Strategic Human Resource Management

This assignment delves into the field of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). It examines the relationship between corporate strategy and HR practices, exploring how SHRM influences organizational performance. The provided resources cover various aspects of SHRM, including high-performance work systems, human capital development, and the impact of global trends on HRM. Students are expected to analyze these concepts and understand the crucial role SHRM plays in achieving organizational success.

Managing Human Resource

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
1.1Guest model of human resource management...................................................................3
1.2 Compare between the Storey’s definition, personal management and IR practices........5
1.3 Implication of line manager and employee in developing strategic hrm.........................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Implementation of flexible model in practice..................................................................7
2.2 Types of flexibility implemented in organization............................................................9
2.3 Use of flexible working practices in relation with employee and employer....................9
2.4 Impact of flexible working condition on labour market.................................................10
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................11
3.1 Forms of discrimination that can take place in workplace.............................................11
3.2 Practical implication of equal opportunities legislation in workplace...........................12
3.3 Comparison of managing equality and managing diversity in practices........................12
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................13
4.1 Compare different methods of performance management.............................................13
4.2 Approach to management the employee welfare...........................................................13
4.3 Implication of health and safety legislation on HR practices.........................................14
4.4 Impact of topical issues on HR practices.......................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
The human resource of the company is having most important contribution in the profitability of
the company. This is involved in managing all the operation effectively. The efficient
management and development of the human resource of the organization is necessary for
sustainable development of the company, Unilever is a multinational company. There are more
than 150,000 company offices established in various countries of the world. The Unilever is fast
growing company as a manufacturing firm of consumer goods (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014).
The company is engaged in various human resource practices for development of the employees
and providing them better opportunities for their future growth. Human resource is very
important asset of the company. This results in implementation of new technology and strategies
successfully. The human resource is flexible and adaptable to changes in organization and gives
a new direction to the growth of the Unilever business. Successful management of the human
resource is contribution in effective hiring, training and development of the employee.
Ultimately this contributes in increased profitability if the organization.
This assignment studies the various models of the managing human resource in company
effectively like Guest HRM model. The assignment also helps in studying the flexibility in the
work culture, workforce of the Unilever organization. This deals with the study of various factors
that influence and regulates the efficient development of the human resource management
system if the organization.
TASK 1
1.1Guest model of human resource management
The guest model is dependent upon various strategies of human resource management. Thus
model was developed by David guest. This model was formulated in 1987. This models defines
various aspects of managing human resource effectively and its outcomes in the organizational
change. This deal is based on the implementation of mixed strategy of soft and hard hrm in the
organizations work culture. The hard hrm follows the ideology that def9ines human resource is
same as other resurce of the organization and implement policies dependent to this ideology. The
hard hrm practices involves development of various strategies only for the profitability of the
organization (Boxall and Purcell, 2011). While the soft hrm treat a human resource an most
valuable asset of the organization and works for the development of human resource in company.

The soft hrm practices involves various methods for development of employee and providing
them better opportunities their career growth. Guest models studies various factors which
influence the performance and the effectiveness of the organization. These elements are defined
as follows:
 Strategic integration: This involves the integration organizational policies related to
profitability and objectives with the policies of HR. This is type of the hard hrm
practices.
 Flexibility: The flexibility in working culture can involve both hard and soft hrm
practices. The hard hrm includes hiring of the employee only when needed and then
turning them out from organization. While soft hrm involves providing employee better
environment even conditions are adverse. This flexibility of the hr concludes in
development of organization if there is any change in external environment or situation of
contingent problem (Bratton and Gold, 2012).
 Commitment: This defines the passion of employee towards the organization and work.
Commitment of the employee increases profitability of the company. This can be
achieved with soft hrm practices.
 Strategic quality: In development of hrm practices and policies should also have top
management interest and strategic implementation by management. This includes
enhanced quality of workforce and companies are engaged in such activities to build
competitive advantage with the good employee in organization.
These factors influence the functions and operations of the organization. The various
outcomes of the hrm strategies and the hrm practices are:
 Performance outcomes: The performance outcomes of various hr practices and strategies
are increased productivity, innovation and quality work in organization.
 HR outcomes: This results in commitment of employee towards organization, enhanced
employee engagement, quality performance of employee and flexibility among employee
behavior (Daley, 2012).
 Financial outcome: Increases profitability of company and results in ROI of company.
 Behavioral outcome: Highly motivated workforce, corporation are the result of
behavioral outcome of individual resulting from various HR strategic implementation.

The company Unilever is implemented guest model to enhance the satisfaction level and
motivation level of employee and reducing employee turnover rate in the organization (Jiang,
and et.al., 2012). Implementation of this model in Unilever results in following outcomes:
 Improved performance: The implemented strategies helps in improving performance of
employee by increasing level of employee engagement in the organization.
 Enhanced problem solving: The flexible nature and information of the hr will help in
effective decision making by top management and problem solving activities in the
Unilever company (Guest, 2011).
 Reduced employee turnover: This soft hrm practices provides a good working
environment and enhanced satisfaction level of employee. This results in decreased
employee turnover in the organization and helps in cost reduction of hr expenses.
1.2 Compare between the Storey’s definition, personal management and IR practices
Storey’s definition of hrm Personal management Industrial relations
Human resource
management deals with
various activities involved
in managing workforce of
the organization which
result in effectively
achievement of goals of
individual as well as
organization.
Personal management deals
only with the relationship of
employee with firm and
various aspects of people
working with the company.
This deals with the relations
of the employee with each
other. It studies various
aspects of employee
relationships.
Storey is engaged in
development of
competitive advantage in
the market by creating
committed workforce in
the system if company.
It is the administration
operation of the human
resource management and
usually engaged in utilization
of personnel of company in
increasing productivity for
the company.
It develops and healthy
relationship among
employee, employer, trade
union and government of the
country.
Unilever is involved in
developing various
Unilever is continuously
engaged in organizing
Unilever focuses on the
developing good relationship

strategies which develops
various personal and
organizational benefit for
the firm. The company is
involved in managing
healthy environment for
the growth of the
employee and engaged in
development of various
programs like lamplighter
to achieve this.
various training program for
the employee so that they can
contribute in the enhanced
productivity of the company.
This also provides various
means of gaining experience
so that they can transfer their
learning effectively in
workplace and affects
productivity and profitability
in positive way.
between employee and the
top management by reducing
the communication gap in
organization system an also
helps in development of
various strategies to resolve
the issues of the employee an
workers with the help of
collective bargaining by
employer and trade union.
1.3 Implication of line manager and employee in developing strategic hrm
Hrm is not only the functions of the Hr department. The policies and strategies developed
by the human resource department if not having influence on the particular department, in actual
it affects all other departments of the organisation also. The human resource department manages
the employee and their activity in complete organization and influence their working habits with
their strategic development (Meredith Belbin, 2011). So, for successful implementation of
strategy for development of workforce in the organization it is necessary to integrate all the
department of the company to together in developing new strategies and policies for the firm.
The various department of the company requires strategic integration so that they can contribute
in productivity of the organization.
Unilever is developed various strategies with the implication of line manager and
employee in strategic integration in company. Some of the Hr activities that effects the line
manager and employee decision are as follows:
 Recruitment: recruitment is hiring of appropriate candidate for the particular job profile.
So, human resource department also hire candidate of their department of the
organization also like operational department of Unilever (Huselid and Becker, 2011).
So, it is necessary to integrate the strategy of line manager with the HR policies so that
the recruitment process can accomplish all capabilities required in performing a task of
company operation effectively.

 Training and development: This function of human resource department fi most
important for the development of various skills in the employee effectively. This also
should be integrated with the line manger as he is a right person to identify various needs
of skills and training in the employees operations departments. This integration helps in
better understanding of need and performance of the training and development event
organized by HR department of Unilever.
 Motivation: Motivation is important factor for the commitment and employee
engagement in the organization. The hr department strategies also integrated with the
needs of employee to enhance their motivation level in the working environment of
organization. The HR deals with various monetary and non-monetary benefits to
employees. This enhances the performance of employee in all department (Harzing and
Pinnington, 2010).
This implication increases the responsibility of line manger along with the duties of
operations management. This enhances the more motivation in the line manager and their
employee also. The Unilever is developed a line manager portal in the organization which helps
in recording the information about the pre leave, on leave and return to work employees. With
help if this he can easily mange the task effectively and divide them to other depending on leave
employee and assign work to employee who returned to the work.
TASK 2
2.1 Implementation of flexible model in practice
The employee is concerned about managing work life balance, the employee of the
organization always try to balance between the professional like and the personal life. The
organizational culture and the policies affects the plans of work life balance of individual to the
large extent. Flexibility implementation in the work culture is important to motivate the
employee and able provide flexible environment in the firm in efficient response to any change
in external or internal environment of the Unilever (Wright and McMahan, 2011). The
companies like Unilever is implemented flexible organization culture so that company
contributes in the effectible management of work life balance by the employee. Tis enhances the
satisfaction level of workforce towards their jobs. The Atkinson model of flexibility defines two
types of workforce which have different functions and responsibility and requires

implementation of various policies to maintain efficiently balance between the personal and
professional life of individual. These types of workforces re defies below:
 Core workforce: The employee who are directly engaged in operational department of the
organization at workplace are core workforce for the Unilever functions.
 Periphery workforce: These are not directly involved in operation of firm but they are
involved in framing the policies and managing the human resource of the company
effectively and efficiently (Berman, and et.al., 2012).
The process implemented by the Unilever to bring flexibility in the organization work
culture is defined below:
 Be clear with eligibility: Identifying the types of workforces who is eligible to flexible
working condition or who are not.
 Identifying flexibility options: there are many options of implementing various strategies
related to the flexible working environment of the organization. There may be flexibility
in working time or in working locations.
 Compressed work week: The 5 day work for full time job per week is somehow provides
flexibility in functions.
 Flexible working hours: The employee works according to his preferences and starts and
finish his work earlier with meeting all work standards.
 Sharing job: This results in sharing of task and responsibility among two people and
finishes their work effectively and earlier.
 Part time work: The employee ready to work for shorter time of period according to his
preferences and availability for the particular job. While the location flexibility allows a
person to work from another place other than office (Sparrow, Brewster and Chung,
2016).
 Telecommuting: this refers to working of employee from the home or other location
where he can complete his office work during office hours.
 Risk reduction: It is necessary to reduce the risk from the flexible culture in organization
for sustainable productivity in organization. This helps in developing various strategies
and policies by hr that ensures the commitment of the employee even working form place
other than office and he is respondents to other job activities effectively.

2.2 Types of flexibility implemented in organization
Flexibility of the organization refers to the ability of the firm to adapt changes in the
environment or any situation. The types of flexibility developed by the Unilever organization in
its work culture are as follows:
 Financial flexibility: Employee are free to do variety of job in same department or other
department. This flexibility s accomplished by the training of employee for various roles
and building coordination between departments.
 Peripheral numerical flexibility: This is defined as hiring of employee according to the
needs of production on the basis of contract. As the production need is decreased the
employee are fired from the company (Armstrong, 2011).
 Financial flexibility: This provides various monetary and non-monetary benefits to the
employee of the organization. Compensation and rewards are given to employee on the
basis of their performance and results in higher motivation and commitment of workforce
towards organization operations.
 Temporal flexibility: Flexibility on the basis of production. In case of the higher
production need the employee have to work overtime and the company for the overtime
differently in addition to extra work.
 Location flexibility: This refers to the felinity in working location. Employee can prefer
location for completion his job other than office.
 Schedule flexibility: This defined as flexibility in the scheduling and timing of the
working in the organization.
2.3 Use of flexible working practices in relation with employee and employer
The flexibility in organization is having great contribution in the employee better
performance and satisfaction level and in the profitability of the employer (Storey, 2014). The
various methods utilization with the perspective of both employer and employee are as follows:
Method Employee perspective Employer perspective
Part time: the employee
work for shorter time
period according to their
preferences.
Employee working at part
time can do work other
places also and mange time
for any jobs also.
Employer hire the employee
at low salary as individual is
working for shorter time
period in organization.
Job sharing: sharing of Results in decreased burden The work done in job sharing

task, and responsibilities
among employees
in individual. This decreases
the level of responsibility to
single person.
is earlier than expected time
this is profitable for the
employer.
Zero hour contract: There
is no time frame of
working. This shoes that
person is not bound to
specific working hours.
This provides and
opportunity to employee
working with the task and job
which they prefer and more
capable to that work.
There is no time limits but
the employer may be needing
employees working with
organization in case of some
hectic situation.
Tele working: this refers o
reporting from home or
other place.
Employee can work from
anywhere without going to
office during office hours.
The employer should be
connected with the person
who is preferring tele
working of effective
management of task assigned
to the employee
Compressed working
hours: This compress the
workload in a single weak
rather than assigning work
daily.
This enables the employee to
enjoy full working hours in
the Unilever company.
This system motivates and
better coordinates the
employer and employee to
work for some assigned work
per week.
2.4 Impact of flexible working condition on labour market
The flexible working conditions and the policies of the company is influenced by the
labour market to the large extent. Any change in external environment leads to change in the
labour market which influence the policies and strategies of Unilever company to the large
extent. The labour market is having important roles in defining the policies of the organization.
The change in external environment like any demographic changes or the governmental policies
etc. influence the policies of the company (CHUANG and Liao, 2010). The demand and supply
of labour and their conditions in market also influences the strategy development decisions of the
organization. The various factors of policy development that affected by the labour market are as
follows:
 Demography in labour market: the changing tends of the labour market influence the
organization policies to the large extent (Purce, 2014). The demographic factors like age,

sex of labour affects the strategic development of hr in Unilever. Decrease in birth rate in
country leads to decreased young labour in the market that results in need of change in
policy of the company. The changing no. of women working also influence the policies
of the organization. This affects he composition of the organization work culture and
work structure.
 Types of market: The type of market largely influence the policies of the organization.
For ex. The company situated in local are where is scarcity of the human resource. That
leads to change in strategy as he demand of labour by the organization cannot be
accomplished by existing policies in local area (Scullion and Collings, 2011). This
reduced labour decreases the productivity and slows down the process of the firm. The
market of labour exploited by the organization should be considered which can fulfil the
demand of the company
 The company Unilever is enhancing the power of the women and hiring more and more
women for the organization. As there is large of women customers of Unilever the
company is focusing appointing ore and more women employee in organization to
understand the various need of women customers.
TASK 3
3.1 Forms of discrimination that can take place in workplace
Discrimination is process of treating an individual unequal from other on the basis of
various factors like race, age, sex, religion, origin country etc. discrimination in the workforce
violates the equality law implemented by the UK government in order to protect the rights of the
employee working with the organization. The various aspects of the discrimination on the basis
of the employee is treated unequal are as follows:
 Age discrimination: the employee should be treated equally in the working environment
for the organization on the basis of the age of the person. The employee should be judged
on the basis of the performance standards strictly instead of comparing the employee on
the basis of the experience and the age of the person (Werner and DeSimone, 2011).
 Religion discrimination: There are large no of employee working in different companies.
These employee belong to different religions working together in same organization. If

the management discriminate individual on the basis of religion is an illegal work and the
government can take serious action over this action.
 Sex discrimination: The discrimination of employees on the basis of female and male and
providing more growth opportunity to the male employee of the organization ids ad
wrongful act.
 Disability discrimination: The disability of the individual may give birth to the
discrimination in the organization culture (Bloom and Van Reenen, 2011). This is an
unethical action carried out by the organization. The person should be judged on the basis
of his abilities of employee working in the Unilever organization.
3.2 Practical implication of equal opportunities legislation in workplace
The implementation of equal opportunity legislation in workplace ensures that the
employee of the organization is not treated unequal and equal growth opportunities are provided
to every individual working in the company. The violation of the law leads to an legal action
against the management of the company. The equal opportunity law defines all employees are
equal before law. The practical implications of this law in practice followed by the organizations
are as follows:
 Develop a policy in relation to equal opportunity law in provision of the company.
 Communicate these policies the employee so that they are aware of their rights in the
organization.
 Violation of the law will be an act of legal offense.
 Implement the policies in practices and motivate the workforce to make use of ther right
efficiently (Kehoe and Wright, 2013).
 Equality of the employee with respect to the compensation and rewards system of the
organization.
 The every employee of the workforce of the company should treated equally.
3.3 Comparison of managing equality and managing diversity in practices
The managing equality legislation refers to the effectively implementation of equality law
in organization and treating all undividual equal before law. While managing diversity is brining
continuous new change in the organization. The difference between the managing equality and
managing diversity are defines below:
Managing equal opportunities Managing diversity

These policies protects the employee from
unequal behavior shown to them by others
on the basis of religion, age ,sex, color.
This helps in managing various skills and
capabilities of the employee of different
religion.
This involves introduction of government
law and legal laws and the culture of the
organization.
This affair is internal in nature and regulated
by the internal aspects of the organization.
This legislation are regulated by the
equality and rights of compensation
practices.
There is no involvement of external noised.
The policies are formulate internally.
It reduces the discrimination among
employees.
This emphasis on the development of various
plans to manage the differences/
TASK 4
4.1 Compare different methods of performance management
Performance management is the process of evaluation and managing the performance of the
employee working with the organization and ability to achieve the defined standards of the
company. Some of the method for performance management are defined as:
 360 appraisal: This is the evaluation and analysis of the performance of individual by
receiving feedback from the supervisor, top level management, mentor, customers etc. it
 Management by objective: The method of performance appraisal in which the employee
is appraised on the basis of achieving of the goals and objectives effectively (Kusluvan
and et.al., 2010).
 Physiological appraisal: this approach defines the skills and capabilities of the individual
while carrying out a particular task/ job.
 Centre of assessment: This is the analysis by the expert, observer and trainer of the
performance of both employee and employer carried out away from the workforce.
4.2 Approach to management the employee welfare
The companies are involved continuously in development and the welfare practices of
the employee that increases the productivity and profitability of the company ultimately and
maintains harmonious relationship in between the employee and employer. The Unilever is

implemented various strategies for the welfare of the employees (Jabbour and et.al., 2013). The
welfare practices are not only limited to health of the employee. While the various dimensions of
welfare of employees are health, work value, social and personal growth of individual. The
various practices followed by the Unilever results in enhanced value and morale of the
employee. The different approaches to employee welfare are:
 Defining goals for welfare of employee.
 Provide a good working culture to employee.
 Providing better quality personal life to workforce (Albrech, 2011).
 Ensuring a safe and secure working culture in company.
 Development of employee behaviour at both personal and societal level.
4.3 Implication of health and safety legislation on HR practices
The health and safety legislation provision defines various laws related to the healthy and
safe environment in the workplace. The employee health should be maintained while working in
particular company. This legislation defines the employee should provide with various policies
that protects him from unlawful activities or fraud at workplace. This law suggest to the human
resource department for the organization to implement policies for ensuring health and safety of
the people of organization and welfare practices for the employees (Mossholder, Richardson and
Settoon, 2011). The Unilever has developed various strategies related to the provision of health
and safety legislation. The company regulator check-up the health of employees and provide diet
to the workforce. The company ensure good working condition and ensuring there should be no
fraud activities carried out in the organization culture.
4.4 Impact of topical issues on HR practices
The Unilever implement various strategy for the welfare of the employee that result in
change in the human resource practices to the large extent. The various topical issues that affects
the human resource practices are as follows:
 E-recruitment: The company Unilever is involved in hiring employee through source f
the online portals. That provides huge no. of prospective candidate from single source
and that reduce the burden of the hr department to the large extent (Crook, and et.al.,
2011).

 E-learning: This is learning and training of the employees of the Unilever through online
this reduces the training cost and the arrangement cost. This also decreases the
involvement of the human resource in training development program.
 Work life balance: the company is continuously engaged in balancing the employee
personal life and professional life to motivates them to work passionately (Ployhart and
Moliterno, 2011). This can be achieved by introducing flexibility in the work culture of
the Unilever organization.
CONCLUSION
From this study it can be concluded that the various organizations are involved in
management of their human resource effectively to cut down the various cost incurred in
recruitment and selection, training of new employees, attrition rate. The companies like Unilever
is establishes d various models in the recognition to maintain flexibility, commitment, effective
strategic implementation in the organization. Unilever has developed various human resource
policies to protect the rights of employee and ensures a good working environment in the
organization. The various employee welfare legislation, equality law to provide equal
opportunity of growth is implemented in the work culture of organization. This can be
concluding that various multinational companies like Unilever is continuously involved in
sustainable development of the workforce as well as the organization too. This cuts down the
various costs of the company and increases the profit margin of the firm. Implementation of
various technological tools in the organization helps in development of business. like e-
recruitment provides a huge source of the prospective candidates for the company and also helps
in reducing the workload of the human resource the organization.

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