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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 Effective decision making
 Competent and flexible
Motivation  Types of aims set by the individual
 Determination and consistence in
following them through
 Accomplishment in reaching them
Experience  2 years of working experience in Royal
Dutch Shell
 3 years of working experience in
Unilever
Adjustment  Emotionally flexible
 Can work in stress and pressure
 Can develop good relations with co-
workers
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b) Provide a rationale for a suitable medium for placing the advertisement
In the context of Say it with chocolate, the company can use social media platform to place the
job adverstisment. Social media is one of the most useful and famous tool for the selection and
recruitment of employees with the extensive rise in the fame of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter
in the latest years. Social media is considered to be one of the great devices for reaching into that
sought-after group of likely applicants who are not vigorously looking for a new role but should
be open to variation if the accurate opportunity came along. Social media is not just a great
instrument for publicizing the job vacancies; it is also a great tool which can be used for
screening the employees
When the administration manager measures the applicant’s application, the administration
manager can review their abilities, past experience and individual abilities. Though, the
administration manager can check for the configuration with the company’s values and culture.
This is where social media form move toward in. Inspecting the profiles of the candidate will
make available the manager with a preview into the interests, hobbies and what sort of
information they are posting, as well as what content they are likable with. The administration
manager can also utilize other social media instruments to target the jobs, like Twitter hashtags
or asking personnel who presently work in the comparable role to share vacancy with their
acquaintances. Henceforth, social media platforms are considered to be the best medium for
placing the job vacancies by the Say It With chocolate (Xesha, et. al., 2012).
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c) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the previous methods of advertising jobs in
the organization
In the context of Say It with Chocolate, the advantages and disadvantages of using the previous
methods for advertising the job are specified below:
Print advertisement
Print advertisement is the oldest form of advertisement for placing the job vacancies
Print medium consist of newspaper and magazines mainly
Advantages
 It is cost effective
 Wide circulation is possible
 One of the oldest and easy method for placing job advertisements
Disadvantage
 Not an attractive medium for the modern world
 It is time consuming
Campus and institutional ties
It is also a method of placing the advertisement for the job vacancies so that students can also
apply for the required job. It is considered to be one of the most effective methods for placing the
vacancies
Advantage
 It is a new and innovative way for filling up the vacancies
 It is economic medium
Disadvantage
 It is a bit risky as usually the applicants are fresh talent
 It is an expensive method (Tiwari and Saxena, 2012)
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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.
In the context of Say It with Chocolate, the top 6 questions which can be asked are:
Question No 1: Tell me about the situations where you are required to manage a distressed
individual at reception counter. How will you deal with it?
Question No 2: An individual requests and calls to connect to somebody who is not available to
have a conversation. What will you say them so that they will sense you are undertaking your
best occupation to allow them to link with an individual they need to communicate to?
Question No 3: What do you have faith in the receptionist carries to the workplace culture at the
company?
Question No 4: How will you be able to manage office communications in the confidential
manner?
Question No 5: How many years of working experience you are having as a speed type and what
is your average key up speed?
Question No 6: How you will be able to manage multiple task and
activities multitask?
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Task 3
a) Microsoft offer apprenticeship and graduate training schemes. Evaluate the benefits to
both the organization and employees of such schemes.
In the context of Microsoft, the benefits of graduate training scheme and apprenticeship to the
employees of the company are specified below:
 Apprenticeships provide a wide-ranging learning experience. The candidate is not
required to spend all of his day in the company
 This scheme helps in knowing new people and developing better contacts from job
opportunities.
 Apprenticeship helps in enlightening the employability skills.
 It offers the employees with tremendous experience in terms of application of
philosophy.
In the context of Microsoft, the benefits of graduate training scheme and apprenticeship to the
company are specified below:
 The quantity of stipend which will be paid will be precise as equated to regular
employees
 Fetching apprentices is also a constitutional requirement
 This is an effective manner in which an organization can give back to the
community, a group of grads with virtuous industrial exposure who are ready to
encounter the challenges of contemporary world (Reynolds, 2017).
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0b) what developmental opportunities are available to staff once they are in a permanent
job role?
In the context of Microsoft, the development opportunities which are available to the staff when
they are on permanent role are specified below:
 Extra occupation satisfaction and improved staff self-confidence.
 Improved purchaser contentment and faithfulness.
 Enhanced competitiveness, like being capable to respond to altering marketplace
circumstances more successfully.
 The chance to have lengthy working hours and flexibility (Rees and Smith, 2017).
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c) Explain the benefits of the approach Microsoft has taken in respect of flexible working
practices
In the context of Microsoft, the importance and benefits of the approaches regarding the flexible
working practices
 Greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness, like as savings on the overheads when
personnel are working from the home or when there is interruption for the machinery
when round-the-clock shifts are functioned.
 Capability to entice an advanced level of skills as the business is capable to fascinate and
hold a capable and more varied workforce. Also, staffing expenses are reduced.
 Less numbers of illness absence.
 Greater steadiness as personnel, who might otherwise ought to left, are provided hours
they can easily manage.
 Improved work-life equilibrium is having a positive influence on the employee relations,
staff retention, and commitment and motivation. High amounts of retention means that
the company is being able to keep experienced personnel who can frequently offer an
improved service (Boella, 2017).
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d) Explain how Microsoft motivates its workers through its job design and systems of
reward
In the context of Microsoft, the manners in which the workers motivate its workers are:
Provide Incentives: the incentives offered by the company are significant in the following ways:
 To upsurge output
 To arouse or drive a stimulus work
 To improve obligation in the work performance
 To expressively content an individual which leads to job gratification
 To shape an outlook or behavior of subordinate in the direction of work,
Recognize Achievements:
Employees respond to gratitude which is expressed through appreciation of their virtuous work
as it authorizes their work is appreciated by others. When the employees of the company and
their effort are being valued, their productivity and satisfaction increases, and they are inspired to
improve or maintain their virtuous work. Member recognition is considered to be one of the
means to positive employee motivation. Employee recognition monitors trust as the prime factor
in employee gratification with their superintendent and their workstation (Armstrong, 2016).
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Task 4
a) What is meant by the term employee engagement?
Employee engagement is the workplace approach which is resultant in correct circumstances for
all the members of a business to contribute of their preeminent each day, dedicated to their
establishment’s values and goals, driven to add to organizational accomplishment, with an
improved intelligence of their personal comfort. In the context of Microsoft, Employee
engagement is mainly grounded on, two way commitment, integrity, communication and trust
among the company and its staffs . It is a method which increases the probabilities of business
achievement, donating to individual and company’s performance, efficiency and security. It can
be evaluated. It can be dramatically improved and increased (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014).
Example: Microsoft is hiring the employees and trying to emerge them by providing them with
right training and education. Similarly, Taj Group of Hotel is running right approach for
motivating its employees to participate in the company’s activities
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b) Why is employee engagement an integral strategy of employee relations?
Employee relation
A company which requires prospering in a particular industry should lay attention on the
optimistic Employee Relations. As it may sounds, the comprehensive term which when utilized
in business denotes to the connection which is shared among the company and its worker base.
While it does all-encompassing like a very obvious and broad term, it is one that is tremendously
significant. It is an association where trust and rapport can have a straight effect on business
climate and profit.
Interlink between employees relation and engagement
Employee engagement denotes to the situation where an employees are involved in their
occupation and barely get any time to have a conversation or spread gossips. It has been
experiential that a worker engaged in occupation has a habit of two escaping the fighting with
others and therefore relishes a heartfelt connection with their colleagues. Such employees at
Most of the time are occupied with their work and keep a distance from the people who are
interfering in other’s responsibilities and nasty politics. Both of the reams terms are having a
direct connection with one another. In the actual sense, employee commitment is directly relative
to employee relationship. More the personnel are occupied in their work; the healthier the
relation amongst them.
It is very important for the personnel’s of the Microsoft Company to maintain some sort of
relationship with their management, executives and colleagues. If no time is expended in trying
to create a relationship, there is no healthy connection which is recognized and there are chances
that there will be a decrease in productivity and performance. Engaged and Happy employees
will yield the paramount work. Hence, it can be seen that employee engagement helps in
building good relations with the employees. The relationship among the employee helps the
company to accomplish its goals in the set time frame (Reiche, et. al., 2016)
Example: the manager of Microsoft took lunch with his team associates in the business’s
cafeteria and made assured to devote some time together every weekend. The team members of
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the company never struggled with each other, in its place delight in their work, deliberated things
between themselves and led out with groundbreaking ideas which are satisfying all. Most of the
time the staff of the company was perceived attached to their workplaces and barely had any
interval for gossips, criticism, blame games or lose talks
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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.
In the context of Microsoft, the key approaches to engage the workers as discussed in summit
are:
 Individual chat logs and Archived group
 HipChat
 numerous Internet Relay Chat (IRC) facilities
The above specified approaches are linked to the communications which take place at Microsoft.
Effective interaction among the company and its workers permits company to tap into the
exclusive knowledge, visions, and aptitudes of its people. It is important to have a good
communication in the company so that there are no chances of conflicts. Good communication
results in the accomplishments of business goals on time. Good communication enables the
transparency in the company. Commination is important for the survival of the company
(Masum, et. al., 2016).
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d) Identify the main pieces of employment legislation in the UK and explain how they
influence human resource decision making
The main pieces of legislations which are used by Microsoft are stated below:
Equality Act 2010: the new Equality Act derived into the force on 1st of October in the year
2010. The Equality Act carries together almost 116 distinct sections of regulation into one
particular Act. United, they create up a fresh Act which makes available a legal agenda to
safeguard the privileges of persons and advance equivalence of opportunity for all.
The General Data Protection Regulation, 2018: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
regulates data safety law through all 28 EU republics and levies strict new instructions on
processing and controlling PII (Personally Identifiable Information). It also encompasses the
safety of individual information and data safety rights by giving mechanism back to the EU
inhabitants. GDPR substitutes the 1995 EU Data Protection Instruction, and goes hooked on
force on 25the May, 2018. It also replaces the 1998 United Kingdom Data Protection Act.
Health and Safety at Work 1974: The Act describes overall duties on contractors, ,employers,
suppliers and employees of substances and goods for utilization at work, people in governance
of work locations, and those who maintain and manage them, and people in general.
The manner in which the above specified laws influence human resource decision making
 The above specified act influences the HRM decisions in the manner in which keep the
records of the workers hours. Microsoft makes sure that employee do not works for more
than 6 hours as it is not right for the health of the employees.
 Similarly, these legislations help in maintaining the records reading the pay (minimum
pay). The regulations on employment wages guides the company to ensure when the rates
alters the staff rates.
 Further, these rules specify the manner in which the monitoring of the data. The company
can put forward a case against those who steal the information of the company or the
employees who share the confidential information of the company with others
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 Microsoft hires its employees by doing the medical test which is again a rule which is
specified in the health and safety act. the company is required to look into the past
records of the employees regarding the crimes and offences if any done by them
(Marchington, et. al., 2016)
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Conclusion:
From the above report it can be concluded that human resource management is the key function
of the management. Say it with Chocolate and Microsoft are recruiting the correct employees
who can fit in the vacant positions. The prime role of the HR officer is to hire and retain the key
employees of the company. The job specification and CV of a person gives a lot of information
about the person so it must be drafted properly. Further, this report concludes that the Microsoft
must adopt correct training methods so that they can push or motivate the employees to work in
the direction of organizational goals and objectives. The company is adopting the schemes of
rewards to retain the employees in the company. This report also concluded that employee
engagement is necessary for the accomplishment of business goals and objectives. The rules and
regulations play a significant role in the decisions which are taken by the HR manger s of the
company. In all it can be concluded that Human resource management is integral for the
companies like say it with chocolate or Microsoft.
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management at work. Kogan Page Publishers.
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