Recruitment and Selection in Human Resource Management: A Case Study of Tesco

This report discusses the concept of recruitment and selection in HRM and their importance in an organization. It includes a case study of Tesco, challenges faced by organizations, and recommendations for improvement. The report also covers HR practices such as diversity and innovation, research and development, and quality recruitment.

Human Resource Managment
Tesco

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Recruitment and Selection.....................................................................................................3
Importance of Recruitment................................................................................................3
Selection.................................................................................................................................3
Importance of Selection.....................................................................................................4
Literature Review...................................................................................................................4
Tesco’s Recruitment and Selection Practice......................................................................5
Challenges for Tesco in Recruitment and Selection..............................................................6
Human Resource Practices.....................................................................................................7
Diversity and Innovations..................................................................................................7
Research and Development................................................................................................7
Quality Recruitment...........................................................................................................8
Recommendations..................................................................................................................8
Generating Online Applications.........................................................................................8
Providing Attractive offers to the Employees of the company..........................................8
Creating a separate team of Recruitment...........................................................................9
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................9
References................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
HRM (Human Resource Management) is the management of people or human resource.
Generally called as the department of HR, it is created to enhance the performance of the
employees in order to achieve the organizational objectives. HR is majorly concerned about
the management of people in organizations, concentrating on strategies and on systems
(Wilton, 2016). This report is being prepared to highlight the concept of Recruitment and
selection activity of Human Resource Management and their importance in an organization.
Along with this challenges will be stated that Human Resource manager of Tesco Company
faces and best practices of human resource in relation to these challenges. This report
includes a brief introduction of the Tesco Company. Further, recommendations will be
provided to address these challenges.
Tesco is a British general and grocery merchandise retailer and has headquarter in England,
United Kingdom. As per its profit, it is known as the third largest retailer and by revenue, it is
world's night largest retailer. The stores of the company are present in seven countries across
Europe and Asia. The company is the market leader in a grocery in the in Ireland, Thailand,
Hungary, and the UK. Jack Cohen founded Tesco as a group of market stalls in 1919. It is
listed on the stock exchange of London.
Recruitment and Selection
A process of identifying possible participant for a function or job, commenced by recruiters is
known as Recruitment. This activity is very important for every organization in order to have
the best workforce in the premises (Smartling, 2018). It might be started by an agency of
recruitment or a staff member of an organization seeking workforces. Advertising is a general
portion of the process of recruitment and can occur by numerous means: by the newspaper,

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using newspaper devoted to the advertisement of the job, by professional publication,
advertisements on windows, by a job center, by campus interviews, etc. (Society and Human
Resource Management, 2008)
Appropriateness for a job is usually evaluated by considering kills, e.g. computer skills,
typing skills, communication skills. Proof of the required skills for a task or job may be
offered in the form of qualification it can be professional or education (Yu & Cable, 2013).
Importance of Recruitment
Recruitment provides an entree for a company to get a pool of talented people at a single
place in single time. If there will be a high number of participants in the recruitment process
companies gets more options of skills to choose from. Along with this, organizations can
target the potential participants and hire them for upcoming assignments rather than
struggling to search for the right candidate at last moment (Devi & Banu, 2014).
Selection
Selection is a procedure used in an organization to recognize and employ a group of
individual to fill the posts. It is mostly depended on an initial job examination; the final goal
of employees’ selection is to confirm a sufficient return on investment. In other words, to
confirm the efficiency of the new employ warrants the amount spent on employing and
training that hired individual (Gatewood, Feild & Barrick, 2010).
Importance of Selection
The main agenda of having well-organized selection process is to raise the success of hiring.
Developing a detailed job analysis assist in understanding what person requires. Every tool of
selection which is utilized to assess candidates must add value to the capability to efficiently
define which applicant is the best for the job (Kokemuller, 2018).

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Literature Review
Recruitment and selection are one of the important activities or utilities of HRM (Human
resource management) for every category of business. These terms are the procedure of
attracting and selecting applicants for service. The human resource quality that a company
possesses is majorly dependent on the efficiency of these activities or utilities (Gamage,
2014). Recruiting and selecting the incorrect applicant who is not proficient enough arise
with a high adverse cost which companies cannot afford. Therefore, the complete goal of
recruitment and selection in the business is to attain the quantity and number of workforces
that are essential to fulfilling the planned goals of the business, at least cost (Ofori &
Aryeetey, 2011).
According to Opatha (2010), the procedure of searching and enticing an appropriately skilled
person to apply for the vacancies of job in the company is known as Recruitment. It is
considered as a set of activities which a company uses to attract the applicants for the work
who possess the needed approaches and skills. Recruitment is the practice of creating a pool
of capable contestants for the job openings in the organization. As per Ofori and Aryeetey
(2011) recruitment is the practice of making a pool of skilled persons to apply for a job in the
business.
The overall aim of recruitment as per Gamage (2014) is to supply the organization with a
group of possibly capable job candidates. The quality of human resource of a business
majorly depends on the quality of the attracted applicants because the business is going to
select from that personnel who were attracted.
On the other side, the selection is the procedure of selecting the best and appropriate
applicant from the group of applicants employed to fill the related job post (Opatha, 2010).
Selection is the practice through which definite tools are involved to select from the group of

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people most apt for the available job (Ofori & Aryeetey, 2011). The selection comprises the
usage of one or more approaches to assess candidate’s suitability to make the right decision
of selection and can be looked as a process of denial as it rejects some of the candidates and
selects few applicants to fill the job post. Thus, selection activity may be said as an adverse
function in place of positive function (Gamage, 2014).
As per Gamage (2014), the purpose of selection function is to acquire the correct individual
to the correct job, create and uphold a worthy image as a good manager, and sustain the
process of selection as cost-effective as possible. Selection is a very vital feature to consider
for businesses because of various reasons (Ekwoaba, Ikeije & Ufoma, 2015).
Tesco’s Recruitment and Selection Practice
Wel (2016) stated that Tesco Company is one of the biggest employers in the private sector
that function in approx. 13 countries around the world. The non-store and store-based
activities are growing for the Tesco. Starineca (2015) specified that to attain the objectives of
the company, the company has to confirm that, it possesses the correct amount of workers in
the correct job. For this, Tesco has to create a sequenced method to choose and hire workers
for managerial and operational roles. Stan and Vermeulen (2013) stated that to fulfill future
wants, the Tesco has to make suitable staff planning. The organization’s administration has to
choose a suitable candidate according to their talent, skills, location, qualification, and
numbers.
Sayce et al. (2012) highlighted that recruitment is the strategy that can support a company to
examine which section needs new personnel. It has been identified that the Tesco uses
different approaches to promote openings. Russell and Brannan (2016) mentioned that the
procedure of recruitment of the company is based majorly on the job availability. It has been
evaluated that the Tesco majorly depends on the program i.e. "Internal Talent Plan" to fill the

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vacancies. With the assistance of this program, the business considers the personnel list who
is expecting a promotion or job rotation. The company makes use of internal advertising in
the intranet (Wilkinson & Johnstone, 2016). It has been identified that job vacancies in Tesco
are posted on the company’s website or on the external board of recruitment.
Challenges faced by other organizations
Geographical Location
Company's geographical location may create challenges of recruitment and selection in
situations where the organization's unit is located far away from the city. Due to this, there
will be a limited pool of employees. Many times potentially experienced and qualified people
do not get ready to move away from their relatives or families unless they can move there
with their families.
Change in business model
A change in the model of business may also raise recruitment and selection challenges. Upon
formation, a company might have desired more unqualified labor. As the organization or
company grows its unqualified labor demand may be decreased and the right group of
employees that ensembles the new model of business might not be accessible in the area
(Zinyemba, 2014).
Innovation vs. Efficiency
Human Resource managers constantly look for new and enhanced tools to improve the
recruitment process. Whereas they mostly are prepared to hold new hiring methods, striking
stability between expedience and efficiency often grips them back. Incompetent hiring
methods can discourage prime applicants. SHRM just stated that 60% of potential candidates
leave the application procedure when it is too extended or complex.

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Wide Reach vs. Coherence
Since years, employee recommendations have been a significant part of the recruiting
procedure. The flow of social media openings now provides employees an even superior
recruiting group. Though, one of the main complications in the concept of wide-reach is that
business can lose control of its message. An unpredictable message can complicate
candidates and disturb the quality of selection group. Being clear with the goals and
objectives of company can help improve these problems (Furst Person, 2016).
Challenges for Tesco in Recruitment and Selection
Some of the key challenges associated with the process of the internal and external
recruitment of Tesco have been analyzed in this study. In terms of internal
recruitment, it has been identified that there are limited applicants for the job.
Moreover, the management of the company is already aware of the weaknesses and
strengths of the candidates. Han (2014), states that only training cannot enhance the
employee’s weaknesses after some time. Because of procedure of internal selection,
the company is not able to attain fresh viewpoints and thoughts from the outside
boundary of the organization. Along with this, recruiting from the internal premises
will generate another opening that needs to be fulfilled (Furnham, 2012).
Besides this, it has been identified that process of external recruitment implemented
by the company is not cost effective because of selection’s longer process and
advertising. It has been seen that the process of the external section of the company is
not well-organized to select a candidate for the job.
In Tesco, it has been identified that there are some sought of discriminations in the
process of internal recruitment. The administration of the company has a preference to
recruit applicants from U.K regardless of their qualification. The company is less
persuaded towards hiring Muslim applicants. This system of recruitment and selection

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of Tesco needs to be changed. It has to choose applicants based on their talent,
qualification, skills, and job experience rather than their values, religion, race, culture,
geographical location, culture, and gender (Edelson et al. 2014).
Human Resource Practices
Diversity and Innovations
This practice of HR points out that it is very important to have a diversified employee's base
and HR need to make a concentrated effort outside the boundary of the company in order to
gain new and diverse views of the normal order of business. Tesco needs to move forward
and should invite people from different places and countries to be the part of the organization
such that it can have different perspectives and ideas.
Innovation only arises as an outcome of change, and change is not thinkable without someone
willing to rock the familiar boat. Similarly, Tesco needs to be ready for taking a risk and
employ somebody from the outer boundary of the organization, in order to gain information
and vision from someone having a diverse viewpoint.
Research and Development
The finest practices of HR comprise maintaining the focus on the training of the existing
workforce internally and devote a considerable part of the budget of the company to R&D.
This means Tesco needs to hire workforces who are talented trainers and leaders.
Furthermore, identifying best people to use as trainers means being capable to recognize
needed traits and talents anticipated in the trainers of the company, and then to positively
identify those potentials in both external and internal applicants for the job.

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Quality Recruitment
If a company wants to employ best people, it needs to get involved in some strategies like
networking, concentrating on development and satisfaction in the description of the job, and
interconnect with recruits as people, in place of potential job applicants.
General Recommendation
In order to improve the process of recruitment and selection every organization first need to
improve their message what they are trying to convey through their recruitment and selection
process must be clear, it should not be complex.
Job Description- Before beginning a process of recruitment and selection, job descriptions
must be clear for every part or role in the company. All the job description must involve the
education and skills essential to achieve every role positively, as well as a thorough list of
duties.
Policies and Procedures- Policies and procedures must be distinct and followed to for the
process of recruiting and selection, and must confirm that everybody in the company adheres
to federal, state, and local regulations.
Recommendations for Tesco
On the basis of above identifies challenges in the recruitment and selection process of Tesco
some recommendations are provided:
Generating Online Applications
Tesco needs to generate a system of online application. Due to emerging technologies and
upsurge of the use of the internet, the online application will be competent to attract more and
more skilled people towards Tesco Company. The company has to offer proper job
specification and details of the job on the website or web page such that it can choose the
right candidate for the right job.

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Providing Attractive offers to the Employees of the company
To attract a maximum number of candidates who are capable and experienced towards the
company, the administration of Tesco have to deliver attractive, beneficial offers and
incentive packages to these workforces such as allowances, rewards, home allowance, perks,
etc. If the company follows this then there will be less employee turnover because they will
be more satisfied with the job and packages they are receiving what they use to desire.
Creating a separate team of Recruitment
Tesco needs to create a distinct team of selection and recruitment. This team will be
responsible for all the Human resource and recruitment, selection activities. The team will
directly report to the regional managing director. Along with this, the team will have
complete authority to manage the external and internal process of the operation. Besides this
the company should avoid following its concept of not hiring Muslims for the job, this point
of view creates discriminations in the society. The team must be established involving people
from varied regions and cultures.
Conclusion
In the conclusion, it can be said that Tesco is one of the leading organization in the
supermarket industry and a strong competitor for other players in the market, which reflects
that it needs to have a proper recruitment and selection process such that skilled and talented
people can be hired to do specific jobs. The above report has provided detailed information of
what is recruitment and selection, along with this it has highlighted some of the statements
and thoughts of some researchers and academics. The importance of recruitment and
selection has also been provided in order to provide an idea how much it means for a business
or organization. Besides this, the report has also specified some general challenges and
challenges that Tesco Company is facing in its recruitment and selection procedures. In order

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to avoid these challenges, the company can go through some of the human resource best
practices such as Diversity and Innovation, Research and Development, and Quality
Recruitment. In the end, the report has provided some recommendations that will definitely
help companies it in operating business effectively by hiring skilled and talented candidates
for specific job vacancies.

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