Human Resource Management Report: Analysis of Mark & Spencer's HRM

This report provides a comprehensive overview of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, policies, and their application within the context of Mark & Spencer. The report begins by defining the purpose and functions of HRM, emphasizing its role in recruitment, selection, orientation, maintaining a positive work environment, fostering employee relations, and facilitating training and development. It then analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of various recruitment and selection approaches, including ethnocentric, geocentric, polycentric, and regiocentric strategies. The report further explores the benefits of different HRM practices for both employees and employers, highlighting how HRM contributes to employee satisfaction, development, and organizational growth. The effectiveness of various HRM policies, such as administrative integration and talent management, is also discussed. Finally, the report examines the importance of employee relations in influencing HRM decisions and the key elements of employee legislation, concluding with an application of HRM principles in the workplace. The report underscores the crucial role of HRM in driving organizational success and fostering a productive work environment.

Human Resource Management

Table of Contents
OVERVIEW....................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P 1 Purpose and function of HRM.........................................................................................1
P 2 Strength and weaknesses of different recruitment and selection approaches..................2
M 1..........................................................................................................................................4
M 2..........................................................................................................................................4
D 1..........................................................................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P 3 Benefits of using different HRM practices......................................................................4
P 4 Effectiveness of different HRM policies..........................................................................5
M 3..........................................................................................................................................6
D 2..........................................................................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P 5 Importance of employee relation in organisation in order to influence HRM decision...7
P 6 Key elements of employee legislation.............................................................................8
M 4..........................................................................................................................................9
D 3..........................................................................................................................................9
P 7 Application of HRM in work...........................................................................................9
M 5........................................................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

OVERVIEW
Mark & Spencer is one of the biggest multinational retailing company. Headquarter of
organisation is established at London. They are providing various services such as clothing, food
and so on. They are having services through various modes such as physical outlets, home stores,
hospitality and online stores. They are having various stores through out UK. Along with this
various other companies are also considered for expanding their business. The organisation had
faced financial decline in year 1997 due to which various stores get closed. After sometime they
again restructure their stores by re-opening them with new costs and prices of services.
INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is essential part of organisation in order to
develop and maintain human resources. They play important role by organising various
activities in order to achieve objective. This report is based on the role and functionality
of HRM in company. Mark & Spencer is a retailing company, which is used to describe
role and responsibilities (Anderson, 2013). Strength and weaknesses of various
selection styles are considered. Along with this effectiveness of HRM practices are also
described in order to raise profitability of organisation.
TASK 1
P 1 Purpose and function of HRM.
Human resource management system is focused on identifying human capital as
resources, in order to increase success rate of organisation. Mark and Spencer is
having HRM department into their company. They are provided with three major
responsibilities such as staffing, employees compensation and benefits of company
(Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). The main purpose of developing HRM department into
an organisation is match the workforce in order to meet need of company, maintain
employee and firm relationship to maintain growth.
Function of HRM
In order to increase performance of employees in organisation different functions
are performed by HRM. Mark and Spencer involve various steps for maintain
processing to achieve objective. Various action are also performed in order to hire new
one. Some of them are following:
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 Recruitment and selection: This is a process in which candidates are selected
on the basis of their potential and qualification, based no companies criteria. It is
considered as an important step in order to reduce annual budget of firm in order
to providing training and learning to employees. Orientation: It is provided to new employees for introducing with the
fundamental requirements of organisation. Along with this it helps worker in order
to understand objective if organisation (Brewster and Hegewisch, eds., 2017).
Companies also assign duties to new joineries through orientation activity. Maintain working environment: In order tp providing positive and peaceful
environment to employees, this step is considered. Along with this motivation is
provided to employee, so that they can perform their job effectively. Employees and organisation relation: In every organisation, employees are
considered as foundation. Company cannot survive without efficient work force.
Therefore, it is very important for an organisation to provide peaceful
environment to their employees and maintain positive environment of firm. For
this employee-organisation relationship should be healty.
 Training and development: In order to enhance skills and ability of employees
various training and development programs are organised by firm (Brewster and
et. al., 2016). Along with this different education and learning programs are
organised in order to tech advance techniques.
P 2 Strength and weaknesses of different recruitment and selection approaches.
Mark and Spencer consider HRM department one of essential part of company.
In order to increase efficiency of managing processes various selection procedure can
be used. Strengths and weaknesses of various recruitment processes are following:
Ethnocentric: Strength: In this recruiting style company is full with the sense of national pride
from where they belongs. Which helps to keep them united and also creates
feeling of belonging. Trough this way they inspire firm in order to preserve their
tradition. They give preference to employees who follow they tradition effectively.
 Weaknesses: As organisation give importance to qualification and ability of
candidate, due to which cross-cultural approach play important role in growth of
2

firm. some time major consequences can be caused in order to provide privileges
(Brewster, Mayrhofer and Morley, eds., 2016). Lots of problems and issues will
be created into organisation.
Geocentric Strength: This selection approach is effective in order to increase cross-cultural
environment in organisation. Along with this help to adopt foreign socio-
economic condition. It is generally considered as less expensive compare to
other process. Effective management and advance technical skills helps the
organisation in order to improve their performance.
 Weaknesses: There are some issues associated with this. As organisation is
using cross-cultural approach in order to select candidates. Infrastructural cost of
company get increased (Budhwar and Debrah, eds., 2013). Along with this
training and learning programs also required in order to make staff comfortable,
that can create burden on firm.
Ploy centric Strength: Biggest advantage of using this approach, it reduces language barriers
from organisations. Provides community of managers within the hosting country.
Employees are generally less expensive compare to other approaches. Career
opportunities for employees also get enhanced.
 Weaknesses: Communication gap is created due to difference in level of
employees. Company is unable to implement effective rule into firm. Coordination
problem arises between headquarter and other offices (Chelladurai and Kerwin,
2017).
Regio centric
 Strength: It provides interaction between local and national executive, along with
this transfer facility is also provided to employees. Sensitivity is shown towards
local candidates by providing them preference. This is also considered as
transactional step between ethnocentric and poly centric approaches.
 Weaknesses: Major disadvantage of using this selection approach, it creates
huge difference between local and other candidates (Cooke and Bartram, 2015).
Global objective are not considered due to which growth became limited.
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M 1
Mark and Spencer has developed HRM department, in order to manage human
resources and increase their performance. For this various activities are involved such
as recruiting, staff compensations and company growth. Managers are also provided
with various functions in order to maintain quality of staff. Such as selection, orientation
and employee-organisation relationship (Fee, 2014). All this activities of HRM directly
affect the growth of company. There are various activities organised by the HRM in
order to improve and enhance their skills and ability. Some of them are like training and
learning. Along with this various workshops are also initiated.
M 2
Various recruitment and selection policies are available, basis on different
selection level. Strength of ethnocentric,in this organisation follow their native pride and
inspires. Company is not able to maintain cross-cultural approach which his is
weakness of this approach. In geocentric equal opportunities are provided to all
employees, infrastructural cost of organisation get increased which is weak point of this
style (Jackson, Schuler and Jiang, 2014). Regio centric give preference to local
candidates, which creates feeling of inequality among employees. There are various
selection methods are identified such as Regio centric, Ploy centric, Geocentric,
Ethnocentric. The strength of Regio centric is due to selection of local candidates
organisations are not required to spend extra money. However, the disadvantage is
company is not able to explore new opportunities. Ploy centric, it reduces language
barriers from organisations. On the other hand, sometime it creates communication gap
is created due to difference in level of employees. Geocentric, it helps in order to
increase cross-cultural environment in organisation. On the other hand, infrastructural
cost of company get increased. Ethnocentric, trough this way they inspire firm in order
to preserve their tradition. On the other hand, organisation give importance to
qualification and ability of candidate, due to which cross-cultural approach play
important role in growth of firm.
D 1
Mark and Spencer has an effective recruitment and selection structure. Still
there are various strength and weaknesses are associated with them. Such as
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ethnocentric maintains traditional culture in firm, but not able to adopt diverse culture.
Regio centric is able to create transition between ethnocentric and poly centric. But
inequality is created among local and executive staff (Marchington and et. al., 2016).
Poly centric remove language barrier, but due to this firm have to impose complex rules
on workers. Region centric consider both local and national candidates, due to which
company is not able to perform at global level. There are various recruitment
approaches are identifies such as ethnocentric. In this method candidates of native
countries are selected, due to which organisations are not required to spent extra
money on other development and training skills. However, it influences the diversified
culture of the company. In order to overcome this geocentric strategy is applies. It helps
in order to maintain cross- culture approach within the company. However, due to
diversity various conflicts and issues are identified within the company.
TASK 2
P 3 Benefits of using different HRM practices.
HRM practices in any organization plays a very crucial role for its growth. HRM
practices influences both the employees and the employers. Various HRM activities
helped Mark and Spencer in order to achieve their objective (Purce, 2014). There are
numerous benefits of HRM practices concerned with both- the employees and the
employers. Benefits associated with employees includes- selection of highly qualified
and skilled employee leads to a healthy competition, by assuring the protection of
employees organization can achieve the satisfaction of employee which leads to
productivity and effectiveness of employee, HRM practices helps in developing
employees which includes various training sessions for knowledge ans skill
development, workshops organized for personality development are also helpful for
employees to improve themselves.
HRM practices builds flexible workplace in which a employee likes to work and
fell himself comfortable, an effective HRM team promotes positive behaviour in
organization which makes employee comfortable, a proper communication between an
employee and high level authorities is also a sign of an effective HRM team,
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motivational theories are also there to motivate employees time-to-time , various
business strategies are also beneficial for employees and reward systems designed .
HRM helps in developing healthy competition among employees of organization
Benefits attained by employers by HRM practices involves- good communication is
created between employers and employes which helps employers tio understand the
skills of employees and hence make their work easier, the development of employees is
directly associated with the employers development, HRM practices involves perfect
planning of business strategies which leads to organizational growth (Renwick, Redman
and Maguire, 2013).
Also, these practices will keep them dedicated towards their goal. Further, timely
and effective planning with intellectual skills can be done by employers with the help of
HRM. HRM strategies involves dealing many issues which reduces the workload of
employers. Thus, HRM practices are beneficial for both employees and employers.
P 4 Effectiveness of different HRM policies.
HRM is considered as essential part of organisation. It helps firm to implement
strategies and policies, in order to make integration of different processes running into
company. Mark and Spencer consider it as an important department of company.
Some of effective policies are following:
 Administrative inextricably: Policies implemented by HR manager are able to
provide effective administrative and strategies in order to achieve objective.
Without them it will be difficult for any organisation to achieve. It enable the
dissimilar structure of firm to work together.
 Talent management: HRM is able to manage work force for company
effectively. Through selecting candidates on the basis of their capability and
qualification. This helps firm to reduces probability of loss. Along with this it
helps to design and develop analytic structure and by considering previous
experience. Disengagement of staff into company is also controlled by them.
 Reduces cost: Through recruiting effective and efficient employees,
organisation's additional cost get reduced like training and learning programs.
Qualified employees are able increase production of company. Through this way
quality of service get improved and positive impact on business is created.
6

 Deploy professional network: HRM also helps in order to provide effective and
professional work environment to workers. Along with this they tries to increase
efficiency of employees. They are also providing collaboration of social
techniques with business requirements in order to reduce brand damage of firm.
 Rules and guidance embedded: Implementation ofrules and regulations by
HRM, helps to increase business outcomes. For this various intelligent decisions
are implementing by manager (Sparrow, Brewster and Chung, 2016). Along with
this several contractual regulations are also considered on the basis of temporary
projects.
 Helps to provide global platform: Through involving workforce at cross-
cultural approaches global platform is provided to organisation. Domestic
business is provided with international platform due to which profitability of
organisation get increased. Leaders are also provided with global competencies,
due to which thinking and innovation also increased.
M 3
HRM of Mark and Spencer is performing various practices in order to maintain
effective work force in order to achieve objective. For this various techniques, by
providing flexibility of time and work, proper compensation in order to retain talented
employees into firm. Various training and development activities are also organised in
order to maintain growth of company (Storey, 2014). Along with this different functions
are also performed by them such as managing administrative policies, reduction of
expenses rule and guidance are also embedded by manager only. There are various
practices and roles are played by the HRM, in order to provide benefit to the employees
and employers. Through organising training, learning and education activities they are
benefiting employee's. On the other hand by selecting suitable and capable employees
they are increasing growth and profitability of the company.
D 2
Mark and Spencer has various HRM practices such as hiring high skilled
employees in order to achieve objective. Along with this different employees benefits
schemes are operated, in order to retain efficient employees into company. Through this
firm is able to increase productive and maximise profitability (Importance of Human
7

Resource Management. 2017). Manager also play important role in order to maintain
employees organisation relationship. So that workplace of firm does not get effected.
TASK 3
P 5 Importance of employee relation in organisation in order to influence HRM decision.
Mark and Spencer consider employee- organisation factor part for the growth of
company (The role of human resource management in an organisation. 2017). Peaceful
environment of organisation is responsible of efficient performance of employees, also
encourage staff in order to make improvement. Following are some related outcomes:
 Work becomes easy if it is shared among all -A healthy relation with your
fellow workers would ease the work load on you and in turn increases your
productivity. One cannot do everything on his own(Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S.,
2014). Responsibilities must be divided among team members to accomplish the
assigned tasks within the stipulated time frame (Anderson, 2013). If you have a
good rapport with your colleagues, he will always be eager to assist you in your
assignments making your work easier.
 Healthy employee relations also discourage conflicts and fights among
individuals- People tend to adjust more and stop finding faults in each other.
Individuals don’t waste their time in meaningless conflicts and disputes, rather
concentrate on their work and strive hard to perform better(Boxall, P. and Purcell,
J., 2011). They start treating each other as friends and try their level best to
compromise and make everyone happy.
 A healthy employee relation reduces the problem of absenteeism at the
work place- Individuals are more serious towards their work and feel like coming
to office daily. They do not take frequent leaves and start enjoying their work.
Employees stop complaining against each other and give their best
 Warm relations with fellow workers- It is very important to keep very warm
relations with the fellow workers because one never knows when one needs
them. They would come for help only if the relationship between the too is nice
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and good(Purce, J., 2014). It may help in various manners as one may need
leaves for some reason , one must have a trusted colleague who can handle the
work on their behalf. Moreover healthy employee relations also spread positivity
around.
P 6 Key elements of employee legislation
Employment act for human resources management helps in creating a healthy
work environment for higher productions and productivity. Mark and Spencer follow
various rules in order to maintain staffs trust on organisation. Following are some laws
related to employee right :
 Equality Act 2010- This act came in force on 1 October 2010. This act says that
equality should be there. There should be no discrimination in the organisation.
Each and every member of the organisation must be given equal chances and
preferences at the workplace. There should be no kind of discrimination or
inequality because it affects the morale of the employer and it can have a bad
effect(Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2014). It prevents the employers from giving
preferential treatment to younger workers to the disbenefit of older workers. This
act simply strengths and harmonises the current legislation.
 Health and Safety Act 1974- It is an act of the Parliament of the United
Kingdom. It is also referred as HSWA. This act focuses on general duties on
employers, employees, contractors, persons who are in control of work premises
and those who manage and maintains it. It is the duty of the management to offer
sound and safe work place to the employer(Meredith Belbin, R., 2011). The
health and safety executive along with local authorities is responsible for
enforcing the act. The act focuses on the general principles for the management
of health and safety at the workplace.
 Working time 1998- This act came to force on 1 October 1998. This act states
that specific hour per week is set by the regulatory bodies and company needs to
ensure that same is being practised irrespective of the work load. This law
introduced a new constitution framework which would influence the contractual
relationship in future.
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M 4
Mark and Spencer has developed various key aspects in order to maintain
employee- organisation relationship (Armstrong. and Taylor, 2014). The reality is that
people in workplace sometimes gets involved which can prove them good as well as
bad sometimes. As the employer can terminate the working relationship without any
cause, so can the employee.
D 3
Mark and Spencer has implemented various rule in to their firm. When any
employee does not behave as according to the norms, its called employee indiscipline.
Similarly, the employee also expects from the management to provide safe working
environment and if the management fails to do so, it is called employee grievance.
TASK 4
P 7 Application of HRM in work.
Organisations are having various applications of HRM in order to achieve
objective of organisation. Mark & Spencer company have various ventures, in order to
maintain process of firm HRM activity is essential. Various applications of human
resource management are following:
 Staffing: Through staffing procedure, HRM provides efficient employees to
company in order to achieve objective. For this various activities are organised
such as posting job, salary packaging. Along with this various offers also
provided to employees in order to encourage workers. In order to select
employee's M&S provides online notifications on their web sites. Along with this
various private agencies are also hired for this process. In the next step all the
online test is conducted for determining capabilities of the candidates. In the third
step all the selected candidates are called for interview process.
 Training and development: M&S organise various training and learning activities. It
helps in enhancing their capabilities, due to which organisations are able to maximise
their production and profitability. Some of them are like on job training and off job
training.
 Rewards management: There are various prizes are also provided in the form of
incentives, bonus, leave entitlement, employee welfare plans, pensions and others. It
10

supports M&S in order to motivate their employees and encouraging them effective
performance.
 Collaboration: HRM plays an important role in order to combine different level of
organisations (Brewster, Mayrhofer and Morley, eds., 2016). HR managers
assign different roles to employees, along with this helps to provides positive
environment of organisation.
 Commitment Building: They provides various strategies in order to develop
commitment of firm. Along with they try to maintain it, for this they recruit
employees by matching qualification of candidates with position. They also
ensures dedication of employees through their performance.
 Building capacity: HRM department helps organisation in order to build
competitive advantages. For this unique set are developed in order to meet
services demands of customers (Cooke and Bartram, 2015). In order to build
effective and efficient work force, managers always consider talented candidates.
To maintain efficiency of staff, frequent training and learning is also provided in
order to made them aware about advance techniques.
1 Job specification.
Wanted!!!!
 Organisation: Mark & Spencer is a retailing company, having headquarter at London.
They are popular for providing services in clothing and food products.
 Post Title: Store manager
 Unit: Commercial/store management.
 Location: Madrid, Spain
 Responsibility: Visual perception of pricing and stock details, answer customers queries
and handling account and budget.
 Qualification: Motivator, quick problem solver, arrange staff and manage complaints
and unit different department.
 Experience: 3-5 years experiences.
 Personality attributes: Candidate should have good communication skill, good
organiser, effective team manager, good leader, able to handle challenges.
11

2 CV for candidate.
JENNY WONG
10 Alcala de Henares [phone] , [e-mail]
Professional Experience: Responsible and well respected retail manager in previous company.
Provided services for 4 years. Efficiently managed back -end and front- end responsibilities.
Following are positions at previous organisation:
Business Associate: ABC company 20/6 present
Assistant manager: XYZ company 19/4 – 31/6
Store manager: JLM company 4/8- 5/12
Marketing Manager
Maintained clients focused and also maintained organisational culture.
Identified weakness and overcome them to increase profitability.
Various promotional events and advertisements were organised in order to increase sales.
Education
TUFF Business and management collage, 2009
LPU business school, 2005
Skills
Microsoft suits(word, excel, power point, access and outlook ).
3 Interview documentation.
Interviewer: Retail manager
Timing: 2:00 PM
Interview questions:
What were your responsibilities in current organisation?
Marketing strategies for new products?
Necessary steps required for increasing profitability of company?
How can we implement real life issues to increase sales of our products?
4 Job offer.
Date 3/7 2017
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Name ABC
Address XYZ
Address MNO
Dear JLM
I am glad to inform you about offer of employment on behalf of Mark & Spencer. This offer is
provided on the basis of your details and interview.
Title: store manager
Responsibility: Visual perception of pricing and stock details, answer customers queries and
handling account and budget.
Job Details are enclosed.
Basic salary: 401K
Incentives: 20K
Agreement: Standards of organisation should be considered before starting work.
Employee benefits: Health, Company policies, transportation.
Start date: 15-7-2017.
Travelling expenses: Reasonable chargers are applicable on company transportation facilities.
Signature: PQR
Date: 3-7-2017
5 HR practices analysis.
While conducting interview there are various challenges identified such as
communicating about the requirement. With the help of online notifications, all the capable
candidates are not reached. Along with this selection process was online, due to which other
skills of the employees can not be judged. In order to overcome this problem third round it
organised. These all stages increases the selection process and makes it complicated.
M 5
Mark and Spencer have various applications of HRM department into
organisation, such as supervising environment of work place. Maintain quality of staff by
hiring talented and capable candidates. Various implemented and benefits programs
are introduced in order to attract and retain workers into company (Marchington and et.
al., 2016). Along with this various skill enhancement activities are also organised in
13

order to improvise their performance. There are various strength and weaknesses are
identified such as due to online screening process selection become effectively and
productive. On the other hand due to presence of various steps process become more
time consuming.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above report, HRM is provided with lots of responsibilities and
functions into company. It directly impact on growth and success of firm. Mark and
Spencer has well- developed HRM. They are able to get qualified and talented
employees for organisation. In order to achieve this different approaches can be used.
They are also having various applications of HR manager in order to achieve objective.
Various rule and regulations are also discussed that are helpful for employees in order
to survive into firm.
14

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