Human Resource Management in the UK: A Case Study of Arcadia Group

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Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Executive Summary
The present study portrays the several human resource management policies, practices and
functions of the UK based multinational organization Arcadia Group. Later on the study focuses
upon the several challenges which are faced from the external factors along with the distinctive
processes of delivery and organization of human resource management of Arcadia Group.
Influential recommendations are provided at the end with supported justification.
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Assessment 1...................................................................................................................................4
An analysis of HR policies and practices within the organisation(s) against selected theoretical
concepts, e.g. high commitment HRM (HCHRM), best fit HRM or hard and soft HRM..............4
Guest’s Model................................................................................................................................10
Role and Challenges of Line Manager in HRM............................................................................10
Recommendations..........................................................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
Assessment 2.................................................................................................................................12
Introduction....................................................................................................................................12
Practices of Employee engagement and wellbeing.......................................................................14
Challenges in implementing the plans for employee wellbeing and engagement.........................16
Recommendations from judgements and critical evaluation (about the implications and values
considering monetary consequences):...........................................................................................17
Project management:.....................................................................................................................18
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................22
References......................................................................................................................................23
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Introduction
The present study focuses upon the various human resource functions, practices and policies
which are implemented by the UK based organization Arcadia Group. Along with that, the study
also describes the several processes of delivery and organization of these practices and functions
withholding the issues faced by multiple external factors. Possible recommendations are
provided with supported justification.
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Assessment 1
An analysis of HR policies and practices within the organisation(s) against selected
theoretical concepts, e.g. high commitment HRM (HCHRM), best fit HRM or hard and
soft HRM
The present study is conducted upon the multinational organisation namely Arcadia Group which
is based on the United Kingdom and also headquartered in London, United Kingdom. In this
particular organization, human resource management is owned, operated and controlled entirely
by the line managers which encourage the integral integration. The human resource
functionalizes in keeping an all over administrative record along with the yearly financial
records. The various practices of human resource in Arcadia Group are inclusive of extensive
growth, fundamental development, conditional employment, job providence, job analysis, job
evaluation, task management, performance approvals, payroll structure, labour law registrations,
manpower planning and maintenance, training and coaching schedules, administrative
compliances and several others (Arcadiagroup.co.uk, 2019). The other human resource policies
of Arcadia Group are referred as below;
Secured, Safe and Healthy Workplace
Arcadia Group concentrates on building a safe, secure and healthy workplace in context to the
environment and atmosphere of that region. It enhances the work culture and retains the
employees for a quite long period of time. Their demands and necessities are fulfilled in regular
interval of time. Along with that, their thoughts, emotions are perceived through the method of
various surveys to accordingly keep them satisfied (Noe et al., 2017).
Employment Legislation
Arcadia Group ensures that the internal and external association are conducted without any
hindrances or separation. The administrative representatives and influential individuals remain
well aware of the entities inspiring the segregation and they make sure that all the employees are
treated with reasonable and equal persuasion (Bailey et al., 2018). Employment Legislation are
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activated by Arcadia Groups in order to pursue the justified legal and institutional rights to the
employees and workers. It assists the employees in obtaining geographical equality as well as
their voice can be channelled towards the leadership panel also if the rights are turned down.
Motivational Providence and Work Culture
Arcadia Group puts their immense effort in establishing a balanced and nurturing work culture
for its employees. The multicultural workforce and supreme aristocratic practices assist in
keeping the work culture developed (Stewart and Brown, 2019). On the other hand, for
developing and improving their organizational performance, performance motivation is
considered as an undeniable part of their structural system. The basic motivation which is
provided contains monetary benefits.
Rewards
The human resource department of Arcadia Group measures and evaluates the performance of
the employees in order to accurately reward them. There are several means which are used.
Those are respectively; flexible working hours, attractive bonuses, equities, pensions, provident
funds, medical claims and insurances, increments, awards, gratuitous vacations and similarly a
few others (Hollenbeck and Jamieson, 2015). In particular cases of Arcadia Group, it has been
discovered that some employees preferred applause and appreciations much more than cash
bonuses.
Functional Contexts
The human resource department of Arcadia Group performs some important functions as part of
their regular practices. The primary aims and objectives of Arcadia Group consist of inspiring,
encouraging and motivating the employees, staffs and workers to self motivate themselves and
achieve their goals and determinations. The principal functions of human resource departments
of Arcadia Group comprise of Inspiration, recruitment, planning and conducting growth,
implementation of human resource policies and establishment of ameliorated work culture.
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Planning and Recruitment Development
Arcadia Group chooses the most efficient people from a huge set of applicants. After conducting
the interview process, the human resource manager evaluates the candidates by means of
different measures and levels, which are respectively; educational qualifications, capacities,
characteristic qualities (Cascio, 2015). The human resource individuals conduct training and
coaching programmes along with conveying advice. They also put their effort in empowering
internal communication and interaction.
Additional to that, the various policies which are adopted by the governing body of the Arcadia
Group are explained below in detail;
It has to be duly noted that there are various types of employees working all over the institution
in several spheres and levels. The implication of these policies is quite progressive and follows
advancement.
1) Unique and off-beat employee welfare schemes are getting implemented by the concerned
organization.
2) The employee welfare funds have been initiated after the inauguration which contains almost
ninety per cent of the total salaries (DeCenzo et al., 2016).
3) As the gross cost, as well as expenditure on staffs and employees, is increasing along with the
advancement and progression of technology in the organizational premises of Arcadia Group,
they are taking the policy of reducing the employees
4) The remuneration of the director comes under the field of the human resource department’s
cost. Due to their elevated responsibilities their salary is raised by 2-5% a year as a policy
effectuated by the human resource department of Arcadia.
4) Arcadia Group provides both retirement benefits and retirement bonus. Alongside that, they
have just started with festival bonus with their ongoing performance bonus.
High Commitment HRM (HCHRM)
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Usually, Arcadia Group follows the guideline of a series of human resource practices under the
shade of a high commitment HRM. Basically, it assists in ameliorating organisational
performance. For the purpose of enhancing behaviour, skills and attitude of employees,
ameliorate the quality, elevate the annual labour turnover high commitment HRM is performed
by Arcadia through the medium of below-mentioned practices;
1) Safety and security providence to the workers.
2) Optimizing the internal market.
3) Compensating operations and performance.
4) Team Work.
5) Methodical Recruitment
6) Performance Approval and review.
Hard HRM
In the case of hard HRM, Arcadia Group maintains a steady and stable staff management scheme
for achieving a competitive advantage and better revenue as the workers are considered as
resources.
Soft HRM
In the case of soft HRM, simply the employees are regarded and believed as assets for
implementing the long term operational strategies of Arcadia.
2.An analysis of some specific external forces and the effect of these forces on HR strategic
decisions within the organisation(s), e.g. the employment market in which your organisation
operates, whether the workforce is high skilled or low skilled, unionised or non-unionised
There remains a substantial presence of various external forces outside the organizational
premises of Arcadia group which directly or indirectly affects the strategic decisions of human
resource inside the concerned organisation. Amongst them, specific external forces are referred
with a justified explanation in the below region.
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The Employment Market in Which Arcadia Group Operates
A fine line of speculation is present in the operations of Arcadia Group. Arcadia Group finds it
out to be very competitive and challenging to operate in their employment market of the UK.
There is a significant declination in the sales thus the human resource is necessitated to re-
structure their plans and motives of marketing. There are lesser chances of conducting options
exploration, thus the HR becomes incapable of conducting ground research (Marler and Parry,
2016). Apart from this, also there are a pretty higher amount of repetitions and superfluousness
irrespective of the fact that the whole payments are transferred to the suppliers. All of this leads
the HR to a condition of absolute chaos in regards to any decision-making inside the
organisation.
Workforce
As a very evident truth, throughout the history of Arcadia Group, the world has always seen their
workforce to be highly skilled which means they are above the benchmark of what it is called to
be skilled employees. Although as the adoption of technologies is rapidly advancing inside the
organisational premises of Arcadia Group and the business are also growing thus the HRs are
facing a tough time in the decision making of specifically two factors. Firstly, how they are
going to sack their existing employees and secondly how and by which method they are going to
recruit effective employee if they ever need that in a minimum quantity (Brewster et al., 2016).
On the other hand, due to the excessively large size of the workforce of Arcadia Group, there is
no other option than to divide the employees and staffs into multiple departments and groups.
Therefore most of the workforce of Arcadia Group is non-unionised. Only the leader boards and
operational teams remain unionised. Therefore, the HR of Arcadia Group faces a lot of trouble
while performing and decision making for the progress and welfare of the organization as they
have to go and ask each and every person about their opinion and statement.
3. An analysis of how the HR function is organised and how HR policies and practices are
delivered, e.g. do they follow Ulrich’s model or other forms of delivery; what is the role and the
challenges of line managers in the delivery of HRM?
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After conducting a thorough research study upon Arcadia Group’s human resource management,
it has been discovered that there are various ways by which the HR function is organised and HR
practices and policies are delivered. A detailed analysis of the evaluation has been presented
below;
The organisation of the HR Function
Recruitment - The recruitment function of HR is organised by proper documentation of the job
requirements, job description. And afterwards conducting the interview and selection process
methodically and effectively concludes the recruitment process (Analoui, 2017).
Motivation - One of the primary functions of HR is providing motivation to the employees and
workers. After the candidates are hired, conducting a proper ceremony of orientation and
afterwards constantly boosting and inspiring them for reaching their goals and objectives is
reckoned as the organisation of this HR function.
Planning and Conducting Growth - This particular HR function is organized by the willing
initiative of everyone in the organization. Generally, the final call is delivered by the HRs but
still, proper supervision, monitoring, governance, controlling and execution of all the operations
and activities lead to the overall growth.
Implementation of HR Policies - This specific HR function of Arcadia Group is organized by
the activation of coordination and cooperation in channelling all the important matters between
every member of the organization. That itself helps in the accurate and timely implementation of
HR policies if the discussions are properly carried out between all.
Establishment of Ameliorated Work Culture - The establishment of work culture is
considered as a crucial HR function, and it is mostly organized by a decent as well presentable
behaviour and attitude of all the employees and workers. Generally, a soothing and calm work
environment for all the multi-cultural and regional staffs can work as a factor of an organisation
for the establishment of ameliorated HR policies (Martin et al., 2016).
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In the case of delivery of HR practices and policies, Arcadia Group does not follow Ulrich’s
Model; rather they follow Guest’s Model. The process of delivering their human resource
practices and policies are explained below briefly;
Guest’s Model
Generally, the Guest’s model is an effective approach in order to properly manage the human
resource operations of the Arcadia Group. This model specifically concentrates upon the
supervision and management of planning and performance of the project operations and venture
activities of Arcadia Group. The abidance and commitment are distinguished from each other.
The workers are inspired and motivated as their desires and expectations are satisfied with the
help of this model. The tasks and performance of the employees are directed towards good
intention with justification (Collings et al., 2018). It accelerates personal and strategic
management. There are immense scopes of flexibility and relaxation in this model. There are
distinctly six dimensions of this model which developed the atmosphere of the Arcadia group,
which are respectively; Financial Results, Behavioural Outcome, HRM result, HRM procedures,
HRM practices and performance management of the employees in a workstation.
Role and Challenges of Line Manager in HRM
The line managers are the sole owner and operator of the Arcadia Group in the situations of
human resource management. Therefore, the primary role of line managers lies in monitoring,
supervising and governing the whole of the human resource process from the very start to the
end. The specific challenges which are faced by the line managers consist of when sudden price
rate increases or expenditures cross the budget. Even the turmoil in the participating market is
also considered as a severe challenge for them.
Recommendations
The recommendations for the human resource management functions, practices and policies of
Arcadia Group can be provided that, it may significantly develop and grow if new mediums,
technology, infrastructure, methods are adopted and implemented in due course.
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Conclusion
After thoroughly conducting the above study, it can be henceforth concluded that several human
resource functions, practices and policies are dedicatedly followed and performed by Arcadia
Group for which they face severe challenges from external factors. Although, it has a scope of
massive improvement if different models are followed for their delivery and organisation than
their used ones.
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