European Human Resource Management

This assignment focuses on European human resource management. It requires you to analyze various scholarly articles and books provided, covering topics such as strategic HRM, policy and practice in Europe, challenges for HRM, international perspectives, and the impact of corporate strategy on HRM. The resources delve into aspects like employee perceptions of HR practices, ambidexterity in organizations, and the influence of human resource management on environmental performance.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1. Purpose and functions of HRM applicable to workforce planning and resourcing.........3
P2 Strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection procedure
to be adopted by HR manager................................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P3 Benefits of HRM practices for both employee as well as employer.................................6
P4 Effectiveness of HRM practices on raising of organisational profits and productivity....8
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
P5 Impact of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision making process 10
P6 Key elements of employment legislation and its impact on HRM practices..................11
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................13
P7 Job specification for nursing job and five interview questions.......................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Human is an important resource to be considered in an organisation with a view of
performing several venture related activities in order to achieve desired goals and objectives.
Thus, effective managerial activities are essential to plan in context of human resources
appointed in a firm. Human resource managers are appointed to manage HR department as well
as its functioning which clearly defines the resource quality of a venture. The present report
focuses on several planning steps and procedures to be taken into consideration with reference to
human resource management in a company. The report focuses on HR department activities to
be undertaken in HSBC Bank (Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Corporation) situated in London,
which performs multi banking as well as financial services for the society. In the present
scenario, a new HR manager has been appointed to plan human resource and their tasks to be
performed, earlier, which was considered as a less important activity to be taken into
consideration.
TASK 1
P1. Purpose and functions of HRM applicable to workforce planning and resourcing
Human resource manager appointed at HSBC Bank is required to perform several
functions in the context of managing personnel recruited as well as selected to carry out
operational activities in venture. The basic function of HR manager can be recognised as
planning a workforce requirement to perform tasks in cited bank and accordingly, organise
human resources for the requirement (Cascio, 2018). Major purpose of human resource
management and the functions to be performed by HR manager to undertake those purposes are
explained in detail as follows: Staffing: The major role to be performed by a human resource manager in any
organisation is to recruit as well as select staff required in order to plan day to day
operational activities in that firm. The appointed manager at HSBC Bank is required
to recruit efficient candidates for a firm and accordingly, select those personnel who
are competent to provide effective services to customers and thus, enhancing
business (Brewster and Hegewisch, 2017). The appointed HR manager is responsible
not only for selection of employees, but, he is designated with a core responsibility of

managing the activities to be performed by selected persons and ensure retention
among employees.
 Employee relations: HR manager appointed at cited bank is also responsible to
manage employee and employer relations in the firm. In general terms, HR manager
acts as an intermediary between top executives or managers of bank and lower level
employees performing operational activities related to concerned bank. In order to
maintain healthy relations with employees and thus, ensuring employee retention, the
concerned HR manager has to undertake several activities or tasks which further
strengthens relations at every level of management in an organisation.
 Employee benefits management: In order to maintain as well as retain employees in
an entity, a provision of several types of benefits is made for employees which attract
them as well as ensure their retention. HR manager recruited at HSBC bank is
responsible to handle all the relevant documents related to benefits that have been
provided by employers. Various types of benefits that are being provided to
employees by their employers include health insurance, provident fund schemes,
retirement plans, worker's compensation requirements, etc. The appointed HR
manager is responsible to undertake administration as well as managerial activities
related to benefits that have been provided to employees.
 Performance management: The human resource manager that has been appointed in
mentioned venture is required to manage as well as monitor performance of
employees working in bank. In order to manage employee’s performance, HR
manager is required to plan the activities to be performed by individuals employed in
different departments and accordingly, motivate them to work efficiently by
providing appreciation either in monetary or non-monetary terms (Bratton and Gold,
2017). The biggest motivation to be taken into consideration for employees is their
promotion from one post to another which is based on their ability as well as skills to
perform the tasks that have been assigned to them.
These are the functions that are needed to be performed by appointed HR manager that
have been appointed at cited bank. He is responsible to determine a workforce requirement at
mentioned organisation and accordingly, organise as well as select human resources for job to be
performed in the bank.

P2 Strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection procedure to
be adopted by HR manager
There are different approaches that can be used by the appointed HR manager at HSBC
Bank in order to recruit as well as select skilled and competent workforce for conducting
operational activities of venture. Major approaches that can be used in context of recruiting and
selecting procedure are internal and external recruitment. A detailed explanation of both these
approaches along with their strengths and weaknesses is presented as below:
 Internal recruitment and selection: Internal recruitment procedure is termed as selecting
personnel from existing employees of an organisation in order to perform required
operational activities in the context of cited bank. In general terms, HR manager appoints
a person from within the organisation to fulfil their workforce requirement that has been
prevailing in the firm. The advantages associated with this method of recruitment are
discussed as below:
 The major advantage of this method is that it is cost efficient as it does not
involve an extra cost to be incurred in selecting employees for performing several
tasks.
 Selection of a person from exiting employees would result in understanding the
job to be performed by that individual in an effective as well as efficient way.
 This can also act as a motivational factor for other employees in order to improve
their skills and competencies to gain this promotion (Armstrong and Taylor,
2014).
This approach is also associated with certain disadvantages, which are listed as below:
 There may be an increased amount of workload on the part of individual that has been
appointed from within the organisation which would further reduce his efficiency to
perform assigned task.
 The employee appointed may lack specific skills and knowledge needed to be
undertaken in case of performing designated job.
These are the major strengths and weaknesses associated with internal recruitment
approach that can be adopted by appointed manager at HSBC Bank.
 External recruitment and selection approach: As per this approach of recruitment and
selection, personnel other than existing employees are recruited as well as selected by HR

manager appointed at mentioned bank, in order to carry operational activities for that
organisation. In general terms, candidates are selected from outside the company other
than existing staff appointed, in order to employ more competent, fresh as well as skilled
workforce for the bank. There are several advantages that are conferred by this approach
to the recruiters, which have been listed as follows:
 If this method is used by cited bank to fulfil its workforce requirements, there is a
large availability of skilled as well as expertise workforce or candidates for HR
manager, which can be appointed at the mentioned bank.
 A fresh candidate generates more creative as well as innovative ideas to perform the
tasks that have been assigned. Thus, this approach of recruitment and selection may
bring increased efficiency of the mentioned organisation.
The major disadvantages associated with external recruitment and selection procedure
are:
 Undertaking this approach requires a firm to make huge investment to adopt
recruitment and selection mechanism for the venture.
 Also, fresh employees lack experience to perform certain tasks that they are assigned,
which further increases the responsibility of HR manager that has been appointed in
cited bank.
TASK 2
P3 Benefits of HRM practices for both employee as well as employer
Human resource management practices adopted in an organisation brings long term
beneficial results for that venture. Practices adopted in HRM have been proved beneficial in the
context of both employee as well as employer. Various benefits of HRM practices are listed in
below separately for employer and employee. Benefits to employees: The HRM practices that has been initiated by appointed manager
in mentioned bank are listed in detail as below: Resolution of conflicts: HR manager's major responsibility is to manage the
operational activities of employees. Thus, generation of any conflict or argument
among employees is solved by HR manager in most effective as well as efficient way.

 Training and development: The human resource manager that has been appointed in
present bank is responsible to create training as well as developmental programme for
employees, in order to frame guidelines for the work they are required to perform. Information resource: HRM practices includes an important function of providing
information to employees by appointed HR managers. These information includes the
guidelines to be followed for performing a task, the rules as well as ethics that have
been adopted by organisation and the objectives to be achieved by a firm with respect
to the operational activities that have been carried out (Chelladurai and Kerwin,
2017). Also, managers are required to provide necessary information relating to any
activity or change in the interest of employees that have been undertaken. Thus,
effective human resource management adopted in a company results in providing
relevant information to employees. Employee relations: Human resource management team appointed in an organisation
is responsible to generate effective as well as healthy relation among employees,
which further enhances the interest of individuals in performing several tasks, and
thus, ensures reduction in their turnover. Benefits to employers: An organisation that adopts effective human resource
management practices in its operational activities, is benefited by several norms or facts,
which further ensures that firm to achieve its well defined goals as well as objectives. The
benefits that can be generated for mentioned bank,,i.e. HSBC, due to the HRM practices
adopted by the appointed manager, are explained in detail as follows: Promoting positive behaviour: The human resource managerial activities that have
been adopted by cited company assists the manager to create a positive working
environment in the context of performing operational activities for the venture. This
allows the employees to work more effectively as well as efficiently, which in turn
increases efficiency of concerned bank, as employees are the most essential as well as
effective resource to be taken into consideration by a venture. This leads to an
increased growth and development of an organisation (Marchington and Kynighou,
2016).

 Developing skills in employees: HR manager appointed at cited bank is required to
undertake training as well as developmental sessions for employees, which acts as a
guideline or framework to be followed by them in order to perform their assigned
tasks. Thus, effective human resource management practices that have been
undertaken in the cited venture enables the managers to develop skill as well as
expertise in employees, which is further beneficial for that organisation itself.
 Flexible and adaptable employees: The training and developmental programmes that
are being arranged by the managers in order to build skill and competence, also
results in generating flexibility as well as adaptability towards organisational changes
that have been undertaken with reference to improve workings in a business as well
as its activities undertaken (Storey, 2014).
Thus, above listed are the major benefits generated from HRM practices to be adopted in
present organisation, for both employees as well as employers.
P4 Effectiveness of HRM practices on raising of organisational profits and productivity
HRM practices that have been undertaken in an organisation results in achieving long
term objectives of that firm. These long term goals as well as objectives are achievable as a result
of increased productivity or efficiency of the company, which further leads to an increase in its
organisational profits (Brewster and Vernon, 2016). An enhanced list determining the
effectiveness of HRM practices is presented in detail as under: Enhanced learning among employees: The training and developmental sessions that has
been adopted in mentioned organisation generate a kind of learning and developing skills
among employees, which further increases their efficiency. Efficiencies of employees are
directly related to organisation's productivity, which enhances as a result of increased
employee efficiencies. Generation of competent workforce: A competent workforce involved in an organisation
leads to better as well as beneficial results for that firm, as competent employees perform
their assigned tasks in more efficient manner. This competencies among employees are
generated as a result of human resource management practices that have been undertaken
by HR manager appointed. All these together leads to an increased productivity on the

part of mentioned bank, thus leading to an increased number of customers to be served by
them, leading to increased organisational profits. A well organised framework: HRM practices involves a major responsibility of
preparing framework for employees in order to plan as well as regulate the activities to be
performed by employees. A well structured plan or framework of functions to be
performed are prepared in relation to the organisational objectives of achieving large
market share, thus increasing profits. Hence, a well organised or structured plan of
activities prepared by HR manager appointed at cited venture, would enable the
employees to perform their activities in more efficient manner, thus increasing
productivity of that firm (Reiche and Oddou, 2016). Employee retention and satisfaction: HR manager appointed at cited organisation is
responsible to undertake several measures in order fulfil all work related requirements of
employees, which further ensures their retention in the firm. Work related requirements
of employees includes their needs regarding salary and compensation, appreciation,
motivation, health related requirements, etc. a fulfilment of all such needs of employees
results in satisfying individuals and generating a sense of responsibility towards the
organisation, which further reduces their turnover. This leads to an increased efficiency in
the firm, as recruitment of new employees as well as their training is avoided, which
further increases profitability statement of that company (Brewster and Morley, 2016). Effective managerial practices: Human resource management initiated in the mentioned
bank leads to an effective performance of operational activities that are needed to be
taken into consideration by the firm. Management functions include planning as well as
evaluating of several activities that are needed to be performed in the context of an
organisation. This effective management of activities generates desired results for the
venture, which further enhances its efficiency and profits generated.
 Performance appraisal: HR manager appointed in a firm performs the function of
evaluating the work performed by employees and accordingly initiate appraisal for their
performance. This appraisal can be in terms of appreciation, or incentives or any such
forms, which further attracts as well as motivates individuals to perform well. This
motivation generated leads to an increase in competency and skills among employees.

Generation of efficiency on the part of employees, leads to a rise in productive factor of
the concerned company, thus increasing profits (Marchington and Kynighou, 2016).
TASK 3
P5 Impact of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision making process
The decision making mechanism that has been adopted by human resource management
team appointed at mentioned bank, is highly influenced by the relation that it maintains with
employees. A good and healthy relationship with employees enable the HR manager to delegate
effective responsibilities on their subordinates. Also, a change that is to be inculcated in a
company by managers is highly affected by employee participation, as employees are the
personnel who are majorly affected by a particular change that has been adopted in an
organisational context (Albrecht and Saks, 2015). Involvement of employees in decision making
process is essential to be taken into consideration by the managers, or else, it would lead to
generation of negative environment for the venture.
However, involvement of employees does not states that the employees are authorised to
make any decision on a particular fact or matter, it sates that employees participation should be
enhanced, which is to be followed by freedom provided to view their opinions relating to a
change to be inculcated in a firm. HR decision making mechanism revolves around employees,
thus an active participation of individuals must be encouraged in order to ensure employee
satisfaction as well as retention. This involvement of employees in decision making process
further strengthens the employee and employer relationships, which generate a healthy
environment for a business.
A change programme is initiated in an organisation with a view of increasing its current
productivity and thus, enhancing the level of profits. In respect of achieving this object of
increasing efficiencies, the employees are considered as an important resource to undertake
desired changes, as these are the personnel who are responsible to perform activities to achieve
targets or goals of an entity. Thus, a change mechanism adopted and a decision making process
followed for same must include participation of employees to endure its effectiveness. An
increased productivity on the part of a company is possible only when employees are dedicatedly
involved in providing their factor services to that firm (Purce, 2014). Thus, this objective is

possible to attain only if there is a better coordination between management team and labour or
workforce.
An active participation encouraged on the part of employees ensures in creating a sense
of satisfaction and belongingness to the venture. Industrial conflicts arise due to lack of
coordination between management and labour working in a business, avoidance of these
conflicts is possible as a result of participation invited on the part of employees as well as the
generation of employee employer relations in the firm (Jackson and Jiang, 2014). The decision
that is being taken as a result of involving subordinates, mutually benefits the organisation as
well as the employees. Also, a decision, that has been taken in accordance with everyone's point
of view, leads to generation of flexibility as well as adaptability towards the changes that has
been initiated in the venture. This further reduces the complexity of a decision to be delegated to
subordinates.
Decision making process that involves participation from employees leads to generation
of most effective as well as innovative generation of ideas, as different person comes up with
different concept, a mixture of all ideas leads to creation of most efficient way of performing
activities. Thus, customers are provided with most effective as well as efficient services by
mentioned bank, which further attracts more and more customer deposits for the bank. Thus,
involving employees as well as maintaining good relations with employees highly influences an
effective decision making process in the organisation (Mullins and Dharwadkar, 2016).
P6 Key elements of employment legislation and its impact on HRM practices
Employment legislation refers to the laws that have been enacted in order to regulate the
human resource management practices of a venture, to ensure protection of employee's rights and
avoiding their exploitation. These laws generated widely affects the human resource
management practices to be adopted by HR manager that has been appointed HSBC bank. A
detailed listing of these laws along with its impact on HR manager's workings has been presented
as below: Equality law, 2010: An anti discrimination has been enacted by the government of UK,
in the year 2010, termed as Equality law. It was enacted with a view of protecting society
from discrimination at workplace, on any grounds such as caste, race, religion, gender or
complex. Thus, the HR manager appointed at mentioned organisation is required to

undertake recruitment and selection procedure in accordance with this act enacted
(Equality Act, 2010, 2015). Health and Safety Act, 1974: In the year 1974, in order top protect individual from
health hazards prevailing at workplaces, the Britain government passed an act to provide
health and safety measure to employees working in an organisation. Hence, cited bank
and the human resource management team appointed is required to make provision for
health and safety measures of individuals working over there (Banfield and Royles,
2018). Wage and hour: Fair Labour Standards Act was introduced in the economy of UK, in
order to provide fair as well as deserved wages to employees. As per this act, minimum
wages as per the work done by individuals is needed to be provided to employees. A
violation of this act, may result in high ending adverse effect on the company, thus,
leading to legal allegations made against that firm. Also, this act provides a limit for
maximum hours an employer can make an employee to work in factory premises. An
excess of working hours provided by individuals, is required to be compensate by
employers by providing extra income, i.e. incentives.
 Leaves provision: As per the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act, the employers are
required to provide 12 weeks of 12 months as paid leaves to employees. In general terms,
employees are eligible to enjoy benefit of taking 12 week leave in a duration of a
year,i.e. 12 months, during various circumstances such as family holidays, health issues,
emergent situations, etc. (Kostopoulos and Syrigos, 2015).
A violation of these enacted acts results in legal allegations registered under the name of
HSBC Bank, which further adversely affects its image in the market. Thus, human resource
manager appointed is required to undertake practices which are in accordance with these
employment legislations enacted or prepared by the government of UK.
TASK 4
P7 Job specification for nursing job and five interview questions
Job Specification

Post Nurse
Qualification Required certificate course for Nursing activities
Experience A minimum of two years working experience in a recognised
health care institute
Job description  Candidate should possess required knowledge in order
to treat patients in more effective as well as efficient
ways.
 A proper knowledge of steps to be undertaken in case
of emergencies in the hospital is a must.
 Candidate should treat patients in more [polite and
humble manner.
 Also, the candidate should be able to undertake
effective understanding of patient's medical as well as
personal care needs.
 Interview questions: With a view of appointing an efficient, skilled, competent and
expertise nurse in a medical or health care institute, the human resource managers are
required to undertake an effective recruitment as well as selection procedure. The
recruitment process involves with inviting applicants and an appropriate selection
mechanism is taken into consideration (Paillé and Jin, 2014). The selection procedure is
adopted by interviewing candidates. In order to appoint competent nurse in health care
hospital in UK, the interviewer can ask below mentioned five questions:
◦ In case no supervisor is there and doctors are on their break and suddenly a patient
suffering from dementia gets hyper, what would you do to calm the patient?
◦ What are your major strengths that have been derived by you and you previous
employer?
◦ What is the major reason that you have joined this profession of nursing?

◦ What measures would you take on your behalf in order to provide health care
measures other than medical treatment for patients, which would further lead to fast
recovery of that patient?
◦ How would you deal with a patient who is arrogant enough and not ready to take any
diagnosis or treatment?
All these can be listed as the major questions to be asked by interviewer in order to
determine the competencies of candidates and accordingly select a more effective as well as
efficient staff or nurse for the hospital.
CONCLUSION
The present report concludes that human resource management practices are essential to
be taken into consideration in the context of achieving well determined goals and objectives of
an organisation. The learning outcomes that have been generated by preparing this report briefly
includes the purpose of human resource management, i.e. to undertake effective selection as well
as management of activities that are performed by employees appointed in a venture. The report
concludes that there are two approaches that can be used by HR mangers in order to recruit and
select competent candidates, namely, internal recruitment and external recruitment. These two
are associated with several advantages as well as disadvantages, which have been discussed in
detail in this present report. It also concludes that, employee participation is essential in decision
making process adopted by concerned HR manager. HRM practices adopted in a venture benefits
both employee as well as employer, details of which are included above. Different laws has been
enacted by the government of UKM, in order to protect rights of employees.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Albrecht, S. L. and Saks, A. M., 2015. Employee engagement, human resource management
practices and competitive advantage: An integrated approach. Journal of Organizational
Effectiveness: People and Performance. 2(1). pp.7-35.
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2014. Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
Banfield, P. and Royles, D., 2018. Introduction to human resource management. Oxford
University Press.
Bratton, J. and Gold, J., 2017. Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave.
Brewster, C. and Hegewisch, A. eds., 2017. Policy and practice in European human resource
management: The Price Waterhouse Cranfield survey. Taylor & Francis.
Brewster, C. and Morley, M. eds., 2016. New challenges for European resource management.
Springer.
Brewster, C. and Vernon, G., 2016. International human resource management. Kogan Page
Publishers.
Cascio, W., 2018. Managing human resources. McGraw-Hill Education.
Chelladurai, P. and Kerwin, S., 2017. Human resource management in sport and recreation.
Human Kinetics.
Jackson, S. E. and Jiang, K., 2014. An aspirational framework for strategic human resource
management. The Academy of Management Annals. 8(1). pp.1-56.
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Kostopoulos, K. C. and Syrigos, E., 2015. Ambidexterity and Unit Performance: Intellectual
Capital Antecedents and Cross‐Level Moderating Effects of Human Resource Practices.
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Marchington, M. and Kynighou, A., 2016. Human resource management at work. Kogan Page
Publishers.
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Paillé, P. and Jin, J., 2014. The impact of human resource management on environmental
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Purce, J., 2014. The impact of corporate strategy on human resource management. New
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management. Taylor & Francis.
Storey, J., 2014. New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals).
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Wilton, N., 2016. An introduction to human resource management. Sage.
Online
Equality Act, 2010. 2015 [online] Available through .<https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-
act-2010-guidance>.