HR Management Practices and Workforce Planning

The assignment provided details about different HR management practices used within a company. It discussed how the HR manager employed coaching as a training method, 360-degree feedback for performance appraisal, and followed human relation approach to employee relations and rewards schemes. The report also touched on the use of technology in recruitment processes.

Human Resource
Management

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P 1. Purpose of HR function, its key roles and responsibilities as well as its significance in
acquiring talent.......................................................................................................................1
P 2. Approaches to workforce planning, recruitment, selection, training, development,
performance management and rewards system .....................................................................2
P 3. HRM practices beneficial for both employees and employers ......................................4
P 4. Effectiveness of different HRM practices for increasing profits and productivity of
organization ...........................................................................................................................5
P 5. Key aspects of employment legislation and its impact on HRM decision making.........6
P 6. Evaluation of employee relation and employment legislation on decision making .......7
P 7. Applications of human resource practices in work related context ...............................9
Recommendations of use of technology, social media on improving the recruitment and
selection process ..................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management (HRM) is the practice of hiring, recruiting and employing
of people in the firm. It is activity of designing policies of benefits and compensation, providing
the training and development, measuring performance and giving the rewards to personnel in the
organization. Effective human resource management assist to success of organization, so that HR
department must have ability to manage personnel in the workplace (Zhou and et.al., 2015).
HRM also helps to firm for gaining the competitive advantage. This report is based on Marks
and Spencer (M&S). It is multinational British multinational retailer which specialise in selling
wearable, home appliances and luxury food products across UK. This study will explain purpose
of HR functions, its roles and responsibilities and its significance in acquiring talent to meet
objectives. It will assess approaches to workforce planning, recruitment and selection as well as
performance management. Furthermore, report will examine different methods used in HR
practices within the organization.
TASK 1
P 1. Purpose of HR function, its key roles and responsibilities as well as its significance in
acquiring talent
Human resource department is handled various functions such as hiring and firing
workers, training and development, build relationship and explaining employment laws within
M&S. HR department works diligently to ensure that business runs efficiently and smoothly. HR
functions are following such as:
Managerial Function
Planning: It is the managerial function of HRM in which HR manager needs to planning
of workforce and utilization of resourcing within the M&S.
Organizing: It is another function of HRM which they are organized different training
and development programs for improving the performance of employees within M&S.
Operative Function
Recruitment and Selection:
It is the major function of human resource management. It is procedure of attractive,
viewing and selecting expected and qualified candidates for vacant jobs. Recruitment and
selection are very essential to reduce the costs of mistakes such as incompetent engaging,
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unmotivated employees (Bamberger, Meshoulam and Biron, 2014). The purpose of this function
is to add new staff and preventing turnover as well as seeking talent in the M&S.
Training and Development:
It is another function of human resource management. Training and development is the
activity to improve current or future execution of worker through increasing their ability in the
workplace. The purpose of this function is to expedite acquisition of knowledge and abilities for
impressive job performance. The aim of training and development is to improve performance
and increasing productivity of workers as well as organization.
Roles and responsibilities of HR function:
The role of HR function is to take initiatives and give direction, support and services relating to
all matters to employees within M&S. These functions are ensured that introducing and
implementing HR strategies, policies and practices in relation concerning employment and
development of people (De Bruecker and et.al., 2015). The responsibility of human resource is
seen to be business oriented and contributing to accomplishment of continuous competitive
advantage. The human resource function play major role in the making of atmosphere that allow
people to create the best utilise of their competencies to realize their expectation.
Significance of human resource functions:
Human resource functions are very important to achieve objective and goals of organization. It is
essential to build good team and improve performance of employees in the workplace. HR
function is important to developing public relations. For this, human resource department
organize meetings and seminars in the M&S. Human resource functions are also important for
managing disputes between workers and employers in the workplace. HR functions also help to
achieving the objectives of business through effective management of workforce and resources.
P 2. Approaches to workforce planning, recruitment, selection, training, development,
performance management and rewards system
Approach to Workforce Planning
Workforce planning is the constant procedures utilised to link the requirements and
priorities of workforce within the firm. It allows evidence based manpower development
strategies. Competency approach is the way of planning of workforce in the organization
(Crettenden and et.al., 2014). This approach identify sets of capabilities linked with mission,
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vision and strategic objectives. This concept assumes that firm already considered manpower and
workload.
Approach to Recruitment and Selection:
Recruitment and selection is process of hiring and selecting the suitable candidate for
vacant positions in the M&S. There are two approach of recruitment such as internal and
external.
Internal Recruitment: It is process of recruiting and selecting the existing workforce in
for vacant job position within organization. It involves promotion, transfers, job posting,
employee referral etc. This approach is essential to provide chances for development and usage
of resources within firm.
Strength:
 The strength is lower cost of recruiting to employee.
 There is no taken cots of training of workers.
Weakness:
 The weakness is to limit choice of resources.
External Recruitment: It is procedure of recruiting and selecting the candidate from
outside the firm. It includes direct recruitment, advertisement, employment agencies, campus
hiring etc. Outside worker bring originality and new thoughts to the firm (Momin and Mishra,
2015). and
Strength:
 The strength is to reach large amount of talent of new candidates outside organization.
Weakness:
 The weakness is to consume time and money.
Selection: There are many approaches or methods of selection such as application forms,
interview, tests, personality profiling, group exercise etc.
Strength:
 Through interview, HR manger identify verbal communication skill in the candidate.
Weakness:
 They do not determine written communication of new candidates.
Approaches to training and development:
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There are two types of approach such as traditional and modern approach to training and
development utilise within organization. M&S have collectively identified the strengths of
corporate training which involves in modern approach. It is strategic tactic towards overall
development and success of their firm. This approach treats training as kind of retention tool.
Approach of Performance Management:
There are many approaches to management of performance such as quality, attribute,
result, comparative and behavioural that utilise within organization. Comparative approach is
concept of comparing between group by giving the rating to each and every employees (Gamage,
2014). Through this, assess and manage performance of worker in the M&S.
Approach of Rewards System:
There are mainly two approaches to rewards system such as traditional and modern
utilise within the organization. In this context, M&S use modern approach to rewards system
which is focused on contribution of employees, transparent, shared clear information etc.
P 3. HRM practices beneficial for both employees and employers
There are many human resource practices such as training and development, create
flexible working environment, performance management, providing the incentives etc. These
practices are more beneficial for both employee and employers.
For workers, these practices are advantageous for increasing motivation, developing
skills and knowledge for effective working in the organization.
For employers, these practices are beneficial for increase productivity and achieving the
objectives and goals of M&S.
For example: The human resource department of M&S identify that it is necessary to
evaluate and assess performance of employees, because of employees do not perform better of
their job role in the workplace. Therefore, HR manager needs to provide training and appraisals
for improving their performance in the firm. In this context, they are followed different training
and development methods such as coaching, job rotation, lectures, conferences etc (Townley,
2014). Also, they are followed various performance appraisal such as 360 degree feedback,
ranking, paired comparison, checklist methods etc. Through these methods, HR manager
requires effective measuring and assessing the execution, so that employees are worked
effectively and efficiently in the workplace.
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Firm can be followed ranking method in relation to performance appraisal in which
workers are ranked from highest to lowest for purpose of placing order of worth. The worker
who is the largest on the feature being measured and indicated one who is lowest. Also, M&S
can be followed coaching under on the job training method. This method assist in quickly
recognizing the weak field and tries to direct on employees. Coaching also offers benefit of
transferring method learning to practice. With this, human resource manager tries to identify and
improve weak area of employees in the workplace. Through it, workers are easily completed
their job roles and responsibilities in the M&S.
In this context, firm also adopt 360 degree feedback method to appropriate appraise
performance of employees. In this method, human resource manager take information relating to
skills, competencies and behaviour from supervisor, colleagues, clients and peers of an
individual in the work (Jeske and Shultz, 2016). If the supervisor or any client give negative
feedback about employees, so that, HR manager needs to give appropriate training and
development for improving their performance, increasing motivation of employees in M&S. In
relation to that, there are many options to HR manager have for managing and improving the
execution of employees in the organization. This also help to worker in terms of improve
behaviour, develop skills and knowledge, raise productiveness in the firm.
In this context, M&S needs to select 360 feedback for evaluation of performance which is
the most effective method for improving their execution in the firm. It is kind of HRM practice
which is beneficial for increasing the profits and productivity of employees.
P 4. Effectiveness of different HRM practices for increasing profits and productivity of
organization
Approach to Employee Relations:
The sharing of different thoughts, ideas and opinions between employees and employers
that can build relationship with them in the workplace. Healthy environment and spending
maximum time also help to build relationship with colleagues. This also aid to raise motivation,
morale, confidence level and feeling comfortable in the M&S. Therefore, human resource
manager responsible for making the good and healthy environment of workplace. In this context
human resource manager follow human relation approach to build employee and employers
relations in the workplace. This approach explain behaviour of single person and group at work
and aid in modifying or utilizing behaviour towards accomplishment of goals of firm (Abraham
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and et.al., 2015). If human resource manager follow human relation approach, so that decrease
conflicts between employees and employers in the workplace. Effective human relations help to
improve and flexible working practices in the firm. This approach inter-disciplinary in nature,
because it drawn knowledge from many disciplines such as social, economic, political etc.
Effective employee relations help in making decisions and increasing aspiration and better
working conditions.
Approaches to Employee Engagement:
It is stage to which worker feel passionate about job roles, are committed to firm and put
discretionary effort into their work. Employee engagement is property of relationship among
firm and its employees. Therefore, human resource manager make ensure that employees are
more engaged in all activities of business. Thus, they follow reward schemes as approach of
employee engagement in the M&S. This approach is essential part of overall employee
engagement programs of firm. Rewards involves compensation, stock ownership, profit sharing
good performance awards, idea collection schemes linked to rewards etc. The absence of
financial rewards that can be significant de-motivator (Mester and et.al., 2018). The human
resource manager follow rewards schemes, because, it is remove barriers to satisfaction, to give
framework of rewarding for performance and give opportunities to those employees who are
motivated by financial gain that can boost employee engagement in the M&S. This also aid to
make decisions and developing skills to worker in the firm. Employer of choice means that
employers are created flexible work environment culture that can help to improve flexible
working practices. This also create flexible organization through employee engagement.
These approaches help to increase employee motivation and improving the performance
within the M&S. With the help of it, employees are highly involved in various activities of
business which help to increase profits and productivity of organization.
P 5. Key aspects of employment legislation and its impact on HRM decision making
Employment legislation is the regulation that governs employment with everyone who
works within workplace. These legislations directly effect on employees, employers and unions.
The role of employment law is to identify who can and can not be employed, they are offered
and treated job. During this procedure, employees and employees must have followed all the
rules and regulations in the M&S.
Health and Safety Act, 1974:
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It is an act of Parliament of UK which defines key structure and authority for boost, rules
and enforcement of well-being, security and welfare in the workplace. This act determines
general responsibilities on employer, workers and suppliers of products, control of work
premises etc (Ahmed and et.al., 2016). The objectives of this act is to secure well-being, security
and welfare of individual at work, controlling of utilization highly dangerous substances and
forbidding unlawful acquisition and utilization components.
Equality Act, 2010:
It is act of Parliament of UK which primary aim is to systematize complicated and
number arrangements of acts and rules which formed on the basis of anti-discrimination
regulations. This involves Equal Pay Act 1970, Race Relation Act 1976, and Disability
Discrimination Act 1995 (Zhou and et.al., 2015). Equality act protect people against
discrimination, harassment in employment and as users of private and public services based on
the different features age, gender, disability, marriage, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation.
National Minimum Wages, 2018:
This wage is the hourly rate which must get paid to all employees aged over 16 year old.
In this act, find out way of various rates and calculations apply depending on age and different
type of work of employees. According to law, wages involve any compensation of employment,
any bonus, fee, holiday or commission.
Data Protection Act, 2018 (DPA):
It is act of Parliament of UK which updates data protection or information privacy
regulations in the UK. It is national law which complements General Data Protection Regulation
(GDPR) of European Union (Bamberger, Meshoulam and Biron, 2014). It gives members state
limited chances to create provisions for way it applies in nation. The element of DPA is the detail
of applying as the national law.
P 6. Evaluation of employee relation and employment legislation on decision making
Evaluation of employee relation:
Employee relations are highly impacted on decision making of human resource manager
and business objectives. There are various factors involves employees relation such as better
training and development, safety & security, financial benefits, involvement in decision making
etc.
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Training and development: It is major factor to build employee and employer relation
in the workplace. By this factor, workers are improved skills, behaviour and knowledge for
effective working in the organization. Therefore, HR manager needs to provide effective training
and development that can help to build the relationship between them (De Bruecker and et.al.,
2015). But, there are many reasons such ineffective trainer, insufficient technology that are
negatively effected on decision-making on HR manager in terms of improve performance and
build relation with employees in the M&S.
Safety and Security: It is another factor to build relationship between worker and
employers in the M&S. By this factor, employees are feeling comfortable and safe for working
in the organization. Thus, human resource manager make sure that follow all regulations relating
to safety, security and welfare to employee in the firm. If they do not follow any laws, so that
employees feel unsecured for working in the company. This impact negatively on decision
making of HR manager in terms of safety and security of workers. If human resource manager
make sure that giving the appropriate security and safety that help to achieve organizational
goals. However, employee are felt comfortable in their work.
Evaluation of employment legislation:
It is necessary to follow all rules and regulations relating to employment or labour by HR
manager in the M&S. There are employment legislation such as health and safety, anti-
discrimination etc. These regulations are highly effected on decision making and objectives of
firm.
Health and Safety: It is major element of employment legislation that highly impact on
business. Therefore, HR manager requires following all regulations relating to health and safety
for employees security and welfare in the workplace (Crettenden and et.al., 2014). By this law,
employees are feel comfortable, safe and secure for working in M&S.
Anti-discrimination: It is necessary to treat all employees equally in the organization.
There is no comparison between employees according to age, gender, race, sex, religion in the
workplace. If HR manager give invectives and any other benefits according anti-discrimination,
so that it is negatively on working of employee in the workplace. This can also impact on
decision making of HR manager relating to rewards and pay to employees. Also, this impact on
achieve objective of firm.
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P 7. Applications of human resource practices in work related context
There are many applications of HR practices such as job description, person
specification, interview, job offer letter etc. that are utilised by HR manager in the M&S. In this
context, HR manager make job description and person specification for hiring the sales executive
in the firm.
JOB DESCRIPTION
MARKS AND SPENCER
Job Title Sales Executive
Function Campaigns and Communication
Reporting To Sales Manager
Job duties and responsibilities:
 Find prospect and leads
 Learn details about our goods and services
 Determine important sales key performance indicators
 Attend sales educational events and seminars
 Update recent trends and best practices
Skills and knowledge:
 Good knowledge of telemarketing and digital marketing
 Team player
 Excellent leadership skills
 Great interpersonal and communication abilities
 Good time management skills
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LinkedIn Profile for Sales executive
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PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job Title Sales Executive
Date 05-02-2019
Reporting to Sales Manager
Qualification Essential Desirable
MBA in marketing and sales √
Good standard of education in English and
Maths
√
International trade related qualification √
Institute of Export Certificate University
Degree
√
Experience Essential Desirable
Shipping/manufacture export environment √
Experience of handling letter of credit √
Product conformity √
Track record of achieving new business sales √
Skills and Knowledge Essential Desirable
High standard of spoken and face to face
communication
√
Excellent use of MS PowerPoint, Word and
Excel
√
Note taking √
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Prepared By:
Title: Sales Executive
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INTERVIEW QUESTION- Sales Executive
 Tell me about yourself.
 What is your previous experience?
 What are qualities which made you to perfect for sales position?
 How do you generate, develop and close sales chances?
JOB OFFER LETTER- Sales Executive
To
Mrs. James Charles
67/5, lansdowne street
London UK.
Date: February 9, 2019
Sub: An offer for position of Sales Executive
Dear Sir
With due respect, I would take large pleasure in offering the post of Sales Executive on behalf
of whole team and Company. As you know that, the possible of sales executive is very
important position where single is responsible fr making and delivering wide sales strategies.
At M&S, you will be required to develop strategies and profit targets. You will have to work in
the office provided to you and your base from 9 to 6 pm all weekdays. You will have various
responsibilities about sales, its records and solving issues relating to it.
We are herewith enclosing document mentoring other details to the offer. You can call us on
9999-74985 in case is any information.
Your Sincerely
Andrew Branson
Chief Executive Officer
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Recommendations of use of technology, social media on improving the recruitment and
selection process
There are many technologies, social media, online source, digital platforms used for
improving recruitment and selection process in M&S. In this context, there are various impacts
these technologies on process of recruiting and selecting of an individual for particular job
position in the workplace.
Social Media: The company will use the social media as strategic tool for improving
recruitment and selection process. This social media technologies constant to develop and
become more distributed in terms of opening new ways of engagement and exchange
information to people. Social media is very useful for increasing forcefully and recruiters find
proactive and engaging more talent in the organization (4 Ways Technology Can Improve Your
Recruitment Process, 2016).
Use of Technology: Technology help to improve recruitment and selection process in
many ways such as creating open recruitment, attracting, sourcing candidate, screening, short-
listing, interviewing and hiring in the workplace. Therefore, M&S use different software like
ATS (Applicant Tracking system) for improve sourcing candidates.
Digital Platforms: It involves Artificial Intelligence which are utilised for improving
recruitment and selection process in the firm (Jeske and Shultz, 2016). This also improve quality
of hires, task automation and mandates compliances etc. Use by human manager in the M&S.
CONCLUSION
This report has summarised that different functions of HRM such as recruitment and
selection, training and development that help to achieving purpose of human resource as well as
firm. It can be concluded that competency approach to workforce planning, internal as well as
external recruitment approach to recruit and select candidate, traditional approach to training,
comparative approach to performance management and modern approach to rewards system that
have used within the company. It can be discussed that HR manager use coaching as training
and development, 360 degree feedback as performance appraisal in terms of improving
execution of employees in the workplace. Furthermore, report has completed that HR manager
follow human relation approach to employee relation and rewards schemes to employee
engagement in the workplace.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Abraham, M. and et.al., 2015. A Review of Smes Recruitment and Selection Dilemma: Finding
a'Fit'. The Journal of Developing Areas. 49(5). pp.335-342.
Ahmed, T. M. and et.al., 2016, May. Studying the effectiveness of application performance
management (APM) tools for detecting performance regressions for web applications: an
experience report. In Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Mining
Software Repositories (pp. 1-12). ACM.
Bamberger, P. A., Meshoulam, I. and Biron, M., 2014. Human resource strategy: Formulation,
implementation, and impact. Routledge.
Crettenden, I. F. and et.al., 2014. How evidence-based workforce planning in Australia is
informing policy development in the retention and distribution of the health
workforce. Human Resources for Health. 12(1). p.7.
De Bruecker, P. and et.al., 2015. Workforce planning incorporating skills: State of the
art. European Journal of Operational Research. 243(1). pp.1-16.
Gamage, A. S., 2014. Recruitment and selection practices in manufacturing SMEs in Japan: An
analysis of the link with business performance. Ruhuna Journal of Management and
Finance. 1(1). pp.37-52.
Jeske, D. and Shultz, K.S., 2016. Using social media content for screening in recruitment and
selection: pros and cons. Work, employment and society. 30(3). pp.535-546.
Mester, B. and et.al., 2018. Performance management.
Momin, W. Y. M. and Mishra, K., 2015. HR Analytics as a strategic workforce
planning. IJAR. 1(4). pp.258-260.
Townley, B., 2014. Selection and appraisal: reconstituting. New Perspectives on Human
Resource Management (Routledge Revivals). 92.
Zhou, S. and et.al., 2015. Socio-hydrological water balance for water allocation between human
and environmental purposes in catchments. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. 19(8).
pp.3715-3726.
Online
4 Ways Technology Can Improve Your Recruitment Process. 2016. [ONLINE]. Available
through. : <https://ideal.com/recruitment-process/>.
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