MBA401 Report: Analyzing HR Strategies for Performance and Culture

This report provides a detailed analysis of the human resource management strategies employed by the Australian retail chain, Cotton On. The report begins with an executive summary and a table of contents, followed by an introduction to the company and its HR functions. It then delves into performance-related initiatives, such as training programs and skills assessments, and culture-related initiatives, including employee perks and flexible work arrangements. The report also examines engagement-related initiatives, such as the use of the Gall Up Q tool and the implementation of the Respect model. The report incorporates relevant theories and provides recommendations for improving performance appraisals, fostering a more inclusive organizational culture, and prioritizing employee development to enhance overall engagement and organizational success. Finally, the report concludes with a summary of key findings and a comprehensive list of references.

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Human Resource Management
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

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Executive Summary
The primary purpose of the report is to discuss about the initiatives that have been taken for
improving the performance and the culture of Cotton On. The report also states about the
initiatives that can be undertaken that can help in the effective engagement of employees. It
can be recommended that performance appraisals being held at regular intervention can help
in the success of the organization.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Performance-related initiatives..................................................................................................3
Culture-related initiatives...........................................................................................................4
Engagement related initiatives...................................................................................................5
Recommendations......................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Human Resource Management helps in managing the functions like the planning and
the organizing within an organization. Cotton On is the name of an Australian retail chain
that is popular for the fast-fashion clothing of the men, women along with the children
(Cottonon.com 2019). This report talks about the performance and the culture related
initiatives that can help in improving the performance of the workers. The report also talks
about the initiatives that can be undertaken that can increase the rates of the employee
engagement.
Performance-related initiatives
Cotton On has implemented various measures that can help in improving the
performance of the employees. There are various kinds of learning tools that are employed
which can help in bringing about improvements in the performance of the employees of an
organization. The organization is providing training to the staff regarding software like the
POS that can help in the development of the employees within the organization. The
effectiveness of the training can be measured with the help of the skills assessments that can
help in indicating whether the training program in Cotton On has been successful (Noe et al.
2017). The online assessments can help in the identification of the training gap that can be
made use of by the organization. The programme can be demonstrated in the person that can
prove to be beneficial for the employees. The employees are trained about customer service
that can be useful for the employees of Cotton On. The staff of Cotton On can be taught
about the policies of the company that can be of merit for the employees of the retail chain.
Role playing can be an effective method that can help in bringing the sales training to
the life that can help in making the staff more productive in Cotton On. Role playing helps in
putting into effect the ideas that have been learnt in the course of the training that can help in

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further developing the skills of the employees (Cascio 2015). The modular training is used in
Cotton On and the flexible method of training can be of great boon for the employees
working in the retail chain. The training are able to fit into the 1-hour segment that can be of
great convenience in increasing the skills of employees of Cotton On. The learning and the
development should be continuous in the organization that can help in the growth of the
organization. Total Quality Management techniques is used that can help in bringing about
the continuous improvement of the staff in Cotton On (Bratton and Gold 2017). The
knowledge management tools are used by the organization which can help in improving the
skill set of the workers. The organization uses the newsletters and the publications that can be
of great service for the employees of Cotton On.
Culture-related initiatives
The organisational culture prevalent in Cotton On is the hierarchy culture that has a
structured work environment. The formal rules and the policy are taken recourse to for the
smooth functioning of the organization. Cotton On improves the culture with the help of
conversations that can help in providing encouragement to the employees. The client pressure
and the deadlines have a negative effect on the employees working in an organization. The
organization introduces certain perks that can help in improving the culture of Cotton On.
The employees are given paid day off on that of their birthday that can help in making the
employees feel unique in the organization. The employees are provided with flexibility that
can help the employees in adjusting to the work environment. There are different tools like
Dropbox that are used that can help the employees in staying connected in the organization
(DeCenzo, Robbins and Verhulst 2016). It can help the employees in working in a productive
manner in the organization.
Company volunteering are taken recourse to by the company that helps in improving
the morale of the members of the team. Volunteering helps the employees in collaborating

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with the other employees that works for the benefit of the organization. This can provide
chance to the employees for revealing their skill set that can help in strengthening them in the
organization. The strategy that is integrated in Cotton On is transparency along with
empowerment that can help in the development of employees. Cotton On communicates the
vision and the mission of the employees that helps in improving the work of the employees
(Brewster, Chung and Sparrow 2016). The company creates the short and the long term
goals for the employees that makes the employees in focussing on their work. The
organization considers the health and the well-being of the employees that can be
instrumental in improving organizational culture of Cotton On. It can help in creating happier
employees that can help in increasing the workforce productivity (Berman et al. 2019). It can
help in decreasing the aspect of the employee absenteeism in Cotton On. Cotton On pays for
the health insurance of the employees that can help in making the employees feel valued in
the organization.
Engagement related initiatives
There are various initiatives that are used that can help in engaging the employees
working in the organization. The tool of Gall Up Q is used as an engagement measurement
tool that can help in transforming an organization. It helps in the creation of sustainable for
Cotton On. This tool works on the principle of the rigorous science that can help in linking it
to the performance outcome. The engagement of the employees are measured with the help of
different parameters like customer ratings, productivity, turnover, absenteeism, patient safety
incident and the quality. Cotton On abides by the Respect model that helps in acknowledging
the work that is done by the employees (Bal and De Lange 2015). The employees in Cotton
On are empowered with the help of the training and the resources that helps in making the
employees feel engaged in the activities of the organization. Cotton On spends time with the
individual employees that can help the management of the organization in knowing about the

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families and the back grounds of the employees (Zhong, Wayne and Liden 2016). This
straightforward practice is used that can help in retention of employees in Cotton On.
Research has brought out the fact that the employees who have the tendency of feeling valued
in the company can produce effective work in an organization.
The employees are backbone of an organization and the employees should be made
known about the condition of the business that can make employees feel engaged. It can
make the employees work in the proper direction in an organization. The employees are
provided with details about the successful ventures of the company that can help in the
growth of the organization in the long term (Shields et al. 2015). The unsuccessful attempts
of the company are communicated to the employees that can help Cotton On in making the
profits. The employees of Cotton On are provided with encouragement and the appreciation
for their work that helps in the proper engagement of employees working in Cotton On. The
employees of the company are supported in the event of any critical situation that helps in the
proper engagement of the staff.
Recommendations
 Cotton On can ensure that the performance appraisals are conducted in the consistent
manner that can help in improving performance of workers. The performance
appraisals should be conducted in the regular manner that can help the employees in
knowing about their strengths and the weakness. It can help the employees in
knowing about their weakness that can be worked on for the improvement of the
performance of the employees.
 The culture in Cotton On can be improved with the help of implementation of clan
culture that can help in involving the employees. This can help the organization in
facilitating the aspect of team work along with the participation that can work for the
betterment of the organization (Berman et al. 2019). This can help the company in

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having a friendly atmosphere that can help in building bond in between the employees
of organization.
 The employees in Cotton On can be engaged in the event of the development of the
employees being made a priority in the organization. This can help in setting forward
the career goals in front of the employees that can be useful for the overall
development of the organization. This can help the employees in working on the areas
of the skill gaps that can help the organization in making profits.
Conclusion
Human Resource Management can manage the aspect of planning and organization
within the framework of an organization. The staff can be trained about software which can
aid in the proper development of employees. Skills assessment can help in measuring efficacy
of the training that can help in suggesting whether the programs have been successful. The
employees should be provided with flexible schedules which can help in their adjustment in
organization. Tools like the Drop Box can be used by the company that can make employees
feel connected in organization. Gall Up Q can be used as the engagement measurement tool
that can help in ensuring the sustainability of Cotton On.

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References
Bal, P.M. and De Lange, A.H., 2015. From flexibility human resource management to
employee engagement and perceived job performance across the lifespan: A multisample
study. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 88(1), pp.126-154.
Berman, E.M., Bowman, J.S., West, J.P. and Van Wart, M.R., 2019. Human resource
management in public service: Paradoxes, processes, and problems. CQ Press.
Bratton, J. and Gold, J., 2017. Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave.
Brewster, C., Chung, C. and Sparrow, P., 2016. Globalizing human resource management.
Routledge.
Cascio, W.F., 2015. Managing human resources. McGraw-Hill.
Cottonon.com (2019). Women's, Men's & Kids Clothing & Accessories | Cotton On. [online]
Cottonon.com. Available at: https://cottonon.com/AU/ [Accessed 14 Apr. 2019].
DeCenzo, D.A., Robbins, S.P. and Verhulst, S.L., 2016. Fundamentals of Human Resource
Management, Binder Ready Version. John Wiley & Sons.
Noe, R.A., Hollenbeck, J.R., Gerhart, B. and Wright, P.M., 2017. Human resource
management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Shields, J., Brown, M., Kaine, S., Dolle-Samuel, C., North-Samardzic, A., McLean, P.,
Johns, R., O'Leary, P., Robinson, J. and Plimmer, G., 2015. Managing employee
performance & reward: Concepts, practices, strategies. Cambridge University Press.
Zhong, L., Wayne, S.J. and Liden, R.C., 2016. Job engagement, perceived organizational
support, high‐performance human resource practices, and cultural value orientations: A cross‐
level investigation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(6), pp.823-844.