Human Resource Management Report: Employment Contracts and Engagement

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of human resource management within the context of a retail business, specifically focusing on the case of Norris. The report begins by critically assessing the contributions of both line managers and human resource specialists in various areas, including compensation, safety, labor relations, training, and recruitment. It then distinguishes between employment and psychological contracts, exploring their nature and impact on employee productivity and organizational success. The report highlights the importance of integrating both types of contracts and suggests elements that should be included in a robust HR strategy, such as sick pay, work hours, overtime compensation, and notice periods. The report emphasizes the significance of investing in a systematic approach to HRM to improve reliability, validity, and employee engagement. The report also provides an outline of different limitations associated with HRM practices. The assignment demonstrates the importance of a well-structured HRM department for the success of a retail business, emphasizing the need for clear contracts, employee well-being, and strategic talent management.

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Human Resource Management
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note:

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................4
Critical assessment of contribution of both Line Managers and Human Resource Specialists...4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................7
Distinction between nature and contribution of Employment and Psychological Contract........7
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................10
Improvement of Reliability and Validity...................................................................................10
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................11
Elements of Systematic Approach.............................................................................................11
Task 5.............................................................................................................................................12
Evaluation of Ideas of Employee engagement..........................................................................12
Outline of different limitations..................................................................................................15
Task 6.............................................................................................................................................17
Importance of investing in a systematic approach.....................................................................17
References......................................................................................................................................20
Bibliography..................................................................................................................................24
Appendices....................................................................................................................................25
Appendix 1.................................................................................................................................25

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Figure 1: Employee Engagement profit for companies.............................................................25
Appendix 2.................................................................................................................................26
Figure 2: Employee and Employer Tasks..................................................................................26

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Introduction
Task 1
Critical assessment of Line Managers and Human Resource Specialists
According to, Banfield Kay and Royles (2018) the HR department is the most important
component among the different types of business enterprises. Each and every business
organization must ensure to have a proper and efficient Human Resource Department at its helm.
The retail business especially must be equipped with a pro active HRM Department to ensure the
success of the business enterprise. The only available way to keep the employees of Norris happy
is to ensure the presence of a well structured HRM department. The management of Lammy
Holdings which has acquired Norris will have their primary duty to manage the organization by
keeping the employees happy (Bratton and Gold 2017). The line manager along with the
supervisors of the organization has their task cut out to control all the varied operations of the
business organization. The Human Resource Department consists of a number of different areas
of function and each of them consisting of staffs who are specialist in their own areas. This
people include the likes of employee/labor relations, training and development, benefits and
compensation and many more as such. The main responsibilities of Human Resource Manager
differ according to the supervisors and the areas where they function and the duties of the
organization accordingly. The different kinds of tasks that are conducted by the line manager as
well as the HR specialists are as follows;
 Benefits and Compensation Policies- The line managers along with the specialists in
Human Resource working for the organization ensure that the selected salary rates and

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wages of the employees are same and provided to each of the employees in time Bratton
and Gold (2017). The line manager having multiple charges has also the responsibility to
oversee the pay and the benefits issue of the organization. Apart from this the
organization has also been in charge of ensuring that the proper health benefits are
provided to the business. The supervisors are equally responsible for the formation and
integration of reporting each and every of the tasks and the developments to the HR
Manager or the human resources director.
 Safety and Health Policies of Employees - The security, safety and health of the workers
working for the organization is the basic priority of the line managers as well as the
specialists in the human resource department. The health and safety of the employees
working for Norris is looked after by the separate department constructed by the
organization. The team of specialists working for the company under the following
department inspects the workplace and ensures that the different kinds of health and
safety measures are updated and are being received by the employees of the organization.
The specialists also inspect the total situation and ensure that the people are not exposed
to any kind of health and safety hazards. The management of Norris does not sell as well
as do not store any types of hazardous and unhealthy products that are not safe for the
customers and also the employees of the enterprise.
 Labor relations and Employee relations- Considering the quality of the workers and the
strength of the HRM department, the labor relations are attached with the workers of the
business enterprise. The skills that are generally required to work at this particular level
are quite similar to each other therefore the establishment of the relations becomes much
easier for the organizations. It is the task of the organization to ensure that the

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management works in perfect harmony with the employee unions in order to ensure a
stable and successful business. On the other hand, Brewster (2017) in the study of the
following case describes about the contract that is negotiated and agreed in between the
management of Norris and the Union has to be in accordance with both the parties. On
the other hand, the line managers and supervisors of the organization have to ensure that
the strategy of the company is implemented in a proper and effective manner.
 Training and Development of the employees - Training and development is an integrated
part of the organization. A proper training and development will help the organization to
ensure that the employees will undergo an effective training procedure that can help both
the old as well as the new workers of the organization to receive the latest training on
different kinds of activities and tasks practiced by the retail supermarket. According to,
Rothwell Hohne and King (2018) an effective training activity is utmost essential for the
success of the organization. The providence of an effective training helps the
organization to improve the skills of the employees and also make them capable to deal
with any kinds of new strategies implemented by the business organization.
 Recruitment and talent acquisition- Recruitment and talent acquisition forms another
important part of the HR department as because it makes the use of the different kinds of
strategic recruitment process as followed by the organization (Brewster Brookes and
Gollan 2015). The management of the organization always focuses on the recruitment
and selection of the best people from the industry. The selection of the capable people in
Norris can help it to fare much better in the retail market sector of United Kingdom.

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Task 2
Distinction between Employment and Psychological Contract
Brewster Brookes and Gollan (2015) have explained that an employment contract is a
contract that is agreed and signed in between the employer and the employee. The employment
contract serves as a basis for employment relationship as because it is the contract that brings
both the parties in contact with each other and also helps the parties to get a clear and transparent
idea of the expectations and capabilities of each other. There are a large number of employment
contracts and most of them are legally not valid. The employment contract can be seen to be
effective only when both the parties gives their nod to the contract. Any form of misconception
and problems can lead to difficulties. The psychological contract on the other hand can be said to
be a contract that has no physical presence but has an informal presence in the organization. The
informal presence is nothing but a set of expectations. The expectations are garnered from both
the part of the employees as well as the employers. According to, Wilton (2016) the management
of Norries has been able to provide a proper blend of the different elements of employment
contract and psychological contract that has helped to change the productivity levels of the
business enterprise. The employees working under the retail market are competent and capable
enough to provide a high rate of production level that has been the main reason behind the high
productivity of the organization over the years. The elements of the employment contract have
thus been followed in a proper and effective manner in this particular case and the demands of
the employment contract has been delivered to the growth of the Company.
A recent survey carried out by the marketing team of Lammy Holdings, the new owners of
Norris has found out that even if the employment objectives are met timely along with the goals
of the organization, the absence of a transparent managerial structure within the business

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organization creates a confusing situation for the employees. There are cases when it has been
found out that the management qualities of the line managers are being questioned by the
employees of the organization. According to, Collings Wood and Szamosi (2018) the most
common confusion being the unawareness of the line managers about the demands of the
employees and the recent trends of the market. Such a situation can cause problems and will lead
to a demanding situation (Wilton 2016). The growth in the knowledge economy of the
organization is another area where the company has changed. Therefore the need for both the
employment as well as the psychological contract can be said to be utmost necessary in the
particular case. The nature of both the case contracts needs to be tightly and properly integrated
by the new management of the company (Wilton 2016). A joint integration can help the
organization to be a reckoned force in the retail market of United Kingdom. Some of the
elements that can be included in the new strategy by the Human Resource Management of the
Company will include the likes of;
 Sick Pay- The sick pay plays one of the most crucial roles for the organization. The
management of the retail store must consider the health of the workers and accordingly
provide them sick leaves. Providing this kind of leaves will help the organization to gain
the faith and trust of the employees (Dresang 2017). A policy must be prepared by the
organization that will envisage the different conditions for the leave. The company can
also provide a masterstroke to ensure the full engagement of the employees, by ensuring
no pay cut for the employees. The absence of the pay cut will further motivate the
employees to perform in a proper manner.
 Hours of Work- Lammy Holdings have to bring together the different stakeholders of the
business and decide to have a uniform work hour for the employees. The presence of a

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uniform work hour can ensure a healthy life for the employees and can also ensure there
uniform participation in the business environment. The presence of healthy working
hours can also lead to an increased psychological understanding between the
management and the employees of the organization. The providence of healthy working
hours will help the organization to increase the motivation and earn the trust of the
employees working for the business enterprise. Therefore the task of the human resource
manager is to ensure the presence of a safe and sound as well as a healthy working hour
for the employees of the business organization.
 Overtime Compensation- The management of the organization can earn reputation and
trust of the employees by allowing overtime compensation policies. The policy can be
designed in such a manner that it adheres to either the financial compensation or provide
some kind of health or other compensation for the employees who work overtime. The
overtime compensation policy can be the best tool for increase in the motivation and the
increase in the productivity of the organization. Notice Period to end the contract-. The employment contract that will be provided by the
management of Norris to the employees of the business enterprise should have a separate
clause that must identify and highlight the notice period to be served by the company in
case of resignation. The clause must be read, understood and signed in the official
signature of the employee. The employer must make sure to keep a copy of the contract
with them and another copy with the employee. The presence of the contract with both
the organizations can help the management to ensure transparency. Appraisal period- Similar to the contract clauses, the agreement contract in between the
employee and the employer must have the terms and the conditions that will be set up by

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the HRM department of the organization according to the specification of the job. The
appraisal period must be mentioned in the contract which will help in the easy
communication and transparency of the business. The presence of the appraisal will be
helpful for the motivation of the employees of the organization.
 Rewards and Recognitions- The presentation of a number of rewards and recognitions by
the employers can ensure the success of the business in the market. The more will be the
opportunities for rewards and recognitions, the better will be the productivity of the
business as the employees will be highly motivated to work for the organization.
Task 3
Reliability and Validity Improvement
According to, Birtch Chiang and Van Esch (2016) the term assessment centers have been
used in different kind of fields including the likes of the industrial and management psychology
since their start from a long time back. Validity on the other hand consists of large bodies of
acquired amount of evidence that supports the inference to be made from test scores. The time
when the ACM has to help the decision of selection, the inference is that the overall assessment
rating predicts the performance of the worker for the same kind of work in the coming days (De
Cuyper De Witte and Isaksson 2017).
Task 4
Elements of Systematic Approach
The new management of Norris must follow a systematic approach which will be able to
fuel the strategic implementation of the business enterprise. The following organization will also

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be able to give a proper support to the growth and organization of a proper competitive edge of
the enterprise in the market (De Cuyper De Witte and Isaksson 2017). The reach of the business
enterprise into high levels of performance and productivity covers the proper implementation of
the business processes and also the capability of the Human Resource department to provide the
best workplace within the organization. The management of the company currently does not
have the financial capability for appointing the best expertise from the market. A range of varied
processes makes amendments for the particular by the leverage of the original as well as the
potential training skills of the business workers. The performance criterion of an employee at an
personal level is directly related to the description of the job, which generally offers different
kinds of specific evaluation process of the employee according to the career plan of the business.
Apart from this the very next step is to combine the criterion into tools that are quite easy to use
for the analysis of the performance.
In order to help in the objectivity of the analysis process, an extra round of the evaluation
process can be used to make the most of the organization demands. Further training and
evaluation options can be used depending on the results of the evaluation process. The
performance system finally can be said to have a direct effect on the engagement level of the
workers of the business enterprise.
Task 5
Transformation of Ideas on Employee engagement
According to the study of, Griep et al. (2016) employee engagement forms a core part of
the Human Resource Department of the organization. Engagement of the employees is one of the
most crucial elements of the business as because the absence of employee engagement will not

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lead to a stable future for the organization. Being a retail supermarket, the company depends on
the healthy participation of all the employees of the business enterprise. The better, the workers
are engaged with the organization, the higher is the chance for them to be successful in the long
run. It can also be said to be as the strength of the mental and emotional connection the
employees feel toward their workplaces. The management of different organizations has
categorized Employee Engagement into four different groups. This includes the likes of;
1. Highly Engaged- The highly engaged employees of any organization hold high degree of
respect and favorable opinions for their workplace. They usually love their jobs and the
organization and establish a very strong engagement for the Company (Griep et al. 2016).
These employees generally plan to stay at the organization and are always ready to put in
the extra effort that can help the organization to meet their goals and objectives. The
highly engaged employees tend to recommend about the organization to their friends and
relatives.
2. Moderately Engaged- The moderately engaged employees of an organization holds their
organization in a moderately favorable manner. Though they have a liking for their
organization, they have the tendency to seek opportunities for improvement. A
moderately responsible employee is less likely to ask for the additional responsibilities
and may be under-performing slightly. In most of the cases, a particular tendency seems
to work for them that hold them back from engaging with the business organization.
3. Barely Engaged- The barely engaged employees are the ones who have less liking for the
business organization and thus always feel indifferent towards their place of employment.
These people generally lack the motivation for their current position and usually seem to
work only to their limits and sometimes even less (Guest 2016). The barely engaged