HR Manager Role in Retail: Skills, Trends, and Career Analysis

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the HR Manager's role within the retail industry. It begins with an introduction outlining the report's objectives: to explore career opportunities and identify the necessary skills for an HR professional. The analysis section delves into the current trends impacting the retail sector, such as technological advancements, shifts in customer preferences, globalization, and the rise of personalized retail experiences. The report then details the essential skills required for HR managers, including communication, organizational, conflict management, leadership, and time management skills, along with relevant knowledge areas like IT, administration, and management. Primary research, including an interview with an HR manager at Tesco, supports the findings. The evaluation section assesses the HR Manager role as a viable career path, highlighting its suitability based on the author's skills and the industry's dynamic nature. The report concludes by summarizing the benefits of choosing a career in the retail industry and emphasizes the importance of career research in understanding industry trends. Appendices include interview transcripts and job advertisements.

Project

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
ANALYSIS AND APPLICATION.................................................................................................1
Trend which will impact upon retail industry.............................................................................1
Skills and knowledge required....................................................................................................2
Evaluation...................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
Appendix-1......................................................................................................................................7
Interview.....................................................................................................................................7
Appendix – 2....................................................................................................................................8
Job Advertisement.......................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
The main aim of this report is to provide range of opportunities available in the industry
and demonstrate an awareness of knowledge and skills which is required to enter within chosen
area. I am a fresher and wants to enter in HR profession where I will enhance skills and lean new
things as well. Thus, with the help of primary and secondary data collection methods, study will
provide skills required that fit in my position of a HR manager in retail industry. Further study
will determine the trend that will create direct impact upon selected industry.
ANALYSIS AND APPLICATION
The chosen profession is HR manager in retail industry which mainly recruit the
employees in order to improve the business profitability and productivity. Also, this profession
is a suitable career path that contributes to overall employability and development of an
individual. The selected profession is one of the developed profession that helps to attain
company's objectives. So, to evaluate the same regarding potential career option, both primary
and secondary research is conducted which is as mention below:
Secondary analysis
One of the most reliable data collection method in which data are gather from Journals,
articles and books that helps to collect relevant information. In the same way, to determine
future trend in selected profession different sources has been used such as Internet that assist to
identify the skills which is required in HR Manager.
Trend which will impact upon retail industry
The choosing profession is of becoming HR manager in retail stores by performing
various actions as required. Therefore, there are range of duties perform by a HR team such that
recruitment, complying with legal requirement, evaluate employee performances, employee
appraisal etc. Thus it is clearly reflected that the industry is dynamic and developing everyday
such that there are many changes which an individual needs to incorporate that help to improve
them in better manner (Pantano and et.al., 2017). Hence, some of the trends are as mention
below:
Technology advancement: One of the major changes that an industry face but it assist to
shape up the industry and save time as well. Such that there are various online applications
introduces for recruitment and most of the HR conduct online interview in order to check the
potential of an candidate (Bodolica, Spraggon and Soueid, 2019). On the other side, AI and
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Robotics are some of the common new technology advancement that helps HR in their work
because they are designed to assist HR and their work. Even due to this pandemic, most of the
companies are prefer to take interviews from online mode and even provide training for the
same. Thus, it is clearly reflected that advance technology plays an important role in order to
change the entire retail industry.
Shift in customer preference: Due to change in market, customer preference are also
changes and this in turn affect the retail industry. It is so because they have to cope up with the
changes which in turn assist to improve the company performance. Also, people start using
online stores and that is why, companies operate within retail industry has to start its online store
which in turn attract range of customers (Nayak, Akbari and Far, 2019). Moreover, customer do
not prefer to spend money if the price of product are high and this in turn leads to affect the
performance of company operating in retail sector.
Globalization: It leads to increase competition and it may be related to any such that
cost, price and target market. So, there are both positive and negative impacts upon the retail
industry such that due to fluctuation in price which may affect the customer choice and this in
turn affect the company's performance (Schniederjans, Curado and Khalajhedayat, 2020). On the
other side, quick adaption abilities of a business will creates positive impact upon industry like
implementing advance technology will creates positive impact upon performance.
Personalized retail experience: it is another increasing trend that creates positive impact
upon the retail industry. For that HR makes effort in order to provide better personalized
shopping experience to their customer. Such that retailers introduce chat-bots which increase
customer engagement and interaction and keep provide new updates (Knežević, 2018). Hence,
this assists to increase the customer base and raise financial performance of a company as well.
Skills and knowledge required
There are ranges of skills required to enter in this industry and some of them are as
mention below:
 Communication skills: This is required to become a HR Manager because their basic
duty is to recruit people and it is possible if a person have strong communication skills
(oral and written). Thus with the help of effective skill, a candidate may easily convey
their messages which helps to understand the aspect of others.
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 Organizational skills: A candidate must posses this skills in order to enter in HR
profession because they involves a lot of paperwork that should be filed systematically
and this skills will help to manage the same (Clokie and Fourie, 2016).
 Conflict management abilities: HR has to deal with many people (employees) or may
work in a team, so the chances of arising conflicts are high. Therefore it is essential for
them to posses a strong skills that helps to manage the issues and provide solutions for
the same.
 Leadership skills: HR manager lead a company in unofficial manner and that is why
leadership skills will enable the individual in an effective direction. Also with the help of
leadership skills, person provides strong guidance that needs to be followed by
subordinate. Time management skills: It is consider one of the most common employability skills
that help to attain daily task in define time frame (Suleman, 2018). Also, through this
skill, company improve the performance and meet the set targets within a short period.
Knowledge area and experience Information technology: It is analyzed that retail industry is completely transforming
within technology and for that HR has to posses a strong knowledge with regards to IT
which in turn leads to improve the performance (Di Gregorio and et.al., 2019). So having
a strong knowledge pertaining to IT will helps to recruit the candidate easily and by
using advance technique, the time will automatically saves and productivity improves.
 Administration and Management: HR should have a strong knowledge with regards to
business and management because it is directly involved strategic planning, resource
allocation etc. HR of the company are directly linked with top position members and low
position members and that is why, they must have enough knowledge with regards to
administration and management.
Personal skill audit
Good Average Poor
Skills Rating
Communication skills
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Interpersonal skills
Organizing skills
IT skills
Financing skills
Adaptability skills
Time management skills
Critical thinking abilities
Conflict management skills
Primary research
For primary research, interview has been conducted which in turn assist to determine the
career options (as attached in appendix). Through the interview, it has been examined that there
are range of opportunities and career option in HR profession. Such that by conducting interview
from HR Manager of Tesco, it is identified that it is the right career path where a person may
easily learn new skills and options. Moreover, it is also analyzed that choosing this profession
will help to explore the skills in different sector which will help in future path as well.
Evaluation
By conducting primary and secondary research, I realized that HR manager is one of the
best career options for fresher. As there are many vacancies in this profession and one of
advertisement is attached in appendix. It is so because I recently completed my post-graduation
and thus I have to choose best option which suits my skills. I choose this career over others
because in order to pursue the best career path, I conduct primary and secondary research in
which I realized that working within retail sector is the best decision because it is dynamic and
developing which helps me to learn new things. Also, with the help of secondary research, I
analyze that I possess enough skills that helps me to meet the define aim. Apart from this
through the primary research I identified that there is a wide scope in HR profession and as
compared to other profession, it suits on my skills and provide further opportunities which other
do not.
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Even HR profession performs a critical functioning in hiring, retaining of employees
which in turn assist to improve the skills, while in other profession it is not possible. That is
why, I think that choosing this profession over others is quite interesting and also assist to
explore new ideas and skills. Also this profession is emerging and choosing HR Manager will
help me to explore new ideas. That is why, I choose this profession which in turn supports me to
meet my career path and explore my knowledge within this industry. Apart from this, I realized
that HR field is quite suitable because I possess all the necessary skills which a HR Manager
must have and that is why, I will go in this where I can learn new things.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above report it has been concluded that career research is consider one
of the most crucial stage during career time. So, with the help of the present study, it is
summarized that there are range of benefits associated with retail industry and if the individual
have enough skills then they may choose the right path. Further it has been concluded through
primary research that HR profession will provide different opportunities to an individual. Also,
the career research further assist an individual in order to understand and determine the present
trends within specific industry so that a person may choose the best option out of many.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bodolica, V., Spraggon, M. and Soueid, M. A., 2019. Innovation drivers and trends in the retail
industry: an application to emerging markets and the case of the Gulf
region. International Journal of Comparative Management.2(1). pp.51-66.
Clokie, T. L. and Fourie, E., 2016. Graduate employability and communication competence: Are
undergraduates taught relevant skills?. Business and Professional Communication
Quarterly.79(4). pp.442-463.
Di Gregorio, A. and et.al., 2019. Employability skills for future marketing
professionals. European management journal. 37(3). pp.251-258.
Knežević, B., 2018. Challenges of Digital Transformation and Information Overload in Retail
Industry. Theory and Applications in the Knowledge Economy, p.536.
Nayak, R., Akbari, M. and Far, S. M., 2019. Recent sustainable trends in Vietnam's fashion
supply chain. Journal of Cleaner Production.225. pp.291-303.
Pantano, E. and et.al., 2017. Does innovation-orientation lead to retail industry growth?
Empirical evidence from patent analysis. Journal of Retailing and Consumer
Services. 34. pp.88-94.
Schniederjans, D. G., Curado, C. and Khalajhedayati, M., 2020. Supply chain digitisation
trends: An integration of knowledge management. International Journal of Production
Economics.220. p.107439.
Suleman, F., 2018. The employability skills of higher education graduates: insights into
conceptual frameworks and methodological options. Higher Education. 76(2). pp.263-
278.
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Appendix-1
Interview has been conducted by HR expert of Tesco in order to determine the HR Manager is
better option for me or not.
Interview
Name of contact person XYZ
Company Tesco
Job Title HR manager
How did you contact
them
Through the online website, I found out about vacancy in HR post.
Then I provided my detailed to gather more information pertaining
to career path.
Questions  Is there any advantages of doing work in HR field?
 Is the working environment of Tesco is appropriate?
 Did company provide any growth opportunities by analyzing
the work?
Summary of response Yes, working in HR field is quite interesting because there are lot of
things which you learn from this. As our company has diverse
employees and that is why, it is an opportunity for HR because
manager learn many things. Even company offer range of benefits
and promote candidate if they posses strong abilities which a
company need.
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Appendix – 2
Job Advertisement
HR Manager Needed
A UK based firm is looking for competent personnel for its business unit in region. Attractive
package would be offered
Requirement:
Gender : Female
Position : 1
Age : 25 -35 years
Qualification: Must have a Master Degree in Management or diploma
Experience: minimum 1 year
Skills: Interpersonal, communication, leadership, time management, Team management, ability
to work under pressure
Send you CV at [e-mail] before November 1st , 2020.
Master degree is mandatory because it specify makes an individual capable to perform future
jobs. That is why, it is chosen.
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