HRM in Practice: A Report on HRM Functions, Methods and Strategies

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, focusing on a case study involving Chocolate Presence and Microsoft. It begins by outlining the purpose and importance of HRM functions, addressing current challenges and future plans. The report then evaluates various selection methods, including assessment tests, informal chats, and interviews, discussing their strengths and weaknesses and suggesting potential improvements. It proceeds to create a person specification for a receptionist role and assesses the advantages and disadvantages of different job advertising methods, recommending social media networking as the optimal approach. Furthermore, the report explores the benefits of graduate training schemes and flexible working arrangements for both firms and employees, as well as ways to enhance employee motivation through job design. Finally, it examines employee engagement, its importance in employee relations, key approaches to improve communication, and key elements of employment legislation.

HRM in Practice

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
a) Purpose of HR function, its importance, its current and future plans ...............................1
b) Strengths and weakness of selection methods ..................................................................2
c) Potential improvement to process of selection ..................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
a) Create person specification for job role ............................................................................4
b) Advantages and disadvantages of current methods of job advertising .............................4
c) Recommend the method of job advertisement for receptionist .........................................5
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................6
a) Benefit of graduate training schemes and internship to both firm and employees ...........6
b) Arrangement of flexible organization and its benefits to employees and organization ....7
c) Way of motivation through designing the job roles ..........................................................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
a) Employees engagement and its importance in employees relation ...................................9
b) Key approaches to employees engagement that help to improve communication .........10
c) Key elements of employment legislation ........................................................................11
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
HRM (Human Resource Management) is formed approach of managing and controlling
people and their performance effectively. Its purposes to set more open, flexible in relation to
motivation, development and management of staff. In this context, there are many HRM
practices such as providing the safe, healthy and happy workplace, performance linked bonuses,
fair evaluation system, knowledge sharing, etc (Tangthong, Trimetsoontorn and Rojniruntikul,
2014).
This study is based on Chocolate Presences and Microsoft. Chocolate Presence provides
tailor-made chocolate based greeting cards and presents across the UK. Microsoft is the
multinational technology company. This report will explain purpose of human resource
functions, its importance and its current problems as well as future plans for upcoming growth. It
will state strengths and weakness of recent selection method and make potential improvement in
selection procedure. Furthermore, study will create person specification, advantage and
disadvantage of current method of job advertisement as well as make job advertisement for
receptionist vacancy. It will evaluate the benefits of graduate training schemes for both
employees and firm. Moreover, report will identify flexible working arrangement and benefits
for organization.
TASK 1
a) Purpose of HR function, its importance, its current and future plans
The purpose of human resource management is to effective workforce planning and
utilization of resources in the workplace. There are many functions of human resource such as
recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, rewards and
benefits. All functions have different purposes, so that HR officer must have followed
appropriately (Zibarras and Coan, 2015).
Unfair Selection Test: It is current problem which is happened in organization.
Therefore, HR officer must have appropriately and fairly selected the candidates. It is main
function of human resource which means recruiting and selecting candidate for vacant position
in the workplace. Therefore, HR officer OF Chocolate Presences make sure that recruiting and
selecting of candidate who have ability to create and design gift order for the firm. The purpose
of this function is to increase pool of talented job candidates at minimum cost (Vanhala and
Ritala, 2016).
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Workforce Planning: Ineffective workforce planning is problem of the organization.
Training and development function used to solve the problem. The purpose of this function is to
develop ability and experiences of employees at the workplace. The purpose of this function is
to increase motivation of employees in the firm (Albrecht and et.al., 2015). Therefore, HR
officer needs to ensure that give training and increase motivation in the Chocolate Presence.
Importance of HR functions:
 It is important to recruit and select skilled and qualified candidate for particular job.
 Human resource management is important to maintain work environment and manage
disputes between employees (Oz and et.al., 2014).
 HR functions are essential for achieving the goals and objectives of employees and
organization.
Current problems in HR:
Unfair Selection: The human resource officer face problem that is unfair selection of
candidate in the Chocolate Presences. Therefore, HR officer ensure that recruiting and selecting
candidates who have ability to design and create more specialist gift order. They also recruit
candidate for production and administration position in firm (Patterson and et.al., 2016).
Workforce Planning: It is large problem which is faced by HR in the workplace,
because, there is ineffective planning of workforce (Patterson and et.al., 2016). Therefore, HR
officer make efforts to provide training and development to employee for efficient workforce
planning in the Chocolate Presences.
Future plans of Human resource:
The future plan of human resource is followed advance selection method for providing
the professional training and development to employees in the Chocolate Presence. These
technologies help to make decisions in firm (Nikoo, Zarfam and Sayahpour, 2015).
b) Strengths and weakness of selection methods
Selection Methods:
Selection is the procedure of picking up single person with required qualifications and
capabilities to fill jobs in the company (Nikolaou, 2014). For that, there are many methods for
selecting the candidate such as work-based tests, interview, references check that are utilised by
HR officer in the Chocolate Presences.
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Assessment Test: It is method of selecting the candidate which means assessment
intended to measure knowledge, ability, aptitude, etc. Therefore, human resource officer adopts
their assessment test on English understanding and maths which applicants complete on line or in
person. They have fixed mark of 50% for both tests. The weakness of assessment test is difficult
to assess the verbal communication of candidate (Xia and Wang, 2014). The strength of this
method is to assess written language and skill of candidates.
Informal Chat: It is another method of selecting the applicant in the firm. HR follows
this method after selecting those who have completing assessment test (Baum and Kabst, 2014).
It is based on information gathered from supervisors, people, subordinates etc. The strength of
informal chat is to increase interaction with applicants. There is no assuring that candidate has
given right information that is weakness of informal chat.
Interview: It is another selection method in which designed to predict upcoming job
performance on the basis of applicant’s oral response to verbal response of candidates.
Therefore, HR officer adopt interview method as informal chat to select candidate after checking
the references to applicant (Strom, Sears and Kelly, 2014). The strength of interview is to
determine the communication and social skills which is needed for job. The weakness of this
method is to take decision in few minutes used for validate actual decisions.
c) Potential improvement to process of selection
There are many improvements that can be made by HR officer for increase their selection
process such as fair test and selection of candidate in the Chocolate Presence.
Formal interview: HR officer need to conduct formal interview of 20 minutes where
focus of manager needs to be on checking skills of applicant according to job profile. This can
enhance selection process of firm (Anitha, 2014). Formal interview is also called as structured
interview. It is face-to-face meeting between potential job applicants and interviewer. This
provides chance for exemplify abilities and experience benefits the employers.
Assessment and Fairness: HR officer need to conduct selection process fairly and
effectively at the firm. They also require conducting assessment test effectively for choosing
suitable candidate(Paek and et.al., 2015). Therefore, they can use appropriate method of
selecting the applicants in the Chocolate Presences.
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TASK 2
a) Create person specification for job role
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job Title Receptionist
Date 04-02-2019
Knowledge Essential Desirable
Working knowledge and experience with in
reception environment
√
Knowledge of electronic booking system √
Experience of cash handling √
Knowledge of MS office Excel and Word. √
2 year Experiences in relevant field √
Skills Essential Desirable
Excellent communication skill √
Good consumer care ability √
Ability to handle complaints of customers √
Good management skills √
Decision skill √
Answering phone queries √
Prepared By:
Date: 04-02-2019
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b) Advantages and disadvantages of current methods of job advertising
Job advertisement is the declaration of open job position as well as informing of the
people. The main objective is to inform prospective job applicant about new opening and attract
them to apply for that. In this context, there are many ways to advertise job such as social
networking, trade publication, target online job sites, local newspaper etc (Temminck, Mearns
and Fruhen, 2015. These methods have some advantage and disadvantage which are faced by HR
officer in the Chocolate Presence.
Internally Circulation: Human resource officer circulate job vacancies internally with
staff, their friends and family within Chocolate Presences. The strength of this method is to take
less time and money for job advertisement. The company has not reached new talent and skilled
candidate outside the organization.
Display on external wall: It is method of attracting and selecting candidates outside
firm. Therefore, HR officer of Chocolate Presences display job vacancies at their external wall at
main site. The strength is to reach skilled and talented candidates from the outside the
organization. This method is take high time and money of firm.
Social networking sites: It is method of job advertisement that HR officer must utilised
for informing the people of job position (Innanen, Tolvanen and Salmela-Aro, 2014). With this,
HR Officer can target professional candidates for position relating to production and
administration in the Chocolate Presence. The advantage of this method is to target applicants
easily, because many of people use social media for searching the job. This method is consuming
large amount of cost and time of firm.
Targeted Online job sites: It is another method for advertising the job that HR officer
must have followed this method to firm in terms of targeted candidate for job position.
Therefore, firm can create their own website on various job sites such as LinkedIn. There are
number of people post their CV on those websites for searching the jobs (Tangthong,
Trimetsoontorn and Rojniruntikul, 2014). Company feel that their reputation is damaged when
they are utilising the different job sites. The advantage of online job sites is to most of the people
are targeted and attracted towards their firm.
Local Newspaper: It is another technique which must have used by HR officer for job
advertisement of position in the firm. It is traditional method that can little utilisation by
companies. Through this method, firm easily targeted localized candidates for job position that is
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advantage of method (Zibarras and Coan, 2015). The disadvantage is to loner process of
advertisement. Therefore, firm is not use this kind of method for job advertisement in the
workplace.
c) Recommend the method of job advertisement for receptionist
HR Officer can use the social media networking for giving advertisement of job position
that is Receptionist in the Chocolate Presences. This method is highly beneficial for targeted and
attracted candidates for job position in the firm. However, many people utilise different social
media networking for searching the jobs. Therefore, company can create blog which involve
various information such as job position, salary, required qualification, company's info, timing
etc. so that applicants are easily applied for jobs (Vanhala and Ritala, 2016). This kind of method
can help to target professional candidates for job post. There many social networking sites such
as Indeed, Glass-door, Facebook etc. that can aid to firm for fulfilling the job vacancies in the
business.
Human resource officer use social media as job advertising, because it is more beneficial
for candidates as well as company. This method is more beneficial for employees, because they
are shared their own experience with company (Albrecht and et.al., 2015). With this, many of
candidates are attracted towards job vacancies of Chocolate Presences. Company use LinkedIn
for targeting recruiters, because nowadays, there are many job seekers use this kind of websites
and posting their resumes. Company use Facebook for job advertising to attract and target
passive candidates for particular job vacancies. Many of people are utilised Facebook for
searching job. This method is increased visibility and every kind of informations about company
in front of people.
TASK 3
a) Benefit of graduate training schemes and internship to both firm and employees
Graduate training schemes and Internship:
It is structured training schemes run by an employer to evolve upcoming leaders of their
organization. These graduate programs are rarely available in a number of specialization (Nikoo,
Zarfam and Sayahpour, 2015). They are called ranging from finance, retail, human resource and
marketing to management and law. These graduate training schemes and internships are
beneficial for companies and employees. Microsoft give financial rewards in returns to graduate
for their work that can help to adhere to needs of business and employers.
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Benefits for Organization:
Training programs are beneficial to reach pool of talent in relation to achieve goals and
objectives of firm. There are many benefits of internships programs to Microsoft.
 It accesses to broad base of qualified talent pool of employees.
 It gives an educational internship programs at no cost to the firm (Nikolaou, 2014).
 Internships and training programs establish connections to expected future hires in the
Microsoft and need to improvement.
 It is beneficial for rewarding, outlining performance and boosting morale of employees.
Benefits for Employees:
These training programs and internships are also beneficial for students or employees
which are worked as trainee or interns in the Microsoft. Such as:
 It gives first hand exposure to the world of work.
 It learns content, ability and attitudes needed to succeed in work environment (Xia and
Wang, 2014).
 It helps to network and forge valuable professional connections.
 Training programs are beneficial in terms of set interest in area or show chances of
developing career.
 Through it, employees are gaining knowledge that help to succession planning and career
development in particular field.
 It is beneficial for students to be handed different duties and responsibilities of their job
role.
b) Arrangement of flexible organization and its benefits to employees and organization
Flexible Working Arrangement:
These arrangements are alternate schedules from traditional working day and week.
Workers can choose various work schedule to meet personal or family wants. Employers are
initiated different schedules to meet their consumer requirements alternatively (Baum and Kabst,
2014). There are many examples of flexible working arrangements such as flexible hours,
compressed work week, job sharing, leaves, telecommunicate, etc. These arrangements are more
beneficial for both employees and Microsoft in effective manner.
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Illustration 1: Flexible working Arrangement
Sources: (Flexible working Arrangement. 2018)
Flexible Time: It is an arrangement where workers work full day but they can differ their
working hours. Employees can select to work fewer than standard of 40 hours work week. These
agreements can be temporary basis depending on individual conditions (Flexible Work
Arrangements, 2019). It can also consider in some situations for workers with well-being
difficulties or disabilities.
Care family and Continue Education: Flexible working arrangement help to employees
in relation to care family and continue education. Through this, employees are spent time with
their family and completing education. This aid to worker for expanding their knowledge and
developing career in particular field as well as effective working in team in the Microsoft.
Benefits for Employees:
These flexible working arrangements are beneficial in different ways such as:
 Through this, employees are easily meet personal and family needs.
 This help to improve performance and developing skills of employees.
 Flexible work schedule aid making the better work-life balance by workers.
 This create more development options for employees and they are more agreeable to tend
to feel more valued by their supervisors (Strom, Sears and Kelly, 2014).
 Through flexible work scheduling attend to be happier and also tend to experience lower
level of stress at the overall Microsoft.
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Benefits of Organization:
Flexible working arrangements are more advantageous for organization in effective
manner such as:
 These arrangements enhance employees morale and involvement in different activities of
Microsoft which leads to increased business productivity (Anitha, 2014).
 It is enhancing the employee retention and reducing turnover in the firm.
 These arrangements are beneficial improve performance and productivity of firm.
c) Way of motivation through designing the job roles
It is necessary to have highly motivation of employees in the workplace. Therefore, HR
officer require designing job that gives ongoing motivations (Paek and et.al., 2015). Job design is
psychological concept of motivation that describe as systematic and meaningful allocation of
activity to team and single person within the Microsoft. There are five features of job design the
job are skill variety, task recognition, task importance, autonomy and job feedback.
Skills Variety: There are many skills required to work for a particular job. If employees
are determined various skills in particular job role, so that employees can be motivating for
working in the Microsoft (Temminck, Mearns and Fruhen, 2015)
Task Recognition: It is necessary to identify task relate to job role. The extent to which
job includes completing recognisable piece of work from beginning to end with visible result. If
workers are identified task and have looked them from starting to finish, so that they are
motivated to accomplish tasks.
Task Importance: It is needed to know about importance of task. The level to which job
is essential to and influences others within and external of the company. Employees are more
motivated when they feel that their work is important to their Microsoft.
Autonomy: Employees have the extent of freedom and ability to schedule activities.
Workers to be able to create decisions and have flexibility in their roles (Robinson, 2014). If
employees are feel that there is no freedom, so that they have low motivated for their work in the
Microsoft.
Job feedback: The level to which staff works receives direct feedback on their
execution. Workers require feedback in terms of stay motivated. Managers require giving
feedback on performance throughout and workers upgrade and not just at an annual performance
review.
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Employees motivation comes from many fields. Employees require having some internal
motivation to accomplish tasks assigned to them in their roles (Innanen, Tolvanen and Salmela-
Aro, 2014). They also need to be motivated by their workers. Therefore, Microsoft designing job
roles that includes all core features that can assist enhance motivation in terms of improving
execution.
TASK 4
a) Employees engagement and its importance in employee’s relation
Employees Engagement:
It is level to which worker feel passionate about their jobs, more committed and put
discretionary efforts into their work in the firm. It is primary conception in effort to identify and
determine in qualitative and quantitative, nature of relationship between employees and
company (Tangthong, Trimetsoontorn and Rojniruntikul, 2014). An engaged worker is
determined as one who is wholly absorbed and passionate about their work. It takes positive
action to further reputation and interest of firm. An engaged worker has positive behaviour
towards values of firm. Employees engagement improves productiveness of Microsoft that aid
employees in team work, coordination and interpersonal ability.
Importance of Employees Engagement:
Employees engagement is important in which workers are engaged in their work and
build the relationship with them. It is directly relative to employee employer relationship. The
better relationship between employees when they are more attentive in their work. There are
many reasons that employee engagement is essential part of Microsoft.
 Employees are more engaged in decisions making process through sharing ideas and
thoughts that can help to build relationship between them.
 Employee engagement is important to boost productivity, because all employees are
effectively worked in team (Zibarras and Coan, 2015).
 It is also essential for managing shared work culture and environment of Microsoft.
 Employee engagement in Microsoft is important because it supports sharing ideas and
opinions whereemployees are easily worked together and build relationship with each
other.
 Employees are also engaged for increasing customer satisfaction, enhance the sales,
effective working in team and build relationships.
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