Human Resource Management Practices at Barclays Bank

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Human Resource Management
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................8
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................12
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................15
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................20
References......................................................................................................................................21
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Introduction
Human Resource management is among the major function within most of the organisations all
across the globe, as it allows increasing the creditability of the employees towards the
achievement of organisational goals and objectives. The particular study shall discuss on various
roles and responsibilities of HR manager as well as the overall department and shall also project
an application of Human resource practice. The organisation chosen for the particular study is
Barclays, UK. The particular organisation is among the major banking and financial organisation
that operates within the national premises of UK. The organisation was founded in the year 1690
that is operated by John McFarlane and Jes Staley currently has its headquarters in London,
UK (barclays.co.uk, 2019).
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Task 1
Introduction
Human resource management is the vital function within the organisational premises of Barclays
that collectively handles the workforce planning and resourcing. Some of the major purposes and
functions of HRM of the particular organisation are discussed as well as merits and demerits of
recruitment and selection procedures of Barclays are highlighted.
P1 Explain the purpose and the functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and
resourcing an organisation
Recruitment and Selection
One of the core functionality of human resource management within the premises of the
particular organisation is to recruit and select efficient and talented candidates towards the
fulfilment of their business objectives (Ekwoab et al., 2018). It is the role of managers within the
particular department of the organisation to conduct interviews, so that they are able to recruit
and select employees that have skill, potential and experience in fields and position for which
they are being hired.
Training and development
After the recruitment and selection procedure, the human resource managers of the particular
organisation has the vital role to look after the issues that shall serve to train and develop the
newly selected candidates to become accustomed with organisational culture and respective roles
for the positions. Human resource management has the purpose to acquire and allocate resources
with which the employees are able to develop and make themselves productive, in the business
processes of the particular organisation (Waldron et al., 2016).
Enhancing employee relations and productivity
Maintaining ethics and culture within the organisational premises is again among the roles and
responsibilities of HR managers. Resolving conflicts and enhancing effective employee
communications helps the HR manager to increase the quality of teamwork and group dynamics
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that in turns increases the productivity of the entire workforce of Barclays (Preenen et al., 2017).
Motivating and maintain discipline are the key characteristics skills of HR managers that aids the
entire workforce to collectively serve in the fulfilment of business objectives of the organisation.
Hard and soft models of HRM
The HR managers of the particular organisation practise these major models in respective
manner. Soft HRM allows the HR managers of Barclays to treat employees as significant assets
of the company however; hard HRM is associated only with treating the workforce as resources.
Both the models have respective benefits and limitation however, HR managers in Barclays
adopts and practises the Soft HRM model to influence and motivate employees to achieve
individual goals in lives that in turn puts the entire workforce to attain and achieve the bsuiness
objectives of the particular organisation (Michael, 2017).
P2 Explain the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and
selection
The merits and demerits of various ways to recruit and select within the organisational premises
of Barclays are discussed as follows:
Effectiveness External Recruitment Internal Recruitment
Strengths As external recruitment is
based on hiring the candidates
from outside the
organisational premises, it
allows the HR managers to
make the workforce of the
organisation more versatile.
Internal recruitment is based
on providing promotion or
hiring existing employees for
job positions, thus is
appropriate for investing the
time and culture that has been
used on existing workforce.
The scope of external
recruitment is more, as it
allows the HR manager to
witness and select appropriate
employees from bulk of
The employees that are
internal recruited have
existing experiences within
the organisational premises
thus, utilising the training and
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talented candidates (Aboagye,
2018).
development provided in long
run (DeCenzo et al., 2016).
Weakness The overall procedure to
recruit externally includes job
advertisement, interviews,
tests and other thus, making
the entire process time
consuming and expensive.
Versatility lacks in terms of
quality and experinces, as
internal recruitment is
associated only with the
hiring of employees that are
already serving the
organisation.
Table 1: Strengths and Weakness of recruitment approaches
(Source: Created by the learner)
Selection Procedures Strengths Weakness
Skill Testing  It allows to determine
the proficiency of the
candidates in terms of
problem solving and
analytical skills (Noe
et al., 2017).
 Candidates that have
low level of written
communication skill
however, may have
exceptional analytical
skills, might be
disqualified
Group Discussion  It helps to evaluate
the confidence and
verbal
communication skill
of the candidates
 Candidates that has
lack of confidence
however, having
other exceptional
skills are disqualified
(Cascio, 2015).
Face-To-Face Interview  Various recruiters
approaches
candidates at the
same time thus,
consuming less time
 Extra utilisation of
financial resources
may not be fruitful to
select talented and
appropriate
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(Ayentimi et al.,
2018).
candidates
Table 2: Strengths and Weakness of selection approaches
(Source: Created by the learner)
Conclusion
Thus, it can be summarised that HR manager has major roles in providing the organisation with
effective employees that may collaborate and participate in fulfilment of organisational
capabilities and objectives.
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Task 2
P3 Explain the benefits of different HRM practices within an organisation for both the
employer and employee.
The particular section of the study shall identify and analyse the various benefits of the HRM
operations that are practised by the HR managers within the premises of Canary Wharf firm.
Elements Significance Employer’s benefits Employee’s benefits
Effective employee
relations
Employee
relations and
effective
communication
among the
workforce is
significant for the
overall
organization, as it
allows deriving
and project similar
responsibilities
that is the
achievement of
organisational
goals.
Employers do not
have to spend more
time in grooming the
employees, as the
workforce culture
projects the employees
to produce effective
results in groups and
teams with proper
coordination and
communication
(Collings et al., 2018).
Unity among the
employees is the major
benefit that produced
due to the practice of
the particular HRM
function.
Training and
development
Employees that
are new as well as
existing within the
organisational
premises require
additional
coaching to the
The employers are
able to evaluate the
employees that are
actually seeking to
serve the organisation,
as they show
commitment and
Employees are able to
learn new things in
professional grounds
that shall add as an
advantage in their
individual careers in
lives. Various other
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changes in
organisational
culture and the
ways of numerous
operations.
responsibility during
the training and
development sessions.
benefits of producing
effectively during the
training sessions are
recognition, incentives,
promotions and others
(Kadiresan et al.,
2015).
Employee
motivation
During crisis and
excessive flow of
responsibilities,
the workforce is
seem to find it
hard in adapting
the same.
Therefore,
motivation is the
only key that shall
aid that particular
crisis.
Employers play a
major role in
motivating the
employees that is
surely appreciable in
independent level and
recognition among
higher authorities is
among the common
benefits (Ritz et al.,
2016).
Employees are able to
reshape and think that
how they shall become
more productive and
committed towards
their individual goal.
Moreover, their
rapport within the
work culture is
developed that surely
allows them to deliver
in positive sense.
Flexible work
culture
Timing and
flexible work roles
as well as
responsibilities are
among the major
aspects that lures
in the new and
talented
employees within
the organisational
premises (Stone,
and Deadrick,
Employers are able to
shift and convince
employees during
flexible working
hours, which in turns
add to their
creditability in
achievement of
departmental and
functional goals.
Moreover, this
restricts the
Employee feels
positive while working
within the flexible
environment.
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2015). expectancy of
employee retention.
Table 3: Benefits of HRM practices of employers and employees
(Source: Created by the learner)
P4 Evaluate the effectiveness of different HRM practices in terms of raising organisational
profit and productivity.
As mentioned in the earlier aspects of the study, HRM practices are viral for the fulfilment of
organisational goals and objectives. The discussions at independent level of practices are
presented below:
Training and development
The main purpose of the particular HR function within the organisational premises of Canary
Wharf firm is to shape and provide direction to the employees in such a manner that their
individual achievement of goals is able to provide positive outcome in achieving organisational
goals of higher business profitability (Larsen, 2017). With the use of latest technologies and
advanced utilisation of theories, the HR managers within the organisational premises are able to
develop existing as well as newly recruited candidates with higher expectancy of workforce
creditability.
Payment, rewards, and recognition
It is the role of the HR managers within the particular organisation to provide rewards and
incentives other than their monthly or annual salaries, based on their effective performances and
contribution to the organisation. This allows the managers to increase the urge to perform more
effectively that serve as the resource of higher workforce creditability in the end of their
business. Promoting and recognising employees are similar types of aspects that fuels in the urge
among employees to perform better, which in turn increases the expectancy of higher profits
(Shields et al., 2015).
Recruitment and selection
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The HR managers recruits and selects candidates that have exceptional qualities and skill sets for
various positions within the organisational premises of the Canary Wharf firm. The particular
process allows the HRM department to provide the organisation with effective workforce that
shall serve with higher expectancy of productivity and achievement of organisational goals. This
is the major role of the HRM department towards the organisation, as the shape of workforce and
its corresponding culture is vital respo0nsibility of the same (Armstrong et al., 2016).
Employee motivation and effective employee relations
These are also among the major roles of the HR manager, and the functionality of the same adds
value within the workforce that serves and forms the backbone of the organisation. Appreciating
and providing confidence to the talented employees is a productive approach that surely adds to
increase the departmental and functional creditability of the organisation (Guest, 2017).
Flexible workforce culture
HR managers have to role to shape and frame the timings as well as work culture of the
organisation in accordance to the expectations of the stakeholders and higher authorities.
However, developing schedules that are appreciable among the entire workforce is last but not
the least approach with which, they are able to win their trust and support of the employees,
which is majorly required at the time of crisis within the organisational premises (Vanceand
Paik, 2015).
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Task 3
Introduction
The particular section of the study shall discuss about the various aspects associated with
employee relations and key legislations that adheres the decision-making process of Human
Resource department within the Barclays.
P5 Analyse the importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision-
making.
Within the organisational premises of the Barclays, employee relations and effective interaction
is among the major aspects that supports the HRM decision-making procedures. Some of the
major factors of employee relations that influence HRM decision making are as follows:
Shared cultures and values
The Human Resource manager of the particular organisation supports and develops employee
relations in order to allow the employees to interact and share their respective views and culture
among themselves. The particular aspects of employee relations not only serve as the motivating
the employees and workforce rather it allows and develop team and group dynamics that is much
more significant for the achievement of organisational goals (Naeem et al., 2019). Effective
employee relations include effective communication, lack of conflicts, biasness and other and
collectively these increases workforce creditability within the organisational premises.
Function of trade unions of UK
Within the national boundaries of the UK, there are governmental bodies that include workers to
protect and advance employee rights and responsibilities. The main role of trade unions in
promoting employee relations oversee the organisational processes are aligned with good
behaviours projected upon the employees. They have the major role to ensure that the employees
that are committed and hard working are never left unrecognised, which may be in terms of
benefits, promotion, or incentives (Dibben et al., 2017). These activities of Trade unions within
an organisation allow serving towards the fulfilment of employee trust and loyalty in terms of
proper employee engagement and relations.
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