HR's Strategic Management: Debenhams Case Study Analysis

This report examines the crucial role of Human Resources in strategic management, using Debenhams as a case study. It delves into people analytics, exploring its benefits and the impact of GDPR. The report further analyzes job analysis and its influence on various HR components and the employee lifecycle. Additionally, it addresses HR's response during the COVID-19 pandemic, including social media policies and recommendations. The report also covers diversity and inclusion processes, potential workplace discrimination, and Larry Griener's model. Finally, it analyzes Cisco Systems' acquisition approach and successful HR practices. The analysis provides insights into how HR functions contribute to organizational goals and objectives.

Human Resource

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
HR role in strategic management................................................................................................1
Q2) Organisation focused towards people analytics to analytics for people..............................2
Case related to selected organisation .........................................................................................4
Q3) Job analysis and its impact on various components/area in human resource and employee
life-cycle .....................................................................................................................................5
Areas that are utilised by HR to accomplish organisation goal and objective............................6
Q4) Human resource function deal with the period of stress during Covid-19..........................7
Social Media policies do you seem “Fit for Purpose” under current circumstances of Post
Pandemic situation faced by Human Resource department........................................................7
Recommendations to deal with pandemic conditions.................................................................8
Q5) Diversity & Inclusion process and its benefits for the employee and the employer and
forms of discrimination that can take place in the work place....................................................9
Q6) Larry Griener’s Model and it focus on realigning and refocusing about individual related
objectives..................................................................................................................................11
CASE STUDY ...........................................................................................................................12
Q7) Approach that Cisco Systems has used in its many successful acquisitions. What are
some of the human resource practices that have made its acquisitions successful...................12
Human resource practices were used and obtain their evaluations of what was helpful or
harmful......................................................................................................................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
The term human resource is an important asset for an organisation that leads management
to accomplish company goal's and objectives in an organised manner through delegating right
roles and responsibilities to engaged workforce. Individuals or person who are willing to trade
their labour, time, knowledge and time to earning compensation for their efforts that also
improve the organisation is known as human resource. This report is written from perspective of
Debenhams which is a British multi-national retail organisation and it they operate franchise as
well as department store in different locations of world. Moreover, this report highlights on
people analytics as well as benefits that are obtained from HR analytics and the importance
invention of GDPR (Albrecht and et. al., 2015). Job analysis and its impacts on various
components of human resource and employee life-cycle will also included in this report. In the
last, approach that are utilised by Cisco system for managing acquisition is also focused in the
upcoming report.
MAIN BODY
HR role in strategic management
To reach and achieve the business goals and objectives of an organisation management
focus on an effective leaderships style. Strategic human resource undertakes the traditional
human resource approach that encompass different functions related with recruiting,
interviewing, screening and hiring of employee's that works according to the organisational
strategy for accomplishing company goals in an accurate manner. Human resource management
is enhancing their business goals according to the number of events and it also lead business to
develop better and productive results by arranging efforts of all engaged workforce in right
direction. This is also used in completing organisational work that leads to accomplish longer
results by engaging right workforce for company operations. This also governs right workforce
leads management to undertake right individuals which perform their work according to
company skills and abilities. From the perspective of Debenhams HR perform an unique role in
the retail sector organisation which leads management to achieve company goals through
satisfying employees needs and wants (Aviso and et. al., 2017). This also refers HR perform an
important role for achieving company goals in an organised manner because they recruit
individuals according to company requirements and wants. Social worker, immigrant workers,
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industrial expert, professional etc. that leads individuals to perform their work as per strategy and
strike. This also define organisation attempt methods that is leading organisation to manage
company workforce for accomplishing competitive-edge in market.
With the globalisation impact it is analysed that most of the retail organisation are
performing their work at global level. Similarly, Debenhams also complete their work at
different locations it refers respective organisation is managing their departmental and franchise
store in international market. Different considerations generate and create the market strategy
which undertakes brand messaging, roadmap for sale process and business strategy that leads
individuals to complete work in different departments. From perspective of Debenhams HR it is
used in managing work according to right strategy of business and this also helps in shifting
strategy for business (Boardman, Henninger and Zhu, 2020). The major support of organisation
relates with constant focus on managing similar forces that manage changes in company to deal
with people as per business decisions and strategy. Along with this culture change makes
perspective that helps HR to make specific decisions to make information strategy that leads to
navigate changes with proper align strategy.
Q2) Organisation focused towards people analytics to analytics for people
People analytics is defines as a deep data that drive and goal focused towards the method or
ways for studying people or individual process, challenges and functions that elevate all systems
to achieve sustainability in market. There are different task performed by the management of
Debenhams which refers to manage the acceptance rates that makes analytics for people to
become HR analytics. General data protection regulation is to impose and manage a uniform
system related with data security and law. Debenhams also follow the regulations related with
GDPR because it helps in managing laws across the entire European union.
The term HR analytics is defined as a process that is used for collecting analysing HR
data and information. This determines all the information which is related with organisation
workforce performance and process is monitored and controlled by HR. There is an agreement
take place in the month of April 2016 that helps to make data protective directive act and it is
implemented in the month of may 2018 which helps to ensure the privacy and data related with
consumer (Brewster and Hegewisch, 2017). For instance there is a requirement for transferring
the consent of subjects helps to make longer process for company privacy. The measure initiative
and strategies contribute for achieving company goals and objectives by managing engaged
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workforce efforts towards company goals and objectives. Example- if Debenhams face high
employee turnover than it is difficult for company to perform their work in an organised manner.
This also define employee's require more time period for reaching at productive level so the
method of analytics for people leads selected organisation to plan and complete work according
to future perspective.
Benefits for HR analytics
Human resource witness and adverse two major field and it include big data and hiring
analytics. The methods of HR analytics for Debenhams manage benefits for employee's and
employer both. Some key benefits for HR analytics is mention as follow:
 Improved decision making- HR analytics helps manager to make better decisions which
are based on historical data. With the analysis of company it is easy to derive better
candidates by monitoring performance of organisation on regular basis. Like, ten
candidates apply for the job role in retail sector and four from them belong to retail
background that is used in making the persons to work as per company strategy (Chang,
Chang and Chen, 2017). This benefit both employer and employee's as improved
decision making helps to complete all work according to online database and
applications.
 Reduced talent scarcity- Data-driven recruiting strategy provide the insight and depth
information which leads to cast more accurate results. With the help of HR analytics this
is easy to know the target position which is used in sorting recruitment process. Further,
with understanding company aspect all persons undertake knowledge that makes talent
acquisition process easy to make specific industry results. With undertaking benefits
employees and employer are able to manage task according to organisational goals. So
both parties complete their work by minimising challenges through completing work
according to talent management.
 Process improvement- Debenhams perform and manage their work according to the
expert that come-up with accurate pattern and statistics. Along with this organisation
manage recruitment process more quicker and effective. HR of the respective business
understand company talent and it is used in managing process that makes benefits for
employee's and employer more specific to complete all task with faster solutions. It also
helps to make suitable results that make training for employee's.
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 Good training- Training is an important element for Debenhams and it is used in
managing all task and operations with recruitment issue that process long term training
for organisation. This is also used to deal with managerial chunks that helps Debenhams
employee's and employer for completing their work or performing their role in an
organised manner. HR analytics support manager to understand about employees
performance so it helps to overcome from gaps by performing work according to
different training programs.
Case related to selected organisation
Debenhams is managing and performing their work in international market through
operating different department and franchise store. This also refers that employee's require a
large number of employee's to manage work at a such global level. But with the engagement of
globalisation number of immigrant workers is also increased so management face a lot of
changes in the organisation which are related with employee's. It also define company manage
and complete their work with ensuring future viability of business (Charlesworth, Webster and
McLocklin, 2014). One of the major issue that allow administrator to work with organisational
objective that also save business to deal with going concern. One of the major issue which is
related with selected organisation is the breach of contract related with employability results.
This define that trading income is reduced for company that directly impacts on company profits.
Recently, with the announcement of UK government there is a slight change in the
ongoing price of workers wages with 4% that is stated in the law of worker. This is amended in
the month of April 2019. Therefore, large organisation such as Debenhams face different
challenges and one of them is breach of employment contract. It is because now management has
to pay more wages that reduce profit for business of Debenhams. This also define company
manage and control organisational work by deciding all business operations as per company law.
So HR perform an important role to manage organisational work with right strategy in order to
retain employee's for longer period at minimum amount (Chebbi and et. al., 2015). Another issue
relates with individuals is the difference between salary and wages of local and immigrant
workers for similar work. This also demotivate the employee's so it is the responsibility of HR to
ensure that there are no ethical practices is interrupt in workplace of Debenhams.
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Q3) Job analysis and its impact on various components/area in human resource and employee
life-cycle
From the perspective of company it is analysed by the management that there are various
task performed by employees of Debenhams. Most of them are focused towards the completing
organisation task with the help of Job analysis process. It is the process for analysing and
gathering the information about the content that is related with human requirements of jobs. This
also includes the context or areas in which jobs are performed by management. This also define
at the time of formulating and hiring better process of recruitment management is focused to
complete their work with defining the pre-employment process.
Impact on human resource
Organisation structure and design- The term job analysis leads an organisation to
manage and complete organisational work with accurate and organised methods that helps
management to generate suitable changes among the organisational structure (Connell and et. al.,
2019). Debenhams improve their structure through maintaining similar culture and structure as it
engage employee's to complete work in an organised manner.
Recruitment and selection- The term recruitment provide the information about the job
perspective so the human resource component of organisation is impacted because job entails
about human characteristic as it makes job description and specification that helps management
to complete their work as per delegates roles and responsibilities. So job analysis impact because
individuals require only those aspect that manage and complete work as per company vacant
seats.
Performance appraisal- This is based on job requirements and it identify as per job
analysis. It also refers Debenhams is able to improve their performance by offering right
appraisal to right individuals (Cullinane and et. al., 2019). Further, as per retail organisation
perspective performance appraisal also based on different characteristic such employee
behaviour, job specification and description etc. human resource is impacted because this also
define and decide employee recruitment.
Employee life-cycle
According to the model of employee life-cycle there are five different stages exists that
visualise the engagement of employees as it engage better workforce for organisation. One of the
ongoing relationship model consists about the framework that make longer strategy for each
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stage of organisation. It refers that excellent work process for recruitment helps in thinking about
retention phase as it makes better and suitable option to deal with the employability issue. This
define company experience about changes that makes journey about design and ideas related
with employee experience. The case or issue which is related with employees of Debenhams are
concerned about employee engagement as it is related with change rate in wages. On the other
side, another issue which is related with organisation is the difference between work area, pay
and culture of employee's (Friederiszick and Głowicka, 2016). The ELC model design and
manage human resource by generating better customer experience that resembles about company
value to retain long term employee's for improving organisational contribution towards the
business.
Areas that are utilised by HR to accomplish organisation goal and objective
Human resource professional perform different roles among the organisation and the
main function of Debenhams HR is to formulate better strategy that is focused towards recruiting
and retaining employees for overseeing the projects as it promote company productivity. Along
with this most of the human resources department control all operations for performing business
as per company objectives and goals.
 Training and development- Human resource manage and complete organisational work
by managing right training programs as it increase the quality of work. Most human
resource also achieve company goals by improving the labour statics as it indicate that by
enhancing employee skills there is a increase in individual and organisational
performance. It results that effective workforce is able to complete organisational work in
an accurate manner by providing training to employees as per company goal and
objective.
 Employee acquisition- The human resource department of is responsible for managing
overall workforce of Debenhams. As per the perspective of society for human resource
management workforce retention and acquisition plays a vital role for accomplishing
success in the company (Games, 2015). There are different task are also performed by
management to manage and complete work as per employees areas.
 Project management- With the planning methods there are different task is performed
by management that leads to conduct company project. The main motive of Debenhams
is to achieve organisational goals and objectives that makes a project more successful.
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Along with this project management recognise as a critical tool that helps HR to meet
with strategic goals. It also helps in managing business project goals and objectives that
retain individuals for assessing risk project of retail sector.
With the mention three areas it is identified that employee's perform an important role and it is
leading management to complete all work by organising company project as per retail sector.
Along with this there are different task is performed by management and all this area are lead by
human resource of Debenhams to complete all work as per business objectives and goals.
Further, HR of respective organisation generate compliance management to deal with labour
relations through resolving dispute which helps in managing work by providing equal
opportunity to all workforce (Jabbour and de Sousa Jabbour, 2016). From perspective of
Debenhams organisation follow ethical practices that helps in making proper coordination
among employer and employees.
Q4) Human resource function deal with the period of stress during Covid-19
Business leader are performing their work in a competitive world and after the start of
problem related with pandemic conditions expand. Their is a need to deal with the changes by
amending and formulating new strategy for business. Along with this COVID-19 situation is
implemented by management in several years. Further, social media perform an important role as
all persons are active on social media and by utilising it in right direction company associate
instant implement of solution if it given by right authority. This is because it is the first time
when whole world is at the situation of lock-down. Therefore, organisation also focuses on all
perspective which manage about all task and organisation that makes better turn for leading the
strategies that makes different circumstances as it focus on all aspects that provide right direction
to all employee's.
Social Media policies do you seem “Fit for Purpose” under current circumstances of Post
Pandemic situation faced by Human Resource department
Reintroduce organisation and employee's to customers- At the time of crisis,
organisation are performing their work by providing right and organised importance with
customers (Jackson, Schuler and Jiang, 2014). There are different task and operations makes
about the changes that helps in appreciating about all propositions of society. It is also used to
adopt changes which are utilised for completing work at global level specifically to manage and
organise social strategy according to the organisational perspective. Online social media
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activities is the first strategy that come across with the motive of company brands by generating
positive conversation about company product. This also refers company manage and complete its
task with motive of managing its social strategy it also helps to manage all task with motive of
organising their task as per global level (Kaehler and Grundei, 2019). On the other side, while
managing personal journey and relationship leads individual and company to manage or
formulate strategy which helps to deal with pandemic situations. From the perspective of retail
industry organisation acknowledge different challenges that helps to shift in a better position it
also helps individual to catch customers by preparing shift which helps to survive for longer
period.
Question about strategy and organisation- One of the best motive for managing all
work relates with the coronavirus by dealing with situation that are managed according to
business perspective. With the change of climate, market and environment organisation emerge
and manage about radical shifts that helps in formulating strategy which is useful for managing
work according to existing market situation. Further, with the steps related with asking question
about strategy and structure of Debenhams it is easy to change all perspective that help to
address risk by modifying solutions for business. Social media strategy for amending
Debenhams strategy is to follow all steps according to global significance which is used to
answer all questions by participating in organisation strategy.
Recommendations to deal with pandemic conditions
Retail sector is performing there work at global level and by managing or analysing
different fields related with business sector helps to deal with all problems that manage work
with the strategy which helps to deal with problems that are raised during the period of COVID-
19. In the present scenario, retail sector manage is the only area which is raised among the retail
business (Kar, 2015). There are different task is managed by organising goals and objectives that
helps in making perspective as it leads to analyse broad meetings that manage all task and
information with considering private sector employees and its results. HR management perform
an important role because employees are facing various challenges that are related with
organisation sector and circumstances. Some recommendation for top authorities to deal with
COVID-19 process are mention as follow:
 NHS- National health security plays an important role for organisation and it is used to
ensure about all changes that are performing different task as it helps to meet with
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directors for adopting modifications by which management associate for the safety of
individuals. This refers company manage all of its task by formulating application that
track the number of patients which are tested positive for COVID-19. It is used in
organising strategy which meet with organisational efforts.
 Better decision making- There are different questions related with retailers that exists
across the global level and it is also used to face unique changes. In the historic period,
the time of recession and other economic changes reduce the business sales and growth.
But as per current situations government decisions official close all physical stores. So
as per company recommendation management go for online decision making that helps
in leading changes as per online decision which makes convenient shopping for
individual (Kramar, 2014).
 Store management- Small or large retailers all are experiencing different challenges that
generates situations which slow down the business. This also make the conditions
which close the retail store and it also reduce and close person engagement for retail
sector. Their are various task is managed that helps in making marketing as per social
strategy. It is also used for closing the physical store that makes better perspective for
working with the loyalty and engagement as per company brand. This is recommend to
the management of Debenhams that helps to complete all task with more strength in
pandemic situations.
Q5) Diversity & Inclusion process and its benefits for the employee and the employer and forms
of discrimination that can take place in the work place
The term diversity within a workplace refers that business employees or employer
monitor and understand different changes that are related with diversity. This also reflects on
different individuals that make better perspective for society and its operations. With
determining the number of workers and their culture this is easy to offer similar opportunity to
all individuals (Mali and Patil, 2016). On the other side, inclusion process refers to diversity that
makes a better concept for work environment among which all individuals perform their work
with similar number of opportunity. It is also used for contributing better success factor among
organisational success.
Benefits for employer
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 High revenue- With understand about ethical practice of diversity and inclusion
departments of Debenhams which follow all rules generate or earn more revenue. Like,
by reducing the revenue for business. This is also used in managing the yield which
helps for analysing system that helps in managing revenue for business (Mitchell, 2015).
Debenhams manage its profits with diversity and inclusion process and it also helps to
reduce the issue which is related with wages rate of employees.
 Strong and positive relationship- The recent study about diversity and inclusive process
define that significant policy related with diversity of employees helps in making better
corporation and coordination of employer by the workers or individuals who are engaged
in functions and operations of Debenhams.
Benefits to employee's
 Increase in productivity- When the employees face less number of issue in the
workplace of Debenhams than they are more motivated for performing their role in an
appropriate manner. Actually, employee's specifically immigrant workers also face
different challenges such as race, religion and background discrimination. So by
implementing diversity and inclusion process it is easy to motivate all employees which
also increase in productivity of business.
 Recruitment and retention- If organisation manage and complete their work it is used
in managing and completing work according to innovation perspective. It also refers by
explaining job roles at time of recruiting aids workers to retain for longer period.
Moreover, employer ensure that diversity and inclusion process helps in managing and
completing process according to the retail sector goals and objectives.
Types of discrimination
 Age- With the age act it is identified that age discrimination in employment relates with
employment activities and characteristic (Nevalainen, 2018). It is often target in making
instance which offers about employers for making decisions as it helps to arrange
stereotypes and preference that helps in making merit according to the number of
applicants age. Example- Europe based retail sector depends on local department store
which leads to perform all work in an organised manner.
 Race- In addition to protect number of individuals and its characteristic this is analysed
by individuals that civil right act, 1964 is formulated for reducing the workplace
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