Report on HR Practices, Flexibility, and Performance Management

This report provides a comprehensive overview of various aspects of human resource management and organizational dynamics. It begins by exploring different types of organizational flexibility, including numerical, functional, temporary, and financial flexibility, illustrating their practical applications within an organization like Tesco. The report then delves into the practical implications of equal opportunities legislation, highlighting the importance of avoiding discrimination and providing equal training, while also discussing the consequences of non-compliance, such as poor performance, loss of customers, and the importance of respecting religious practices. The report compares and contrasts the approaches to managing diversity and equal opportunities, emphasizing the benefits of leveraging employee differences versus treating all employees the same. Furthermore, the report examines different performance management methods such as management by objectives, 360-degree feedback, and rating scales, comparing their effectiveness. It also discusses the implications of health and safety legislation on human resource practices, including the associated costs and the impact on HR managers' responsibilities. Finally, the report addresses the impact of topical issues such as e-recruitment on HR practices, highlighting the advantages of wider reach and time-saving benefits, while also acknowledging the challenges of verification and potential deception.

2.2 Types of flexibility
There are various types of flexibility which can be observed within the organisation. They
include numerical flexibility which relates to managers being capable of changing the number of
the working staff and adjusting it when necessary. During the holidays, supermarkets such as
Tesco have a lot of customers as opposed to other times when they do not experience an influx
of customers. During that time, the managers should be flexible to increase the number of
employees but employ them under contract so as to let them go when the season is over.
Functional flexibility is yet another form of organisational flexibility. It implies that managers
should encourage their employees to learn how to do different tasks within the organisation.
Doing so means that in case a staff member is absent, someone else can do their job without
the organisation having to make a loss. For instance, if the person that operates the CCTV
cameras is absent, a gap is left that is necessary to fill since it is crucial for the organisation to
keep watch of what is happening. Another employee should have skills to operate them in
absentia of the other employee.
Temporary flexibility, on the other hand, indicates that managers should have flexible working
hours for their employees. Doing so allows them to work according to their personal schedules
which in return increases productivity. For instance, they could allow employees to choose their
best working time and from that develop a working schedule which ensures that the
organisation is fully staffed at all times.
The other type of flexibility is financial flexibility and it implies that mangers should have the
capability to adjust payment method for individuals. For instance, they could process payment
depending on the amount of work done, depending on performance and productivity of the
employees, or even depending on the number of hours each one of them works.
3.2 Equal opportunities legislation practical implications
Companies are required to avoid discrimination and thus provide equal employment
opportunities to all community members. They should also provide employees equal training
other than favouring some over others. Some of the practical implications of equal
opportunities legislation include poor performance among members who have been
discriminated against since they feel side-lined and possible loose of operation license. Loss of
customers is yet another implication. Some customers hate discrimination and when they hear
that Tesco is discriminating against employees for things like age, race, skin colour, they may be
move to competitors. Organizations must also respect religion, Equality Act of 2010, and not
sack employees without valid reasons.
Positive implications include great communication and collaboration among employees in
organisations where legislature has been implemented. They do not feel relegated while others
are favoured thus good working relationship and environment. This increases employee
productivity and allows attainment of company objectives. Moreover, people with disability
gets opportunities and they bring with them the special skills and talents which they possess.
Those with disabilities have great skills which could be very useful to the organisation and its
development.

3.3 Managing diversity and equal opportunities approaches compared
Employees are different from each other in terms of things like age, race, skin colour, disability,
and even skills that each one possesses. Managing diversity refers to acknowledging the
differences that exists among employees. Managers should capitalize on these diversity as it
may be beneficial to the company. For instance, an employee may be very good at public
speaking and thus have a great voice to use in advertising to which many listen. Other than
employing equal opportunities legislation and failing to allocate such as job unless fairly
winning it from others, the company should take advantage of such diversity ad allocate the
employee this job. Doing so benefits the organisation and thus secures jobs for all employees
since successful advertisement reflects of company and increases it lifetime.
Equal opportunities approach, on the other hand, does not advocate recognising the diversity
among employees. Rather, it focusses on treating all employees the same. The organisation
thus distributes jobs fairly and it does not differentiate them according to the skills and unique
talents individuals possess. This is beneficial to employees as they gain equal opportunities at
everything within the organisation. However, it might be disadvantageous to employers. Other
than utilizing the unique personal abilities some employees have, they are limited to offering
equal opportunities to all. As a result, they may not manage to utilise these employees to
benefit the organisation.
4.1 Comparison of performance management methods
There are various methods which human resource managers can use for performance
management of employee. The first is management by objectives which allows managers to
rate performance of employees depending on the achieved objectives. The human resource
manager first collaborates with the employees to make the objectives which they ought to
achieve and which are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and eventually
timely). They then rate their performance depending on how they have attained the set
objectives. Compared to other methods, it is easy since managers just check if all objectives are
attained or not.
360-degree feedback is yet another performance management method,. It entails managing
performance based on all angles of the employee such as technical capabilities, character, and
behaviour. Compared to other methods, it provides conclusive performance evaluation thus
giving managers right information on how to manage performance of individual employees. It is
also effective (Dunne, 2011).
Rating scale is the other performance management method. It involves managers and
employees deciding what grading scale should be used to evaluate their performance and
sticking to it. It allows comparison for people doing similar jobs unlike other methods. It is also
faster and useful especially in large organisations which have many different people performing
the same duties. It also promotes equality among employees since they are assessed based on
the same grading scale.
4.3 Implications of health and safety legislation on human resource practices

Health and safety legislation entails ensuring that the working environment is safe for
employees and also that they work in health conditions. Some of the implications of this
legislation is extra cost for the company. Organisations have to implement and follow the
legislation guidelines. This involves extra training costs for employees for instance on how to
manage or put out fire and how to offer first aid. Human resource is affected since they have to
ensure employees are well trained and equipped to handle emergencies. They must also ensure
there are departments which are well equipped with the necessary equipment and staff to
ensure safety and wellbeing of all employees in accordance with the legislation.
Normally, a human resource manager can sack employees who fail to attend job. However, in
cases where employees claim that they feared for their life since the working conditions at
work were not healthy ad safe, such an employee has a right to retain their job and get paid for
days not worked. This is one of the impacts of the safety and health legislation on human
resource practices. It affects HR managers being in charge of employees and deciding how work
should be done. Rather, it dictates to HR managers what they ought to do so as to ensure that
employees work in a safe and healthy environment. Failure to adhere to this legislation may
result in cancellation of wok license as work places ought to be health and safe for all who work
in them.
4.4 Impact of one topical issue on human resource practices
E-recruitment is one of the topical issues that has an impact on human resource practices.
Currently, so many job applications are being sent online other than job seekers having to write
and deliver job application letter. This thus requires all HR managers to have computer
knowledge since they require to conduct online shortlisting of employment candidates and
even process job confirmation online as well. It thus saves a lot of time otherwise spent to
process job applications and make recruitments.
Moreover, HR managers welcomes a wide spread of employees through e-recruitment. For
instance, people from one state with required credentials can be recruited for a job in another
state through e-recruitment. Such employees may telecommute in cases where their jobs allow
and maybe travel to the work offices a few times. It also helps HR managers obtain the best
qualified people for the job over a wide geographical area since so many people can view the
advertisement online and apply accordingly. However, HR managers ought to be aware that
they can easily be deceived through e-recruitment. Some job seekers tend to be naughty and
can thus submit their resume full of information that is not true. All human resource managers
who conduct e-recruitment should thus verify information provided so as to ensure that they
are not deceived by job seekers who wish to get the job regardless of the means they employ.