Human Resource Management Report: ASDA - Workforce Planning and HRM

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices within the ASDA supermarket chain. It begins by defining the purpose and functions of HRM, emphasizing their application in workforce planning, including planning and organizing, training and development, and performance appraisal. The report then examines different approaches to recruitment and selection, comparing internal and external recruitment methods and various selection techniques like interviews and psychometric tests. It further explores the benefits of HRM practices for both employers and employees, covering learning, development, flexible working options, employee performance management, and payment and reward management. The report also discusses the effects of HRM practices on employee relations, highlighting the importance of employee relations in influencing HRM decision-making. Finally, it addresses the elements of employee legislation and their impact on HRM decision-making, along with practical applications of HRM practices within ASDA.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................1
P1 Purpose and functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning in an organisation.. .1
LO2..................................................................................................................................................3
P3 Benefits of HR practices to employer and employee's......................................................3
P4.Effects of HRM practices..................................................................................................5
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................6
P5 Importance of employee relation in respect to influencing HRM decision-making.........6
P6 Elements of employee legislation and their impact on decision making of HRM............7
P7 Application of HRM practices..........................................................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCE:................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is a process which focuses on recruitment, management
and providing guidelines to the manpower of company (Albrecht and et.al., 2015). Present report
is based on ASDA company which is a supermarket retailer selling grocery, general merchandise
and financial services. Its revenue is around 21,666 million euro. Further report contains
functions and purpose of HRM which are useful for workforce planning, different methods of
HRM practices and how it is used to raise organisational profits. Report also explains strengths
and weakness of recruitment and selection process and employee relation which influence HR
decisions.
LO1
P1 Purpose and functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning in an organisation.
HR deals with the concern related to the staff of company in terms of safety, performance,
hiring, motivation, training and development.
There are 2 functions of HRM:
 managerial function (planning, organising)
 operative function (training and development, performance appraisal)
Planning: This function is one of the primary function where goals and objective are set
and policies are laid down to achieve these goals (Bailey and et.al., 2018). It is an important
process to link business strategies and its operations. The purpose of planning is to cope with the
change associated with external environment, recruitment of talented employee, human resource
development, uncertainty reduction and proper utilization of resources. Proper workforce
planning will help ASDA to achieve its goal efficiently and effectively.
Organising: Once the objectives are defined and plans are developed, organization must
design the structure to carry various operations. Organisation group employees to perform their
activities and responsibilities. The purpose of organizing is to allocate right person at right place
at right time with right skills so that everyone know its responsibilities and obstacles are
removed. This function is important and beneficial for ASDA to well define jobs, clarify
authority and maintain coordination between employees.
Training and development: Employees acquire new skills and knowledge to perform
their job effectively. It helps employees to perform higher level responsibilities (Berman and
et.al., 2019). The main purpose of training and development in ASDA is to improve quality of
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workforce, enhance employee growth, assist them to learn new methods and technologies,
linkage between corporate goals and business strategies and employee retention.
Performance appraisal: Employees of an organization are evaluated as per their
performance. This function helps in finding out if the employees of an organization are moving
towards the goals and objective. Organization evaluates whether employees need improvement or
not. The main purpose of this function is to analyses performance of employees and arrange
training session accordingly so that performance of workers can be improved. Furthermore, its
purpose is to promote the right person by evaluating their performance. Performance appraisal is
beneficial for ASDA to evaluate the weakness of the employees and provides clarity of
expectation and actual result. It helps the management of ASDA company to place the right
employee as per their skills in particular area and promote or demote the employees on the basis
of the results (Bou‐Llusar and et.al., 2016).
P2 Strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection.
Recruitment: It creates job for large number of employees. It establishes relationship
between employer and the applicant.
There are 2 sources of recruitment:
 Internal recruitment
 External recruitment
Internal recruitment: It can be done through promotions and transfers. ASDA company
may also allow existing employees to switch from temporary or part-time position to permanent
or full-time positions.
 The strength or advantage of internal recruitment, it is cost-effective, can boost employee
morale, people are familiar to the business. It also helps to retain talented employees and
reduce employee turnover and keep them motivated to work hard and give their best
(Bratton and Gold., 2017).
 The weakness or disadvantage is that hiring candidates from within the organization limit
the number of potential new candidates and additionally miss out the fresh ideas and
perspective and workplace conflicts may arise.
External recruitment: It is a process of searching pool of employees outside the
company to fill the vacant position and see if there are any sufficient skilled and qualified
candidates available to perform the job. ASDA uses external source of recruitment through
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online recruitment system. ASDA's HR team shortlist appropriate candidates for interview and 2
documents are very important i.e. job description and personal specification.
 Advantage of external recruitment is that it increases the chance of finding the right
person, provides opportunity for expand and stay competitive. Bringing fresh talent can
motivate current employees and target key players to make competition successful.
 Disadvantage of this source is that it takes longer time and high cost, it can also damage
existing employee's morale because they feel less chance for promotion (DeCenzo,
Robbins and Verhulst., 2016). Fresh ideas and outlooks can be a disadvantage, because
these ideas may produce conflicts among current employees.
Selection: It is a process of picking an individual with required qualification to fill in the
jobs.
Selection method includes:
 Interview
 Psychometric test
Interview: It is a method in which questions are asked by interviewer and answer is
given by interviewee. It is an one-on-one conversation.
 It can be beneficial for ASDA to measure presentation and verbal skills of the candidates
and stress situation finds out how candidate performs in pressure.
 It has various drawbacks i.e. first impression can be wrong, it can be time consuming,
incurs more cost.
Psychometric test: It is a process in which candidates ability is evaluated in terms of
specific skills e.g. verbal, numerical etc.
 It is beneficial for ASDA to get deeper insights into personality and character of
candidate, helps to understand at which position candidate is suitable.
 Sometimes, it has a disadvantage of no guarantee of accuracy due to nervousness and
anxiety, its result may not be true representation of abilities and character (Guest., 2017).
LO2
P3 Benefits of HR practices to employer and employee's
HRM Practices are as follows:
BASIS EMPLOYERS EMPLOYEES
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Learning, development and
training practices
It increases the productivity
and efficiency of the ASDA
company.
Training increases the skills of
the ASDA's employees and it
enhances their career growth
Flexible working options Flexible working options
minimizes employees turnover,
absenteeism and also increases
morale and commitment of the
employees towards ASDA
company.
Employer also develops image
of the ASDA company as a
friendly place to work.
Flexibility includes like job
sharing, flexible schedule,
part-time job schedules
maintains the positive work
balance for the employees of
the ASDA company. It also
minimizes the workplace
stress and boost mental calibre
of employees.
Employee performance
management and monitoring
Here, employers develops a
high performance culture of
the ASDA company by clearly
define the work expectation,
keeping employees informed
about their job progress. This
helps in promoting the right
person and minimising
mistakes. By this way
employer can get benefit of
high productivity and
profitability.
This is beneficial for
employees because they get
more promotional
opportunities, performance
management helps them in
knowing more about their
strength and weakness and
they may work to improve
their skills so that they get
more carer development
opportunities.
Payment and reward
management.
Happy and loyal employees
works more efficiently that
leads to increase in
productivity of the ASDA
company and built a trust
relationship towards the
This fulfils monetary needs of
employees and feel happy.
This is beneficial in raising
their commitment in
organisation and highlighting
their good works. By this way
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employers also. they can get more
development chances in the
workplace.
P4.Effects of HRM practices
Human resources aims to maintain good relationship with employees at the ASDA
company. Learning, development and training practices helps the employees to increase their
efficiency as well as their productivity within the ASDA company. It also helps to enhance their
skills for their future job performance. (Jamali, El Dirani and Harwood, 2015).
Training and development- Training influence the quality and quantity of the
employees also by providing development activities like adaptation or degree of change in
external environment, the degree of internal change, the availability of suitable skills within the
existing co-workers of the ASDA company(Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart and Wright, 2017).
Payment and reward management- By providing incentives, free health check-up,
vacations, holidays etc., helps to maintain the loyalty of the employees towards the ASDA
company. Incentives, verbal appreciation boost the self -esteem and increase the contributing
efforts of the employees towards the ASDA. Trust also plays a vital role in reward management
as mangers delegate roles to the employees.
Flexible working options- The flexible working options has been implemented in ASDA
which has huge positive impact on firm. It has helped firm in retaining employees and creating
employee belongingness. Company is engaged in providing flexible working hours and also
provides work from home which has helped employer in creating better relationship with
workers that ultimately leads to improvement in productivity and profit of company.
Employee performance management and monitoring- The performance management
strategies which has been used by ASDA has a huge impact on work performance of employees.
It has helped the firm in increasing employee morale and job productivity. Employers are also
engaged in taking feedback from workers that has helped them in identifying and analysing their
problems and having adequate solutions to it (Kianto, Sáenz and Aramburu,2017). This will help
in improving motivation level of employees and lead them towards achievement of goals and
objectives of company.
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Flexibility-employees of ADSA have flexible time as they are comfortable to share their
job as well and employees can also work from their home in emergency situations. Some
employees also work as day shift and night shift as per their convenience. Training- ASDA's
manager provides coaching for maintaining their behaviour and enhancing their soft-skill and
also providing technical training for the employees. Payment and reward management- by
providing bonus, promotion and salary raise to the employees. Employees performance and
management- by providing continuous appraisal for their hard-work regularly and seek solutions
to the problem of their problems. Also, by rebuke the employees in private instead of chastising
them in public. Here managers of ASDA also deals with underperform employees and immature
employees.
Advantages of the employees. Through flexibility employees of ASDA can meet their family
needs like they can attend yoga classes as well as they can also attend parent teacher meeting of
their kids. Some employees live far from ASDA company so flexible workplace provide them to
work from home and save their time and money as well. it also minimizes the workload of the
employees as they can take break when they need it. flexibility also allowed people to work when
they feel more freshness and enjoy working for example night shift and morning shift according
to their needs (Stone and Deadrick, 2015).
LO 3
P5 Importance of employee relation in respect to influencing HRM decision-making.
Employee relation: It refers to the relation shared among the employees in an
organisation. The relation can be between co-workers, superiors and between two members of the
organization. To deliver their best performance employee need to share healthy relation between
them. An employee must try his level best to adjust with others and compromise. Employee
relation can break or build an organization. It can be done by measuring employee satisfaction,
identifying and resolving workplace issues.
Importance of employee relation in HR decision:
1. Increase productivity: Employees having strong relation between managers and
colleagues that makes communication easy and motivates them to work effectively and
efficiently which has a positive impact on growth and revenue of the company (Jamali, El
Dirani and Harwood., 2015). They will put more effort and get engaged in company's
task. ASDA HR can organise more training and development programs to acquire new
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skills and knowledge so that employees can perform higher level responsibilities which
in-turn will increase profits of business. Strong relation within managers and employees
helps in removing conflict and stress which will lower the number of absenteeism.
2. Employee loyalty: Increase in productivity encourage employee's loyalty toward
business. It reduces employee turnover and increase revenue by giving their best
performance in order to get promotional opportunities.
3. Conflict reduction: Conflict in the workplace disrupts the workflow of organisation.
Having good environment will reduce conflicts and make employees to concentrate on
task and become more productive (Kianto, Sáenz and Aramburu., 2017). Good employee
relation helps in increasing coordination among workers. Reduction of conflict can
influence HR decisions of ASDA company by not changing the conflict resolution
system regularly. It improves employee turnover, overall work culture and makes
organization a stable and happy place.
P6 Elements of employee legislation and their impact on decision making of HRM
Employment legislation defines the process that must be followed by each organisation, it
describes duties and rights of employees and employers during the course of employment. These
laws impact on HRM decisions to great extent. These are explained as below:
Equal pay act 1970 (Now incorporated under equality act 2010)
This law states that each firm is required to give equal pay to its workers and there should
not be any kind of favouritism on the basis of gender or others while giving salaries to staff
members. Male and female both candidate work equally in organisation hence they have right to
get same pay for the efforts. This act now part of Equality act 2010 which ensures that
discrimination needs to be eliminated and each workers must get equal opportunities at
workplace. It impacts on HRM decision in ASDA, now human resource manager of company has
to ensure eliminating gender gap at workplace and have to promote equality in the enterprise. If
any kind of discrimination take place, then HR of ASDA takes immediate action against the
wrong person. This has positively impact on the recruitment decisions of HRM as it has
eliminated biases in recruitment and promotions.
Data protection act, 2018
This legislation ensures that personal information of employees are used only with
consent of workers and details of staff members must be kept confidential by human resource
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department. This impacts on HRM decision making as now HR of ASDA has to take consent of
all workers before using their details and if there is no consent then, affirmative action would be
taken against the employer. Now, it has become essential for HR to maintain appropriate
database that contains data of all staff members. Furthermore, data can be used for valid reasons
only and company is required to follow guidelines or principles of data protection act.
National minimum wages act, 1998
Government of UK has decided hourly rate for employees and each firm has to offer
salaries to workers accordingly. It has helped in minimising labour inequality. This has affected
HRM decisions, as now human resource manager of ASDA has to make changes in their salaries
judgements and has to offer standard amount to all its staff members. This has helped enterprise
in minimising unfairness and raising confidence of workers.
Sex discrimination, race relation act always ensures to diminish discrimination on the
bases of gender, race, religion etc. These employment laws affect HRM decision of company, as
now HR of ASDA has to give equal salaries, promotions to all its workers so that skilled people
can retain in business for longer duration. This has affected promotion, recruitment decision of
firm to great extent. Now ASDA has to ensure maintaining data of all its workers and getting
their consents before using their personal information during the course of employment.
P7 Application of HRM practices
Human resource department of company is responsible for managing people, hiring new
candidates, given them rewards. The main objective of ASDA is to retain talented employees in
business for longer duration so that profitability and productivity of the enterprise can be raised.
Reward management is essential practice of HRM, ASDA provides financial and non-
financial rewards to its workers in order to motivate them. Financial rewards include: incentives,
bonuses etc. this helps in fulfilling monetary needs of staff members. Non- financial rewards are
recognition, promotions, appreciation in front of all workers etc. All these things boost energy of
person and make them loyal towards the brand. Financial rewards system is appropriate for the
ASDA as it raises productivity quickly because incentives and extra monetary benefits give kick
to workers and they put more efforts in organisation. It is helpful in improving atmosphere of
workplace. White collar employees are part of management hence ASDA should give them
recognition and respect, it can motivate them and they can be more positive towards the brand.
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Whereas ASDA has to give incentives and bonuses to blue collar workers as it will fulfil their
monetary requirements easily.
Recruitment and selection is another essential HRM practice, ASDA takes support of
external recruitment sources in order to hire talented people in organisation. It prepares job
advertisement and description first then conduct interview session and select the best candidate
out of many. The selected person gets job offer letter from HR department that shows
conformation of job.
Company ASDA
Post Marketing manager
Location London
Report to Marketing head
Qualification MBA
Responsibilities  Handling customer quarries
 Raising sales
 Marketing team handling
 Managing data of consumers
Title of the job Human resource assistant
Date: 19/06/2019
Qualification required Essential Desirable Met
MBA
Graduation from
renowned University
Yes
Yes
Need of Experience
3 year experience of
working as marketing
executive
Yes
Personal characteristics
& conduct
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Communication skill
Presentation skill
Team management skill
Time management skill
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Roles and
Responsibilities
Handling customer
quarries
Raising sales
Marketing team handling
Managing data of
consumers
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Interview Questions
 Tell me about yourself?
 Why do you want to work with us?
 How will you deal with customers of ASDA?
 What would be your initial strategy if you have to manage a team of 10 people?
Job Offer letter
Dear Mr. Brisliya
Company is pleased to inform you that you have been selected for the post of marketing manager
in ASDA. Company is offering you 25000 Pound per month for working as marketing manager.
You will have to report to marketing head of the firm.
As an employee of business you will get some other benefit such as insurance, accommodation
etc.
Sincerely
HR department
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