Human Resource Management at Boots: Health, Safety, and Equality

This report examines human resource management practices at Boots, a pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer. The analysis begins with an assessment of Boots' approach to health and safety, including policies, safety governance, and safety culture plans, highlighting their commitment to employee, customer, and visitor well-being and adherence to UK legislations. The report then explores Boots' strategy for managing equality and diversity in the workplace, emphasizing their dedication to creating an inclusive environment, reflecting diversity in their workforce, and adhering to relevant UK legislations. The study further evaluates how these approaches contribute to strategic effectiveness, considering the influence of both internal and external factors such as customer care, stakeholder engagement, and relevant legislations, ultimately underscoring Boots' commitment to a healthy, safe, and equitable work environment.

Managing Human Resource

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK...............................................................................................................................................1
1. Identify and analyse the company's approaches for healthy and safety..................................1
2. Company approach to manage Equality and Diversity in the workplace...............................3
3. How the company approach help to deliver strategic effect and affected by internal and
external factors............................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFRENCES...................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is defined as the arrangement of people and their
performance within an organisations. Managing human resource is very necessary for every
company to meet goals or objectives. Manager play vital role in maintaining the safe and healthy
workplace which will support in improving working environment. This report is based son Boots
firm which is pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer organisation. It has around 2500 stores in
the UK and the purpose of this company is to help the customers and employee by providing
better services and facilities to satisfy their needs or wants (Batt, 2011). They employ around
60000 people, as their main aim is to attract, develop and retain qualified and talented person so
that organisation can achieve desired outcomes. This assignment will support in identifying
company's approach for healthy and safety which helps in managing equality and diversity. It
evaluate that how these approaches help to deliver strategic effect and its affected by internal and
external factors.
TASK
1. Identify and analyse the company's approaches for healthy and safety
Company is focusing on making effective and successful organisations by taking care of
every individual who are linked with firm. It is one of the best pharmacy-led retail company that
provide better quality of products and services to the people. They believe in creating effective
workforce and positive working environment by hiring as well as recruiting fresh talented
people so that particular goals or objectives can be achieved in an appropriate manner. The main
aim of Boots company is to deliver the customer care so that they are focusing on appointing and
hiring skilled person as well as qualified person within the firm.
The approach of Boots UK is to provide services for customer care and protections
regarding their health and safety at the workplace. They help people across the world for leading
healthier and happier lives in an appropriate manner (Colvin, 2011). The firm is working with
their stakeholders to make progress and also consider various issues for handling them such as
Climate change, Youth unemployment, pressure regarding natural resources and town centre
regeneration for helping in bringing together communities in an appropriate manner.
Boots UK consider one the major factor which is health and safety within the workplace
as they wants that every employees, colleagues, customers and visitors put their faith or trust in
1

Boots so that the safety elements is must be required for everyone who are directly as well as
indirectly interlinked with this organisation. Therefore, the biggest challenge of this firm is to do
corporate social responsibility for internal and external customers in an effective manner. Boots
UK conduct programmes and measure the health and safety components for their colleagues,
clients that must be stronger. They consider this for improving continuous performance in an
effective manner.
There are number of ways regarding approaches to the health and safety which adopted
by Boots UK for making appropriate workplace such as;
Health and Safety policy is one of the best approach for analysing about people well-
being and welfare of them therefore, they focus on updating as well as refreshing of health and
safety policy so that it will support in making easier and clear to read (Brewster, 2017). It is also
beneficial in ensuring that approaches are focusing on two key aims such as Provide better
protections to colleagues, clients and visitors. Find an appropriate ways for approaching to health
and safety in perfect manner.
There are several elements included in this policy for better approaches in healthy and
safety such as; Various principle of approach in Boots UK. Importance of safety and behaviour.
Strengthen the company's culture of safety elements. Learn from research as well as investigation
for company welfare.
Safety governance is also another way to ensure about effective health as well as safety in
the Boots UK as in this monitor the business risks and performance. They focus on continuously
review on a monthly basis with the help governance committee. Here are two strategic steering
group which is very important in this such as;
The store director always works for developing the right strategies for better organisation.
The second task of steering group is to ensure about risk factor and make effective plan in the
place to mitigate all these risks as well as uncertainties within the workplace.
Develop a safety culture plan is very beneficial for every organisation as Boots UK
consider this better health and safety environment in the firm so that effective products and
services can be provided to internal and external customers (Cascio, 2018). It must be necessary
to implement the safety culture plan which support in encourage to manager for integrating
safety into everyday regarding working styles and also make sure about regular communications
2

for sharing lessons. It find several ways for improving safety for colleagues and customer by
getting inputs from them.
Primary Authority Partner, as Boots consider this for understanding the effectiveness of
safety system as well as plan for better implementations through successful relationship with
them. On the other side, steering group try to improve the strategies, plans and performance
regarding safety which are going to forward.
Boots UK always measures their employees performance as how they are treating to
customers and satisfying their needs or desired wants. In this included active self-monitoring
which is very supportive in revealing that how effectively as well as efficiently the system of
safety and healthy is functioning within the firm (Chatterji, 2014). On the other side, the self-
monitoring concentrate on both as hardware and software which helps in finding the results in an
effective manner. Reactive monitor help in finding the results by investigating several accidents,
ill health or any incidents that can be responsible for harm and losses.
UK legislations has been compared with various theories regarding heath and safety at
work place. It is necessary to find best approach for these legislations. For example; The Health
and Safety at Work Act 1974, as per this law there are various responsibilities of people within
the firm including employers designers, suppliers and manufacturers for the purpose of ensuring
about safety factors and protections for every individuals at the working place so that healthy
environment can be created in effective manner because it is related with risk assessment. These
legislations has major impact on the business operations and its strategies regarding products
lines, marketing strategy and brand image etc.
Therefore, above these are very helpful that strengthen of company's improvement
approach to the safety for their employees, clients and visitors.
2. Company approach to manage Equality and Diversity in the workplace
Diversity management and equal opportunities are different terms because both have
various concept that defined regarding effective management at work place (Patro, 2014).
Diversity management is concern with respecting every individual who are working with in the
firm. There are no any discriminations among employees in the work place on the basis of race,
gender, colour and caste. It is necessary to consider diversity in the organisation because they are
bound to comply with UK legislatives requirements while recruiting person for fulfilling job
3

applicant. Therefore, Boots firm has to consider this for hiring and selecting best candidates for
the organisation. In this included Racial Discriminations Act and Sex Discriminations Act 1975
in the UK.
Equal opportunities is related with tolerant, rights based and entrenchment conformity
regarding rules and regulations of legislations. In this focus on increasing the proportions of
minority as well as women in senior goals within the firm (Cowling, 2013). It also affects on the
business organisation as Boots UK can create better image on front of people by considering
these acts and legislations in an effective manner.
Effective diversity management need a suitable culture which is related with working
environment which support in nurturing the teamwork, participations as well as cohesiveness
while running an organisation. In Boost UK, their team take responsibilities for storing the
support office in effective way so that they can inspire with great ideas, make new plans and
policies and forward all these for making Boots a fantastic place to the work. They focus on
recruiting, retaining and promoting every types of people as diverse mix of colleagues which
helps in representing the diversity in the society or local communities
(Varma and Budhwar, 2013). It is an essential for getting best results and bring new ideas or
innovations which allow for wide mix of products from Boots. There are some criteria or
snapshot of Boots UK's teams such as; 79 Percent are women and 35 percent are from an ethic
minority within an organisation so that company's goals or objectives can be achieved in an
appropriate manner. Their dignity at work policy ensures regarding company as they remain in
line with legislations so that number of customers can be attracted and satisfy their needs or
wants in a proper way. They also ensure regarding truly representing a diverse range among
several competitors in the UK communities.
In the Boosts UK, the diversity and inclusions always support to the business for the
purpose of developing it by executive team and it also included guest speaker from the other
leading organisations (Mailer, 2013). It was beneficial for refreshing the strategies and plans for
diversity and inclusions. Here are some examples such as wide range of career programming for
entire employees and deliver the effective experiences about work in a programme with
communities which generally hard for reaching.
The Women in IT network also has been established in the Boots UK for the purpose of
promoting talents of women within the firm so that it will impact positively on the society
4

because it will support the UK legislations regarding Discriminations Act in which undertakes
that there should not be any discriminations and partiality among employees on the basis of
following criteria in an appropriate manner. Therefore, Boots firm provide opportunities to those
people who are already working in the IT sector and they take responsibility to enhance their
knowledge, skills and abilities for performing any tasks or job in an appropriate manner. This is
the reason that shows about company as they address gender imbalances problems or issues and
promote talents by analysing individuals abilities or capabilities in effective way (Daley, 2012).
Hence, it can be analysed that Boots support its workplace by creating better team so that
collaboration can be maintained. They manage entire workforce in well manner with several
approaches which is very helpful in managing equality and diversity within an organisation.
For this purpose, company focus on formulating various plans and strategies for creating
better organisation as in this consider several UK legislations that have major impact on the
business operations. Boots has participated in the society or community regarding “Opportunity
now” and “ Race for Opportunity” in which conducted survey about benchmarking in which
included the centre on sex and race equality as well. These are very helpful in formulating and
shaping strategies and plans for the Boots Company.
3. How the company approach help to deliver strategic effect and affected by internal and
external factors
Boots UK firm always encourage to the people for joining the company from outside
business and also focus on developing career of every individuals in an effective manner. Their
main purpose is to deliver the best customers care and services for satisfying needs and wants.
This firm always concentrate on recruiting best suitable candidates who have ability to take care
about people, high level of skills and knowledge which will support in building good relations
among them. This firm is focusing on effective management of workforce through equality and
diversity at the working place therefore they are work together with stakeholders for making
great progress and handle risks or uncertainties such as climate or atmosphere changes, youth
unemployment and utilisation of available resources (Fernandez, 2012). The main aim of Boots
UK is to focus on CSR missions and purposes such as improving the health of customers and
societies, protecting the environment from any factors and lead the development of sustainable
and also provide several services and facilities to the customers and colleagues in the business in
an effective manner.
5

Diversity and equality are the most important factor that support in creating better culture
and healthy environment because it is necessary for every organisation that to consider these
legislations while recruiting and selecting candidates for the company. That is why, Boots UK
focus on various UK legislations and undertakes some rules and regulations for making an
appropriate strategies as well as planning for developing the company (COMMENTATORS,
2012). They increased their sales volume and number of products and services by providing in
effective quality to the customers. Therefore, sit must be required to manage the diversity and
equality which will support in motivating employees and also encourage them for bringing new
ideas and creativity while giving services to the customers. It has major effects on both as
positive and negative regarding the managing the diversity ins Boots UK. Employees or any
customers will feel motivated and satisfied due to these legislations but sometimes people are
demoralised while performing their task in the company.
This firm is working with network of key stakeholders that helps in making sure about
particular strategies that shaped and well established for CSR management. In this consider the
four basic areas such as Community, Environment, Marketplace and Workplace.
Internal and External factors
There are number of factors that can affects on the business operations and its activities
therefore, it is necessary for making better decisions regarding company and also formulate
effective strategies in an effective manner. These are related with environmental changes such
as;
Internal factors are those that can influence firm from inside in which included
employees relationship, resources allocations, lack finances etc. apart from these, internal forces
involved the use of technologies and human resources functions which has direct impacts on the
business activities in the Boots UK (Guest, 2011). It is necessary to allocate available resources
among several activities in appropriate manner so that goals or objectives can be achieved. The
strategies can be adopted that manager have to manage entire workforce for making people's life
healthy and happy in better ways.
External factors are those who comes from outside and affects the business. In this
included government rules and regulations and several legislations that must be followed by the
firm, therefore Boots UK focus on CSR and always make strategies for creating healthy
environment at the workplace.
6

Technologies also can affects the Boost UK because it is continuously changing due to
flexible environment so it is required to adopt new technologies and new innovative ideas for
improving people health in better manner (Kakuma and Minas, 2011).
Competitors are increasing day by day so Boots UK have to make an appropriate
strategies for competing with them and attracts number of customers for increasing brand image
and productivity of the firms.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been concluded that human resources are the most valuable
department of an organisation as it helps in recruiting, selecting, hiring suitable candidates for
creating better workforce. Boots UK is one of the pharmacy-led retailer firm that provide various
customers care services and their main purpose is to protect them and satisfy with proper
products and services. In this defined about several health and safety measures and analysed
about diversity and equality in an appropriate manner.
7

REFRENCES
Books and Journals
Batt, R. and Colvin, A.J., 2011. An employment systems approach to turnover: Human resources
practices, quits, dismissals, and performance. Academy of management Journal. 54(4).
pp.695-717.
Brewster, C., 2017. The integration of human resource management and corporate strategy. In
Policy and practice in European human resource management (pp. 22-35). Routledge.
Cascio, W., 2018. Managing human resources. McGraw-Hill Education.
Chatterji, A. and Patro, A., 2014. Dynamic capabilities and managing human capital. The
Academy of Management Perspectives. 28(4). pp.395-408.
Cowling, A. and Mailer, C., 2013. Managing human resources. Routledge.
Daley, D.M., 2012. Strategic human resources management. Public Personnel Management,
pp.120-125.
Fernandez, S., COMMENTATORS. and TSCHIRHART, M., 2012. Managing successful
organizational change in the public sector. In Debating Public Administration (pp. 33-
52). Routledge.
Guest, D.E., 2011. Human resource management and performance: still searching for some
answers. Human resource management journal. 21(1). pp.3-13.
Kakuma, R., Minas, H. and Scheffler, R.M., 2011. Human resources for mental health care:
current situation and strategies for action. The Lancet. 378(9803). pp.1654-1663.
Varma, A. and Budhwar, P.S. Eds., 2013. Managing human resources in Asia-Pacific (Vol. 20).
Routledge.
Online
Boots UK 2018. [Online]. Available through: <http://www.boots-uk.com/corporate-social-
responsibility/what-we-do/workplace/>.
8