HRM in Practice: HR Role, Selection, Development & Engagement Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices within organizations, particularly focusing on 'Say it with Chocolate' company and Microsoft. It examines the purpose and importance of the HR function, the role and responsibilities of a Human Resource Officer, and potential improvements to current selection methods. The report includes a person specification for a receptionist role, a rationale for advertising mediums, and interview questions to enhance the selection process. Furthermore, it evaluates apprenticeship and graduate training schemes, developmental opportunities for staff, and the benefits of flexible working practices at Microsoft. The report also explores how Microsoft motivates its workers through job design and reward systems, delves into the concept of employee engagement, and identifies key approaches to improve workplace communication. Finally, it highlights the main pieces of employment legislation in the UK and their influence on human resource decision-making.

HRM in Practice
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Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................4
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................5
a)The purpose of the HR function and its importance to the organization, given its current
problems and future plans for further growth..............................................................................5
b) how you see your role and responsibilities as a Human Resource Officer.............................6
c) the advantages and disadvantages of the current selection methods used by the organization
and compare it to other approaches of selection methods...........................................................7
d) potential improvements that could be made to the current selection methods......................10
Task 2.............................................................................................................................................12
a) Create a person specification for the role..............................................................................12
b) Provide a rationale for a suitable medium for placing the advertisement.............................13
c) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the previous methods of advertising jobs in the
organization...............................................................................................................................14
d) Produce a minimum of 6 questions which could be asked at the interview for the
Receptionist, which would help to improve the selection decision making process.................15
a)Microsoft offer apprenticeship and graduate training schemes. Evaluate the benefits to both
the organization and employees of such schemes.....................................................................16
0b) What developmental opportunities are available to staff once they are in a permanent job
role?...........................................................................................................................................17
c) Explain the benefits of the approach Microsoft has taken in respect of flexible working
practices.....................................................................................................................................18
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d) Explain how Microsoft motivates its workers through its job design and systems of reward
...................................................................................................................................................19
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................20
a)What is meant by the term employee engagement?...............................................................20
b)Why is employee engagement an integral strategy of employee relations?...........................21
c)identify some of the key approaches to engaging workers discussed in the summit and
explain their importance in terms of improving communication in the workplace...................23
d)Identify the main pieces of employment legislation in the UK and explain how they
influence human resource decision making...............................................................................24
Conclusion:....................................................................................................................................26
References:....................................................................................................................................27
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Introduction:
This report introduces to the notion of human resource management. The reports introduces to
the operations of Say it with Chocolate company which is indulged in hiring the right employee
for managing the business operations if the company. This report also presents the
responsibilities and role of the Human Resource Officer and the potential developments which
could be made to the recent selection means. Further, this report shows a person specification, a
medium for lacing the advertisement and disadvantages and advantages of the methods for
advert song the job. This report even shows the concept of graduate and apprenticeship training
schemes. The numerous benefits of the approaches which are adopted by the Microsoft in regard
to flexible working practices are also stated in this report. Finally, this report lays the notion of
employee engagement in the Microsoft. This report will also highlight employment legislations
and rules in the UK and the manner in which they influence the decisions which are taken by the
human resources.
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Task 1
a) The purpose of the HR function and its importance to the organization, given its current
problems and future plans for further growth.
The problem faced by the company is regarding the quality and in managing the large groups.
The HR function and its purpose or significance to the Say it with Chocolate is specified below:
The function of HR is to manage, recruit and direct persons who work in the company. The
Human Resource Officer deals with the problems which are related with compensation,
organization development, employee motivation, training and, safety, wellness, benefits,
performance management and others. HR officer plays a planned role in dealing with the people
and managing workplace environment and culture and. If effective, it can contribute significantly
to an inclusive company direction and the achievement of its objectives and goals.
The main function of the HR officer is now moved into the new direction of planned utilization
of personnel and the assessable influence of employee packages over business. Currently, the HR
officer of the Say it with chocolate is required to be adaptive, customer-centered, Quick to
change, direction and resilient. Within the competitive environment the efficiency of HR officer
is vital to the business victory. HR officer create systems for career succession planning,
performance development, and worker growth. This keeps persons encouraged, content,
individually involved and contributing to business success (Tiwari and Saxena, 2012).
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b) How you see your role and responsibilities as a Human Resource Officer.
Below specified is the role of the HR officer:
 I will discover, employs, and on boards new personnel.
 I will teach current and new personnel regarding the manner in which they should
perform their job and learn innovative skills to turn out to be future frontrunners.
 I will symbolize the decision-making team and deal with any grievances of the
employees which they are having about the company and co workers
 I will motivate my employees to work more and will Figuring out the ways in which I
can make my employees work more in the set hours and having them is content about it.
Below specified is the responsibility of me as the HR officer
 I will maintain good relations with my team members and superiors as miantaing good
relations helps in the growth of the company
 I will put my efforts to develop the organization. I will regulate who will reports to
whom and the reasons behind reporting. I will frame strategies
 I will comply with the legal rules like I-9, Affirmative Action Plans, W-4’s etc.
 I will run and maintain my system and will keep a track of the people who are leaving
and coming to the organization.
 I will ensure the Health and Safety of the employees and will put my best efforts in
ensuring a healthy working environment
 I will timely Compensate and Benefit the employees. I will also offer competitive
advantage programs. Moreover, I will make strategies to adopt suitable nosiness practices

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c) The advantages and disadvantages of the current selection methods used by the
organization and compare it to other approaches of selection methods.
The existing selection methods which are used by the Say it with chocolate company is
mentioned below:
Using home-made assessments in math and English –
The assessment system measure the individuals progress in the direction of career readiness this
approach helps in better learning ad education
Advantages
 This approach is all pervasive
 It focus on both verbal and nonverbal skills of an individual
Disadvantages
 This approach is not flexible in nature
 This approach is time consuming and expensive
The pass rate set (fairness, relevance of information)-
The pass rate set is basically a grading system. The fixed pass rate set by the company is 50% for
both English and math test
Advantages
 This approach helps the manger sin getting fair and relevant information about the person
 It is effective approach as it lays attention on the nature of a person
Disadvantages
 It is a complex approach
Use of references as a pre- shortlist requirement-
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This method is used by the company when they do not want to hire people from outside world.
Referrals are used for the internal recruitments.
Advantage
 Saves times and money
 It gives a sense of confidentiality
Disadvantage
 No new ideas can be there in the company
 Does not makes the organization flexible
The other approaches of selection methods as against the above specified method are:
1. Professionally designed psychometric tests
2. Work sample
3. Structured interviews
Professionally designed psychometric tests
Psychometric tests are the scientific and standard methods which are mainly utilized to measure
the persons’ mental competences and interactive style. Psychometric tests are mainly planned to
quantity applicants' appropriateness for the role which is based on an obligatory
personality characteristics and cognitive abilities (aptitude).
Work sample:
the Work Sampling technique are used for forecasting total time which is consumed by an
activity, in procedures which are extending from consumer service and industrialized to
telephone selling. It depend on a interpretations which are made over the period of time to
record what is actually happening at that point of time, and the occurrence at which additional
activities are being accomplished.
Structured interviews
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A structured interview is also termed as the researcher-administered survey or the
standardized interview. It is the quantitative investigation method which is commonly used in a
job. The main motive of this approach is to guarantee that each interview is open with accurately
identical questions in the similar order (Dalkir and Beaulie, 2017).
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d) Potential improvements that could be made to the current selection methods.
The potential improvement that can be made to the current selection methods which are
undertaken by the Say it with chocolate are specified below:
Work sampling:
Work Sampling is often termed as activity sampling. Work sampling is one of the most famous
statistical techniques which are used for determining the amount of time which is consumed by
the workers of the Say It with chocolate in numerous defined classes of activity (example, setting
up a machine, idle, assembling two parts etc.). It is as significant as all other arithmetical
techniques as it allows quick examination, gratitude, and improvement of occupation duties,
tasks, managerial work flows and performance competencies. The other terms which are used for
work sampling are 'occurrence sampling', 'activity sampling', and 'ratio delay study'.
General ability test:
Figure: General ability test
Source: (Brewster and Hegewisch, 2017).
The general ability test is the methodical means of testing the job applicant's capabilities to
perform definite tasks and react to a variety of dissimilar situations. Each test is having a
standardized method of scoring and administration, with the consequences that are compared and
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quantified with all the other tests which are undertaken in the comps which are undertaken in the
company
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Task 2
a) Create a person specification for the role
Person specification:
A person specification is a document which gives a brief about the individual’s skills, qualities
and characteristics including his or her past experiences. Below specified is the job specification
of a Receptionist for the Say IT With Chocolate Company:
Job title Receptionist
Impact on others  To offer a welcome and professional
experience for the visitors and clients to
the site.
 To answer the incoming telephone
queries competently.
Acquired qualifications  Masters in HR
 Bachelors in communications
 Diploma in computer languages and
programming
Innate abilities
 Natural promptness of command and
aptitude for wisdom
 Good communication skills
 Can quickly respond to the queries
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