HRM Report: Selection and Employee Engagement - Chocola & Microsoft

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, focusing on employee selection, engagement, and relevant legislation. It examines the HRM functions and their importance, particularly for organizations like 'Chocola Fantastica' and Microsoft. The report evaluates current selection methods, identifies potential improvements, and creates a person specification for a role. It also explores the advantages and disadvantages of job advertising methods, recommends job placement strategies, and assesses the benefits of graduate training schemes, internships, and flexible working arrangements. Furthermore, the report delves into employee motivation through job design, the significance of employee engagement, key approaches to engaging workers, and the key elements of UK employment legislation. The analysis provides insights into enhancing HRM processes to boost organizational productivity and employee satisfaction.

Human Resource Management

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Human resource management is an significant operation in a firm designed to maximise
performance of employees to meet the employer strategic goals and objectives in proper manner.
It focuses on management or coordination of people within the organisation by relying on
policies and procedures. Selection and retention of employees is one of crucial aspect for HR
department as ‘Chocola Fantastica facing the issue of employee turnover so in that regards
amendments in selection process is very much obligatory. Organisation have to focus on the
various kinds of HRM practices that enables to motivate and encourage employees in giving
their best.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................6
LO 1 ................................................................................................................................................6
a) Explains the purpose of the HR function and its importance to the organisation, given its
current problems and future plans for further growth. .......................................................6
b) Explains the strengths and weaknesses of the current selection methods used by the
organisation. ..........................................................................................................................8
c) Evaluates at least 2 two potential improvements that could be made by ‘‘Chocola
Fantastica’ to enhance its selection process...........................................................................9
Section 2 – Application (LO 4) ....................................................................................................10
a) Create a person specification for the role.........................................................................10
b) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the current methods of advertising jobs in the
organisation. ........................................................................................................................10
c) Explain where you would recommend the job advert for the Receptionist vacancy to be
placed and why.....................................................................................................................11
Section 3 (LO2) ...........................................................................................................................12
a) Microsoft offer graduate training schemes and internships. Evaluate the benefits to both
the organisation and employees of such schemes................................................................12
b) Microsoft offers a range of flexible working arrangements for staff. .............................13
Firstly, identify some of these arrangements and then evaluate the benefits of offering these to
both Microsoft and its employees.........................................................................................13
c) Evaluate how Microsoft motivates its workers through the way it designs its job roles. 14
Section 4 (LO3 ) ...........................................................................................................................15
a) What you understand by the term employee engagement; and why is employee engagement
such an important part in effective employee relations........................................................15
b) Critically evaluate the key approaches to engaging workers and how these approaches
improve communication in the workplace. .........................................................................16
c) Identify the key elements of UK employment legislation. ..............................................17
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is the function within a firm that rely majorly on
recruitment, management, coordination and guidance for the working of manpower within the
organisation. The various processes by interacting with consumers and employees are the major
part of HR world. The members of HR departments accountable to provide the potential
knowledge, necessary tools and techniques, training and development and talent management
oversight that are needed for rest of the organisation for successful operations of business
activities. This report is based on the ‘Chocola Fantastica which is a rapidly growing
organisation established in the South Wales, operates in tailor made chocolate greetings cards in
the market of UK. For the other section of the project the chosen organisation is Microsoft which
is an American multinational technology company, headquarter is in Washington. It develops,
builds and supports the computer software, consumer electronics and many more. This
assignment covers the functions and purpose of HRM with strength and weaknesses of various
approaches of recruitment and selection. Further it includes the advantages of various HRM
practices for both employee and employer and their contribution in raising organisational
productivity. In also elaborates the employee relations for making better HRM decisions and
major elements of legislation in work related context with examples.
LO 1
a) Explains the purpose of the HR function and its importance to the organisation, given its
current problems and future plans for further growth.
HRM functions are very much important for an organisation and it is performed by the
line managers that are directly accountable for engagement, contribution and productivity of the
supporting personnel (Analoui, 2018). In context of ‘Chocola Fantastica for producing
chocolate-based greetings cards and presents they rely on the HRM functions. Here are the HRM
functions and its importance in organisational context:
Functions of HRM:
In an organisation HRM plays very much crucial role that helps in achieving
organisational goals and objectives in positive manner that are as follows:
Recruitment/ Hiring:

Hiring is one of effective function of Human resource department which bring
prospective candidates from the large pool, which contributes in achieving organisational goals
and objectives as per the organisational needs (Banfield, Kay and Royles, 2018). In context of
‘Chocola Fantastica who has no experience of employing an ever increasing workforce so they
face issue of staff turnover. In that regards they select one of best methods to select and retain
competitive staff members. Respective HRM function is very much important for an
organisation to select and retain most potential staff that enables to gain competitive advantage.
As human resource considers very crucial part of an organisation to accomplish tasks and
responsibilities in proper manner.
Job analysis and design:
It is one of important function of human resource department that analyse the nature of
job such as qualification, potential skills, experiences for particular job role and specific tasks
(Barrena-Martínez, López-Fernández and Romero-Fernández, 2019). In context of ‘Chocola
Fantastica they provide proper knowledge and information by collecting it from various sources
so that individual can contribute one of best efforts in achieving organisational goals. Respective
function of HRM is very crucial to motivate and encourage candidates by provide right kind of
duty and responsibilities as per the job role in organisation so that an individual can justify for
their job role.
Orientation:
Orientation is one of the most important function of HRM as it provide thorough
knowledge and information to employees regarding the roles and responsibilities with ways to
function in proper manner. With the help of it employees feel engage and loyal towards
organisation in achieving goals and objectives in positive manner. In employee orientation
program includes the objectives and goals of the organisation with assistance of employees to
achieve the long and short term objectives. Provide intensive kind of orientation to employees is
one of major function of HRM to provide detailed knowledge and information to employees so
that they feel motivated and encouraged.
So all are the important function of HRM in which all share roles and responsibilities by giving
proper knowledge and information to employees to gain sustainability in positive manner.
Purpose of HRM:

In an organisation the major purpose of HR department is to manage various needs and
wants of employees that are as follows:
Compensation:
fair wages and compensation is area of concern for employees, in that regards the major
role of HR department is to evaluate and build potential changes in organisational pay structure
by evaluating trends in market related with compensation. In context of ‘Chocola Fantastica they
also access policies to comply with the kinds of federal, state and local laws such as fair labour
standards and minimum wage rate with overtime working practices. By providing effective
compensation program they helps to encourage employees and motivated them to gain potential
outcomes out of it.
Performance appraisal:
Human resource department by working with the other departments evaluate the
performance of employees. The HR department accountable for building the full fledge
performance management plan after a specific time interval. In context of ‘Chocola Fantastica
they used on basis of promotions, retentions and termination which commence legal actions in
some circumstances if it improperly executed. It is very much important to find out the gaps
while employee perform some specific tasks and duties, by providing training and development
so they can perform well and organisation appraise employees accordingly. With the help of it
HR department measure the performance of an individual and find out the gaps in perform the
works and activities and accordingly plan their appraisal program in fair manner.
Human resource department is very much important for an organisation as well as
individual to evaluate each and every basic needs and wants of employees and put efforts to
devote the same. HRM department provide proper training and development to employees by
finding out major gaps to perform well. HR department by accessing areas in which employees
lack behind and then they provide training and development program for them so that they can
remain always competitive in the marketplace by accumulating important knowledge and
information in proper manner.
Current problems and growth opportunities:
In present scenario the Chocola Fantastica faces the problem in managing the ever
increasing work force that enhance the rate of staff turnover and consumers grievances due to
poor quality of products. In that regards they build some strategies in selection of right kind of

candidate in their organisation for that they opt their own assessment test, interview and
reference check test to verify viability of an individual (Berman And et.al ., 2019). The major
growth opportunities in front of respective organisation that they change in their selection criteria
that helps to select and retain one of potential candidates which enables to grow in market.
Further to improve product quality they set standards such as benchmarking and balance score
card to equip potential outcomes.
b) Explains the strengths and weaknesses of the current selection methods used by the
organisation.
Selection is a chain of activities for selecting or choosing the right kind of candidate
which is most suitable for vacant job role in an organisation. In context of ‘Chocola Fantastica
they use own assessment test, interview and reference check method to select one of best
competitive workforce.
Aptitude test:
Aptitude test is useful to determine the ability of an individual to succeed in a particular
task and duties without any prior knowledge and training.
Advantages and disadvantages of Own assessment test:
Advantages Disadvantages
In their own assessment test consist of maths
and English comprehension in respective test
candidates able to avail the cultural advantages
in achieving success in both education and
industrial background (Boon And et.al .,
2018.). With the help of respective test all
candidates put on equal basis that proved
beneficial for organisation to select one of best
candidate.
The fact that if someone is good in aptitude
does not mean that they will perform best.
There are some other attributes also that are
important to judge performance of an
individual that are training, level of motivation
and interest areas.
Interview:

Interview is one of best method to check the skills of an individual, in respective test a
conversation conducted where questions are asked and candidate give answers.
Advantages and disadvantages of interview/ informal chat:
Advantages Disadvantages
A structured interview helps to reach at large
no. of people so it proved beneficial for
organisation to select one of best candidate out
of large pool of candidates (Brewster,
Mayrhofer and Farndale, 2018).
As structured interview are usually non flexible
in nature so while follow the interview pattern
have a strict time limit that hinders the self
interest behind its implementation.
c) Evaluates at least 2 two potential improvements that could be made by ‘‘Chocola Fantastica’
to enhance its selection process.
As per view of Nikoletta Bika, (How to improve your recruiting process, 2019) for an
organisation it is very much essential to refined their recruitment and selection process to achieve
efficient and productive workforce. Here are the major improvements that should be adopted by
‘Chocola Fantastica to select and retain one of competitive workforce that are as follows:
1. The first and foremost improvement in selection process that they provide options to
conduct interview in line or person that hinders the motive behind its application. The
main goal is to check the viability of an individual on behalf of fair results occurs from
aptitude tests. So they have to conduct respective test on their own centres so that any
kind of discrepancy not happened while conducting test.
2. The another test that conducted by respective organisation which is interview or informal
chat so the major improvements required in respective test that is interview should be
conducted in proper form in which relevant questions should be asked. They have to
conduct a basic schedule and take enough time to cover all aspects so that interviewer can
judge effectively the potentiality of a candidate.

Section 2 – Application (LO 4)
a) Create a person specification for the role.
Person specification is the detailed description of the qualification, skills and
competencies, knowledge with information that are must possess by a candidate to perform
specific tasks and duties.
Person Specification
Position: Receptionist
Section: HRM
Company: ‘Chocola Fantastica
Attributes Essential Desirable
Experience and qualification  Diploma or G.E.D
from high school
 certification in typing
 At least 1 year
experience in customer
job related services.
 Experience to maintain
the data and
information in manual
manner.
Knowledge and skills  Effective written and
communication skills
 Knowledge of Ms
office and other also.
 To manage the
curiosity of candidates
and manage the work
properly.
Fitness  Can be able to work
flexibly to meet the
needs and role of the
department in positive
manner.
Personal circumstances  Self dependent for
transport flexibility
Able to contribute one of best
efforts ASAP.
Styles and value  Able to work under
pressure
 Trustworthy and
understand

 punctual
 Happy to work in a
team.
significance of
confidentiality.
b) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the current methods of advertising jobs in the
organisation.
For an organisation to circulate important knowledge and information advertisement
plays major role. In context of ‘Chocola Fantastica they use two kinds of advertisement method
that are internally in organisation and noticeboard outside the main entrance. Respective methods
have their own advantages and disadvantage that are as follows:
Internally within the organisation:
In that respective job advertisement the organisation hire from within the organisation for
the vacant position. Here are the some advantages and disadvantage of respective job
advertisement that are as follows:
It reduce time to hire an individual and organisation all capable to acknowledge the
strength and knowledge of manpower within the organisation by shorten on boarding time
(Berman And et.al ., 2019. ).
On other hand it leave a huge gap in the existing workforce and organisation not able to
select and retain competitive workforce. It limit the pool of candidates that hinders the self
interest in context of ‘Chocola Fantastica.
Noticeboard:
In context of ‘Chocola Fantastica they to announce job openings use notice boards in
main front of an organisation. In that regards they require the innovative way to attract the large
no. of competitive candidates to get important outcomes. There are some advantages and
disadvantage of respective job advertisement that are as follows:
 it is one of effective method to eliminate high cost of job advertisement and also not
consume too much time.
 It is very much flexible in nature and ideal for displaying necessary knowledge and
information to get potential outcomes.
Disadvantages:

 Message in notice board not sent across and clearly with not in proper detailed format.
 The notice or information can easily be taken down by the another notice that lessen
down the effect of previous notice.
 It also takes much time to distribute knowledge and also looks less attractive and not
build a positive impact on people.
c) Explain where you would recommend the job advert for the Receptionist vacancy to be placed
and why.
To job advert for the vacancy of receptionist should be placed on their own website or
online recruitment advertising which is one of effective way to spread knowledge of vacancy in
proper manner (Boon And et.al ., 2018.). There are some major advantages of respective job
advert for the receptionist that it helps to candidates reach at proper location and necessary
information regarding the job. It provides faster hiring of employees as they have forefront to
analyse the whole recruitment process and helps in decision-making in effective manner. It is
easy to use as job advertise on website as it quickly spread and can start receive applications as
soon as possible.
Section 3 (LO2)
a) Microsoft offer graduate training schemes and internships. Evaluate the benefits to both the
organisation and employees of such schemes.
Training is organized activity aimed to imparting knowledge and information to bring
improvement in the performance of recipient or it helps an individual to attain desired level of
skills and competencies to remain always competitive in the business environment (Brewster,
Mayrhofer and Farndale, 2018.).
In context of Microsoft they provide no. of training programs one of it Aspire program
which is for most top performing graduates for different job roles.
Positive of Training:
The major positive side of training is that it improves the quality of work by bring
specialisation in works and activities in proper manner.
Negative of training: