Detailed Employee Relations Report: Marks & Spencer Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of employee relations within Marks & Spencer (M&S). It begins by defining employee relations and its importance in the modern business environment, particularly within a multinational retailer like M&S. The report explores various mechanisms for managing the employment relationship, emphasizing the significance of open communication, recognition, feedback, and investment in employees. It delves into fundamental employment laws, including those related to discrimination and employee rights, offering suggestions for fostering positive employee relations. The report also evaluates the psychological contract, examining the rights, duties, and obligations of both employees and employers, and discusses the importance of work-life balance. Furthermore, it analyzes stakeholder engagement and its contribution to positive employment relationships within M&S. Finally, the report assesses the impact of both positive and negative employee relations on conflict avoidance and resolution, concluding with a synthesis of the key findings and recommendations for enhancing employee relations within the organization.

Employee Relation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
ACTIVITY 1....................................................................................................................................1
1. Different mechanism for managing the employment relationship with justified solution.....1
Activity 2.........................................................................................................................................4
2. Evaluating psychological contract and support for employee work life balance in realtion to
their right.....................................................................................................................................4
Work-Life Balance......................................................................................................................5
3. Determining appropriate advice relating to right, duties and obligation of the employment
relationship..................................................................................................................................6
Activity 3.........................................................................................................................................7
4. Analysing the stakeholder engagement and contribution helps in making positive
employment relationship in M&S Ltd........................................................................................7
Activity 4.........................................................................................................................................8
5. Evaluating the negative and positive employee relationship that can affect conflict
avoidance and resolution.............................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Employee relation can be termed as the efforts which a company makes in order to make
healthy relationship between employees and employers. It also assist in making work
environment a healthier place so that employee can work more efficiently and productively. It is
an important concept on the global level. The present report will help in understanding the
importance of employee relation in Marks and Spencer Plc, it a major British multinational
retailer stores which are operating across the national border. The concept and principle of
employee relation with its importance will be discussed in the report. Different legislative related
to rights, duties and obligation of employees and employers is discussed which assist in
maintaining employee relationship. Further, the role of different stakeholder in contributing to
the positive employee relationship will be explained. At last, the negative and positive impact of
employee relation will be explained.
ACTIVITY 1
1. Different mechanism for managing the employment relationship with justified solution.
In today's competitive business world, human resource is the key for the success of any
type or size of organisation. They are the one who works and perform different activities in
organisation in order to enhance productivity of overall organisation which contributes in success
and growth of the business entity. Thus, it is foremost essential for an organisation to treat their
employees as a human veining not as other resources.
Employee relation can be defined as the efforts that a company makes in order to manage
relationship between managers and employees (Leat, 2012). It is a process where HR department
of Marks and Spencer Ltd will makes efforts in order to provide healthy work environment,
different employee relation program which ensures that all employee are treated fairly, ensures
to encourage healthy relationship among the employees. Employee relations ensures to remediate
problems between employees or with management in workplace.
Good employee relation in organisation is very important as if the management and
employee shares a positive relation it helps in increasing employee engagement, their
productivity, motivation and morale (What are employee relations? , 2019). The principle of
employee relation ensures that employee should feel happy and safe while working in M&S Ltd.

There are four pilers of employee relation which helps in maintaining healthy employee
relationship: Open communication: It is essential that employee feels free to communicate with their
manager. It is important for manager to talk about work to their employees and be as
transparent with them as possible. Through engaging the employees is the one of the
great way to keep better communication. Show recognition: Appreciation and gratitude is one of best way to ensure a strong
employee relationship. Rewarding an employee will help in strengthening the employee
engagement and also helps to motivate them in order to enhance their productivity. Constant feedback: Giving feedback to the employees and provide suggestion in order to
improve their work is a great way which assist in increasing their performance and built
positive relationship with them.
 Invest in employees: Making employee know about their importance for organisation is
very essential which helps in increasing their engagement in company affairs. The
happier workers are productive one. M&S Ltd should make efforts in order to invest in
employee' life by providing them facilities like health insurance, family benefits
programs, right salary, flexibility in working hour etc.
Hence, it be said that creating positive employee relations in organisation is a practice
that helps the manager to create trust based relationship with their employee (Bach and Kessler,
2011). The positive employee relationship is essential in generating productive working
environment and to improve the overall productivity of organisation. Positive employee relations
includes:
 Effective communication between employees and to the management.
 Proper employment procedures in organisation which includes discipline, employee-
manager behaviour.
 Negotiation style which are based on the mutual needs.
In M&S Ltd, there are certain things which creates negative working environment that
leads to affect the employee relation. The power and politics are the common terms that cab
affect the organisational efficient as well as the employee relation in workplace. Organisational

politics can be termed as the the pursuits of the individual self interest in M&S Ltd without
regards to its negative impact on the workplace and other employees. Employee engaged in
politics tends to decrease their performance and morale of other employees also. Another term
called power tends to increase the negative employee relation and their engagement in
organisation.
Power in organisation can be termed as the ability of a person in order to make decision
and control the team. This power is given to an employee based on his experience, knowledge or
skills that is superior from other employees (Hendrix, Hayes and Kumar, 2012). But, if the
employee is misusing his power by trying to control and demotivate his ordinate, it will creates
negative working environment and leads to create negative employee relation. There are
different type of power that can be used by employees in workplace.
Expert Power: This type of power is depends on the persons knowledge and specialised skills
that is greater than other employees.
Referent power: This type of power is hold by the employees who gained respect and trust of
other employees.
Managing the employee relation is the strategic issue, the manager needs to create
strategy to enhance the positive employee relation (Kelly, 2012). It will help a manager to create
and develop positive working environment and managing the employees in more efficient
manner.
Fundamental of the employees law
Employments laws helps in regulates the relationship between employees and employers
in organisation. The employment law involves legal issues such as:
Discrimination: The Civil Right Act of 1964, ensures prohibiting the employer from
discriminating the employees on the basis of their race, national origin, gender or religion (Forth
and et.al., 2013). As per this act, it is illegal for an M&S Ltd to adopt a policy in workplace that
affect the protected group such as women or minority through hiring criteria, harass them or
demotivate them.

Employees' right: As per this law, an employee is protected from any kind of discrimination in
the workplace. It includes discriminating firing, retaliation, termination in violation of
employment agreements.
Suggestions:
 The employers should ask their employees and team member for their inputs, employees
will feel valued when they are being involved in decision and strategies making process
which assist in making positive employee relations.
 The manager should communicate to the employees regarding the company's goals and
mission and their roles in the company.
 Management should make plans in order to promote the work-life balance of the
employees which assist in providing employees flexibility in their life.
Activity 2
2. Evaluating psychological contract and support for employee work life balance in relation to
their right.
Employees and employer right at workplace:
All the employees have some basic rights in workplace which includes right to privacy,
fair compensation and freedom from any kind of discrimination. Employees has right to to be
protected against illegal termination. The employees also has right of working in safe and
healthy working environment in M&S Ltd. The manager of M&S Ltd helps to be ensure to
protect all the right of employees which will be beneficial in making healthy employee relations
(Shields and et.al., 2015). However, there are certain rights which employers also have, that
includes right to appoint and dismiss employees in according to the proper procedures, they have
full right to ask hard work and reasonable performance from their employees. If employer uses
his rights in appropriate manner, it will help in building a positive organisational culture that
encourages employee engagement.
Duties and obligations of employee and employers:
There are some duties and responsibility of employees towards their employer, which
are:

 To obey the lawful and reasonable order of their senior in term of employment contract.
 It is their duty to perform their task with their full efforts.
 To carefully done their work and take it seriously, they need to be punctual.
 To carefully follows the instruction and decision of their employers.
The duties and responsibility of M&S Ltd are:
 Employer must provide their employees a safe and healthy work environment.
 It is the duty of employer to pay salary and wages ad per the contract of employment.
 Employer should treat their employees with respect and ensures that they are being
preventing from any kind of harassment and discrimination in workplace.
When employees and employers effectively perform their duty, it will help in making
positive working environment. It assist the M&S Ltd to strengthen the relationship with
employees. However, if employees fails to fulfil their duties, the employers can either suspend
them of terminate them from organisation. Employees may also be subject to suit for breach of
confidentiality and employment contract. While if employers breach the contract of employment
agreement, employee can file a case against the organisation, can demand the compensation.
The psychological contract:
It can be termed as the unwritten expectation of the employment relationship, it is quit
different with that of formal employment contract (What is a Psychological Contract? , 2019).
Psychological contract includes informal arrangements, mutual beliefs and perceptions between
employers and employees of M&S Ltd. Promises for promotion , salary increments, respect, trust
etc. it can not be written or measured. But is is very essential in building strong relation between
employee relationship. It is important to manage the expectation as it defines the key behaviour
of employees in workplace.
The unwritten expectation based on culture, values and ethics can be change in
organisational culture which includes attitude expressed, behaviour towards collogues and
customers. It can be said that psychological contract is very important for both employees and
employers. It plays an important role in encouraging employee engagement. Both the employer
and employees has some exception which are different from formal rules. Increasing in salary,

promotion, respect and fulfilment of promises will help in increasing the performance level of
employees and in building trust on employees. Whereas, employers expectations regarding
quality performance, punctuality, ethical behaviour is also important for employee-employer
relationship.
Work-Life Balance
It can be termed as how efficiently an employee is balancing their work and life.
Employees will be more productive and happier if they have a sense of control over their lives.
Balanced employees are more motivated and less stressed out at work which ultimately helps in
increasing overall productivity of organisation (Misztal, 2013). Management of M&S Ltd has to
provides opportunities to its employees that assist them in managing their work-life balance.
Employers should allow the flexible hours of working which helps the employees to pursue there
other personal works. Company should provide the options to employees in order to take care of
their needs. It can also be done by fixing a particular hour for working like 40 hours a week.
It can be said that, with proper work-life balance employees can tends to perform, more
effectively which leads to achieve the business goals more efficiently. In return, employees will;
also desires to get the promises which the employers has made. This unwritten expectation or
psychological contract assist in effective work-life balance of the employees, which results in
positive employee relation. However, if employees expectation are not getting fulfilled it will
leads to create stress and anxiety which will affect their personal as well as professional life and
their performance level. Ultimately, it will laeds to affect the employee relationship in
organisation.
3. Determining appropriate advice relating to right, duties and obligation of the employment
relationship.
As per the right, duties and obligation of employees and employers, the M&S led has to
ensure proper policies and procedures which helps in improving the employment relationship.
Employment law covers all the rights and obligation within the employer-employee relationship.
In order to maintain the employment relationship it can be suggested that, M&S Ltd must ensure
that its policies regarding discrimination, equality, proper salary and wages should properly
applied in all its stores across the globe. It will help in ensuring that all the employee of
organisation must have their basic right of privacy, fair compensation and freedom from

discrimination (McShane and Von Glinow, 2013). In order to make strong employment
relationship, it is equally important for M&S Ltd to protect their right like right to appoint and
terminate an employee. However, it can be suggested that company should specify all the terms
and condition to the employee regarding the working in company.
It can be said that company can plan to provide appropriate training to employees which
ensures their hight quality work and also help employees to enhance their skills. It will help in
making strong employment relationship across all the stores of M&S Ltd over the world. It is
very important to clarify the duties and responsibility of an employee in the workplace and
communicate the policies effectively which helps in increasing productivity of organisation.
Trade union or labour union plays an important in creating a positive workplace so that
employees and employers can function together. The role of Union in employment relationship
includes as the trade union act as an intermediary between employers and business owners at the
time of any conflict and crises in company. They are also very important in collectively
bargaining process (Slack, Corlett and Morris, 2015). Collective bargaining can be termed as the
process that take place between union that represent the employees and manager which
representing the M&S Ltd' s management. Collective bargaining helps in uniting the employees
for the common goal which combines their efforts in order to negotiate for better wages, working
conditions and regarding other benefits.
Activity 3
4. Analysing the stakeholder engagement and contribution helps in making positive employment
relationship in M&S Ltd.
Stakeholder is the person, group or organisation which have concerns with the function
and business performance. Some of the stakeholder that can be affected or can affect by
organisations activity are, employees, government, investors, creditors, shareholders, suppliers
etc. Stakeholder engagement is critical for the success of the organisation. Stakeholder
engagement can be termed as the process of interacting with and influencing company's
stakeholder in order to the overall benefit to the organisation (Wallace, de Chernatony and Buil,
2013). The management of M&S Ltd has to identify their main stakeholders so that there
engagement can help in contributing in making positive employment relationship in M&S Ltd.

As the employees are the key main assets of the organisation that helps in contributing to
the success and growth of the company. It can be said that they are the key stakeholder of M&S
Ltd. The company should work in order to make positive employee relation as it is vital for
creating strong organisational culture. Better employee relationship helps in increasing the
overall productivity of the organisation on the global platform. Thus it is vital for M&S Ltd to
improve the employee relationship. The factors of positive employee engagement are as follows:
 Ask for input: the management of M*&S Ltd should be ensured that they are constantly
asking for feedbacks and suggestions regarding performance of the organisation.
Manager should involve them in decision making process, it will help in engaging
employees also helps in building positive employee relation.
 Communication: It is very effective to engage the employees involvement by
communicating them regarding the company's vision and mission (The Advantages of
Good Employee Relations , 2019). Employees also want to understand how their specific
role fits in with the company’s strategic direction. Company should be sure to
communicate the company mission and vision, and be transparent about company
direction.
 Promote Work-life balance: promoting the work-life balance of employees by creating
work environment accordingly, will help in providing flexibility to balance both their
work and personal life it helps to keep them motivated and increase their productivity
(Spring, 2011).
 Lead by example: it is very important to set the expectation and demonstration of the
performance by performing the same as it will assist the employees to be more engaged
in the performance.
It can be said that, stakeholder engagement can leads to achieve positive employments
relationship in following manner:
 Through paying all the employees the same pay for the same job will assist in achieving
their engagement which helps in making healthier relationship with employees
 The external competitors will make strategies to strive for better skilled employees, the
M&S ltd should make effective strategies to position them selves in market so that they

can attract and employ the best skills in order to achieve business objectives. It's also
important in balancing the needs and wants of both the employer and employee
Activity 4
5. Evaluating the negative and positive employee relationship that can affect conflict avoidance
and resolution.
It is very essential for the management of M&S Ltd. to ensure that all the employees are
working with coordination in a team which helps in improving and enhancing their productivity.
But, employees with different personalities, positions and visions is likely to arises conflicts
among the employees or employees with management. In order to identify the conflicts in
workplace, it is important that manager or leader must communicate to their team member
regularly. It will help them in knowing the working environment and their performance. The
complaints of employees should be taken seriously as they leads to raise in conflicts.
Conflicts in organisation can not be completely eliminated and neglecting such conflicts
will leads to reduce overall productivity of company (Estévez and et.al., 2015). However, all
conflicts in organisation are sometimes leads to encourages open-mindedness and helps in
building relationships among management and employees.
Positive employee relationship can be managed with effective HR strategy and managing
employee engagement in the company. It can be said that positive employee relation leads to
creates a culture where manager and employees shares effective understanding and
communication. Though the negative employee relationship can leads to affect the employee
motivation and their satisfaction towards job. This impacts can leads to:
Increased Absenteeism: Negative employee relation can leads to increase the employee
absence that would leads to affect the revenue and productivity of the business. Poor employee
relationship and conflicts in organisation leads to increase the absence of employees from work
as they wants to avoid the work.
Reduce productivity: Negative employee relationship leads to create negative work
environment and increase in conflicts which leads to affect the employee motivation.

Demotivated employee will results in reducing his performance which affect the productivity of
overall organisation.
However, positive employee relationship helps in increasing employee engagement and
improving the overall productivity of M&S Ltd. Healthy employee relation leads to encourage
employee motivation which is essential for the growth and success of overall organisation
(Klinke, Renn and Lehners, 2018)
. The impact of positive employee relations are:
Increasing coordination: positive employee relation increases the employee-manager
communication and understanding. It helps to avoid conflict so that they work with coordination
towards the same goal.
Increase in commitment: positive relation leads to increase the employee motivation and their
engagement in company's affairs. Increasing employee motivation results in increasing their
commitment sand loyalty towards the company. This also leads to increase the employee
retention and their performance.
The positive employee relationship will assist in avoiding the conflict and resolution, as
they can communicate their grievances directly to the management. However, negative employee
relation will leads to increase the conflicts and resolution issue which will impact the workplace
environment and performance level.
CONCLUSION
By summing up the above report, it can be concluded that employee relation is critical for
the success of the business enterprise. The report has concluded various aspects of employee
relation with context of Marks and Spencer Ltd. It can be concluded from the report that,
employee relation is vital in order to increase the productivity of organisation. The report has
concluded different legislation related to the employees and employers rights, duties and
obligation. The importance of stakeholder for increasing the employment relationship has
concluded. The positive and negative impact of employee relation has also concluded in report.