Assessment of The HR Practices

Assessment of The HR Practices 1
Name
Course
Tutor
University
State
Date

Assessment of The HR Practices 2
Introduction
Human resource assessment helps in identifying if the HR department’s specific practice areas
and performs adequate processes, effective and legal binding. The result of the assessment helps
identify the unclear gaps in HR practices and functions. The organization can prioritize these
gaps to minimize unwanted lawsuits or regulatory violations and liabilities that may occur. It
also helps achieve and maintain world-class and competitive practices in the field of human
resource management. Therefore, HR assessment involves identifying resource gaps,
determining and recommending solutions to situations before they become unmanageable. The
assessment is an opportunity for the organization to determine what they are doing right or
wrong and what can be done differently, effectively and at a reduced cost. According to Fan,
Zhang, and Zhu, (2013 p 532), organization growth is fully or partially dependent on the existing
set structure of the HR model. Most companies assess the HR practices to develop performances
of the team and the organization.
Woolworths is the diversified retailer shops that operate about 3,200 stores in Australia
and New Zealand. That includes supermarkets, liquor stores, hotels and consumer electronics
shops. Woolworths also sells gasoline and leverages its distribution network to provide the third-
party supermarkets with wholesale merchandising services. Woolworth has a group of directors
and chain of managers managing the large numbers of employees. For HR plays a paramount
role to manage the workforce of an organization (Zhang et al., 2015 p. 518).
HR has practices that are perceived to be effective from the organization perspective. If
the practices are followed, it will reduce the gap of Human resource team in any organization.
Woolworth relies on selecting best-skilled employees to manage its operations. To recruit the
best skill in the market, Woolworth advertises the vacant job positions online to reach a wide

Assessment of The HR Practices 3
range of applicants. The applicants send their applications online. A proper person recruited for
the job from applicants based on merit (Blackwood & Bentley, 2013 p 27). It also ensures
transparency in the process of recruitment. Woolworth ensures to follow the legislated
regulations of Anti-Discrimination act and provision of Equal Employment Opportunity as
required throughout the recruitment process and also by the privacy act required when handling
personal information. When the selection is made, training and orientation of the candidates take
place for easy integration of company’s practices.
Woolworth has a system for managing performance based on employees’ current skills,
required skills, and career aspirations. It enables the employees and management to fill the gaps
in skills and decision making. Woolworths uses this technique to enhance the participation of
employees and increase job satisfaction among employees. The retailing business is one of the
constantly changing sectors and Woolworths has prepared for any changes that might occur
(Gratton 2003, p 76). The contingency theory allows the retail shop to ensure that the right
manpower are available for the particular project and jobs available. Through the application of
the contingency theory, Woolworths can exercise complete control and manag its employees
throughout all the locations of the stores. Contingency theory is best suitable for the Woolworths
companies’ operations. The management also identifies and rewards high performers’ by
providing awards intended to encourage other employees to work hard. High performances are
rewarded through career development opportunities.
Training and development is another HR practice at Woolworth. The trainings are offered in
different terms depending on the level of outcomes, and market shares. This HR function is used
to build core competencies to create competitive knowledge and sustainable advantages for the