HRM Practices at M&S Ltd

This assignment focuses on the application of human resource management (HRM) practices at Marks and Spencer (M&S) Ltd., a multinational retail company. It requires analyzing how HRM strategies such as manpower planning, training and development, creating vision and mission statements, and maintaining product quality can help M&S achieve success in its competitive market. The assignment aims to understand the role of HRM in managing workplace activities and fostering employee satisfaction.

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Functions and purpose of HRM............................................................................................1
P2. Strengths and weaknesses of various approaches of selection and recruitment...................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3. Benefits of various human resource practices for employee and employer.........................4
P4. Effectiveness of various HRM practices in terms of raising profits of organisation............5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P5. Significance of employee relations in influencing decision making related with human
resource management..................................................................................................................6
P6. Main factors of employment legislation and its impact on HRM decision making.............6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
P7. Application of human resource practices in a work related context.....................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Human Resource management is essentially required for an organisation which provides
the required support related to managing and controlling activities of employees working in an
organisation. They are responsible to recruit skilled and knowledgeable candidate and conduct
training and development programs for them. The manager is held responsible to formulate and
implement an effective plans and policies which directs and guides the employees to perform in
right direction (Abdelhak, Grostick and Hanken, 2014). The main purpose of this project is to
provide the role and importance of HRM in growth and success of an organisation. The project
covers various approaches and theories of selection and recruitment and its strengths and
weaknesses. Different HRM practices which help company in raising profits is also discussed
under this report. The project also summarises the employment legislation and also its impact in
HRM decision making. Marks and Spencer (M&S) which deals in offering house and clothing
product across worldwide is selected for preparing this report.
TASK 1
P1. Functions and purpose of HRM
HRM is an important part of an organisation whose main focus is improve the
performance of employees working in an organisation. For this, HR manager is required to make
an effective plans and policies which directs the employees to perform their delegated task in an
effective and efficient manner (Lewis, Packard and Lewis, 2011). But the important roles and
responsibilities of HRM is to recruit and select appropriate candidate for the right job at right
time and after that training and development programs are conducted to improve their skills and
knowledge so that they can contribute maximum efforts in achieving organisational goals and
objectives. With help of getting support of HRM, M&S Ltd is able to achieve competitive
advantage and and survive in competitive environment for longer duration.
Functions of HRM
Recruitment: The HR manager of M&S Ltd is liable to recruit skilled and knowledgeable
candidate through conducting interview sessions and induction programs. But before this, they
need to make an advertisement through which they provide job descriptions and required
qualification for the vacant position so that eligible candidates show their interest and
willingness to apply for the same.
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Relation with employees: It is important of HR manager to create a platform where they
can communicate with their employees regarding policies and strategies and also collecting
feedbacks relating to issues or problems faced at workplace. This will help in establishing
healthy relation with their employees which directly improves the overall performance of
employees (Bloom and Van Reenen, 2011). Through providing required support, the morale and
confidence level are also increases.
Conduct training and development: HR manger is required to focus on implementing
ways that maximises the skills and knowledge of employees and perform in better way.
Therefore it is important to conduct on-the-job training which help employees in acquiring new
and innovative ways to complete delegated task in an effective and efficiency.
Compliance: It is important for HRM to communicate formulated plans and policies to
the members of an organisation so that they can perform in a right direction. It allows manager to
take strict actions gains t their employees if they fails to perform as per given guidelines and
standards (Manroop, Singh and Ezzedeen, 2014).
P2. Strengths and weaknesses of various approaches of selection and recruitment
Recruitment is known as the process of choosing right best candidate among various
options on the basis of their skills and qualifications. These roles and responsibilities are
performed by HR manager which are required to focus in recruiting skilled and knowledgeable
candidate for their company so that the company can achieves its desired goals and objectives.
For this, the manager M&S Ltd need to adopt different approaches of recruitment through which
they can recruit knowledgeable candidate for their company.
Internal approach of recruitment: Under this approach the manager has option to
recruit and select among existing employees for the vacant job position. Therefore it is
considered as an effective approach of recruiting as the manager can able to recruit qualified and
experienced employees which are much familiar with the working environment (Cox, Arnold
and Tomás, 2010). There are some strengths and weaknesses as well of such approach which are
determined as below:
Strengths
Recruiting through this approach help company in saving cost as they do not need to
advertise the vacant job within public. It also helps in bringing motivation and high confidence
level among employees as they got an opportunity to take part in recruitment process. This will
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help in maximising the level do satisfaction of employees through which they can focus on
fulfilling commitment and loyalty toward the company (Mitchell, 2013).
Weaknesses:
Through this recruitment approach, it restricts the company in getting new and fresh
talent through which they can unable to implement new and innovative techniques in their
organisational structure in an effective way. It also demotivate employees who are not promoted
which brings negative sign for company.
External approach of recruitment: In this approach, HR manager invites public to
apply for the vacant position in an organisation and accordingly select one among large number
of candidates who fulfils all requirements. It can be done through publishing advertisement in
which all job description and requirements are clearly mentioned which help candidate in
identifying their eligibility to apply for the vacant job position or not. This approach has also
some strengths and weaknesses which are as follows:
Strengths
Recruiting through this approach help company in acquiring new and fresh talent in an
organisation which brings new and innovative ideas of completing allotted task in an effective
and efficient manner. This will improves the sustainability and profitability of company as well.
HR manager has lots of option to recruit for the vacant position which maximises the chances of
selecting best one is more (Daley, 2012).
Weaknesses
This approach of recruiting takes lot of time and cost which affect the profitability of
company as well. Inviting candidates through advertisements will required huge amount of
investment. Recruiting outside of the organisation will also bring demotivation and
dissatisfaction among existing employees which affects their overall performance as well. The
chances of arising issues and conflicts will be more due to which the stability of company may
also influences (Nabrzyski, Schopf and Weglarz, 2012).
Selection: After inviting candidates for the vacant job position, HR manager is require to
select best one among various adoption on the basis of their skills and experiences. This will help
company in achieving competitive advantage as well as also able to capture large market share in
competitive market world. Following are the main approaches of selection:
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Systematic approach: Under this approach, HR manager need to evaluate capabilities of
candidates after following sequence of steps which help them in choosing strategy in select the
right candidate for the right position at right time. The main features of this approach is to
eliminate business from the process of selection.
Unsystematic approach: Under this approach the manager is selecting candidates
randomly and comparing their skills and qualification with needed requirements in order to
select right candidate for the vacant job position (Flamholtz, 2012).
TASK 2
P3. Benefits of various human resource practices for employee and employer
There are various benefits the employers and employees received from the HRM concept which
help in maintaining a positive work environment.
Benefits to employer:
Establishes positive work environment: There are certain policies and programs
implemented by HRM which help in creating positive work environment need to be followed by
employer so that they can improve employee's morale through directing them to work in proper
ways.
Help in Assigning roles and responsibilities to members : After identifying the skills
and capabilities of employees working in an organisation, it becomes easy for HR manger to
assign roles an responsibilities on the basis of their specialisation so that the chances of getting
positive outcome will be more (Ployhart and Moliterno, 2011).
Provide support to evaluate the policies of an organisation: Adopting HRM practices
provide the opportunities to improve the performance of an organisation after measuring the
satisfaction level of employees. This will help manager in making an effective policies after
identifying the needs and requirements of workers in an organisation.
Helps in building team: Through HRM practices the employer can able to motivate its
employees to work in a team so as to bring maximum possible outcomes. It allows manager to
direct the members through communicating them formulated policies which help employees in
performing in an effective and efficient way (Fulton and et. al., 2011).
Benefits to employees:
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Enhance employees performance: HRM practices helps in motivating employees by
providing them new and innovative ways of doing allotted task in an effective and efficient
manner. It create positive work environment which improves the level of employees in an
appropriate manner.
Understand various needs of employees: HRM contribute their maximum efforts in
acknowledging the needs and requirements of employees workplace and accordingly fulfil them
through conducting various training and development programs.
Create healthy working environment: HRM mainly focuses on providing good and
positive work environment which maximises the interest level of employees and thus perform
their delegated roles and responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner (Sirmon and et. al.,
2011).
P4. Effectiveness of various HRM practices in terms of raising profits of organisation
Human resource management is responsible and wholly liable to manage and monitors
activities of employees and give proper guidance to them in order to perform their allotted task in
an effective and efficient manner. HRM practices supports the employees so that they can
contribute their maximum efforts in achieving desired goals and objectives with the help of their
skills and knowledge.
HRM practices also help in establishing in good working environment which maximises
the level of satisfaction and brings confidence level among them through which they can able to
make huge contribution to the organisation. Through HRM practices the employees are getting
an economic and efficient way of competing allotted work with the help of utilising available
resources in an optimum manner (Glendon, Clarke and McKenna, 2016).
Implementing new technologies within an organisation is difficult to operate by members
of an organisation as they don't have any knowledge of using such techniques in an efficient
manner. Therefore HRM practices enables them to utilise such advanced technologies while
executing business activities. HR manager is held liable to improve the skills and capabilities of
employees through conducting them training and motivational programs. Providing rewards,
compensation,b onus salary etc. on the basis of their performance will easily motivated to focus
of fulfilling their commitments (Song and et. al., 2010).
Therefore HRM practices will helps in bringing overall development of employees and
maximises their interest and behaviour.
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TASK 3
P5. Significance of employee relations in influencing decision making related with human
resource management
In order to achieve desired goals and objectives within predetermined period of time, then
an organisation must have skilled and knowledgeable employee with the help of their
contribution they can achieve competitive advantage in market. It is also necessarily required for
manager of M&S Ltd. to create a healthy environment and maintain good relation with their
employees so that their employees can easily contact with them and inform them about issues
and problems which restricts them in performing in better way ( Gruman and Saks, 2011). While
taking an effective decisions the manager of M&S Ltd need to consider the following:
 Managers also need to allow its members of an organisation to take participation in
decision making process which help in getting new ideas and suggestion from employees
which may be useful in making an effective decisions.
 Employers are also required to treats equally and should not be discriminate on the basis
of their culture, religion etc.
 Communication should be done properly in order to collect feedbacks and problems
faced by employees at workplace and accordingly make suitable policies and strategies.
 Analysing the performance of employees on the basis of work done by them in last few
months will help manager to make decision regarding giving rewards and promotion to
them (Tarique and Schuler, 2010).
All such points are required to be considered which help managers of M&S Ltd to make
an effective decision and allow them to build a healthy relation with their employees. If the
mangers fails to consider the interest level and behaviour of employees then it will bring
negative impact on the overall performance of an organisation. Therefore it is important for top
authorities of an organisation to think about implementing ways to maximise the level of
satisfaction of employees and gives motivation and self-confidence to them so that the
employees can provide their services for longer period of time to the company (Hobfoll, 2011).
P6. Main factors of employment legislation and its impact on HRM decision making
An organisation can survive in competitive environment for longer duration if they can
comply with rules and regulations implemented by government . It helps in protecting the rights
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and duties of employees which help them in working their roles and responsibilities in smoothly
manner. Therefore it influences the decision making process of management as well. There are
some employment legislation which need to be adopted by an organisation in order to run the
business more successful:
Equality Act, 2010: This Act protects the rights and interest of employees at workplace
within an organisation. According to this Act, the employer have no right to differentiate
employees on the basis of their characteristics, culture, religion, gender etc. Every employees
working in an organisation should be treated equally (Vörösmarty and et. al., 2010).
Data protection: This Act states that an organisation must need to protect their important
data and information that will help them in achieving competitive advantage. The information
must be confidential and should not use in illegal way (Iles, Chuai and Preece, 2010).
Healthy and safety act: According to this Act, the manager is liable to implement
policies and strategies which protects the health of employees while performing their delegated
task. If the work place will be safe then they will perform in a better way.
Working time directive Act: According to this Act, the employees should work for at
least 48 hours in a week within an organisation in order to get legal existence of employment.
Therefore the employer of M&S Ltd. is one who are liable to record the working hours of
employees so as to provide them employability.
Minimum wage Act: This Act states that the employer of an organisation is required to
provide them minimum wage to their workers for the work they have done for them. According
to this Act, employer of M&S Ltd is liable to pay them compensation or salaries etc. which help
employees in fulfilling their basic needs such as Food, shelter and cloth (Functions of HRM.
2017).
Worker disability discrimination Act: This act states that the employer should not
discriminate their workers on the basis of their religion, caste, gender etc. which brings
dissatisfaction among them. The manager should treat their members equally so as to bring
positive result to company.
Employee relation Act: This act states that employer need to focus on maintaining
healthy relation with their employees so as to avoid conflicts within an organisation. This can be
done by offering them fair remuneration and healthy working condition.
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These are the some government legislation which is required to be implemented by M&S
Ltd. in order to make business more successful (Kakuma and et. al., 2011).
TASK 4
P7. Application of human resource practices in a work related context
M&S Ltd is multinational company of UK which deals in providing multiple products
across worldwide. Therefore it is important for them to apply various HRM practices in order to
achieve growth and success in competitive market world. Such HRM practices are as follows:
Manpower planning: It is important for manager of M&S Ltd to identify the skills and
knowledge of their employees and accordingly assign them roles and responsibilities in order to
achieve better possible result. This will help in maximising the satisfaction level of employees
through which they can contribute more in achieving desired goals and objectives.
Training and Development: In order to bring positive outcome from business activities,
it is important for manager to conduct training and development programs in order to improve
the skills and capabilities of their employees. It will help employees in operating new and
advanced technology in an effective and efficient manner (Kraaijenbrink, Spender and Groen,
2010).
Create vision and mission: It is essentially required for manager of M&S Ltd to
communicate mission and vision of company so that the employees are focus on finding new and
innovative ways to perform allotted task in an effective way so as to achieve them. It motivates
employees to focus on target and accordingly perform in such an effective that will bring
positive result to company.
Maintain quality of products: M&S Ltd is difficult to attract all groups of people as they
mainly focus on attracting young generation for their clothing business. Therefore it is important
for them to bring variety in their clothing product and produced for all groups of people so that
they can attract large number of customers. Improving quality of products will help company in
capturing large market share in competitive market world.
All these factors need to be consider by manager of M&S Ltd in order to reduce the
chances of occurring issues and problems at workplace (Difference Between Training and
Development, 2017).
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CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above project that HRM is play an important role in
managing and monitoring all activities of members working in an organisation. HR manager is
required to recruit candidate for their company after determining their skills and knowledge so
that they can contribute maximum efforts in achieving desired goals and objectives. It is also
important for an organisation to maintain healthy relation with their relation so that they feel
satisfied and motivated to perform well. Various theories and approaches are required to be
followed in order maintain healthy environment at workplace.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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