Human Resource Management Functions and Practices

This assignment delves into the fundamental functions of Human Resource Management (HRM). It examines key areas such as recruitment, selection, training & development, performance management, compensation & benefits, employee relations, and legal compliance. The document requires an understanding of various HRM theories and practices, analyzing their impact on organizational success. It also incorporates a review of relevant academic literature and real-world examples to illustrate the concepts discussed.

Human Resource
Management

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................4
PART-1 RECRUTIMENT AND SELECTION .....................................................................................................4
TASK 1..........................................................................................................................................................4
a) Purposes of workforce planning and the role of HR manager with regards workforce planning and
resourcing ...............................................................................................................................................4
b) Strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection..............................5
c) How functions of the HRM practices can provide talent and skills ....................................................5
d) Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches .......................................................6
TASK 2..........................................................................................................................................................6
a) Job advertisement for role...................................................................................................................6
b) Suitable platforms to place the advertisement ...................................................................................7
c) Job specification and person specification for the role .......................................................................7
................................................................................................................................................................9
PART- 2 EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCES, DEVELOPMENT AND REWARD ........................................................9
TASK 3 .........................................................................................................................................................9
a) Difference between training and development ..................................................................................9
b) How changes in customer expectations affected Tesco and its need to train the staff ......................9
c) Methods of training carried out by Tesco .........................................................................................10
d) How training need is identified .........................................................................................................10
e) Benefit for Tesco and its employees in providing structured training program ................................12
f) Extent to which training has achieved a return on investment .........................................................12
g) Types of flexibility approaches that can be adopted by Tesco to aid its expansion program............13
PART-3 EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP ............................................................................................................14
TASK 4........................................................................................................................................................14
a) Analyzing the importance of ITV to maintain good employee relations and it influence on the
decisions of HR......................................................................................................................................14
b) Key elements in employment legislation and its influence on ITV’s HR decisions.............................14
c.) Evaluating the key aspects of employee relations management and employment legislation that
affect HRM decision-making in ITV........................................................................................................15
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................16

REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
Human Resource management (HRM) is the broad concept that basically encompasses
different aspects that support in attaining the individual and organizational effectiveness. Along
with this, it also integrates different functions related with recruitment and selection, training and
development, compensation etc that directly contribute in attaining the growth perspective of the
organization (Storey, 2014). For the present report different case scenarios have been addressed
that support in gaining the effective information regarding different aspects of the HRM
practices. Along with this, the report will also focus on addressing key purpose of workforce
planning with explaining the key strength and weakness of different approaches of recruitment
and selection. Lastly, report would also assess the significance of employee relation within the
organization and its influences on the HR decisions.
PART-1 RECRUTIMENT AND SELECTION
TASK 1
a) Purposes of workforce planning and the role of HR manager with regards workforce planning
and resourcing
Workforce planning is one of the continuous procedure within organization that support
the organization in meeting their requirement related with workforce so that they can easily
accomplishes the goals and objectives (Functions of HRM, 2016). Workforce planning is
consider as significant aspect within the college as it focuses on meeting the required demand of
lecturer within the college. HR manager is the one that mainly focuses on meeting the workforce
requirement within the Woodhill College so that they can easily impact the proper services and
education to the students. The key purpose of workforce planning is as follows-
 Meet the future demand- The key purpose of workforce planning within the Woodhill
College is to meet the future requirement of workforce demand so that they can easily
accomplish their activities (Holtbrügge, Friedmann and Puck, 2010).
 Removing the surplus staff- Another purpose of workforce planning is remove or
eliminate the unwanted or surplus staff from the college so that they can overcome the
expenses in the teacher or professor.

b) Strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection
There are various approaches related with the recruitment and selection that is used by
Woodhill College for meeting the requirement of adequate and competent personnel. Therefore,
it has been evaluated that all the different approaches to recruitment and selection have certain
strengths and weaknesses that are as follows-
 Internal approach- The key approach is internal approach in which the college focuses
on using the internal sources for selecting the candidate for the vacant job post. Internal
approach mainly focuses on transfer, referral as well as promotion for selecting the
required candidate. Through considering the case scenario Woodhill College Teacher or
professor with the college may give their referral for recruiting and selecting the
candidate (Furtmueller, Wilderom and Tate, 2011).
Strength
The strength of this approach is that it is less costly in nature and there is no need to make
expenses on creating the job advertisement.
Weaknesses
On the other hand, its weakness is that for selecting the competent candidate there is limited
reach.
 External approach- Another approach to the recruitment and selection include external
source that is engaging in external sources for advertisement and selecting the external
candidate from the pool of applicants.
Strength
The key strength of external approach is that it supports the Woodhill College in selecting the
competent and qualified candidate from the large pool of applicants.
Weaknesses
On the other hand, limitation of external approach is that it may act as the costly approach for the
college as it requires some investment recruiting and selecting the candidate.

Merit Criteria
c) How functions of the HRM practices can provide talent and skills
There are different functions of HRM practices that support the individual in providing
talent and skills (Brewster and et.al., 2016). The functions of HRM practices mainly include
recruitment and selection, training and development etc. that support the Woodhill College in
attaining the talent and skills. With the help of these functions that is recruitment and selection
HR can easily select the competent personnel that results in assisting the company to attain their
goals and objectives in the effective and efficient manner. The key function of HRM practice
also include engaging in conducting training and development session that support in enhancing
the skills and abilities of the lecturer within the college so that they may easily deliver the
required learning and knowledge among the students. Along with this, significance of training
and development within the wood hill college is that it amend the skills accordant with the
requirement of job posy within the college.
d) Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
From assessing the strength and weakness of the different approaches of recruitment and
selection it has been evaluated that both the approaches plays significant role for Woodhill
College.
Strength
It has also evaluated that engaging in the internal approach it support in minimizing the
overall cost of the institution regarding selecting the competent personnel as the senior level staff
and professor within the college put their referral that sometime results in selecting the
competent personnel (Wright and McMahan, 2011).
Weaknesses
On the other hand, it is also evaluated that if they use internal approach for recruiting and
selection it might sometime results in selecting or promoting the wrong candidate for the senior
vacant job post. Therefore, in this situation it might results in negatively impacting the
performance of Woodhill College.

TASK 2
a) Job advertisement for role
Through reviewing the case scenario of Woodhill College it has been assessed that there
is no clear and specific HR policies. Therefore, education institute decide to hire the HR assistant
for which they have designed the job advertisement that would be visible to the large mass of
candidate and required candidate would apply for the vacant job post. The job advertisement is
as follows-
Job Vacancy………….!!!!!
HR MANAGER REQUIRED
Woodhill College
HR manager is been required for Woodhill College. The candidate those who wish to apply for
the job can apply on the prior basis.
There is one condition that must be fulfilled by candidate that is they must be having 7-10 years
of experience in the field of HR.
Candidates those who are having experience will be highly preferred. Along with this, candidate
who have applied first will be given priority.
To apply for the HR assistant the last date is 31st January, 2017.
Candidate those are interested in the vacant job post may apply or e-mail their CV on the below
mentioned Email ID.
b) Suitable platforms to place the advertisement
In order to successfully place the job advertisement of HR assistant in the Woodhill
College, they must focuses on assessing the suitable platform on which they can place the
designed advertisement. The different platform for job advertisement include-
 Print media: The foremost option that is available for posting the Job advertisement is
promoting the vacant job post through print media (Werner and DeSimone, 2011). The
print media include promotion of commercial ad with the help of newspaper, pamphlet or
magazines etc. it is an effective medium that must be used Woodhill College for

advertising their vacant job post. It is consider as an effective medium through which the
college can easily hire the competent personnel for the premises.
 Online portal: Another platform for advertisement include online platform through
which the college post the vacant ad on the online website that results in targeting large
audiences.
 Recruitment agency- Another suitable platform that is used by Woodhill College for the
advertisement include targeting with recruitment agency so that they may easily hire the
competent candidate for the college.
c) Job specification and person specification for the role
Job specification and person specification are the formal written statement that basically
consist of the skills and qualification that individual or candidate must possess for the vacant job.
Along with this, it also indicates the actual requirement among the candidate to meet the criteria
of job post.
JOB SPECIFICATION
Job profile: HR assistant
Company: Woodhill College.
Location: UK
Job time: Full time job
Working hours: 9.30 a.m to 6.00 P.m
Salary:
Experience : Minimum 7 years
They must have knowledge in the field.
Qualification:

 The candidate has attained the bachelor degree with the aggregate percentage.
 They must be post graduate with minimum 70% of the grade for the job.
Person specification
Skills-
 Candidate must have adequate interpersonal and communication skills that support in
maintaining the healthy relationship.
 Candidate must have effective leadership ability among them so that they can manage the
workforce planning.
Roles and responsibilities-
 The foremost role of HR assistant is to ensure that HR policy framed by the department is
implemented properly or not.
 Another role of HR assistant is to manage all the daily activities within the HR
department (Ulrich, 2013).
 There role is to schedule the training session for the newly appointed candidate as well as
engaging in the induction program.
 Another role is to engage in the activities related with managing the wages, salary etc.
PART- 2 EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCES, DEVELOPMENT AND
REWARD
TASK 3
a) Difference between training and development
HRM focuses on the training and development of employees and staff so that they can
easily attain the effectiveness and efficiency within their work practices so that they can render
proper services within the giant retail firm Tesco. There are certain difference among both the

terms that is Training and Development (Storey, 2014). Training is defined as the process that
basically focuses on amending and improving the critical skills accordant with the requirement
of job so that employees may easily perform their job in effective manner. On the contrary to
this, development is defined as the process that imparts the knowledge among the individual that
support them in enhancing theoretical knowledge.
The differences among both the approaches are as follows training is short term process
that mainly focuses on amending the skills and abilities of the staff within the Tesco. On the
other hand, development is long term process that focuses on overall development of the
individual. Another difference among both the approaches is that the key orientation of training
is for the job perspective (Scullion and Collings, 2010). On the other hand, development is
mainly oriented for career perspective. Whereas, some other differences among both the function
is that key purpose of training is to improve and amend the performance of Tesco staff through
enhancing their skills related with the job. On the other hand, key purpose of development is to
develop and grow the individual so that they may attain future growth.
b) How changes in customer expectations affected Tesco and its need to train the staff
Tesco is one of the highly volatile organizations within the retail sector that mainly
focuses on increasing and generating the sales ratio for attaining the profitability. Therefore, it is
assessed that change in the expectation of customers would directly affect the Tesco (Purce,
2014). For instance, the expectation of customer within the Tesco store is to know regarding the
range of services and products that are delivering by the store in this context Tesco need to train
their staff so that they may enhances their confidence skills that support them in attending the
customers that prefer to visits their stores for purchasing the products. Along with this, with the
changing expectation and persuading customers for purchasing the products and services of
Tesco management need to amend and train their staff so that they may effectively contribute
towards attaining the organizational goals.
Along with this, it has been also assessed that for enhancing and raising the satisfaction
level of customers it is required by Tesco to encgage in the training activities so that staff may
easily meet the demand and expectation of customers (Mathis and Jackson, 2011). Whereas, the
need of training among the staff has been accomplished with the changing demand of customers
that support the giant retail firm in enhancing their overall performance.

c) Methods of training carried out by Tesco
In order to develop the staff within the giant retail firm there are different forms or
methods of training that are carried to improve and amend the skills of the staff so that they may
perform their job activities in effective and proper manner. The different methods of training
carried out by Tesco include following-
 On the job training methods- The key method of training that is been used by the giant
firm include on the job training method (Kehoe and Wright, 2013). Under this training
method inexperienced employees and staff enhances and learn through observing and
seeing their mentoring performing the business activities. These forms of training
methods are less expensive as training is imparted by the manager while performing the
job. The different methods of on the job training include coaching, mentoring, just in
time etc.
 Off the job training methods- Another method of training that is carried out by Tesco
include off the job training method that is imparted outside the working environment.
Under this form of training study or learning material is provided to the staff and
employees and it focuses on learning activities rather than engaging in performing
activities (Holtbrügge, Friedmann and Puck, 2010). This training mainly focuses on
different techniques such as vestibule training, simulation, role play etc.
d) How training need is identified
With the help of engaging in the systematic approach to training Tesco manager focuses
on determining the training need of the different individuals those who are working in Tesco
store. The systematic approach to training basically focuses on different steps that are
enumerated as follows-

Figure 1: Systematic approach to training Analysis: The foremost step in the systematic approach to training includes analysis of
the current skills that staff and employees within the Tesco store possess. With this step
Tesco manager would easily determine the skills need and requirement among the staff
so that they can easily perform their job (Furtmueller, Wilderom and Tate, 2011).
 Designing: After analysis of the training requirement among the staff management of
Tesco must engage in designing of the training so that they can easily meet the
requirement. Management must also engage in evaluating the proper training methods so
that they can meet the requirement.
 Development: Another step include development of training material so that they can
easily amend and improve the required skills of staff within the Tesco that support them
in performing their activities and job role in effective and proper manner.
 Implementation: With the development of training materials Tesco manager must
focuses on implementation of the training material so that staff can easily improve their
require skills and abilities.
 Evaluation: After implementation of the training methods management must evaluate the
effectiveness of method that it has accomplished in meeting the requirement properly or
not (Locke and Latham, 2013). The evaluation must be in terms of assessing the
enhancement of their skills and abilities.

e) Benefit for Tesco and its employees in providing structured training program
It has been assessed that Tesco plc focuses on structured training program within their
working environment that support their staff and employees to get improved and amend their
skills. The firm is leading giant firm in the retail industry that engage in structured training
program that support their staff in attaining the desired objectives. With the training program
within Tesco it benefits both Tesco as well as their employees.
The benefit of training for Tesco plc is that it supports the business in attaining the
growth that assist in sustaining in the retail industry (Li, Tan and Teo, 2012). Along with this, it
has been also assessed that training program within the Tesco also benefit the employees in
enhancing their skills and abilities that support in performing their job effectively. Along with
this, it has been also assessed that training and development also benefit the staff in attaining the
growth in their career through attaining the higher post within the giant retail firm. In addition to
this, another benefit of structured training program for Tesco staff is that with improving the
required skills it results in satisfying the staff as they perform their services in proper manner.
f) Extent to which training has achieved a return on investment
It has been assessed that training within the organization plays significant role that
support on attaining optimistic outcome for the organization in terms of enhancing their
performance (Cardona and et.al., 2013). Along with this, it has been also stated that
implementing training program within the giant retail firm it support them in accompanying the
predetermined goals and objectives. Moreover, selection of effective training method or
engaging in systematic training program it outcome in achieving return on investment. The
extent to which training has achieved a return on investment mainly enumerated as follows-
 Enhanced sales volume- With the effective training program it has been assessed that it
support the Tesco staff to get motivated towards the organization that results in
generating or enhancing the sales volume through delivering variety of products among
the customers (Brewster and et.al., 2016). Moreover, it is analyzed that highly trained
employees and staff would support in enhancing the sales volume through persuading the
customers for purchasing their products and services that results in attaining the higher
return.

 Increasing productivity- Another extent in which training support the Tesco is through
increasing the productivity by increasing the sales ratio of their range of products and
services among the target customers.
g) Types of flexibility approaches that can be adopted by Tesco to aid its expansion program
Flexibility is referred to be a key aspect in today’s business environment with a prime
responsibility of the upper managerial bodies to outlook it as a greater mean of benefiting their
employees and satisfy them. It is basically a vital provision for both set of employees and
employers of an entity like TESCO where they can tend to work with a flexible context of
submission (Oke, 2016). This will not only lead to enhance the overall performance of the
organisation but together aid them in their future prospective of growth. Below section has
defined some vital approaches of flexibility that can be adopted by TESCO with reference to
their expansion program-
 Numerical flexibility-This flexibility approach for the organisation is helpful in
regulating their labour inputs in order to meet out any fluctuations in their output
measures. Into which, they can hereby refer to employ part time employees for ensuring a
smooth flow of assignations in a pressurised state of work in order to progress in their
enlarged set of market.
 Functional flexibility- It is yet another beneficial tact that can be adopted by TESCO in
order to provide a flexible context of work to them. This however requires them to deal
with the employees in accordance to their pertinent level of skills and abilities (Arulrajah
and et.al., 2015). It is especially for being into the industry of retail sector. It is where
with an operational set of flexibility, the official bodies of TESCO can hereby refer
ensure a prime accomplishment of their business goals and objectives.

PART-3 EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP
TASK 4
a) Analyzing the importance of ITV to maintain good employee relations and it influence on the
decisions of HR
It is basically in order to provision efficient services to the clients and users, the firms
like ITV are hereby required to maintain a prompt relationship with their employees. Employees
being the key element of ITV are together held with a direct responsibility of managing the
overall work prospective of the establishment. For which, it is important for the authorized
bodies of the enterprises like ITV to engage their workers in such coherent activities that provide
them a vital sense of collaboration to work into a cooperative sense of achievement
(Prince,2011). Collective bargaining procedures along with consulting their ideas while initiating
with any newer set of task is helpful; to provide them a pertinent prospect towards work.
Through which, they will not only refer to make timely submission of tasks but will also
intensify their productivity with it. Additionally, it is with a prime intervention of ITV’s HR
personnel’s in this overall prospective of employee relations, they can also resolve any conflicted
situation in work where such lessen state of dispute at the workplace will also help them to
ensure a smooth flow of operation.
b) Key elements in employment legislation and its influence on ITV’s HR decisions
There exist several legislative laws that are being formulated by UK government in
accordance to frame distinct legislation of employment as well. These legislative norms are
required to be adopted by the organizations operating in UK market with a similar proposition
for ITV as well. Some vital elements of employment legislation tend to comprise with certain
anti-discriminative practices (Yidong and Xinxin, 2013). It is a foremost occupational legislation
entitled as Anti-discrimination with respect to which, ITV is not permissible to engage with any
sort of biased activities at the workplace. This constituent in turn makes a direct impact on the
HR decisions of ITV where they are hereby required to frame such vital decisions that strictly
rules over any prejudice activity at the workplace and take strict actions against any partial set of
individuals.
Merit criteria

c.) Evaluating the key aspects of employee relations management and employment legislation
that affect HRM decision-making in ITV
The concept of employee relations is a contemporary agenda in today’s business
organizations and in regard to which, almost all sort of organizations are now- a- days are
engaging into the practice of employee relationship management. It is with a similar perceptive
of ITV where they are together practicing a similar agenda of employee relations management to
improve their relationship with the employees (Brewster and et.al., 2016). This involves
encouraging them to a right direction of achievement where all can operate with a similar sense
of collaboration. ITV has implicated varied employment legislations where it in turn has been
imposed on their HRM practices as well. The most elementary laws include Discrimination Act,
Maternity and Paternity leave, and Flexibility working, etc. Wherein, a key prospective behind
pursuing these approaches lies under some shared clause of leadership, communication, rewards
and recognition, etc. that consequently supports in both personal and professional growth of the
their staff members.
Distinction Criteria
d) Application of HRM practices in ITV that inform and influence decision-making in the
organization
It is evident that an applied practice of HRM in the organization is in turn apparent to
inform and influence the overall decision making procedures of the businesses like that of ITV
(O'Neil and Drillings, 2012). In context to which, the HRM bodies of ITV is hereby referred to
follow several practices at their workplace that tends to inform and influence their overall
decision making procedures. These HRM practices are as stated below: Performance management system: It is with a prime support of this particular activity of
HRM in ITV, they can hereby tend to measure the carried work performance of their
employees. Wherein, the assigned tasks are set on varied parameters that greatly assist
the administrative bodies of HRM to evaluate the work performance of their staff
members and match with it the standardized set of work to determine any further scope of
improvement in it.
 Employee engagement: It is yet another prospective outlook of the HR personnel’s in
ITV in order to raise the engagement of their appointed workforce by conducting varied
activities at the workplace (Vanhala and Ritala, 2016). It is with a prime accountability of

the managerial bodies of ITV where they will refer to involve the employees in their
decision making procedure and pay attention to their conferred views and ideas in order
to resolve a pertinent organizational concern.
CONCLUSION
Through summing up the report it is concluded that human resource management support
the organization in accomplishing the goals and objectives through adopting approaches related
with recruitment and selection, training and development, maintaining employee relations etc.
along with this, report has also inclined towards attaining the different approaches related with
recruitment and selection through assessing their strengths and weakness. Moreover, it also
summarizes the effectiveness of using different methods of training and development in the
organization as it benefit the individual in enhancing their skills and knowledge. On the other
hand, it would also benefit the organization in enhancing their performance as with training
individual easily rendered effective services within the organization. The study also suggested
the different types of approaches to flexibility that is adopted by Tesco to support its expansion
of the business. Flexibility is referred to be a key aspect in today’s business environment with a
prime responsibility of the upper managerial bodies to outlook it as a greater mean of benefiting
their employees and satisfy them. Last of all, report also measures the key element of the
employment legislation that directly affects the decisions of HRM within the cited organization.

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Online
Functions of HRM. 2016. [Online]. Available through: < http://smallbusiness.chron.com/six-
main-functions-human-resource-department-60693.html >. [Accessed on 22nd January 2017].