Effective HRM Strategies: A Comparative Study of Two Organizations

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments for students. This report analyzes HRM practices in two organizations.

HRM in Practice

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
PART 1 –The Purpose and Scope of HRM and Recruitment and Selection & the Application of
HRM practices in the workplace.....................................................................................................2
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................2
a) Explains the purpose of the HR function and its importance to the organization, given its
current problems and future plans for further growth.................................................................2
b) Explains the strengths and weaknesses of the current selection methods used by the
organization.................................................................................................................................3
c) Evaluates at least 2 two potential improvements that could be made by Chocolate Presence
to enhance its selection process...................................................................................................4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................5
a) Create a person specification for the role................................................................................5
b) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the current methods of advertising jobs in the
organization (internally within the organization and on the notice board outside the main
entrance)......................................................................................................................................6
c) Explain where you would recommend the job advert for the Receptionist vacancy to be
placed and why............................................................................................................................7
PART 2 - Employee performance, development and reward & Factors that influence HR
decision making...............................................................................................................................8
Task 3...............................................................................................................................................8
a) Microsoft offer graduate training schemes and internships. Evaluate the benefits to both the
organisation and employees of such schemes.............................................................................8
b) Microsoft offers a range of flexible working arrangements for staff. Firstly, identify some of
these arrangements and then evaluate the benefits of offering these to both Microsoft and its
employees..................................................................................................................................10
c) Evaluate how Microsoft motivates its workers through the way it designs its job roles......11

Task 4.............................................................................................................................................12
a) What is meant by the term employee engagement and why is employee engagement such an
important part in effective employee relations in Microsoft?...................................................12
b) Critically evaluate the key approaches to engaging workers discussed in the Summit and
how these approaches improve communication in the workplace............................................13
c) Identify the key elements of UK employment legislation, explaining how they influence HR
decision making such as recruitment, training and development and reward...........................14
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................16
References......................................................................................................................................17

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Person Specification for Receptionist...............................................................................5
Table 2: Flexible Work Arrangements Benefits............................................................................10

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Internship Benefits...........................................................................................................9
Figure 2: Employee Engagement...................................................................................................13

Introduction
Human resource management is an important function in any organization as it helps in gaining
the commitment of their employees towards the achievement of their business objectives. The
current report will discuss the significance of HRM practices in context with two organizations,
one is Chocolate Presence which deals with tailor made chocolates that are greeting card based
across UK and the other one is Microsoft firm which deals with various software and computers.
The report will discuss the use of employment legislation in Microsoft to benefit their employees
along with improving the communication within the firm by encouraging employee engagement
and participation. The various methods of selection along with their strengths and weaknesses for
filling the job vacancy of Receptionist will also be discussed in the below report.
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PART 1 –The Purpose and Scope of HRM and Recruitment and Selection &
the Application of HRM practices in the workplace
Task 1
a) Explains the purpose of the HR function and its importance to the organization, given its
current problems and future plans for further growth.
Human resource management is a systematic process of achieving business growth by managing
the employees of the firm from their selection to their retirement. HR manager of Chocolate
Presence performs various functions to attain business success and is essential to solve the
current problems of the firm by making effective strategies. Given below are the purpose and
importance of HR function in the firm:
Recruitment and selection: to fulfil the business outcomes of Chocolate Presence and to reduce
employee turnover in the firm, the employers are required to identify their needs. The HR
function is essential as it recruits and selects employees by their skills, knowledge and talents so
that business goals can be accomplished (Oaya et al., 2017).
Performance management and rewards: it is the important role of Chocolate Presence’s HR
manager to implement performance management plans and programs so that their work
performance can provide the rewards. Motivated employees will contribute more to the success
and growth of the firm and turnover will be reduced.
Training and development: after selecting the employees based on their skills and talents for the
vacant jobs in Chocolate Presence, it is essential for the HR function to conduct appropriate
training sessions as per the need of business to increase the performance of employees as well as
the firm’s performance. Training of employees is also required when new technologies are
adopted (Pak et al., 2016).
Employee relations: managers of Chocolate Presence must implement motivation activities in
their firm so that their relationship with employers can be improved and the staff turnover can be
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minimised. Better and healthy relations in business will lead to growth and success of business
along with profit maximisation..
b) Explains the strengths and weaknesses of the current selection methods used by the
organization.
The current selection methods used by Chocolate Presence for their vacant job positions involves
the application forms, various tests like psychometric tests, aptitude test, physical ability tests,
etc., conducting interviews, taking references, conducting group exercises, assessment centres
etc. Such selection methods have some advantages as well as disadvantages, some of the
methods along with their merits and demerits are given below:
Assessment and Psychometric tests: psychometric and assessment tests are conducted in
Chocolate Presence to analyse and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate so that
they can be selected as per the job requirement (Charles et al., 2018).
Merits: these tests involve group exercise which can save the time of the experts in the firm.
Assessment tests conducted at Chocolate Presence are easy to implement and manage and do not
involve higher costs for the firm. These kinds of tests identify Candidate's specific skills.
Demerits: psychometric test at Chocolate Presence may involve some complications as the
candidate facing the test can feel pressurized. Applicants of the vacant job may feel nervous
while facing such tests and can lose their confidence.
Interviews: interviews are conducted in Chocolate Presence after the proper screening of the job
applicants. The candidates who best fit the job requirement on the basis of their forms are called
for personal interviews.
Merits: interview can help in increasing the knowledge of both interviewer and candidate as they
can share their views and ideas; this will assist in selecting the right candidate for the available
job. Personal interviews will ensure an in-depth analysis of the candidate along with saving time
and costs (Allen, 2018).
Demerits: if the interviewer of Chocolate Presence will ask unwanted and irrelevant questions to
the candidate, then they can feel disappointed. If the interviewer is not efficient, then this will
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result in the selection of an inappropriate candidate for the job. Biases can also be seen from the
interviewer.
c) Evaluates at least 2 two potential improvements that could be made by Chocolate Presence to
enhance its selection process.
If the selection methods used by Chocolate Presence for the available job vacancies can be
improved then it will be more beneficial for the firm to select the best-suited candidate.
Following are the potential improvements that Chocolate Presence can apply in their selection
process so that it can be enhanced.
Use of new and latest technologies: by using the latest technologies for selecting the candidate
for the vacant job, the manual procedure for short listing suitable candidate can become easy and
simple. By the use of the latest technology, skilled and qualified candidates can be accessed and
contacted directly through emails and online websites. This will become easy for Chocolate
Presence to meet their requirement of the job as the information related to candidate’s job profile
is available on the social sites. HR managers can select them on the basis of their job profile. The
tests which are needed for selecting the suitable candidate can also be conducted online which
can save the time of the selection process for the recruiters (Alcalde et al., 2018).
Improved Questionnaire: if the questionnaire required in the selection process can be
improvised then the quality and skills of candidates can be easily analysed and identified by only
reviewing. When the candidates for the job vacancy in Chocolate Presence can be analysed by
reviewing their questionnaire, then they can be directly selected for the job. By this, there will be
no need to conduct various interviews to assess the candidate. This will also save the time and
cost of the firm may require in the selection process of the firm. Thus, the right and skilled
candidate will be selected for the available job in the firm (Aberle and Henkel, 2017).
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Task 2
a) Create a person specification for the role
Table 1: Person Specification for Receptionist
RECEPTIONIST AT CHOCOLATE PRESENCE
HOURS: 9HOURS
SALARY: NEGOTIABLE
BY- ABC
Title of Job: Receptionist
Purpose of Job: To ensure satisfaction to the customers by providing effective
communication and handling their queries and complaints.
Personal attributes and capabilities:
 Good communication and influential skills
 Positive and confident
 Maintaining various data and records
 Fulfilling the demands of customers
 Must have the quality to be patient and polite with customers
 Must be interactive (Tsai, 2019).
Qualifications and skills:
 Requires hotel management degree
 Basic computer knowledge to maintain records
 Understanding of digital technology
 Good command over English language
 Problem solving skills
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b) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the current methods of advertising jobs in the
organization (internally within the organization and on the notice board outside the main
entrance).
There are various methods used and applied in Chocolate Presence to promote their products and
services so that more customers can get attracted towards purchasing their product. Each of the
job advertising methods can have some merits and demerits which will be discussed below:
A job advertisement on the notice boards: for advertising the job vacancy for a Receptionist
job in Chocolate Presence, the firm has placed the job details about the vacancy at the notice
board which is placed on the external wall of their main entrance of the site. The advantages and
limitations of notice board are given below:
Merits: anyone passing by the Chocolate Presence site can check the job advertisement and
convey the information to their acquaintances so that it can be reached to a larger audience and
more candidates can apply for the available job. This method saves the time and cost of the firm
which can be required by using other advertisement mediums (Lohmann and Zur Muehlen,
2016).
Demerits: there is a higher chance of neglecting the job vacancy information available at the
notice board of the firm. Another drawback of this medium is that with the passing of time, the
information written on the board can become untidy or may disappear slightly. If the reader of
the notice board is curious about the information, its effectiveness will decrease.
Job advertisement internally within the firm: candidates in Chocolate Presence can also be
selected with the help of current employee referrals so that the firm can get various benefits. This
medium involves cons also.
Merits: use of this method for filling the job vacancy will save the time and cost of the HR
managers of the firm. This method will help in attracting the better and large number of
candidates for the job. This method will also increase the employee engagement in the firm so
that business can attain growth (Fedorko and Horváth, 2017).
Demerits: the other team members and other employees may get upset because of using referrals
as a source for selecting new candidates. Another demerit of this method is that, there will be
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lack of new ideas and diversity in the business operations of Chocolate Presence which can
affect the success and growth of the firm.
c) Explain where you would recommend the job advert for the Receptionist vacancy to be placed
and why.
Given below are some recommendations for advertising the job vacancy of Receptionist
available at Chocolate presence along with reasons to select such method or medium in their
firm.
Job Portals: online job portals are used by a large number of candidates who are in search of a
job. HR manager of Chocolate Presence can use job portals to select a suitable employee for
their receptionist job as per their skill and qualification from the larger audience. The main
advantage of this method is that it saves the time of the employers as well as the candidates. This
method is quick, easy and convenient; any candidate can use job portals to seek the job as per
their skills and talents. Job portals also save the cost of Chocolate Presence (Kale and Balan,
2016).
Social media advertising: this medium is used by a large number of people. The merit of this
method is that both the Chocolate Presence and job applicants can quick responses and
immediate feedback. For the job vacancy of a receptionist at the firm, this medium will be best
suitable as more talented and skilled employees can be reached. Social websites like Facebook
and LinkedIn are used by a large number of skilled and qualified job seekers.
Television advertisements: the other important method for the receptionist job in Chocolate
Presence is publishing advertisements in the television and newspaper to attract suitable
candidate for the job. The reason for selecting this method is that the firm can reach a large
audience who are in need of jobs (Vyas and Bissa, 2017).
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