Evaluating HRM Practices: A Case Study of Microsoft Corporation

Verified

Added on 2024/07/03

AI Summary

This report provides a detailed analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices at Microsoft, focusing on workforce planning, recruitment, and employee benefits. Scenario 1 explores the purpose and functions of HRM, including managerial and operational aspects such as planning, staffing, directing, controlling, reimbursement, labor law regulation, and employee relations. It also examines the strengths and weaknesses of different recruitment and selection approaches used by Microsoft, such as online advertisements, print media, written tests, and interviews. Scenario 2 explains the benefits of various HRM practices for both employers and employees, highlighting advantages in planning, staffing, direction, motivation, and legal compliance. The report emphasizes the importance of HRM in achieving organizational goals and maintaining a positive work environment. Desklib offers similar solved assignments and resources for students.

UNIT 3: Human Resource Management
1

Paraphrase This Document

Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Scenario 1........................................................................................................................................4
Introduction..................................................................................................................................4
Task 1...........................................................................................................................................4
Task 2.........................................................................................................................................10
Task 3.........................................................................................................................................12
Conclusion................................................................................................................................. 14
Scenario 2......................................................................................................................................16
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................16
Task 2.........................................................................................................................................21
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... 22
Reference List................................................................................................................................ 23
2

Introduction
Human resource function is related with the benefits of organization, keeping the records
recruiting new employees for the organization. The HR managers of an organization need to
have to come up with suitable planning and strategies for the organization to maintain these
entire factors suitably. In this assignment, one of the largest organizations Microsoft has been
chosen in order to judge the HR functions followed in the organization. Although the
organization has already managed to come up with innovative HR functions Purpose and the
functions of HRM, benefits of different HRM practices, key elements of Employment legislation
in the organization are the main consideration in this study.
3

Scenario 1
Introduction
The report consists of three individual tasks that are related to the practices of Human Resource
manager and the importance employee relations and employee legislation within the decision-
making procedures of the Human Resource manager and the Human Resource Department of
Microsoft.
Task 1
a) Explain the purpose and the functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and
resourcing an organisation. (P1) (M1)
Purpose of Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management is termed as the tactical approach in order to maintain effective as
well as efficient management of the organisational employees, so that the overall organisation is
able to gain competitive advantage within the international market through the efficient
contribution of the employees within the organisational boundary. The above mentioned
functions and its overall regulations are taken care by the Human Resource Department of the
particular organisation, which is governed by the Human Resource Manager (Bratton and Gold,
2017).
Functions of Human Resource Manager applicable to workforce planning and resourcing
Microsoft
The overall functions of the Human Resource manager are broadly divided into two categories
that are mainly Managerial and Operational Human Resource functions. Within the two
categories, there are functions are further divided into other specific roles and responsibilities
which are as follows:
Managerial Functions Planning
Within the organisational boundary of Microsoft, the Human Resource Manager as the Human
Resource department take significant decisions upon the major Human Resource factions such as
4

Paraphrase This Document

Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser

Payrolls extension, selection of PTO (paid time off), and advanced payrolls of the employees as
well as the employers working within the organisational boundary (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017).
The decisions upon the planning are created in such a way that those plans are under the ethical
considerations among the employee and the overall organisational structure, so that the employee
are able to work with full commitment and rejoice in order to fulfil the organisational vision. Staffing and Recruitment
Among the enlisted Human resource functions of the HR manager and the department within the
organisational boundary of Microsoft, Staffing and recruitment of the employees into the
organisation is the most significant HR function. The HR managers and the HR department of
Microsoft are said to use unbiased Selection and recruitment procedures, so that the candidates
who are applying for the job roles into the particular organisation can build loyalty and trust
towards the organisation (Delaney and Huselid, 2016). This helps the organisation in recruiting
talented and exceptional candidates within the company, so that the overall motive of Microsoft
to stand distictlky and prominently within the international market is ultimately achieved. Directing and Controlling
The Human Resource Manager and the department within the organisational boundary of
Microsoft take necessary and convenient steps to direct and control the performance and
productivity of the employees with the help of innovative Training and Development measures,
programmes and events (Snell et al., 2015). The HR managers within the organisation are
productive in nature and with the help of which they are able to create opportunities for the
employees through they will be able to raise their performance levels, which will ultimately
contribute in increasing the organisational productivity as a whole (Armstrong and Taylor,
2014). The training and development programmes are programmed in such a way that the
employees participating are able to develop their talents and skills in respective fields or within
those specified by the organisation itself. Motivation
Along with the other departmental managers, the Human Resource manager of Microsoft takes
initiatives for motivating the employees and workers at each distinct departmental levels of
5

Microsoft. The extent, to which the managers are found to motivate the employees and develop
their career at respective fields and positions, is quite exceptional (Snell et al., 2015). The reason
for the mangers to choose exceptional measures and techniques to motivate them is purposely for
enhancing employee career and creates opportunities for the organisation itself to raise
productivity within its operational market.
Operational Functions Reimbursement and Benefits
The Human Resource Manager of Microsoft operates in favour of both the organisation as well
as the employees. It is the responsibility of the HR manager of the organisation to evaluate the
performance and productivity of the employees and to make sure that those are able to contribute
in fulfilling the organisational aims and objectives (DeGeest et al., 2017). The employees that
are identified by the organisation and HR manager in particular, to work efficiently and
effectively according to their job roles and responsibility, are awarded by the managers and the
overall organisation with appraisals, benefits, holidays and others, regarding their exceptional
contribution to the organisation. Regulation of Labour Law
It is the major role of the Human Resource Manager and the department of Microsoft to ensure
that any of the employees and workers working within the organisational boundary is not
suffering due to any kind of discriminations, in equal behaviours or any kind of harassment. The
respective HR manager of the organisation has the responsibility to enforce the laws and
regulations in favour of employees such as Employee Equality, Discrimination, Equal Pay and
others according to the legislative functions of the nationality (Marchington et al., 2016). Employee Relations and Safer Working Environment
The Human Resource Manager as well as the overall department of Microsoft ensures that the
each and every employee and workers presently working within the organisation are seem to
have good relations with each others as well as with the organisation as a whole. It helps the
organisation to establish good and safer social environment through the organisational boundary.
In order to maintain such environment focusing upon the employee treatment, the HR manager
6

along with the finance manager organises events and programmes within the organisation
periodically for the employee where they will have the opportunity to meet with other employees
and build efficient employee relations (Albrecht et al., 2015).
b) Explain the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and
selection. (P2) (M2)
Recruitment
Online Advertisements
Within the organisational boundary of Microsoft, the specified job vacancies and positions are
posted to the online websites, social media platforms and networks, pointing out the job
specifications of the respective positions. The motive of the organisation is to advertise vacant
jobs and positions to the people as across the globe, so that the organisation is able to appoint
more numbers of talented candidates from the wider population (Job et al., 2015).
Print Media Advertisements
In some of the regions all across the globe, where there are less number of scope of internet and
particularly low influence of social media technologies, Microsoft advertise the vacant job
positions in those areas with the help of print media modes such as newspapers, magazines, and
others, so that they are able to appoint the talented candidates from the areas, having low
knowledge about social media and internet (Chen and Chuang, 2016).
Websites and Portals
Microsoft along with the online job portals and their own websites provides opportunities for
those candidates having excellent technical skills and experience within specific jobs that
requires wider knowledge of systems, machines and programming (Moghaddam et al., 2015).
Strengths Weakness
With the help of Online advertisements of jobs
through social media platforms and networks,
Microsoft has the wider opportunity for attracting
talents and skilled candidates from a wider
population. It helps the organisation to choose from
The major limitation of the use of Online
advertisements of job is that there are major issues
with the technologies that are offered by the social
media networks such as insecure interpretation of
candidates unauthentic information and others.
7

Paraphrase This Document

Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser

a wider and varieties of option. Form Filling option available within the online
advertisements may be hampered if there are more
numbers of technical issues within the particular
online advertisement mode.
Print Media advertisements of jobs and vacancies
are helpful for the organisation to identify talented
candidates from those regions within the globe that
are still uninfluenced by internet and social media
networks and platforms.
The amount of operational costs required
advertising through newsletters and magazines are
huge in order to print job applications forms and
job vacancy descriptions.
The job vacancies enlisted within the company’s
websites and other authentic job portals helps the
organisation to identify the talents of the
experienced candidates all across the globe.
There are some incidents when the fresh candidates
are more talented that compared to the experienced
ones. Therefore, the particular recruitment
approach serves as a limitation to identify and
recruit those candidates.
Table 1: Strengths and Weakness of Recruitment approaches of Microsoft
(Source: Created by the learner)
Selection
Written Tests
The particular written tests are the very first step to selects the candidates for fulfilling the job
vacancies within the organisation. The tests comprise more aptitude reasoning questions
compared to the technical and coding questions and the allotted duration is 75 minutes (Townley,
2014).
Technical Interview
After qualifying the written tests conducted within the organisational boundaries of the
Microsoft, the selected candidates are sent to participate in the technical interview conducted
within the similar boundary. Here the managers and the officials are said to ask the candidates to
attempt only three questions based on coding and other technical subjects
HR interview
After successfully qualifying the technical interview, the selected candidates are sent to
participate in HR interview which is conducted by the Human Resource manager of the
8

Microsoft to evaluate the soft skills and other professional qualities of the candidates. The
candidates after qualifying the particular stage are legally hired by the organisation within a
specific position.
Strengths Weakness
The Written tests are able to evaluate the
aptitude and reasoning of the candidates who
have applied for the specific job role.
Being a software organisation, it is worthless
to include less numbers of technical and
conceptually questions rather they number
shall be increased in order to evaluate the
knowledge of conceits among the candidates at
the very first selection procedure within
Microsoft.
The technical interview will help the
organisation to identify more number of
productive and efficient candidates.
Technical interviews are inefficient to
recognising the other skills of the candidates.
The HR interview helps to identify the soft
skills of the candidates even if they have sound
knowledge of technical concepts.
There may be some scenarios where the HR
interviews may be biased to appoint some
candidates to the organisation.
Table 2: Strengths and Weakness of Selection approaches of Microsoft
(Source: Created by the learner)
9

Task 2
a) Explain the benefits of different HRM practices within an organisation for both the
employer and employee. (P3)
HRM Practices Benefits
Planning Employees are provided
with the blueprint of the
working algorithm in
the organisation.
Employers are provided
with the to evaluate the
operations in order to
increase the
organisational
productivity.
Staffing and Recruitment Employees are provided
with opportunities for
career development.
Employers are able to
appoint talented
candidates within the
specific departments
Direction and Control Employees are able to
increase their
productivity and
working experience.
Employers will be
provided with well-
trained employees
within their teams.
Motivation Employees will be able
to gain more
commitment within
their job roles
(Rousseau, 2015).
Employers will be
benefitted with
increased workforce
within the
organisational
environment.
Regulation of Labour Law and Employee
Relations
Employees will be
provided with safer
working environment
and will be free from
any kind of bothering.
Employer will be
encouraged by the team
members and this will
add to their own career.
Table 3: Benefits of HRM practices
(Source: Created by the learner)
10

Paraphrase This Document

Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser

b) Evaluate the effectiveness of different HRM practices in terms of raising organisational
profit and productivity, using other organisations as examples to support your evaluation.
(P4)
According to the different scenarios and situations within the organisational boundary of
Microsoft, the HR manager and the department have to either adopt the Soft or Hard Human
Resource Management. Soft HRM helps the HR Manager to identify the employees as the most
significant assets and productive engines of the organisation. It helps them to motivate the
employees within the working environment and they are often found to be extremely committed
to the organisation. However, at the times of employee conflicts within the organisation, The HR
managers have to adopt Hard HRM approach as to make the employees disciplined through strict
measures (Tzabbar et al., 2017). This helps to increase the healthy employee environment within
the organisational boundaries.
11

Task 3
a) Provide a brief overview of the definition of employee relations and examine the
different approaches to it. Analyse the importance of employee relations in respect to
influencing HR decision-making. (P5)
The term employee relationship refers to the effort provided by the organization to manage the
overall relationships with the employees. According to the researches, organization with good
employee relationship can build up a good organization culture in the organization. This process
is helpful for the organization to deliver proper service to the customers with proper service
efficiency. Employee relationship is the part of the HR strategies, which helps to ensure most
effective use of the employees to accomplish the organization’s mission.
Different approaches of employee relationship:
Among the several approaches of employee relationship, most innovative three approaches are as
follows:
Psychological approach:
As per the opinion of the psychologist, the difference in perception of employer and employees
gives rise to several problems for the organization. By this process, there are several conflicts
arises in the organization. Proper communication with the employees and suggesting exact
solutions of the problems helps to improve the employee relationship for the organization.
Sociological approach:
Organizations are the part of society and employees come in the organization from different
family background and cultures. The cultural difference and the relationship among the
employees of the organization raise a conflict that directly affects the efficiency of the
organization.
Human relationship approach
Employees in the organization require security of service, well payment and proper working
environment in the organization. The employers need to understand the needs attitude and the
12