HR Challenges in Growth & Transition Economies

This assignment focuses on the various human resource management challenges encountered by businesses and economies undergoing significant growth or transition. Key aspects include turnover rates, employment systems practices, managing human resources in SMEs, green HRM strategies, and regional education hub status, with insights from studies on India's software industry, transnational higher education in Asia, Chile's HR context, and more.

Managing Human
Resource

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1 Analyse the company's approach to human resource development.........................................1
2 Analyse the company's approach to managing equity and diversity in workplace..................3
3 Company's approach contribute to get competitive advantage and get affected by various
internal and external factors........................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Human resources are refer to the individuals who make the workforce of an enterprise or
these are the personnel of organisation and today these are known as one of the most important
assets of an enterprise (Agrawal, Khatri and Srinivasan, 2012). Human resource department is
the one who perform various function related with employees of company such as their wage,
working hours and many more. It is very essential that every aspect related with workers must be
done in a effective way so they can contribute more in company's success. Sainsbury plc, second
largest chain of supermarket, deals in grocery products, based in United Kingdom is taken under
this report for study. Firm was founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury and soon became the
largest grocery retailer in 1922. Approach used by enterprise related with development of human
resources is given under this report. Further, approach of enterprise related with managing equity
and diversity at workplace is all mentioned under this.
1 Analyse the company's approach to human resource development
Human resource development approach refers to the framework of enterprise which
provide opportunity to workers and help them to develop their various skills such as
organisational, personal, knowledge and abilities. In context with Sainsbury the firm use an
effective approach related with employees working at workplace. Main aim of firm's managers is
to make the enterprise a place where everyone love to work. Managers do various efforts to
develop and encourage creativity of employees to offer quality and featured products to all its
customers (Batt and Colvin, 2011). Further, enterprise engage its colleagues in decision making
process of firm and invest adequate amount of funds in their training and development activities.
Company wants to be the one in which, they all celebrate and understand diversity of their
colleagues to satisfy the diverse need of its target customers. In order to make the workplace
positive firm listen different views of this colleagues so they can feel motivated and can
contribute more in company's assess.
One of the main feature of human resource approach of firm is that company offer a
number of benefits to its colleagues including pension and discount. Managers formulate
effective policies related with management of human resource at workplace which encourage the
workers and provide them an opportunity to receive on the job training which enhance their
skills and abilities. At present the company is committed to exceed the national living wage in
order to achieve satisfaction of employees. Colleague reward is the factor which enterprise use to
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measure its success. In years 2015-16 company offer £7.36 per hour which was 2.2 percent
above the national living wage. Due to all this, workers of company do various efforts to treat
customers in a different way. Along with this, enterprise also support the various policies and
regulation made by government related with employees such as equal pay act and many more.
One of the most essential feature of Sainsbury's is that firm listen to different views of its
colleagues and use various tools to better understand how they feel about work (Cunningham,
2010). Company do various surveys which revealed that more than 70 percent of company's
colleagues feel that Sainsbury is a better place to work.
Employees and their skills play a significant role in enterprises as these are the one who
execute various operations of organisation and help company in achieve its set objectives and
tasks. Specific skills and talent of employees help enterprise in get competitive advantage and
provide various long term benefits to company. One of the main feature of human resource
approach of Sainsbury is that firm encourage conduct training and development programs for
employees on continuous basis. One of the main feature of this is that it provide an opportunity
to enterprise to learn new skills and help them in better serve to customers which results in their
satisfaction. Firm offer and conduct training programs for its colleagues to get support during
implementation of its business strategy. All this help company in develop a talented workforce
and secure the same for future business activities. In year 2016-17 company introduce
apprenticeship programme based on hospitality which help in develop service skills in workers.
Continuous training help workers in handle various equipments at workplace which ensure
effective delivery of service to final customer (Guest, 2011). All this help company in better
satisfy the needs of its customers and retain them for long period of time
One of the main feature of Sainsbury's approach related with human resource
development is that firm understand different aspects related with development and management
of human resource at workplace. For achieve effective completion of business targets managers
also identify and study every aspect related with recruitment process of employees. Every year
firm recruit around 100 graduates from the recruitment programme conducted at Sainsbury
website. After that enterprise provide and offer them training related with every aspect of store
management and after that they work in various aspects under manager supervision. Along with
all this, selection process of Sainsbury is also very effective. Manager first collect curriculum
vitae and letter of applicant after that firm shortlist the candidates and then all of candidate
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required to meet the minimum criteria to get the job they are looking for (Jackson and et. al.,
2011). After these two stages interview stage take place under which manager asked number of
question and allow the applicant to respond the same and at last, the best candidate which suit
best as per the specific requirement of company is selected for the job.
Training and development at Sainsbury
Training is defined as a process which is execute by manager to achieve effective
performance of all workers by changing their behaviour, attitudes, skill knowledge. At
workplace, various training programmes are conducted by manager jut to make the employees
able to execute various operations of enterprise in an effective way. Training also means provide
an opportunity new employees to develop various skills so they can perform well at workplace.
Manages of Sainsbury conduct training programmes for workers on continuous basis in order to
boost their creativity and maintain the quality of company's goods and services. One of the main
importance of training and development programmes is that it help in develop technical and
behavioural skills in employees (Kakuma and et. al., 2011). Further, it helps in growing
knowledge and skills of employees which add value in their overall personality an enhance their
productivity. It develop and build a positive and healthy work environment at workplace and also
ensure development of effective teams which contribute more in company's growth and success.
Overall the human resource approach of Sainsbury is very effective as firm offer wages
to its employees more than as per the national standards wage and also ensure that effective
training is offer to employees on continuous basis. All this help in development and growth of
enterprise.
2 Analyse the company's approach to managing equity and diversity in workplace
Main focus of Sainsbury is to value diversity at workplace. A research has revealed the
fact that this help enterprise in perform better and contribute more in company's growth and
success. In context with the approach of managing equity and diversity at workplace in relation
with Sainsbury then it is reveal that managers guide the employees to understand the differences
of each other as this help in remove the ground of conflicts as workplace and make the
employees able to understand the differences of other and respects the same (Mahajan, 2015).
Firm respect and value diversity at workplace because diverse teams perform better. Managers of
enterprise ensure that effective opportunities must be given to all employees and these should be
no discrimination on any basis. Discrimination create negative environment at workplace,
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decrease morale of workers and at the same time increase employee turnover. Firm provide
opportunity to employees whose face barriers at workplace (Mok and Yu, 2011). Further, firm
launched female mentoring programme whose subscription has risen to 750. Company also do
various efforts to order to encourage the involvement of female employees and make them able
so they can compete effectively.
Diversity and equity at Sainsbury
One of the main feature of managing diversity is that it help and make the the employees
able to better understand the views and ideas of other and respect the same. This leads to
development of effective teams at workplace (Mok and Yu, 2011). By employing a diverse
workforce workers from various backgrounds can be bring in enterprise which help in bring new
ideas and knowledge at workplace and make the firm able to better respond to the changing
needs and wants of customers. Mix of experience ad talents allow firm to offer effective services
and products to large number of customers at international level. One of the main benefit of
diverse team is that it provide variety of ideas and understanding to firm. Further, company can
take ideas from that to effectively implement business strategy. In year 2004-05 firm introduced
a diversity management website on internet. This help colleagues to understand more about
needs and interest of other people. Firm focus on the concept of equality and diversity during
training programmes of employees and give guidance to managers to provide equal opportunities
to disabled colleagues (Mok and Yu, 2011). Along with this, firm started using disability
confident which make the employees more confident in dealing with disability. Firm provide an
opportunity to colleagues that they can report discrimination through procedure of complaint and
treatment. Company introduce recruitment plan pension which ensure that full payment receive
if an individual recruited until his 65th birthday. Mixed workforce results in improve satisfaction
of customers. All policies of Sainsbury related with equity and diversity are very essential for
business as this not only add value nut also improve the satisfaction of customers. Discrimination
can be remove from workplace by encourage employees in decision making process and by offer
them fair wage and equal opportunity for growth.
Managers of firm understand that every employee or worker work in enterprise must be
treated with equal respect and dignity (Perez Arrau, Eades and Wilson, 2012). One of the mania
feature of this is that this improves satisfaction of workers and increase their commitment
towards their job. Further, it help enterprise in execute all business operation in an effective way
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which leads to satisfaction of employees. Various efforts done by managers in order to empower
women at workplace and contribute more in success of company.
Along with this, diversity management at Sainsbury is also effective which ensure
development of effective teams at workplace and contribute more in growth of company. One of
the main advantage of diversity management is that it increase creativity of firm and make the
enterprise able to offer better product and services to its customers (Renwick, Redman and
Maguire, 2013). One of the most important benefit of diversity management is that it help
business in find effective solutions of complex business problems.
Overall managers of Sainsbury do various efforts to manage diversity at workplace in an
effective way and to remove discrimination from workplace. Effective management of diversity
provide an opportunity to company to serve more number of customers and to generate more
amount of revenues. This ensure effective implementation of various business strategies and
contribute more in company's growth and success. Along with this, equity at enterprise motivate
employees to perform well as this help in provide equal opportunities of growth to every worker
which leads to stratification of workers.
3 Company's approach contribute to get competitive advantage and get affected by various
internal and external factors
One of the important feature of Sainsbury is that firm use effective approaches for
management of human resource and diversity at workplace. This help enterprise in implement all
business operations and activities in an effective way. Managers formulate policies for managing
human resources and action related with them which ensure that proper training must be offer to
colleagues on continuous basis and firm also engage them in decision making process which help
enterprise in set mutual goals. Training programmes help enterprise in increase skills and talents
of workers which help company in maintain the quality of its products and help in better satisfy
the needs and wants of customers (Varma, 2013). Further, management of diversity is another
element which contribute in overall growth of company. This increase creativity at workplace at
help enterprise in find better solution of business problems. Diversity help organisation in serve
more number of customers and increase both profits and market share of company. For get all
these benefits it is very essential for managers of firm to formulate a better and effective
approach regarding various elements of firm. All these get affect the various elements exist in
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and outside the environment. Some factors are internal while other are external and all these can
be better understood by following points: Internal factors: These are those which exist inside the enterprise such as skills of
workers, employees morale, culture changes, financial condition of enterprise and many
more. These factors largely affect the process of policy formulation (Kakuma and et. al.,
2011). For example if attitudes of ell employees working in firm is positive than there are
more chances of diversity management in an effective way as every workers will respect
the interest and difference of other and this will ensure development of effective teams at
workplace which will contribute more in company's success. On the opposite of it, if
workers carry a negative and rude behaviour for each other then this will make the
management of diversity difficult and more complex. This will create unnecessary
hurdles and obstacles in implementation of business operations. Like the same various
elements such as organisational policy, structure and culture also affect the approaches
use by firm to manage employees and their actions at workplace.
 External factors: These are the elements which exist outside the environment and affect
the various approaches used by enterprise to achieve set goals and objective. Main
elements which come under this includes government policies, change in needs and
purchase pattern of customers and many more (Mahajan, 2015). It is very essential that
this must be consider by manager before formulate the policy as these largely affect the
execution of business operations. For example: if government introduce some changes in
legislations and regulations related with employees then firm has to make changes in fair
and compensation packages of workers. In this way external factors also affect the
approaches which a managers use to implement business strategy.
Both internal and external factors exists in business environment must be consider by
manager so enterprise can manage all actions of employees in an effective way and at the same
time change respond effectively to the changes take place in needs and wants of customers.
There is no doubt that employees play a significant role in success of every enterprise.
Skilled workers contribute more in growth and success of firm as compare to unskilled workers.
So to achieve set goals and objectives it is very essential that proper training must be offer to
employees (Mok and Yu, 2011). Effective human resource management approach of Sainsbury
make the workers feel satisfy with their jobs, increase their productivity and help in offer
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effective services to its customers. Further, it help in create a positive work environment and
help organisation in expand its business activities or serve more customers. Due to all this
workers love to work at Sainsbury and all this provide variety of benefits to company.
Approach of equity and diversity management encourage manager to respect all
employees and workers with same dignity and encourage them to understand differences of each
other and respect the same (Perez Arrau, Eades and Wilson, 2012). Concept of diversity
management ensure development of effective team at workplace and contribute more in
company's success. One of the main advantages of working in team is that when large number of
individual share their opinions and ideas with each other then this increase knowledge and skills
of employees and at the same time help firm in find effective solution of business problems
(Varma, 2013). Other benefit of working in team is that it ensure optimum utilisation of
company's resources and help firm in offer quality services to its customers at affordable prices.
Approach of equity encourage that all employees should get fair wages for the work they do and
should be treated with respect and dignity. Sainsbury works on this and encourage to remove
discrimination from workplace (Renwick, Redman and Maguire, 2013). Discrimination hive rise
to negative work environment at workplace and at the same time decrease morale and
productivity of employees. So it is very essential that this must be remove from workplace
employees can give their best and can contribute more in company's success. Both these
approaches, approach of human resource management and approach of diversity and equity
ensure effective implementation of business strategies which contribute more in company's
growth and success. In this way enterprise can generate more profits than its rivals.
CONCLUSION
From the above project report, it can be summarised that employees play a big role in
every enterprise as these are the one which ensure effective implementation of various business
operations. It is very essential that proper training must be offer to existing workers so they can
develop various skills and can contribute more in company's success and growth. Along with
this, training should be offered to new candidates so they can learn about policies and norms of
organisation and can work accordingly. Overall it is very essential that human resource approach
of an enterprise should be effective so workers can give their best. In today's competitive era of
business it is essential for every enterprise to manage diversity at workplace. Effective
management of diversity help in develop effective teams at workplace which enhance both
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profits and productivity of enterprise. With help of effective human resource management and
diversity and equity management Sainsbury can achieve set goals and objectives of business in
an effective way.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Agrawal, N.M., Khatri, N. and Srinivasan, R., 2012. Managing growth: Human resource
management challenges facing the Indian software industry. Journal of World
Business.47(2). pp.159-166.
Batt, R. and Colvin, A.J., 2011. An employment systems approach to turnover: Human resources
practices, quits, dismissals, and performance. Academy of management Journal. 54(4).
pp.695-717.
Cunningham, L.X., 2010. Managing human resources in SMEs in a transition economy: evidence
from China. The International Journal of Human Resource Management. 21(12).
pp.2120-2141.
Guest, D.E., 2011. Human resource management and performance: still searching for some
answers. Human resource management journal. 21(1). pp.3-13.
Jackson, S.E., et. Al., 2011. State-of-the-art and future directions for green human resource
management: Introduction to the special issue. German Journal of Human Resource
Management. 25(2). pp.99-116.
Kakuma, R. et. al., 2011. Human resources for mental health care: current situation and strategies
for action. The Lancet. 378(9803). pp.1654-1663.
Mahajan, J.P., 2015. Managing Human Resources. Vikas Publishing House.
Mok, K.H. and Yu, K.M., 2011. The quest for regional education hub status and transnational
higher education: Challenges for managing human capital in Asia. Asia Pacific Journal
of Education. 31(3). pp.229-248.
Mok, K.H. and Yu, K.M., 2011. The quest for regional education hub status and transnational
higher education: Challenges for managing human capital in Asia. Asia Pacific Journal
of Education. 31(3). pp.229-248.
Perez Arrau, G., Eades, E. and Wilson, J., 2012. Managing human resources in the Latin
American context: the case of Chile. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management. 23(15).pp.3133-3150.
Renwick, D.W., Redman, T. and Maguire, S., 2013. Green human resource management: A
review and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews. 15(1).
pp.1-14.
Varma, A., 2013. Managing human resources in Asia-Pacific (Vol. 20). Routledge.
Online
Human resource management. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/hrm/human-resource-management-functions-
managerial-operative-and-advisory-function/27995/>.
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