Human Resource Management: Purpose, Functions, and Key Roles

This report provides an overview of human resource management (HRM) in the context of Next Plc, a UK-based retail organization. It explains the purpose and functions of HRM, including recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, and reward systems. The report also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of different recruitment and selection approaches, as well as the benefits and effectiveness of various HRM practices. Additionally, it explores the influence of employee relations on HRM decision making and highlights key employee legislation applicable to HRM in companies.

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................................3
LO1........................................................................................................................................................3
P1 Explain the purpose and the function of HRM and key roles and responsibility of human
resource.............................................................................................................................................3
P2. Strength and weakness of different recruitment and selection approaches...............................5
LO2........................................................................................................................................................6
P3. Benefits of different HRM practices.............................................................................................6
P4. Effectiveness of different HRM practices.....................................................................................7
LO3........................................................................................................................................................8
P5. Influence of employee relation in influencing HRM decision making..........................................8
P6. Key employee legislation applicable over human resource management in company................8
LO4......................................................................................................................................................10
P7. Application of HRM practice in work related context ...............................................................10
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is defined as managing and controlling the organisation
need in respect to its management of human resources. This report is based on the case study
of Next Plc in respect to its human resource management operations. The organisation is a
United Kingdom based retail sector organization. Company was established is the year 1864
by the founder Joseph Hepworth. Headquarter of the company is located in United Kingdom.
This report would briefly evaluate the practices use to manage human resources of company.
Henceforth, report will emphasis on different purpose and functions associated with the
human resource management in organisation. Strengths and weaknesses of different human
resource management practices will also project in this report. Benefits of various human
resource practices in context to both employer and employee. Furthermore, report will also
emphasis over the aspect that how employee relation influence the human resource decision
making of company. Legislation implement over human resource management in
organisation would also highlight in this report. Different HRM practices in work related
context would also project in this report.
LO1
P1 Explain the purpose and the function of HRM and key roles and responsibility of human
resource
Human resource management plays effective roles in the company such as
recruitment, selection, training & development, strategy formation and implementation,
reward & punishment etc. in order to keep business always competent and active
(Voegtlinand Greenwood, 2016). Management is essential for the operational function
because human resources formulates effective strategy and implements them as per the
business situation in the workplace to keep control on day to day business operations. The
key roles and responsibility of HRM at Next plc have mentioned below:
Recruitment and Selection
It is on of the major role of human resource management that perform by HR
professionals in different corporations to maintain employee’s productivity. HR professionals
always looking for new talents as per companies’ needs through which it can achieve
profitable outcomes in it’s business. This key role of HR always supports company to deal
with high employee turnover issues. There is a best example of Next plc that has highly

talented, skilled and diversified workforce in the organization due to this it has enabled to
gain highly competitive edge over the competitors. The main goal of the HR managers with
this role is to resolve high turnover issues whenever company faces.
Development and Training
In last few years, there are numerous organizations that have put extra efforts to make
their workforce highly talented and competent in the workplace, so they organize various
training sessions for the staff. HR professionals at Next plc also conducts different training
sessions and technical program for the staff in order to improve their working performance in
the workplace through which company enables get more benefits. In addition, these training
sessions and programs keeps individuals highly creative and career oriented in the company.
The major drawback of the key function is that HR professional must have efficient skills and
knowledge through which they can understand needs of company and individuals then they
can conduct effective training session or program (Wikhamn, 2019).
Performance management
It is another important function of HRM that practices of HR professionals in the
organization to enhance individuals working efficiency in the job place. HR professionals at
Next plc often practices performance management system in order to improve workforce
performance and makes them multitaskers. With this key responsibility, HR helps company
to gain it’s short-term goals during peak period while maintaining individuals wellbeing in
the workplace. Performance review strategy is also implemented by managers to analyse
individuals performance in the workplace in order to make their workforce highly competent
and versatile for all situations. The major drawback of the key role is that it is lengthy
process.
Reward system
These key functions perform by HR professionals in different companies to keep their
staff highly motivated in the workplace. HR managers at Next Plc always perform this key
role to retain highly talented staff and awarded them regularly as per their performance so
that organization can enable to stay on its commitment in the business market. Thus,
company gains it’s all projected goals and objectives within timeframe.

P2. Strength and weakness of different recruitment and selection approaches
Human resource management implement both internal recruitment and external
recruitment practices at organisation in order to meet the human resource need and
requirements of company.
Internal recruitment
Internal recruitment is a practice that drive the department to appoint the existing
employees part of organisation at various positional roles in company. This involve based on
the performance and productivity recruit and appoint the best employees at senior position
role in company (Zehir and et.al., 2016). This is a crucial practice that allows the organisation
to motivate the employees for performing the best level of operations in the best of their own
capacity. This practice could support the management to improve the operational efficiency
of company. Company appoint employees at top positions in organisation hierarchy based on
this approach and practice.
Strengths of internal recruitment
 Improve employee motivation
 Improve work efficiency and productivity of employees
 Control employment turnover at organisation
Weakness of internal recruitment
 Motivate internal politics of company.
 Create workplace discrimination
External recruitment practice
External recruitment is defined as appointing employees not part of company at
various designated positions of Next Plc. In this recruitment and selection practice company
conduct the precise recruitment and selection campaign (Ng and Parry, 2016). Different
rounds are organised such as aptitude test, group discussion round and different other rounds
are conducted to recruit the best potential employee at various designated position role in
company.
Strength of external recruitment

 New talent are introduced in company.
 Analyse all areas of requirements of the designated position role.
Weakness of external recruitment
 Expensive way to appoint employees.
 Results are not guaranteed in this recruitment and selection approach.
LO2
P3. Benefits of different HRM practices
Benefits for employer
HRM practices such as internal recruitment allows the company to appoint existing
employees of company at higher designated position role in organisation. Company get to
motivate employees of company to perform more efficient operations in order to get
promotions (Bombiak, 2019). Employer gets the best level of benefits in respect to enhancing
the work efficiency of employee’s part of organisation. Employer also gets to improve the
overall profitability of organisation by achieving the best level of operational efficiencies.
Internal recruitment also makes the recruitment and selection practice more convenient and
cheaper in context to the organisation.
Benefits for employees
HRM practices also support the advantages to employee’s part of the company.
Practices like training and development, talent management and many other practices make
the employees of company capable of improving the skills and potentials that can support the
best level of work efficiency. Employees also get opportunities to promote at higher
designated position in company (Delery and Gupta, 2016). HRM also involve in solving
employees issues and concerns which also benefited to employees in form of more effective
work culture of company. Employees get to solve all different issues and concerns with the
support of the human resource department of company.

P4. Effectiveness of different HRM practices
HRM in Next Plc conduct different practices in order to meet responsibilities attached
with the designated position in company. Effectiveness of all different HRM practices can be
projected in the following manner.
Recruitment and selection practices
HRM at Next Plc channelizes both internal and external recruitment practice. Internal
recruitment practice allows the company to promote existing employees part of company at
higher designated positions in company. This practice allows the company to motivate
employees for achieving the best level of work efficiency against the practices entertained.
External recruitment practice of HRM allows company to introduce new talent in
organisation (Chelladurai and Kerwin, 2018). New employees bring new policies and
working aspect that benefits to company in form of new working and operational practices.
Recruitment and selection is among the key functional area of company as it directly
influence the profitability and work efficiency of company.
Training and employee development
HRM at Next Plc also follow the talent management practice. This is an important
practice that allows the company to improve the work culture of organisation. This practice
also creates a positive impact over work efficiency at the organisation. Talent management is
among the most effective practices applicable by the HRM that also drive the improved work
efficiency of company.
Solving employee issues
HRM also follow the practice related to solving employees issue at organisation. This
is another key practice human resource department need to entertain as a part of operational
duties. Issues are always a part of organisation. HRM play a connective role between
management and employees in order to solve various issues of employees of company
(Obedgiu, 2017). On the basis of the code of conducts of the Next Plc HRM deal with the
different issues associated with the company.
Performance management
HRM, also follow the practice of performance management where the department
conduct performance analysis of the performances of employees. Performance management

also guide the department to provide suitable resources that can best support the need of
employees in company.
The above mentioned practices are the key practices applicable by human resource
management at Next Plc in order to deal with the responsibilities assigned to human resource
department. All these practices play a crucial role in improving the culture of company.
LO3
P5. Influence of employee relation in influencing HRM decision making
Human resource department interact with employees and management in Next Plc.
Better relationship between employees and department allow the department to understand
the different needs and requirements of company. Employees of company would get to
convey the department about all the needs and requirement in relation to resources, practices
and different other. Training and development is a crucial practice HRM conduct that also
supports the employees of company to achieve the best level of work efficiency. Better
relationship between human resource department and employees of company make the
employees capable of conveying the department about all the demand of employees in
context to conducting specific training programs. In order to meet up with the changing needs
and demands of the professional context training programs help the employees to meet such
standards (Gill and et.al., 2018). Also the proper relationship support the employees of
company to covey all such areas that seek improvement as a part of training practices
channelizes by the human resource department. Proper relationship between department and
employees also support the human resources for solving all different issues of such
employees of company. In case the human resource dep[artment share good relationship with
the employee than employees of company get to concey all the requirements. Talent
management practices also delivered efficienctkly if the management share heakthy
rekationshuip with the work force. Resiurces are also deliverd properly if the human resource
share the good relation with the human resources.
P6. Key employee legislation applicable over human resource management in company
Following are the legislation applicable on the Next Plc.
Equality act: Equality act applicable over the company. This legislation function support
equal treatment with all employees part of the company. In order to deal with the unequal

treatment at work place government has implemented this legislation operation to improve
the work culture of company. This act ensures equal treatment with all people associated with
the Next Plc irrespective to any gender, caste, category, age and other social elements. This is
the key employee legislation applicable over companies to improve the work culture of such
organisations.
Anti discrimination: In United Kingdom discrimination at work place was also a big issue.
To deal with such an issue government has implemented anti discrimination act at work
place. This act ensure not any kind of discrimination treatment with employees on the basis
of the age, gender, colour, culture, caste, traditions and other social ground (Mura and et.al.,
2017). Discrimination play a devil role in companies as restricts the work place efficiencies
in order to achieve the overall business objectives. This legislation function has improved the
work culture in United Kingdom. Especially to women this legislation supported really well
as they started getting equal rights and treatments at work place.
Data protection act: Data protection act is another crucial legislative operation applicable
over companies. This act protects all personal information of employee’s part of the
organisation (Pritvorova, Tasbulatova and Petrenko, 2018). While conducting interviews and
selection process human resource department take various personal and professional
information of employees to assess the background of such employees. This is the
responsibility of the department to protect the personal information of such employees.
Minimum wage payment act: Minimum wage payment act also applicable over companies
in UK. This act ensures the minimum amount of wage payment to employee’s part of
organisation. This is the minimum amount of salary every employee of Next Plc against the
employment opportunity at organisation.
Ethical social responsibility: Ethical and social responsibility is also a part of legal
regulation. This involve sustaining the ethical code of conducts at work place. This is the
responsibility of the management to support the ethical code of conducts at work place.
Trade unions and work place representation: In company different trade unions are also
work. This law support the operations of such trade unions active in company. These trade
unions also support the rights of employee’s part of the organisation. All issues are also
solved of employees with the support of these trade unions.

The above mentioned legislations are the key legislative functions applicable over
companies based in United Kingdom. Application of all this act are mandatory for the
company.
LO4
P7. Application of HRM practice in work related context
Job Specification
Position : Operation Manager
Company : Next Plc
Location : London, United Kingdom
Functions:
 To control all operational responsibilities at work place.
 To meet up all requirements at work place related to operation management at work
place.
 To deal with all issues related to operations and work place of company.
 To ensure the proper flow of operation functions.
 To take decisions in respect to operation management at company.
CV
Name: Shane Watson
Father Name: Steven Watson
Place of Birth: London, United Kingdom
Education
 MBA in Logistic Management
 MCOM in Accounting and Business Statistic
 BCOM
Work Experience
 5 Year experience as an Operation Manager
 3 Year experience in Logistic Manager
Skills
 Effective communication skill
 Effective ITC skill
 Keen with digital technology tools
 Decision making skill is effective
 Active listening skill
Career Goal
I wish to have a career where I get to work in the best way possible on the best of

my capacity.
Job offer
Name: Shane Watson
Position Name: Operation Manager
Dear Mr. Shane Watson, congratulations on getting selected at the position role of
Operation Manager in Next Plc. We wish the best level of growth opportunity and have the
great future in working with us. Your date of joining will be 20th of October, 2020. In case
of any query regarding date of joining and in any context kindly contact at
[e-mail].
Short listing employees: On the basis of the above practice selected candidate are short
listed to appoint. This is the outcome of the practice run to recruit employees in organisation.
Once the advertisement is done for job candidate apply for the job. All the best candidate and
efficient applicant present in interview are short listed to appoint in this process.
Selection best practice: All such candidate presented in interview that cope up with the
requirements mentioned in job specification get selected in the organisation. This is about to
select the best candidate that can match the requirement of designated position offer by
company.
Complete process
At the initial level of recruitment selection process job description is issued. This
denote the vacant positions of the company. ON the interview date precise selection is
conducted of the candidate taht involve group discussion round, aptitude test and personal
interview round. This allow the management to assess the overall capabilities of the
candidates. Final selected candidate get the appointment letter.
Evaluation
Team of professionals evaluate the performance of each candidate take part in
inrterview. Evaluation is conducted at each stage of interview. On the basis iof evaluation
done candidate get marks. All the candidate got the best marks get short listed.
Preparatiry note
In order to prepare for the interview round candidate must focus over the aptitude test.
Technical knowledge of tehf ield must contain by the candidate. Candidate can work over teh
skill developmenty to prepare for the interview round. This entire interview oproces was well
diversified into different levels like aotutude test, group discussuion and personal interview
round. Proper segregation of stages allow the interviewer to assess the overall potential
abilities of the candidate. Personal interview round will allow the professionals to assess the
candidate on the basis of overall need and requirements of the candidate.

CONCLUSION
Human resource management is all about managing the human resources associated
with the company. Different roles such as recruitment and selection, solving issues, talent
management and other such roles and responsibilities are associated with the human resource
department of company. Both internal and external recruitments are conducted by the human
resource department of company. Better relationship in between human resource department
and employees allow the employees to get better treatment at work place. Legislations like
equality act, anti discrimination, equal rights, equal wage payment and many other
legislations are also applicable over the company in respect to management of its human
resources at company.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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necessity. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues. 6(4). pp.1647-1662.

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Human Kinetics.
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effectiveness: internal fit matters. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People
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Gill, C. and et.al., 2018. Using theory on authentic leadership to build a strong human
resource management system. Human Resource Management Review. 28(3). pp.304-
318.
Mura, L. and et.al., 2017. Development trends in human resource management in small and
medium enterprises in the Visegrad Group. Acta Polytechnica Hungarica. 14(7).
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Obedgiu, V., 2017. Human resource management, historical perspectives, evolution and
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