HRM in Workforce Planning: Recruitment & Selection Approaches at M&S

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) functions within an organization, focusing on workforce planning, recruitment, and employee relations, with Marks and Spencer as a case study. It examines the purpose and functions of HRM, including recruitment, training, and performance evaluation, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of internal and external recruitment approaches. The report evaluates the benefits of HRM practices for both employers and employees, emphasizing organizational profit and productivity. Additionally, it analyzes the importance of employee relations and employment legislation in HRM decision-making, illustrating the application of HRM practices in a work-related context. The analysis concludes by critically evaluating employee relations and HRM practices that inform and influence decision-making within an organizational context, supported by specific examples.

Human Resource Management
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................5
LO1..................................................................................................................................................5
P1 Explain the purpose and functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and
resourcing an organisation...........................................................................................................5
P2 Explain the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection 7
M1 Assess how the functions of HRM can provide talent and skills appropriate to fulfill
business objectives.....................................................................................................................10
M2 Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection
...................................................................................................................................................11
D1 Critically evaluates the strengths and weakness of different approaches to recruitment and
selection, supported by specific examples.................................................................................12
LO2................................................................................................................................................13
P3 Explain the benefits of different HRM Practices within an organisation for both the
employer and employee.............................................................................................................13
P4: Evaluate the effectiveness of different HRM practices in terms of raising organisational
profit and productivity...............................................................................................................15
M3 Explore the different methods used in HRM practices, providing specific examples to
support evaluation within an organisational context.................................................................16
D2 Critically evaluates HRM practices and application within an organisational context, using
a range of specific examples......................................................................................................17
Task 2.............................................................................................................................................18
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LO3................................................................................................................................................18
P5 Analyse the importance of employee relations with respect to influencing HRM decision-
making.......................................................................................................................................18
P6: Identify the key elements of employment legislation and the impact it has on HRM
decision-making.........................................................................................................................20
M4 Evaluate the key aspects of employee relations management and employment legislation
that affect HRM decision-making in an organisational context................................................21
LO4................................................................................................................................................22
P7: Illustrate the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific
examples....................................................................................................................................22
M5 Provide a rationale for the application of specific HRM practices in a work-related
context........................................................................................................................................23
D3 Critically evaluates employee relations and the application of HRM practices that inform
and influence decision-making in an organisational context.....................................................24
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................25
References......................................................................................................................................26
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Introduction
In every business organisation human resource management play very important role through
which managers can easily manage as well as control all business practices in a most appropriate
manner to achieve high-profit margin. Its major function is recruitment, training, development,
motivation, induction, placement and many more. HRM enhance the current ability and skills of
employees by providing them suitable training and development pogroms according to their
required area. This project report is based on Mark and Spencer that is multinational retailer
company in the United Kingdom. It provides high-quality home products, luxury food items and
clothing for men as well as women. This report includes various purpose, function, and scope of
Human resource management. Also has been analysed several weakness and strengths of
different approaches to recruitment and selection. Apart from this various employment
legislation has been examined which impact on the decision-making process of HRM. In the end,
various HRM practices have been applied in the Mark and Spencer for enhancing profitability
and performance in a proper way.
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Task 1
LO1
P1 Explain the purpose and functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and
resourcing an organisation
It is highly important for HR manager of Mark and Spencer to control and manage entire
structure and function of the organisation to achieve set goals and objectives effectively. HRM
plays a very crucial role in the appropriate management procedure. Mark and Spencer are unable
to attain set standard without Human resource management because it performs all important
functions.
Purpose of HRM
The major purpose of HRM is developing strong planning and strategies to manage available
resources. HR of Mark and Spencer motivate its employees to work in a proper way to attain set
target in the certain time period.
Employee’s development: To increase productivity as well as the profitability of the company it
is a major responsibility of HR to provide proper training and development session to employees.
To enhance employee’s existing performance it is necessary for HR to develop training programs
according to the requirement of improvement (Reason, 2016).
Proper utilization of human resources: It is highly important for the organisation to utilise its
available resources in a systematic manner to enhance the level of productivity and profitability.
HR manager of Mark and Spencer manage and control resources for accomplishing high growth
as well as development in the tough competitive business environment.
Evaluation of performance: HRM performs an essential role in the evaluation and monitors the
performance of employees. HRM provide appropriate training session tom employees according
to their performance for enhancing their abilities. On the basis of employees performance HRM
develops an action plan that reflects everyone’s performance, reward and punishment (Paauwe,
et. al., 2013).
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Positive relations: HR of Mark and Spencer create a healthy and positive relationship with
employees so that they can perform allocated work and task in a systematic way. Mark and
Spencer need highly skilled and qualifies employees who can work in the proper manner within
the organisation without creating any hurdle. HR can easily reduce conflicts by creating a good
relationship between all employees.
Function of HRM
Selection and Recruitment: It is the most important duty of HR of Mark and Spencer to hire
highly quailed and skilled employees for the organisation. There are so many recruitment
approaches which are used by HR for hiring the right candidate for the right place at the right
time. HR asks various questions from the candidates during interview procedure for selecting
right one from a large pool (Muscalu, 2015).
Planning: HRM develops great planning and strategies for the organisation for achieving high
success and growth in the large competitive business environment. It is a major function of HRM
without planning Mark and Spencer is unable to maintain its strong position and stability on a
global scale. With the help of an effective plan, a company can easily manage its financial profit,
resources, and productivity in a proper manner.
Benefits and compensation: It is necessary for HRM to provide appropriate benefits and
compensation to employees for enhancing their satisfaction level so that they perform well
within the organisation.
Training and development: HRM develops effective training and development programs for
employees to enhance their existing skills and abilities. This will increase the performance of
employees as well as an organisation through which they can maintain long-term stability in the
large competitive marketplace (Kroon, et. al., 2013).
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P2 Explain the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and
selection
It is a major responsibility of HRM to hire new employees for any vacant place within the
organisation. There are so many tools and techniques for recruitment and selection which is used
by HR for selecting the right candidate for the right place. Recruitment is that concept through
which HRM invite a huge number of people to apply for the vacant job and through selection
process HR select best candidate for the organisation from a large pool of candidate. HRM use
various approaches of recruitment and selection process to select a right person the vacant
position.
Internal recruitment: The internal approach is considered by so many companies for hiring
employees from inside the organisation for the vacant position. Mark and Spencer look for
skilled employees in this approach within the organisation. If HR hires employees through
internal approach then there is no need to give information about structure and function. With the
help of Internal approach HR manager of Mark and Spencer hire the best employee for the empty
position. Other employees of the organisation get motivated by the internal approach to grab the
growth opportunities. There is no requirement to invest funds in the advertisement of vacant job
position (Jimenez-Jimenez and Sanz-Valle, 2012).
External Recruitment: With the help of external recruitment Mark and Spencer select best
candidate for the vacant job position from a large pool of candidates. HR manager of the
organisation uses various external sources for selecting the right candidate for the right job
position. Campus recruitment, job advertisement, employment agencies are some sources of
external recruitment.
Job Description: It is one of most important part of selection process according to which people
apply for the job. Candidate applies for the vacant job according to the required potential and
capabilities. Basically, job description provides details related to the empty position,
responsibilities, and duties which are performed by the employees.
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Personal Specification: It provides details about the requirement of job which should be
fulfilled by the person such as behavioural requirement, qualification, personal requirement,
experience and many more that should be met by the selected candidate (Hargrove, et. al., 2013).
Weaknesses and Strengths of Selection and Recruitment Approaches
Competency approach: In this employees are selected on the basis of required skills and
abilities for the vacant job position. It is essential for the selected candidate to fulfil the
requirement of the position and perform duty in a proper way.
Strengths Weaknesses
 Increase employee’s skills and abilities
to perform a specific task.
 The organisation has to spend less time
and cost in the selection.
 Enhance confidence among employees
so that they can perform a difficult task.
 There are various conflicts arises in the
selection process of employees.
 If HR have less knowledge then he
selects less quailed candidate which impact on
the organisation
Contingency approach: If HR hires employees through this approach then he will get some
amount of fee from the organisation (DeVaro and Morita, 2013). It is an effective tool for
recruitment and selection in which manager get employees according to the requirement.
Strengths Weaknesses
 Highly skilled and qualifies employees
can be selected through this approach.
 Enhance cultural of the organisation
which improves profit margin.
 It is not reliable for a long time period
which impacts negatively on the organisation
 HR manager has to spend a huge
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amount of time and money
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M1 Assess how the functions of HRM can provide talent and skills appropriate to fulfill
business objectives
HRM is a very important aspect that supports the business operations to be carried in an effective
manner. Apart, the functions of HRM enable the employees of the Mark and Spencer to carry
their activities in accordance with the goals and objectives of the company. In addition, the
functions of HRM support in providing effective training to its employees so that they can
enhance their skills and knowledge that can lead to better effectiveness and efficiency in the
operations. Apart, the functions of the Human Resource Management supports that the
authorities of the Mark and Spencer in the expansion activities and growth factors (Daley, 2012).
Human Resource Management support the Mark and Spencer in creating a positive environment
that further supports in coordinating and integrating the activities of the employees in one
direction so that the activities are coordinated and carried out in a smooth manner leading to the
early and easy achievement of the goals and objectives (Richman, 2015). For the purpose, the
functions of Human Resource Management gives a proper focus and observation on enhancing
the skills, talent, and knowledge of the employees by providing training sessions so that the all
these forces support in the overall development of the company.
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M2 Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and
selection
In relation to the approaches of the recruitment and selection, there can be two approaches that
are internal and external recruitment approach that can support the Mark and Spencer in better
evaluation of the approaches.
Under Internal recruitment approach, the firm selects the employee for the vacant position
through internal source either through promotion and transfer. The concerned approach provides
the company to have much strength such as the concerned company can make a better
assessment of the performance of its employees, act as a medium of motivating the employees
and also the method is a quick and easy approach that enables Mark and Spencer focus on more
strategic areas of work (Richman, 2015).
Under External recruitment approach, the firm employs the person for the vacant position
through outside sources either through interviews, direct calling, advertising etc. This approach
provides the company to gain the following strengths such as the company can get many fresh
and creative ideas that can improve the functioning of the Mark and Spencer. Apart, the
company can get the best person or individual for the vacant position. However, Mark and
Spencer will need to spend a lot of time and resources in order to implement this approach
(Marler, 2012).
As such the authorities of Mark and Spencer must clearly consider both the approaches.
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D1 Critically evaluates the strengths and weakness of different approaches to recruitment
and selection, supported by specific examples.
HR manager of Mark and Spencer use both internal as well as the external approach to
recruitment and selection. With the help of internal approach, HR invites existing employees to
apply for the job position and select an appropriate individual with required skills and abilities.
In External approach, HR invite candidate from outside the organisation to apply for the vacant
position and select best from a large number of people.
With the help of internal approach, an organisation can motivate its existing employees to
perform in a better manner to grab new growth opportunities by performing well at the
workplace. HRM does not need to invest a huge amount of funds and time in the recruitment and
selection process in the internal source. The external approach required lots of time and money
for conducting recruitment and selection process in a proper manner (Dar, et. al., 2014).
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