer
to place right person at
right position.
 Interview guides us in
hiring right candidate with
required skills and
qualification.
 Through this factor of
selecting candidate time of
the company gets saved
through selection of right
candidate for correct
position which will results
in increased productivity
of the company.
 This factor is having
major drawback as there
lack of record occurs
which ultimately creates
confusion as through
verbal communication
things can not be
remember for a longer
time .
 This factor results in
incomplete information
about candidate which
results in insufficient data
related to interviewee.
APTITUDE TEST
In firm, aptitude test is
a test to identify the
ability and potential of
candidate for required
job. It helps HR
manager of Barclay
Bank to manage the
candidates for right
place and examining
knowledge of
candidates to identify
whether candidates are
suitable or not for
vacant job.
 Aptitude test will enhance
the selection process
effectively and help to
assign position and work
according to the ability of
employees which helps in
managing improvement in
quality of work.
 Aptitude test cannot give
all the information about
candidates. It is only based
for checking ability or
knowledge not the
behaviour and nature of
candidates.
 It increases the cost of
firm and firm have to
spend lots of money on
aptitude test. It is a
weakness of firm to pay
such amount for ability
test (Morariu, 2014).
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TASK 2
P3 Benefits of HRM practices for employee and employer
HRM Practices Benefits for Employees Benefits for Employer
Learning and development Employer of 'Barclay Bank'
focuses on learning of
employees by providing
training sessions to the
employees through
conducting sessions and
classes for upliftment of
employee’s knowledge and
morale.
For the company and the view
point of employer, Learning
and development increases the
efficiency and productivity of
the company.
This will help employers to
maintain and work with well
knowledges and coordinative
team.
Performance Appraisals  For this company,
employees get self-
motivated to perform
with their efficiency
to achieve company's
targets.
 It helps in managing
interest of employees
in work and at
workplace.
 It helps an employee
to analyse their
progress and analyse
their performance on
various scales.
 This benefits employers
in building a team of
highly motivated
employees helps
employer in managing
efficiency to achieve
organisational goals. It
also helps in building
strong relationship
between employees and
employers.
 This will benefit
employer as they get
opportunity to increase
morale of employees
which results in
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maintaining strong
relationship between
them.
Fair Evaluation System Performance Evaluation
guides an employee with
career development and help
employees to increase firm's
productivity. This helps in
outlining individual interest
and also aid in proving new
opportunities as per
individual performance.
This will guide employers in
evaluating employees on all the
aspects so that they can now
differentiate between
employees individually on the
basis of their performances and
knowledge.
Its benefits employers of this
company to plan promotional
strategies' foe them on the basis
of quality of their performance.
8

Hygienic Working
environment
This will enable employees to
work with efficiency in
current working environment
comfortably without any
discomfort.
This benefits employer to
maintain employee’s retention
in company which can provide
help to maintain good and
strongest team of skills and
talented workforce.
Proper Feedback on the basis
of performance
HR department of this
company studies
performance, attitude of
employees and on the basis of
it they provide feedback to
employees which effects
employees attitude and helps
them to know their status in
company and the weak areas
where they are lacking were,
they need to improve.
This will help employers of
this company to know the
perceptions of various
employers of the company at
same time so that employer can
get a brief idea about
perceptions of all the
employers of the company.
And according to it employers
plans training sessions for
those employees to enhance
their knowledge.
Maintaining Relation between
Employer and Employee
Good relationship will help
employees of this company in
flexible working without any
grievances to maintain
efficiency level of the
company. It restricts
misconceptions between
employees and employers to
make working environment
flexible.
This maintaining good
relations will guide an
employer to coordinate with
employee easily without any
problem smoothly. This factor
helps employers of this
company a chance to recognise
employees on various basis of
performances.
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P4 Evaluate the effective of different HRM practices to increase organisational profits.
The different HRM practices and its effectiveness are described below: -
Learning and Development practices: It is an ongoing process where Barclay bank
make efforts to improve the ability and performance of employees. Learning and development
focus on the performance of individual as well as group. It involves the concept to providing
knowledge, sharpening the style of work, concepts, etc. In context of Barclay bank, it helps to
optimise maximum profit and increase the productivity of bank. When employees are motivated
and skilled as per the requirement, productivity automatically increases (Wilson and et. al.,
2015). Such practises help Barclay bank to achieve organisational goal and able to make position
and goodwill in the market. Learning and development also increases the productivity of firm.
For example: if an employee doesn’t understand the work and that person need training than HR
manager of Barclay bank will provide training, it increases productivity of firm.
Flexible Working Option: Flexible working option is based on employee's and their
achievements to increase the effective productivity in the firm. Barclay bank focus on the
flexibility of employee's like working hours, job description, etc. Barclay bank balance the
employee's and their productivity as well. Top level and lower level will work together for
enhancing their productivity for quality of life. Barclay bank provide flexibility to employees
like flexibility in time, decision making, place, etc. for increasing the productivity and if
productivity increase automatically profit raises. For example: if an employee's satisfied with
working hour it increases performance level of employee and if performance of employee
increases the productivity of firm is also increase.
Job Satisfaction: Job satisfaction is based on level of satisfaction of employee when working
with organisation. It happens when stability of employees towards the job is good and also
balance the working life. Barclay bank focuses on encouraging and appreciating employees
which helps the employer in increasing confidence and performance level of employees. For
encouraging employee’s, it increases productivity and firm can earn profit. For employee's job
satisfaction is appreciation, job stability, recognition, salary, etc. which an organisation has to
fulfil for increasing productivity of firm. For example: if an employee not satisfied with working
style or have some issues then firm have to solve the problem for increasing productivity of the
firm (Charalampous and et.al., 2015.)
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Health and Safety: In an organisation HR provides hygienic environment keeping in mind
employees health to make them stable in this company. Occupational health and safety are very
important factor this company keeps in consideration to maintain employee’s retention. It helps
the firm in managing safe working environment for employee again harmful practices such as
harassments, discrimination, etc. So, this company take care of employee’s safety through
planning proper timings for the employees as ladies or girls those can’t afford to wait for longer
hours to serve the company.
TASK 3
P5 Importance of employee relation to influence HRM decision making
Employees relationship matters a lot in decision making of a company as employees who
have more respectful relation with their employers are more likely to be happy, productive and
loyal in its work. Involving employees in decision making process of firm helps in enhancing
decision making of HRM and also boost employee’s relation and engagement within firm
(Harris, 2017). Employees relation necessary for effective of decision making in this company as
it enables opportunity to raise employees voice and opinions. It also encourages strong sense of
teamwork among employees to coordinate with employers and improves quality of work done by
the company.
Coordination and cooperation among employees help HR team to identify the areas where
employees feel unsatisfied with regard to workplace conditions, measuring employee’s
satisfaction and morale also relationship contributes. As a result, Human Resource strong
relations with employees provides a huge support in taking decisions. Good relationship signifies
that employees should feel positive about their job, their identity and should feel proud to a part
to be a part of such organisation.
Actively engaging employees in decision making increases employees morale and make
them feel valued in an organisation through employees' engagement which involves training and
development., performance appraisal, communication Family friendliness etc. To better
understand engagement of employees, this company applies employee’s engagement model
given by Robinson which deals with needs of employees in terms of training sessions, good
working environment, performance appraisals which makes them feel valued and part of
company results n effective decision making. Many companies have distinct separation of
powers between different groups or levels of workers, however active employees' involvement in
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decision making lowers this gap opening up line of communication between HRM and
employees which will add on to the decision making of company (Lazzeri and.et.al., 2018).
Applying this model provides a good way to gather information about employees as to
how they work in a team and finding out the areas where training is necessary which leads to
effectiveness in decision making and makes them feel involved in Barclay Bank. This firm have
adopted the best way to involve all the employees in decision making through employers'
engagement model which focuses on involving more of the employees in decision making so that
all of them feel being valued and important part of company. This model of employee’s
engagement enhances or motivates employees to open up their thoughts, ideas in front of all so
that it can have contribution in decision making by human Resource Management team and
ultimately results in increasing productivity and profits of the venture. Decisions are crucial
aspect for any business while taking decisions all the areas of company where strong decisions
are needed should be taken care off and it should be implemented with strongly motivated and
engaged team of employees (Donmez-Altuntas and.et.al., 2017)
P6 Elements of employee legislation and its impact on HRM decision making
UK Legislation- The UK legislation is derived from number of different sources from both
within United Kingdom and through membership of European Union. The Bill receive the Royal
Assent and becomes an Act of Parliament when it is approved by both Houses of Parliament.
 Anti-discrimination law- Anti-discrimination law is designed to prevent discrimination
against particular groups of people. People under this law are known as protected ones.
Anti-discrimination law includes protections for groups based on sex, race, age,
ethnicity, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, religion or individual political
opinions.
 Data Protection Act 1998- The Data Protection Act 1998 is a United Kingdom Act of
Parliament designed to protect personal data storage on computers, laptops and personal
gadgets or in an organised paper filing system. It enacted the provisions on the
protection, processing and movement of data (Othmen, Z.O.B.and.et.al., 2019).
 Equality Act 2010- Equality Act of UK is amended to prohibit discrimination on the
basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, public accommodations,
housing, public education, credit, federal funding and the jury system.
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 Health and Safety Act 1974- The Occupational Health and Safety Act 1974 is a UK
labour law governing the federal law of occupational health and safety of Employees in
the private Organisation and federal government in the UK. The law insures safety of
employees working in a Private Company.
Impact of UK Legislation on HR decision making of Barclay Bank
Anti-discrimination Act impacts the Human Resource decision making of Barclay bank in the
recruitment and hiring process. They cannot refuse to hire an employee or dismiss from
employment or otherwise discriminate against the employee law will apply on them. The Age
Discrimination in Employment Act extends the law of discrimination in hiring and firing actions
to employees aged 40 and above.
Data Protection Act 1998 impacts the Human Resource decision making of Barclay bank in
processing of personal data solely by automatic transmutation where no humans are involved in
the decision-making process. In accordance with this Barclay bank is responsible for maintain
employee’s information confidential. This limits the major involvement of Employees in
Organisation development process. Human Resource management department is obliged to
conduct meetings separately and privately without involving employees in it. This leads
dissatisfaction among the Employees.
Equality Act 2010 impacts the Human Resource decision making of Barclay bank at the tiem of
selection process because every employee owns different abilities where offering equal pay if
difficult HR. They ensure that there is no favouritism or partiality being done in the interview
process. Under the Pay Secrecy Clauses, they disclose pay scale to each and every employer
working in the Bank. They ensure that everyone gets equality rights. In case any employee
working in their bank faces equality discrimination they resolved it (Farhadpoor and Soltani,
2017).
Health and Safety Act 1974 impacts the Human Resource decision making of Barclay bank.
Human resources professionals play an important role in ensuring employees health and safety in
the Bank premises. As they know the work culture and environment of the bank and the
employees and their job demands. They insure health and safety responsibilities towards the
employees working in the Barclay bank gets fulfilled on timely basis like adequate water supply
in the premise’s medical facility etc.
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TASK 4
P7 Applications of HRM practices in work related context with examples
Job Specification
Job Title/Designation HR. Manager
Department/Section Human Resource
Reporting to HR. Director
Main Purpose of job  To Provide an organisation with well talented and skilled
employees to make organisation sound enough to
perform tasks of company.
 Also, intimates time to time updating policies of
company to employees so that they can work in given
framework by the company.
Key Tasks  Recruitment hiring of talented employees
 Preparing job description for them
 Selection through Interviewing candidates
 Extending offers
 Discussing compensation packages
 Registration work related to ESIC (Employees State
Insurance Corporation of India) and PF.
 Performance Appraisals
 Maintaining Employees relationship
 Organising fun activities for the refreshment of
employees.
 Salary related task
Responsible for equipment
and material
Use of IT facilities and telephone networks
Stationeries
Qualification Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or in related field
Masters in Human Resource
Skills Required  Strong Effective Communicator
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 Decision Making skills
 Interpersonal skills
 Highly developed teamwork skills
 Ability to coordinate with employees
 Ability to analyse the situation and provide useful advice
to solve the problem.
 Ability of being multi-tasking
 Ability to maintain good relations with employee's
 Taking Care of Employees needs and requirement
 Performance management skills
Experience 5 years of experience and should have worked in same field in
well esteemed organisation.
Interview Questions to be asked by the interviewer for hiring for the post of HR manager?
Q1 What flexible environment and working condition should be provided to boost up employee's
morale?
Q2 What HR software you have previously worked on in an organisation?
Q3 Where do you see yourself in upcoming years?
Q4 How well do you handle leading group of individuals to resolve conflicts?
Q5 Describe your hiring strategies to hire an effective employee?
CONCLUSION
The report summarised about human resource management of 'Barclay Bank' which is a
multinational investment bank and financial company having headquarters in London. It
concludes all the functions of Human Resource Management as recruitment, selection, trainings,
performance Appraisals which is required to be followed by HR departments of this company to
maintain productivity in company. Further, report has outlined all the weak and strong effects of
HRM practices with reference to this company by analysing strengths and weaknesses of
15

recruitment, selection for this company. In addition, the report has concluded the benefits of
HRM practices for employees which helps them to work with motivated attitude. This report has
clearly mentioned all the factors of employees relations that will influence decision making of
Human Resource Management. Further, this report underlines application of HRM practices with
giving job specification through suitable example of HR Manager.
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