HRM Report: Purpose, Practices and Effectiveness at Marks & Spencer

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Human Resource Management (HRM) practices at Marks and Spencer (M&S). It begins with an introduction to the company and its global operations, followed by an examination of the core functions of the HRM department, including workforce planning, resource management, resourcing, employee development, recruitment, and employee issue resolution. The report then delves into the strengths and weaknesses of various HRM practices, such as internal and external recruitment, and talent management. It highlights the benefits of these practices for both employers and employees. Furthermore, the report assesses the effectiveness of HRM practices in relation to the company's profitability and objectives. Finally, it discusses the significance of employee relations, key elements of employment legislation, and the application of HRM practices through examples like job descriptions, CVs, and job offer letters. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and recommendations for M&S's HRM strategies.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO1..................................................................................................................................................3
Introduction of organisation........................................................................................................3
P1. Purpose and function of HRM...............................................................................................3
P2. Strengths and weakness of different HRM practices............................................................5
LO2..................................................................................................................................................7
P3. Benefits of different HRM practices.....................................................................................7
P4 Effectiveness of different HRM practices..............................................................................8
LO3................................................................................................................................................10
P5 Significance of employees relations.....................................................................................10
P6 Key elements of employment legislation and it’s impact on decision-making of HRM.....11
LO4................................................................................................................................................12
P7 Application of HRM practice...............................................................................................12
Job Description..........................................................................................................................12
CV (Curriculum Vitae)..............................................................................................................13
JOB OFFER Letter....................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is all about managing the needs of organisation related to
its employees’ part of the organisation. This report is based on the case study of Marks and
Spencer Company in respect to its human resource management in organisation. The company is
retail sector-based organisations operate its business function in different part of the world.
Company has been involved selling high quality food products, home products and clothing line.
Headquarter of the company is located in London, United Kingdom. Company shared its
business operations at approximately 14000 locations all across the globe. This report would
cover detailed analysis in respect to the human resource management of the chosen organisation.
Henceforth, report will emphasis on different purpose and functions of human resource
management in organisation. Strengths and weaknesses associated with the different functional
activities in company will also demonstrate in this report. Benefits of various HRM practices in
relation to both employer and employees in company. Effectiveness of various HRM practices
would also assess in this report in respect to rising of organisation profitability and achieving
different objectives behind the operations of company. Legislation applicable over human
resource management would also assess in this report. Furthermore, various practices of HRM in
work related context will discuss in this report.
LO1
Introduction of organisation
Marks and Spencer Company initiated its business operations in the year 1884 by the
founders Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer. Company is involved selling in high quality
clothing, food products and home products in the market. Company has business operations of
approximately 14000 business locations all across the globe. Company has been engaged in
selling its products over both mediums online and offline model of retailing which allows
company to achieve a massive growth in the retail sector.
P1. Purpose and function of workforce planning of HRM
Human resource management department in Marks and Spencer Company follow the
following purpose in against to the functional activities channelizes by the department.

Human resource planning: Human resource management department play the huge role in
respect to planning in company in respect to its human resources. Human resource planning is all
about analysing the need of the company in respect to its human resource requirements. Human
resource planning is among the most prominent operation function human resource department
play in Marks and Spencer Company. On the basis of the total needs and requirements of
company department conducts proper planning in the company (Chowhan, Pries and Mann,
2017). Planning involve all key approaches that it will channelize in recruiting the best possible
talents at various designated positions in company.
Resource management: Resource management is another key functional role human resource
department needs to play in organisation. Resource management functions on the basis of the
total resource available in the company proper utilisation of human resources it requires to
ensure so that all different designated roles in the organisation hierarchy of Marks and Spencer
Company can fulfil. Resource management is a key functional role human resource department
need to play in company. Resource management also put significance in proper utilisation of
company’s resources in the best manner.
Resourcing: Resourcing is another key role human resource department play in organisation.
Resourcing involve assessing the need of individual department and allocate the best possible
resources to such departments. Other than financial resources all resources require to such
department are allotted by human resource department in company (Raman and Nion, 2019).
Resourcing allows all such department to achieve all their different objectives behind the
business operations. Resourcing allows the human resource department to control the need and
requirements of various functional departments in company.
Employee development: Human resource department at Marks and Spencer Company also
needed to play role in employee development activity in company. Employee development
involves channelizing training and development campaign in organisation. Various training like
skill development training which teaches the soft and hard skills to employees, technical training
to control the technicalities of system and all other trainings like orientation and personality
development trainings are involved in this functional area (Krithika, Venkatraman and
Sindhujaa, 2019). This allows the employees of company to enhance the potential and
capabilities to meet the requirements of the associated designated position in company.

Channelizing recruitment and selection of employees: Recruitment and selection of candidate
is the prominent most functional role part of human resource management in the company. This
functional role involves on the basis of the needs and requirements of the organisation related to
human resource channelize the recruitment drive of company. In this functional area human
resource department visit various campus and other associated places to conduct job interviews
(Shumi and Begum, 2017). This is an important functional area part of the human resource
department in company. Recruiting candidates at different designated position allows company
to control and manage all different operations part of the organisation hierarchy of company.
Solving employee issues: Human resource management also play huge role in solving all
different issues of employee’s part of the organisation. Dealing with the issues of employee in
company is among the key role and responsibility associated with the human resource
department in company. It becomes essential to sustain the high level of employee satisfaction in
the organisation. Dealing with the issues of employees allows the department to satisfy the
employees of company associated at various designated position role in company (Budhwar,
2016). Solving issues of employee allows the company to achieve the high level of employee
satisfaction which further results into low employee turnover rate in organisation. Experienced
employee base proved as an asset for the company. This function play by human resource
department allows the company to improve its employee sustainability rate in company and
reduces the labour turnover rate in organisation.
The above-mentioned role and responsibilities are the different key functional areas
associated with the human resource department in Marks and Spencer Company.
P2. Strengths and weakness of different HRM practices
Human resource management follow the various practices in the best of their capacity in
company. Following are the points specifies different practices of department.
Internal recruitment
Human resource department in Marks and Spencer Company follow the practice of
internal recruitments. In case of internal recruitments department promote employees part of the
company at higher designated position role in company. In this practice all such employees
proved their productivity in operations of company get to promote at higher designated positions

in company (Harrison and Bazzy, 2017). This practice of human resource department allows the
company to motivate employees to enhance the productivity also so that they can get promotions
in company based on the internal structure of organisation. Company also offers on the job and
off the job recruitments in company.
Strengths of internal recruitment
 In motivate employees to perform more productive operations in company.
 Improve productivity of company’s operations.
 Reduces labour turnover rate of company.
 On the job recruitments also facilitate the growth opportunity.
Weakness of internal recruitment
 Motivate internal politics in company.
 Involvement of higher designated officials of company in the recruitment process.
 Off the job recruitments reduces the employee growth in company.
External recruitment
External recruitment is another practice follow by human resource department in Marks
and Spencer Company. In this practice department conducts recruitment drives of company at
various colleges and educational institutions. Department conducts on campus and off campus
placements in this practice to meet the various designated position role in company (Raja
Sreedharan and et.al., 2020). This is also consider as the prominent role and responsibility human
resources department associated in the company. On the basis of the organisation hierarchy of
company all the recruitments are conducts by department in company.
Strengths of external recruitments
 Allows company to introduce new talents at various designated positions in company.
 Improve work culture of company.

 Enhance growth opportunities for company.
Weaknesses of external recruitment practice
 Cost of external recruitment is higher as compare to internal recruitments practices.
 Company also require to train employees so that they can perform productive operational
tasks.
Talent management practices
Human resource department in Marks and Spencer Company also channelizes talent
management practices in company. In this practice department conducts various training sessions
for employees of Marks and Spencer Company. Different hard and soft skills are developed of
employees in these training sessions (Uddin and et.al., 2016). Technical skill development
training also provided to employees in these sessions. Department also conducts performance
analysis of employees so that performance based incentives also granted to employee’s part of
the company. All these training programs and practices run by human resource department
improves the overall growth and development of employee’s part of the company. These
practices also improves the work culture of company as well.
Strength of employee development practices
 Improves the overall growth and development of employee’s part of the company.
 Trainings improve the work capabilities of employees part of the organisation.
 Improve work culture of Marks and Spencer Company.
Weaknesses of employee development practices
 Time consuming practices.
 Not ensure about the positive results out of the practices.
 Many employee left organisation after few years which caused to disinvestment of
company in form of training and many other.

LO2
P3. Benefits of different HRM practices
Benefits for employer
Human resource management practices like internal recruitment benefits to employer. It
allows the organization to motivate employees of company towards performing more productive
operations to improve the overall work efficiencies they hold. Employees of company put more
efforts which eventually allows the company to achieve the overall objectives behind the
business operations company undertake (Mahmood and Alkahtani, 2018). External recruitment
practice undertake by Human resource department allows company to get the benefits of the
talent and skill new joinees carry in the personality. Incentives department provide allows the
company to monitor the productivity and work efficiencies of all individual employee’s part of
the company. All these different practices human resource department channelizes allow
company to achieve the overall objectives of the operations of company. Practices like reward
management, training and development, performance management allows the employer to
enhance the potential capabilities of employees part of the organisation.
Benefits to employee
All different practices undertaken by human resource department like internal recruitment
allows company’s employees to achieve the higher designated position role in the same
company. Practices like training and employee development activities allows employee of
company to learn and acquire new skill which can potentially improve the potentials they carry
in themselves. Employee get to increase the abilities they carry to perform the dutires which
significantly increases the career growth of such employees not only inside the Marks and
Spencer Company but in other companies also they get bigger growth opportunities.
P4 Effectiveness of different HRM practices
It is one of the prime responsibilities of the human resource management to recruit right
talent for the right place that is one of the major effectiveness of HRM practice through which
organization enables to have better functioning in the local level which is going to be evident
profitable for the business. Retailing sector has become one of the economical booster markets
among others. That’s why, lots of companies invests huge funds in this sector for improving their

revenue scale (Bondarouk, Trullen and Valverde, 2016). M&S plc is the retailing business
which operates its business into various countries across the world. But from past few years it is
facing price cut competition in the UK’s retail market. The reason behind is that, there are four
big super market companies i.e. Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury etc. which posses’ similar products and
services like M&S. Just because of this, it has to sell it’s product at lower cost that directly
impact on profit margin of products. In such situation, company requires to have better
functioning so that it can fulfil needs and preferences of customers which in exchange increase
profit margin of services and products. With this activity, company can sustain in the competitive
market and can achieve highly competitive advantage.
 Recruiting right talents
It is one of the major practices of the human resource managers at the M&S that helps to bring
high profitability and creates innovative working environment. HR manager hires right talent for
the particular job place so that company does have to do compromised with quality. With this
HRM practice, HR managers deal with different issues such as high employee turnover, lacking
behind of talented staff etc. and creates highly productive workforce in the workplace. This
practice is also improved potential of commitment of the M&S plc through which it establishes
strong brand image in the business market as well as customer’s mind. In addition, M&S gets
another benefit from this HRM practice like gets innovative and creative working force, increase
goodwill of the business in the retail sector, effective customer services and high productivity of
talented employees in the workplace (Naidoo and Gasparatos, 2018).
 Security to the staff
It is another key HRM practice at the M&S because it helps to maintain wellbeing of individuals
and their family. The reason behind is that every person wants that wherever they offer their
services that place must be highly secured. Management of the M&S provides various type of
securities to the employees like health and safety policy, employee compensation security,
workplace and individuals belonging security and others. These securities bring satisfaction in
individuals for the job and encourages them to give productivity in their working which
ultimately improves business performance in the business market. This HRM practice creates
positive working environment for the staff whereas they try to give their 100% in the workplace

without concerning about safety issues. Company also gets positive affect from the HRM
practice like improves individual’s performance, achieves short-term goals because individuals
are ready to spend additional hours except working hours for achieving number of targets in peak
period, Thus, M&S enables to stand on it’s commitment in the UK’s market (Otaye-Ebede,
2018).
 Fair treatment
It is another essential key HRM practice that impacts on organization profitability, operations
and performance. This key practice is not only supported company to retain talent employees but
also promotes them to give honest performance in the workplace. This is quite normal thing
when individuals get transparency in employment policy and other business activity then they
never seek for employment elsewhere and stands with company in each state. So, this practice is
considered one of the effective HRM practice (Bos-Nehlesand Meijerink, 2018). So, it is
essential for the Most treat all staff fairly and provides them equal opportunity in promotion and
decision-making policies which ultimately manage diversity in the workplace. In addition,
company gets various benefits from this HRM practice like it enables to build high customer in
the global market by improving level of satisfaction in them. It also does not have face to
employee conflicts in workplace while emerging change. In other word, with this practice
company enable to have better functioning in the local market.
 Affect productivity and profitability of M&S
From the above discussion has analyzed that HRM practices are responsible for business success.
For example, recruit right talent is one of the HRM practice that supports M&S to maintain high
profitability of talented and skilled staff through which it enables to improve demands of existing
products and services in customers. While fair treatment helps company to have better
functioning in its sector (Park, Chaiand Lee, 2018). Overall, key HRM practices helpM&S to
keep strong brand reputation in the domestic and global market.

LO3
P5 Significance of employees relations
Employees relation is essential for the organization success because when company have
good professional and personal working relation with the staff then it can achieve benefits and
profitability in the business. Employee engagement is essential for the business because it keeps
employee highly active and self-motivated in the workplace. So, it is considered prime
responsibility of the human resources because it helps to stay long in the competitive market.
Management of Marks & Spencer always concentrates on employee needs and their preferences
for the workplace and job. Then they try to make working environment highly creative and
friendly so that individuals work promptly and gives high attendance in the workplace during
peak period. There are another HRM practices such as fair treatment, appraisal system,
understand employees concerns and deals them effectively, involves in decision-making process
etc. assist to lead satisfaction in individuals and maintain sustainability in employee’s relation
(Bothaand Coetzee, 2017). However, managers of M&S plc create objectives in respect of
proposed goals so that different functional units put more efforts to achieve them that ultimately
brings closer to the company towards goals achievements. Managers also organize training and
development program to the staff in order to improve their working performance. However, this
training program gives opportunity to the individuals to learn new tactics and improves their
weak areas which impacts on their overall performance. Apart from this, company has
collaborated with health professional company for maintaining stress level of individuals in the
workplace during peak period. But, still M&S unable to gain sustainable competitive advantage
in the business market because they often fail to maintain relation with diverse workforce. So, if
M&S wants to achieve sustainable competitive advantage then leaders and managers works
together in the common platform to build sustainable relation between employer and employees.
There are some limitations of employee relations such as it requires high maintenance as well as
collaboration of staff then relationship can be maintained effectively between employer and
employees (Saeedand et.al., 2019).
P6 Key elements of employment legislation and it’s impact on decision-making of HRM
Marks & Spencer is a British multinational company which operates its business in
multiple countries across the world. There are various employment legislations i.e. workers

compensation, pay equality, wages and hours of work, occupational health & safety etc. which
are implemented by various companies in order to maintain sustainable business performance in
the business market. To work promptly in the business market as well as gains high profitability
through employees have to adapts various employment legislations by the M&S plc. There is a
fewer example to understand the above sated fact such as health and safety policy is considered
into employment legislation which imposed by All countries government in respect of
employee’s safety. Marks & Spencer offers health and safety policy to the staff that leads
satisfaction in individuals and their family and encourages them to put more efforts to gain
number of targets in peak period. Anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy also have
included in employment policy in order to ensure individuals that no employees will be harassed
or discriminated in the workplace by others. Management has goal to make working environment
highly creative so they take decision to bring diversity in the workplace. Anti-discrimination and
anti-harassment policies supports managers to lead diversity in the workplace as well as maintain
their wellbeing. Fair salary structure is also another key practice of the HRM through which
managers capable to lead satisfaction in diverse workforce as well as motivates themto give high
performance in the common platform (Hänninen, Smedlundand Mitronen, 2018). General data
protection regulation (GDPR)act also has practiced by M&S plc to ensure individual that no
private or general information will be disclosed to others (Xi, Zhaoand Xu, 2017). With this
approach M&S retains highly talented and skilled staff in the company and brings satisfaction in
them for the job. Thus, various legislations of employment have promoted HRM decision-
making process in the M&S plc in effective manner as resulted currently company is counted in
top four company in the UK market. However, organization has achieved various negative
impacts such as increase internal costs of company which directly impact on it’s economical
infrastructure.
LO4
P7 Application of HRM practice
Job Description
Job Description