Impact of Work-Life Balance on HR Practices in Unilever

The report highlights various aspects of managing human resources at Unilever, including arranging timely training sessions and providing a safer work environment. It also explores the impact of one topical issue, such as work-life balance, on HR practices. The report emphasizes the importance of flexible working prospects, equal opportunities for all employees, and legal practices by HR. It presents various references from academic journals and books to support its arguments.

Managing Human
Resource

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Applying the Guest's Model of HRM...................................................................................1
1.2 Difference between Storey's definition of HRM and personnels or IR practices.................3
1.3 Implications for line managers and employees of developing a strategic approach to HRM
.....................................................................................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Applying the model of flexibility..........................................................................................5
2.2 Types of flexibility................................................................................................................5
2.3 Use of flexible working practices from both the perspective of employees and employers.6
2.4 Impact in the labour markets due to a changed practice of flexible working.......................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
3.1 Forms of discrimination........................................................................................................8
3.2 Practical implications of equal opportunities legislations.....................................................8
3.3 Approaches to manage equal opportunities and managing diversity....................................9
TASK 4 .........................................................................................................................................10
4.1 Different methods of performance management.................................................................10
4.2 Approaches to practice managing employees welfare........................................................10
4.3 Implication of health and safety legislation on HR practices.............................................10
4.4 Impact of one topical issue on HR practices.......................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Human resource is mainly referred to the personnel resources of an organisation who are
considered as a vital asset in order to carry their variedly requisite functionalities. It is thus
important for the operational firms to mandate a significant aspect of managing the appointed
personnels into a desirable way. This is where the human resource department becomes an
essential part of each organisation and its respective bodies are mainly obliged to efficiently
handle their appointed manpower resources. It is where they are equivalently solicitous about the
legitimate considerations of the firm. This also impacts the major cogitations of an HR manger
where he or she is substantially responsible to hire the required number of personnel in their
enterprise with a primary approach of reflecting the legal deliberations into it.
The below report is based on a similar conceptualisation of managing personnel by
enforcing some relevantly assignable models into it. This is mainly to resolve the emerging
contemporary issues in the firm with a prior formulation of certain workable models into it. This
is basically to protect a liable interest of the employees by together being concerned about the
welfare of the enterprise. Unilever firm of UK has been hereby taken into a valid consideration
to depict their recently ongoing functionalities in regard to manage their human resources in the
most effectual manner. It is a worldwide firm that profoundly operates at almost every corner of
the globe with a momentous recognition of its affirmative brand image.
TASK 1
1.1 Applying the Guest's Model of HRM
Human Resource Management with its abbreviated identification of HRM works with a
modernised concept of handling the people of the organisation. It is basically referred to an
advanced version of a conventional form of personnel management with a flexible approach
towards the employees. It is thus acknowledged to be a strategic implementation of handling
individuals in the firm. This is where they exist with a transformational nature of commencing
their prior objective of gratifying some social needs of the workers. It is with a primary
formulation of altering their rigorously enforced principles of the organisation to basically
provide a pleasing environment of operating into the firm.
Such crucial implementations also assist the firm to motivate their employees into a
desirable manner. It is where they will feel themselves as a valuable part of the organisation and
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thence, serve with a prior sense of belongingness. This in turn makes an optimistic impact on the
enterprise where they attain a timely completion of their stated organisational goals which
momentously results into raising their profitability index. Unilever too believes into a similar
formulation of policies where they together implement a profound theory of guest model to
acquire its warranted succeeding outcomes. It is basically a six trait model where HR personnel
of the quoted firm is responsible to go through the below specified factors of consideration-
1. Strategies of HRM- It is the foremost step into this peculiar mode with a major
consideration of enhancing the existent skills of the employees working in Unilever. This
is where the respective HR personnel is mainly obliged to refer three leading
deliberations. This primarily begins by implementing an innovated approach into the
prevalent proposers of the cited entity by together ascertaining the cost and quality of
their production within a pre-stipulated budget.
2. Practices by HRM- This refers to some exceptional functionalities of HRM at Unilever
in regard to manage their modern conceptions of reward system. It is with another
essential deliberation of retaining the efficient workforce in the quoted firm. Performance
appraisal is the most prominent tool of motivating employees into a desirable manner
where the respective HR is together bound to consider some other related requisitions of
job designing, training and development of employees, etc.
3. HRM Outcomes- These are referred to as the resultant approach of the above applied
strategies and practices into which employees are now supposed to work with a more
committed cognition and raised quality of their products as well as services.
4. Behaviour Outcomes- This is in relation to specify the behavioural aspect of Unilever in
terms of any modified consequence of working in the firm. As a result to which,
employees are referred to work into a more strengthen environment with a collaborative
sense of involving with each other.
5. Performance Outcomes- It is in regard to evaluate any altered form of performance by
the workers in the cited entity who are supposed to deliver a higher standard of executing
the assigned tasks. Low employee turnover with a minimised rate of absent-ism is other
resultant way to judge the desirable performance of the workers. Furthermore, effectively
pioneered applications by the employees are another sense of recognising a positive
outcome of performance.
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6. Financial Outcomes- This is to refer to the monetary benefits of the quoted firm in order
to adjudge the acquired benefits from the above applied methods. It can be evidently
proven in terms of their ascending income and revenue.
1.2 Difference between Storey's definition of HRM and personnel or IR practices
Professor John Storey has presented a profound demonstration in order to differentiate
among the major consideration of HRM and personnel or IR practices. It is basically with a
precise articulation of defining the leading difference between both the concepts for which they
have been designated as per their respective implementation of modern and conventional forms.
This is where the HRM practices are mainly concerned with adjoining the strategic enforcement
with a timely attainment of their stated organisational goals and objectives. Personnel
management on another hand being a traditional perception of working is mainly concerned with
an implementation of fair dealing with the predefined policies of their respective firms. Both are
however reasoned to be an important part of the organisations where Unilever has too designated
them with an epochal comparison of both, specified as-
Factors of
comparison
HRM practices Personnel and IR practices
Behavioural import Executes with a major focus
upon attaining the vision and
missions of Unilever.
Such practices are mainly concerned
towards a customary formulation of tasks
with a strict adherence of framed policies.
Nature of
managerial tasks
HRM practices comprises with
a flexible nature of work to
retain the efficient employees.
A monitoring approach to control any
uncertain execution of task is the prior
aim of personnel and IR practices.
Decisional impact Quick and effective decision
making approach is a prime
deliberation (Guest, 2002).
Decision making rate is relatively low.
Responsible force Human resource manager
along with the line managers
of Unilever are referred to be
the solicitous bodies.
Personnel manager and IR expert are the
directly responsible bodies.
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Mode of interaction A direct and informal mode of
communication is being
applied into it with an ease of
interacting with the senior
authorities.
A formal approach of indirect
communication is maintained to interact
with the upper official bodies of the firm.
Job designing Working in groups towards a
common objective is a prior
motive.
A rigorous application of labour division.
This refers the designated firm of Unilever to crucially adopt the latest strategical trend of
HRM practices with their significant clauses of handing the appointed workforce into the firm.
Such proceeding will vitally assist the quoted entity to motivate their employees into a
significant manner. This in turn will result into a benefited approach to the cited firm where their
motivated workers will work with a prior sense of belongingness towards a timely attainment of
their stated organisational goals and objectives. This particular implementation will together
benefit Unilever to retain their efficient workforce to continue with a long term determination of
serving them.
1.3 Implications for line managers and employees of developing a strategic approach to HRM
To commendably execute within their hierarchical organisational structure, Unilever have
adopted variedly effective practices of HRM to significantly operate into their international
market (Landy and Conte, 2009). Line managers are the crucial part of their structure into which
they mainly represent a superior position as the leaders of their respectively allocated teams. As a
result to which, below defined points states about certain implications for both line manager and
their respective subordinates- Line managers- From organisational point of view, the line mangers of Unilever are
recommended to directly handle their respective members of their team by together
dealing with the clients. It is in order to resolve any raised disputes or conflicts among the
team mates and approaching customers with an uncontrollable situation for handling it by
the appointed employees at the workplace. However, a line manager is together assigned
with another major obligation of assisting the HR into managing the reward system of
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their firm. It is where the line managers are responsible to report the actual performance
of their group members to the HR by later comparing it with their standard version.
 Employees- The workers are essentially considered to be the support system of Unilever
where they are mainly obliged to pursue the instructions of their leaders or line managers
in order to collaborate with the entire team (Paauwe, 2004). It is where they are working
towards a common objective with an effective mode of communication to interact with
each other. Reward management is yet another crucial implication of the employees to
constantly motivate them towards a timely accomplishment of goals within a stipulated
form.
TASK 2
2.1 Applying the model of flexibility
A flexible workplace is the foremost consideration of every individual where the
regimental bodies have together supported them by inculcating various enactments for the
organisation. This is especially to manage a flexible timing of work for the employees where
they will be given some considerable alternatives by the respective firm. It is in order to choose
from a specifically designated working hour either as per the shifts or other related facets
(Storey, 2007). Such flexible approach along with a benefited prospect for the employees
together serves Unilever where the employees work with a more committed attitude. Technical
advancement largely serves the quoted entity to implement such flexible work environment
where they can together refer to the below depicted model of Hardy Shamrock. This model
significantly aid the cited firm to intensify their relationship with the workers with its three
leading constituents- Core staff members of Unilever are the foremost part of this model into which they
mainly represent the upper managerial bodies of the organisation with some extremely
proficient acquisition. They exist with a prime responsibility of framing the policies and
procedures of the organisation that should be compelled into all other organisational
levels. Contractual periphery is referred to the subsequent part of Hardy's Shamrock
organisational model into which the part-time workers are being appointed by Unilever
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(Maley, 2011). This together relates to their another vital concept of work from home into
which the appointed workforce can together work on full-time basis.
 Consultancy department is referred to the flexible workforce of this organisational model
into which Unilever contracts the self employed or highly professional workers and
technicians to work on the basis of a written agreement for short time period.
2.2 Types of flexibility
Flexibility is referred to be a principle element for bringing some requisite changes into
the organisation. It is however with a vital perception of adapting certain evolving changes into
the markets which in turn makes a direct impact upon the common organisational practices. A
flexible workplace is together ascertained to result into some effective measures for the
workforce where they will be significantly able to work with a reposeful state of mind (Rothwell
and Kazanas, 2003). It is mainly due to their other varied considerations of balancing both their
personal and professional lives into which, such flexible facet of work largely serve them to
work into a desirable manner. This section is basically to ascertain the flexible working practices
of Unilever based upon the three leading principles given by Atkinson into the below defined
forms- Functional flexibility- This is specifically known for its operational nature into which
Unilever enforce such practices for meeting the dynamic functionalities of their
prevailing markets. It is where they recommend their workers to operate within the prior
implementations made by the enterprise in terms of performing a rotational job, etc. It
thus exists with a prior intervention of the organisation into which they adjudicate a
particular time and location for the workers.
 Financial flexibility- It is in terms of defining a non collective system of wage
distribution into which the employees are being paid as per their active working hours
and nature of their jobs (Strachan, Burgess and Henderson, 2007). This may often vary as
per the ongoing deliberations of their operational markets.
Other than the above defined methods, Unilever can together adopt some other effective
measures of “numerical and locational flexibility” to largely enhance the adaptive nature of the
firm. This will together serve the designated firm to retain their efficient workforce with a prior
aim of timely achievement of stated organisational targets.
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However, on ascertaining the above carried scrutinization of finding an apt approach of
flexibility, Financial flexibility will largely serve the prevalent operations of Unilever. It is where
inculcating a financial flexibility will largely serve the firm as well. This is mainly due to a
reduced specification of expenses where they will need to pay only on the basis of active
working hours of their employees. It is regardless managing a routine forum of paying them into
a regulated form of wages that mainly includes a fixed amount of payment to the employees.
2.3 Use of flexible working practices from both the perspective of employees and employers
Both employees and the employers are referred to a collective group of an organisation
who works towards a common objective (Kalleberg, 2003). It is thus important for the
administrative bodies of Unilever to gratify them with a safe, healthy and flexible environment
of work which in turn benefit both the parties into some below ascertained ways-
 Employees-
◦ The foremost advantage is where the employees will be able to balance out both their
personal and professional work life.
◦ This will significantly reduce their rate of absenteeism at the workplace where they
will be working from their desirable locations.
◦ It will further result into a satisfactory element of working in Unilever with a
motivated mind set of executing the allocated tasks within a standardised form and at
an allotted time frame (Martínez Sánchez and Pérez Pérez, 2005).
 Employers-
◦ The employers will be together benefited by the motivated state of their workers as a
result to which, they need not to deal with a high rate of employee turnover ratio in
Unilever.
◦ This will together result in enhancing the productivity facet of the enterprise with
more efficiently carried works by the employees.
◦ Such flexible working practice will also help the firm to reduce their operational cost
into varied manner where the employers need not to pay a fixed amount of wages to
their employees (Gloet, 2006).
◦ A less physical movement with more communication over phones and other
technical means will also benefit the employers to work with an unstressed state of
mind.
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2.4 Impact in the labour markets due to a changed practice of flexible working
Labour market is also called as a job market which mainly defines the relationship
between the employees and their employers. A flexible labour market is amongst one of the most
desirable state of working in today's modernised perception by adapting the constantly occurring
changes into the prevalent markets of Unilever. The flexibility aspect of labour market is
however defined upon the adaptive nature of the predefined functions of labour market. This is
mainly to follow the dynamic nature of the markets which in turn changes the preferential needs
of the consumers (Beer and Spector, 2005). Furthermore, form an organisational point of view,
the labour market flexibility can be significantly affected by varied other components of labour's
mobility and flexibility of wages, etc. However, a flexible market of labour along with its two
vital features of being an easier approach for hiring and terminating the employees by together
being free from any major regimental intervention consists of some leading benefits and
drawbacks, as stated below-
 The major advantages are referred to the efficient and productive staff members into the
firm that significantly enhances the competitive nature of Unilever with more scopes of
importing and exporting of goods and services.
 Contradictory, a flexible labour market together exists with a prime disadvantage of an
unsecured job where the part-time and temporary workers will not be able to acquire the
requisite sessions of training and development (Swayne, Duncan and Ginter, 2012). As a
result to which, they will be dealing with a deficit cognition of working into a
synchronised manner.
TASK 3
3.1 Forms of discrimination
A discriminative approach is a strictly prohibited act into the organisations where the
governmental bodies have together incorporated certain effectual enactments. It is due to a prime
fact of such discriminative practices which are stated to be an unjustifiable behaviour towards the
workforce. Below discriminatory activities are a prior consideration of governance which a
rigorous proposal of eliminating it from the workplace- Discrimination of gender- It is an apparently addressed discriminative approach towards
the employees where they are being evaluated on the basis of their gender (Leonard and
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Cardy, 2011). It is where they are basically positioned as per their identity of being a
male or female. This has resulted into an atrocious state where the female employees are
often hired to execute the lower profiles despite of having adequate capability in them.
 Discrimination of caste, creed and gender- This is where the employees are being
distinguished on the basis of their religion. It is where the minor groups in Unilever are
often being neglected into the firm. This is mainly done by granting less number of
opportunities to the minority groups where their basic right are significantly ignored by
the administrative parties.
3.2 Practical implications of equal opportunities legislations
A discriminative approach along with some major drawbacks to the employed together
hampers the routine functionalities of the firm. It is where the victims of discriminated activities
works within a stressful state of mind where their potent capabilities are together being neglected
and oppressed by the solicitous bodies of Unilever. This directly results into an atrocious state of
work where an efficient attribute of the quoted firm for being productive is also hindered by such
illegitimate practices (Jackson and Parry, 2011). This together destroy the brand image of the
cited entity where their ethical considerations are also being destructed by the above stated
practices of discrimination. The regimental bodies too supports the elimination of these practices
where they have together inculcated certain effective enactments with a strict recommendation of
adherence towards it.
The Equality Act, 2010 comprises with some entirely utile acts of removing
discrimination where Unilever cannot make such discriminative formulations on their workers.
They should be thence rendered an equal opportunity despite of their gender and religion, etc.
Equal Pay Act is also a significant part of this enactment into which the accountable managerial
bodies are together required to offer an equal level of wages to their appointed workers (Key
Legislation regarding Recruitment and Selection, 2015). This should be precisely on the
foundation of their potential attributes rather on being any other discriminative factor where the
disabled employees are also being discriminated on a huge basis. For which, Disability Act is
also an epochal part of fundamental law.
3.3 Approaches to manage equal opportunities and managing diversity
A foremost approach of managing an equal opportunity by together strengthening the
diversified prospect is to primarily implement a legitimate framework at the workplace. It is
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where Unilever is strictly recommended following an anti- discriminatory approach of dealing
their employees. This will benefit both the employees and enterprise where a legal framework
will significantly strengthen their brand image by together contributing into their ethical
considerations (Kim, 2012). Another profound implementation of managing diversity by
rendering an equal opportunity to the employees can be done by interconnecting them through
different requisite sessions of training and development. It is basically to serve the diversified
needs of the organisation into which the workers will together implement their own innovative
methods of resolving any raised concern.
TASK 4
4.1 Different methods of performance management
This is regard to specify another major contribution of HRM in evaluating the
performances of their employees. Unilever too adopts some below listed methods of managing
the performance of their workers- MBO It is mainly referred to a vital procedure of performance appraisals to the
employees where their superiors bodies are directly responsible to rate the performance
of their employees.
 360 degree evaluation- It is yet another form of evaluating the performance of the
workers into which both superiors and customers are liable to give their feedback (Price,
2011). Unilever too adopts a similar procedure of assessing their employees on the basis
of their acquired feedback from the clients and upper managerial bodies.
Thus, on ascertaining the above defined measures of managing the performance of the
employees working in Unilever. It has however came up with a differentiated formulation into
which managing by objectives or MOB is referred to be a signifiant formulation for the workers
where they will be working with a motivated state. This is due to a prior inclusion of
performance appraisals into it which plays a vital role in encouraging the employees into a
desirable form. However, 360 degree evaluation considered to be more effective for the
designated organisation into which the monitoring and control measures will largely serve
Unilever to maintain a standard form of working.
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4.2 Approaches to practice managing employees welfare
A healthy and flexible environment of work is referred to be the foremost approach for
achieving a desirable consequence of efficient staff members. This refers to conduct some
welfare programs for the workers by arranging a medical camp for them (Gloet, 2006). Such
occupational procedures will significantly raise the health standard of their employees where
there will be lesser chances of absenteeism and employee turnover, etc. This together serves to
fetch a liable interest of the workers where they work with a much refreshed and healthy mind
state.
4.3 Implication of health and safety legislation on HR practices
This is where the legislative bodies are too concerned about the flourishing state of
workplace. As a result to which, they have aptly created a proficient enactment of Health and
Safety Act, 1974 in order to check the relevancy of the operational firms (Guest, 2002). It is
where Unilever is too obliged to adhere by its laid down policies with a prompt actioning of
several mandate requisitions like arranging the timely sessions of training and development for
the employees. This is also related to provide a safer work environment to the employees in
terms of considering their safety implementations at the workplace, etc.
4.4 Impact of one topical issue on HR practices
This is in relation to one of the most recent issue of work life balance into which the
employees are working with a suppressed state of mind. This results into a short term existence
of workers into the organisation where many efficient employee are together dealing with a
difficult state (Paauwe, 2004). It is where they are seemingly unable to manage the priorities of
both their personal and professional life. Such atrocious state significantly leads into hampering
the standardised procedures of Unilever by significantly hindering their other related facets of
work.
CONCLUSION
The present report has highlighted certainly assorted orientation of managing the human
resources of Unilever firm with some effectually applied models. It is fundamentally segregated
into four leading proportions with a primary perception of comprehending distinct ways to
evolve some flexible prospects of working at the workplace. This is subsequently with a related
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apprehension of providing an equal opportunity to all the employees with an ultimate step of
ascertaining the legal practices by an HR.
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