HRM Report: Analysis of Chocola Fantastica and Microsoft Practices

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, focusing on two companies: Chocola Fantastica and Microsoft. The introduction defines HRM and its importance, particularly in the context of Chocola Fantastica, a growing UK-based company. Section 1 explores the purpose of HR functions, including recruitment, job analysis, performance appraisal, and training. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of Chocola Fantastica's current selection methods (interviews and assessment tests) and suggests improvements like structured interviews and situational tests. Section 2 focuses on a person specification for a receptionist role at Chocola Fantastica, along with an evaluation of job advertising methods and recommendations for a job advert. Section 3 evaluates Microsoft's graduate training schemes and flexible working arrangements, and assesses how Microsoft motivates its workers. Section 4 delves into employee engagement, its importance, key engagement approaches, and the influence of employment legislation on HR decision-making. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and recommendations, emphasizing the importance of effective HRM for organizational success. References are provided to support the analysis.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
Section 1...........................................................................................................................................2
a. Purpose of HR function and their importance to company................................................2
b. Strengths and Weaknesses of present selection methods of company...............................4
c. Two improvements to enhance their selection procedures.................................................5
Section 2...........................................................................................................................................6
a. Person specification for the role.........................................................................................6
b. Advantage and disadvantage of current methods of advertising jobs................................7
c. Recommendation of job advert for receptionist vacancy...................................................8
Section 3...........................................................................................................................................9
a. Microsoft offer graduate training schemes and internships and its benefits to both employee
and organisation......................................................................................................................9
b. Evaluate benefits of flexible working arrangements........................................................10
c. Evaluate how Microsoft motivates its workers................................................................11
Section 4.........................................................................................................................................12
a. What is employee engagement and why it is important...................................................12
b. Evaluate key approaches to engage workers....................................................................13
c. Identify key elements of employment legislations and how they influence HR decision
making..................................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16
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INTRODUCTION
Human Resource is basically a strategic approach in order to effectively manage people
within an organisation in such a way that business gain competitive advantage and attain desired
business objective with full efficiency. It is actually designed to maximise employees
performance so that employer's strategic objectives are achieved. The prime objective of human
resource department is to maintain management of employees, focusing on several policies
systems as well as procedures, employees recruitment, training, development and performance
appraisal (Arnaboldi, Lapsley and Steccolini, 2015). This report is based Chocola Fantastica
which is a rapidly expanding organisation and is based in South Wales. It effectively provides
tailor-made chocolate-based greeting cards as well as presents across UK. Furthermore, report
will also cover aspects relating to Microsoft. It is an American multinational technology
company headquartered in Redmond, Washington. It primarily develops and supports computer
related services. The outcome of this report will be based several aspects relating to human
resource management. Purpose as well as human resource management function will be analysed
in detail. Strengths as well as weakness of different approaches to recruitment will be identified.
Whereas evaluation regarding effectiveness of several HRM practices will be considered in
details through which profitability as well as productivity within business can be observed. Apart
from this importance of employee relation with respect to HRM decision-making will be done.
Lastly key elements employee legislation as well as application with regard to HRM practices
will be also analysed.
Section 1
a. Purpose of HR function and their importance to company.
Definition of Human Resource
Human Resource is basically used to describe both individuals who work for an
organisation and department responsible for effectively managing managing resources related to
employees.
However, Human Resource Department within an organisation is responsible for carrying out
several functions through which business related aspects are easily achieved with proper
efficiency. Human resource management is concerned with hiring, motivating and maintaining
workforce within businesses (Bloom, Sadun and Van, 2015). With reference to Chocola
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Fantastica there are several functions which are eventually followed by HRM in order
accomplish goals of respective organisation. Functions of human resource primarily includes
managerial functions and operative functions.
Operative functions includes:
 Recruitment: This is major function which is performed by human resource
management within an organisation. Hiring is basically a process which brings pool of
prospective candidates who can potentially help an organisation in attaining established
objectives. However, this function will help Chocola Fantastica to recruit the best talent
available.
 Job Analysis as well as Design: Proper description of job requirement within an
organisation is also determine by human resource department within an organisation.
Identification of qualification, skills, work experience, job position are several other
important operative task will help Chocola Fantastica to attract most suitable candidate.
(Cascio, 2015).
 Performance Appraisal: Analysing as well as checking employees performance on
regular basis is yet another essential function which is performed by HRM. Through this
weakness as well as strengths of employees are significantly identified by Chocola
Fantastica.
 Training & Development: Through training and development overall productivity as
well as potential of employees to work is significantly enhanced. Because
implementation of such activities within Chocola Fantastica will help respective
organisation to employ and acquire new skills as well as knowledgable workforce.
Managerial functions basically includes the following:
 Planning: This is one of the most prime function of HR manager through which business
objectives are successfully accomplished. Planning is basically concerned with
management as well as identification of current and future needs in an organisation.
 Organising: This is yet another important aspect. Herein the HR manager aims at
allocating task to every individual keeping in mind the efficiency as well as capacity of
each employee.
 Directing: Herein the HR manager directs activities to employees within an organisation
in such a manner so that they contribute maximum towards organisational goals. HR
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manager introduces several ways through which employees are motivated to work with
their full potential.
 Controlling: After planning, organising and directing the overall performance of
employees is analysed in order to significantly identify what are further improvements
which can organisation must adopt so that business objective are achieved.
However, there many more such function which are eventually performed by HRM
within an organisation in order to significantly boast of morale of employees so that business
objective is accomplished within the allocated period of time. In context to Chocola Fantastica
also these functional are critical performed by human resource management so that proper
functioning within respective organisation is witnessed.
Purpose of Human Resource Management:
The prime purpose of human resource department within an organisation is to
significantly manage all the business related activities of respective business with full efficiency
so the business related goals are accomplished. In context to Chocola Fantastica there are several
activities which are followed by HRM in order to proper function all business activities.
Common purpose of human resource management are mentioned below:
 Compensation: Human resource department within an organisation is highly responsible
for providing proper compensation as well as benefits to the employees so that they are
motivated to work with their full potential (Cogin, Ng and Lee, 2016). With regard to
Chocola Fantastica, the firm has adopted several ways which potentially helps the
employee to work with their full potential and accomplish established goals and
objectives.
 Develop better organisational culture: This is yet another important purpose which is
served by human resource department. Under this HRM is responsible for creating a
positive business environment. Through this Chocola Fantastica is enormously benefited
because morale of employees to work within respective organisation is boasted.
Moreover, there are several other such activities which are potentially performed by HR manager
within an organisation through proper functioning as well as coordination is essentially
witnessed.
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b. Strengths and Weaknesses of present selection methods of company
Recruitment and selection process is one of the most important aspects which an
organisation adopt in order to hire best talent available in market. Recruitment is basically a
process wherein searching as well as gathering of new candidates is done in order to fill up
vacant position (Gibson and Parkman, 2018). The main objective of this process is to find out
most qualified individual in so as enhance the productivity within an organisation. Selection is
very essential process which requires proper analysis through which the best talent available in
market in hired. There several methods through which selection within an organisation is
effectively done. However, the respective organisation is have currently adopted two ways
through which selection of new candidates within an organisation is made possible. They
implemented own assessment test as well as interview in order to hire new candidates within an
organisation.
 Interview/Informal Chat: Interview of the potential candidates plays a very crucial
process in hiring the right candidate at right time. Through this process proper evaluation
of candidate is significantly done. Following are the advantages and disadvantage of
interview process are mentioned below:
Advantages Disadvantages
 Through the process of interview
correction of speech is essentially done.
Further, it helps in rectifying the
candidate appropriately (Girard and
Girard, 2015).
 It is incomplete process of selection
suitable individual. However, written
test us more important.
 Helps in enhancing relationship
between interviewer and interviewee.
 It is a time consuming method which
critically needs proper time. It is starts
from preparation of interview, taking
interview and then effectively
interpreting the response.
 Selection of most suitable candidate
shall be done within Chocola
Fantastica through interview method of
 Interview method implemented by
Chocola Fantastica is expensive and
costly in nature.
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selection.
 Own Assessment Test: Herein the respective company will conduct a written test to
identify most suitable candidate. Written test will include test on English comprehension
and maths in order to shortlist the most qualified candidate. Following are the advantages
and disadvantage of this method of selection:
Advantages Disadvantages
 Proper Assessment of candidates is
significantly done through this process.
Test helps in finding the most suitable
candidate.
 Sometimes these test tends to provide
unreliable information. Skills as well as
ability of candidates are not identified.
 Assessment process helps providing
uniform basis for comparing the exact
performance of candidates.
 Due to fear of exposure candidates do
not submit the test.
Therefore, proper analysis by Chocola Fantastica shall be conducted in order to
significantly adopt the best method for selecting the most suitable candidate within the respective
organisation.
c. Two improvements to enhance their selection procedures.
There are several method through which improvement can be witnessed within the
process of selection adopted by Chocola Fantastica. Therefore, proper research shall be
conducted so as to determine the most effective selection process. Following are the two
improvements through which selection procedures of Chocola Fantastica can be enhanced:
 Structured Interview Test: Proper use of structured interview shall be done. Herein proper
generic question shall be formed in order to effectively conduct interview. This process
helps in generating standardised results as compared to other test (Gubbins and Garavan,
2016). However, this form of interview positively impacts the selection process because
better understanding of candidates is done. But it is a time consuming process which can
negatively impacts business operations.
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 Situational Test: This test helps in determining how an individual reacts. Furthermore,
situational test helps in identifying how an individual will handle the situation within an
organisation. The positive aspect of this process would be that deep as well as free
response from individual is identified. Whereas it is costly process which requires proper
skill set.
However, there are several other methods of selection which will helps in adopting the most
appropriate and effective process of selection.
Section 2
a. Person specification for the role.
Person Specification
Position: Receptionist
Selection: HRM
Company: Chocola Fantastica
Attributes Essential Desirable
Education/
Qualification
 Standard level of good
education.
 Effective customer
service qualification.
Experience  Proper experience of
working in a busy as well as
multi functional
environment.
 Appropriate customer
service skills.
 Effective utilization of
available database.
 A minimum of three of
experience in handling
customer service at
reception.
 Experience of handling
confidential
information with
proper efficiency.
Knowledge/ Skills  Effective telephone manner,
even under pressure
 Appropriate ability to
tolerate stress as well
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situation.
 Excellent interpersonal,
verbal as well as written
communication skills.
 Should be enthusiastic,
reliable and honest in nature.
 Effective ability to prioritise
work and met the deadline.
 Clear and concise attitude
towards the work.
 Ability to essentially solve
problems at workforce.
as manage the busy
working environment
with full efficiency.
 Decision-making.
 Marketing as well as
selling experience.
 Organisational skills.
Qualities  Flexibility
inhttps://www.microsoft.co
m/en-ie/earlycareers/aspire-
program working attitude.
 Friendly as well as
approachable in nature.
 Ability to work well under
pressure situation.
 Motivated as well as Hard-
working.
 Desire to further career
development as well as
training prospects.
Specific  Capability to multitask
 Technically skilful in nature.
 Ability to coordinate
 Flexibility
Others  Confident and pleasant
manner while dealing with
business related aspects.
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b. Advantage and disadvantage of current methods of advertising jobs.
Job Advertisement is basically a process of an announcement which essentially helps in
informing people about a particular job position available (Hitt, Xu and Carnes, 2016). It is a
print or electronic notification which intent to hire an individual in order to effectively perform
the specific work. Employers make use of job advertisement in order to request application from
the targeted candidates. Furthermore, most job advertisement usually have a per specified period
for individuals to apply. With regard to Chocola Fantastica the current method of job advertise
adopted by them is that they have internally circulated the job vacancy to the existing staff and
their friends. Further, they have put the job advertise on noticeboard on the external wall of the
main site entrance.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the selected method of job advertise:
Internal Method
Advantages Disadvantage
 This method job advertise adopted by
Chocola Fantastica will effectively help
respective organisation to reduce time
to hire. Herein, the already selected
employee within an organisation is
promoted or transferred.
 Internal method of recruitment adopted
by Chocola Fantastica can aid to create
resentment among workforce and
mangers.
 Interanl job advertise will also help in
shorten on-boarding time. Every
individual needs some time in adjust
within new business organisation with
adoption of this method the individual
effectively knows the company's
policies and practices.
 Limited pool of candidates are
available while appointing employees
through internal method of recruitment.
Noticeboard Method
Advantages Disadvantage
 This method of recruitment is cost  Moreover, gap within an organisation
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effective in nature. can be witnessed by adopting this
method of job advertise. Inflexible in
culture can be ascertained through this
method.
 Through new talent within an
organisation can be hired and overall
business productivity can be enhanced.
 Distract within employees can be
witnessed which can negatively hamper
overall business performance.
c. Recommendation of job advert for receptionist vacancy.
Recommendation for Job Advert: There are several options through an organisation can
significantly fill the vacant job position. In order to identify the best process of hiring proper
market analysis shall be conducted, which is essentially help in hiring the best talent within an
organisation and business goals can be achieved (Kianto, Vanhala and Heilmann, 2016).
Use of social media platform shall be done in order to make the vacancy popular in the
outside world. This will help in attracting more and more applicants from outside as wide pool of
applicants are available. Professional networks like LinkedIn shall be used in order to advertise
the vacant position to outside world. Furthermore, the respective organisation shall advertise
their vacant position through newspapers, trade publications, online job-sites and several other
similar process can be utilised.
However, recruitment done through LinkedIn potentially have positive as well as
negative aspect on business. Therefore proper analysis shall be effectively conducted through
which best method of job advertise can be witnessed. The positive aspect of this recruitment
method is that large number of candidates at the same time are attracted. Whereas the negative
aspect of this recruitment method is that sometimes inappropriate candidates are attracted.
Furthermore, recruitment done through newspapers also possess several negative as well
as positive aspects through process of recruitment is effective hampered. The major advantage of
this method of recruitment is that it aids to target a more experienced audience. Whereas there
are very few number of people who read newspaper now-a-days.
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The other mentioned job advertise which are trade publications and online job-site also
possess several positive as well as negative aspects due to which hiring of best talent available in
potential market is affected enormously.
Through adoption of mentioned method of job advertise the respective organisation shall
hire the best talent available in potentially market. Furthermore, this will help in enhancing the
overall productivity of organisation and desired business objective can be accomplished.
Section 3
a. Microsoft offer graduate training schemes and internships and its benefits to both employee
and organisation.
Training and Development is one of the main function which is performed by human
resource management. Training refers to a process wherein systematic setup is followed so as to
enhance the overall productivity of employees (Marvel, Davis and Sproul, 2016). However,
Microsoft offers variety of graduate training schemes and internships programmes through
benefit to employer and employee is effectively witnessed.
Graduate Training Schemes
Aspire Program (About the Aspire Program, 2019) It is a program which is essentially
designed for top performing graduates. However, candidates under this are provided with a
structured program.
Benefits to Employer:
 Develops in getting most appropriate and suitable employee through which productive of
employees to work is enhanced.
 Development of core competencies is observed due to which most productive goods and
services are produced.
Benefits to Employee:
 Employees through this graduate training enjoys great perks and benefits which primarily
includes on-site gym facility, wide range of health as well as thriving social scene.
 Salary provided employees are extremely competitive in nature, which essentially
motivates employees to preform there allocated task with full efficiency.
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