Strategic Human Resource Management Practices at M&S & Mothercare

This report provides an overview of strategic human resource management (HRM) practices, policies, and functions within Marks & Spencer (M&S) and Mothercare plc. It covers key concepts such as high commitment HRM, employment security, self-managed teams, employee involvement, and the differences between hard and soft HRM approaches. The analysis includes the impact of external forces on HR strategic decisions, such as economic, political, and technological factors. The report also examines how both companies utilize the Ulrich model to manage HR functions and competitiveness, highlighting the importance of HRM in organizational success. The document emphasizes the role of training, employee involvement, and maintaining a supportive working environment to enhance employee performance and achieve organizational goals. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and resources for students.

STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................2
CONCEPTS........................................................................................................................................3
HIGH COMMITMENT HRM AND PERFORMANCES......................................................................3
EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AND LABOUR MARKETS......................................................................3
SELF-MANAGED TEAMS...............................................................................................................4
EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT, INFORMATION SHARING AND WORKER VOICE..............................4
EXTENSIVE TRAINING LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT...............................................................4
HARD HRM AND SOFT HRM........................................................................................................5
EXTERNAL FORCES AND EFFECT ON HR STRATEGIC DECISION...................................................6
ANALYSIS OF HR FUNCTIONS, POLICIES AND PRACTICES................................................................8
CONCLUSION...................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES...................................................................................................................................10
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INTRODUCTION
The human resource management can be defined as the emerging practice, which major aim is
to organizing, managing and controlling the business operations. The major function of the
HRM practices is to recruiting and selecting the people for the organization; who can be able to
do the work effectively and in the manner according to gain success. With the proper planning
and managing services, they can also motivate the other staff members of their organization
and develops their abilities too. It can also be said that the HRM is a coherent and strategic
approach that employ, associate and develops the quality standards of the company as well.
The chosen organizations for this assignment are Marks & Spencer and Mothercare plc.
Marks & Spencer is the British multinational company of fashion apparels that provides wide-
ranging of branded clothing to the women, kids and the men. It was established in 1884 in the
UK and now the total overall revenue of the company can be estimated approximately £10.622
billion.
The organization called Mothercare Plc., Is the British retailer that provides services and goods
for the mothers and children. They also work according to enhance the well-being of mothers.
The HRM practices and functions will be discussed with reference to these both the
organization.
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CONCEPTS
As human resource management refers to the practices by which the organizational culture and
structure can be carried out effectively. It majorly comprises the operations like recruiting,
selecting, training and development, performance appraisal, recognition and many others. They
majorly work according to maximize the level of performances of an individual as well as
reduces the chances of conflicts and issues accordingly. They continuously make planning and
effective decisions according to the enhancement of efficiency with the strong employee
relations.
HIGH COMMITMENT HRM AND PERFORMANCES
There are variously practised and approaches have been utilized in order to increase the
awareness among the people throughout the working performances and environment. Various
components have also given an insight into the differences through the nature and scope of the
HRM practices accordingly. Following are the different components is described below that can
regulate the best practices of HRM functions such as –
EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AND LABOUR MARKETS
Every organization has follows the employment legislation and rules for protecting the rights
and the well-being of people. It also increases the awareness among people in accordance with
the labour issues and other problems. Minimum wages, hour working, paid leave, maternity
leave, health and safety and many other aspects are to be considered as the legislation that the
organization followed for the employment security and protection of their rights accordingly.
The suppliers of the organization are major key stakeholder that has an equally important in the
workplace. The HRM also conducts training programs for the suppliers along with the
employees and staff. The job security and employment protection is the much more
underpinning aspect of the HRM that can help in gaining effective working strategies for the
employees. It also gives the potential power to the employees and entire staff workers for
working so hard in order to accomplish the goal and objectives. As the Mothercare and M&S
both the companies provide their services and goods online too as well as by the physical
stores, so both the stores require numbers of staff members, who are able to manage the
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working criteria accordingly. High commitment HRM practices might be helpful for enhancing
the competencies, the motivation of people and also gives the opportunity to the employees
that improve their performance level.
Safety and security of the employees and entire working staff within the workplace are more
important that sets the standards and priorities of the organization. The internal stakeholders
of the companies are more likely to work inappropriately, so the high commitment HRM
practices make the strategies and ensure their safety and security with the comfort level. They
work according to enhance their trust and job satisfaction by also maintaining sustainability
within the workplace.
SELF-MANAGED TEAMS
Team working criteria is the major element that can ease the services and gives an accurate
result. With the effective team working criteria, an organization can easily gain the positive
outcome of the customer satisfaction accordingly. In order to development and growth of the
company, the workers collaborate with each other and the HRM allocates the roles and
responsibilities to them as per their experiences. The major attribute of the team members is to
attain the organizational goals. They also help in making a strategic decision for the further
development and leading into a better position. The organizations like M&S and the
Mothercare manage their working operations with the accessing of team working criteria
towards gaining success and positive outcome.
EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT, INFORMATION SHARING AND WORKER VOICE
There are various factors and aspects by which the financial performance level and the high
paradigm of commitment level can be acquired. Employee involvement in the decision making
and other working processes of the organization may help in resolving many of the problems as
well as helps them to feel more valuable. It maintains the strong relationship among the
workers.
EXTENSIVE TRAINING LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
As it is well known that the training and development is the major function of HRM
department. After recruiting and selecting the candidates for the organization, they conduct
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training program; so the people can develop their skills and abilities. They equally provide
opportunities to the people and help them to deal with the situations accordingly. With the
effective training program, an employee can easily develop their skill set according to the needs
and requirements. Firstly they analyze the issues and weak areas of the people and then help
them to improve the performances. By measuring the time efforts and working operations,
they make the strategies accordingly.
Within the organization like M&S and the Mothercare, the field of HRM extensively carried the
operations and involves their employees and staff workers to the decision making process; by
which they can also set their standards and perform better. The planning model and the
strategic action of the organizational field majorly based on the measurable ROI and the human
capital. In order to manage the working operations and controlling the Human resources, the
best way is too high commitment HRM practices. It also helps in integrating the different
service areas that can critically evaluate the performances of employees and entire workforce
accordingly.
Moreover, the organization called Mothercare plc. Provide guidance to the people and also
works according to increase the awareness among the women, so that they can keep
themselves fit and healthy during their pregnancy stage. On the other hand, the M&S provides
fashion apparel and wide-ranging of clothing and accessories. Supply and demand chain
management of these both the organizations are comparatively high that helps in gaining
maximum profit rate.
HARD HRM AND SOFT HRM
Human resource management is the vital function for the organizational success, which major
aim is to recruitment and selection, training and development, recognition, performance
appraisal, management of conflicts, resolution of problems, leadership development,
improvement of performances, relationship building, compensation and benefits and many
others. The hard HRM comprises basic functions while soft HRM includes advanced functions
and practices of the organization.
HARD HRM-
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The practices of hard HRM have been utilized by the organization effectively towards meeting
the requirements and improving the level of performances accordingly. Within the
organization, it is possible to raise conflicts among the workers and staff members. In order to
reduce these negative consequences, many of the approaches are to be considered and
focused by the HRM. The challenging situations and other weak links are to be reduced by the
efforts of HRM. Promotional tactics, benefits or recognition, structured training and
development schemes and other activities help the people to do their work perfectly in order to
gain competitive advantages.
SOFT HRM
It is defined as the employee management system where the staff workers and employees are
to be considered as imperative assets, which is responsible for the development and growth of
the organizations. They have been utilized soft stand relies on accordance with a person-
centred approach that also directs rewards and compensation practices accordingly.
CHARACTERISTICS HARD HRM SOFT HRM
Recruitment It is based on the abilities of
people.
It is based on the potential,
attitude and working
performance.
Objectives Analyzing needs and providing
required resources.
Team building and motivating
the employees.
Workplace culture Hierarchical structure Shared culture
System and tools Manual Effective system
Employer attitude Task-oriented People-oriented
EXTERNAL FORCES AND EFFECT ON HR STRATEGIC DECISION
There are various kinds of internal or external aspects that can affect the strategies and working
operations of the organization. Immigration, political and economic impacts, legal issues,
globalization, labour market area, environment issues, socio-cultural impacts and many other
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external forces are affecting the business administration and the working operations. Economic
recession, inflation, high pricing, climatic effects are also being considered in this category.
These external forces highly impacted the business operations as well as performances of the
staff members accordingly. Apart from that, uncertain climatic effects and the economic issues
badly influence the organization. In order to promote the services and goods of the
organization, a climatic condition plays an imperative role. Information on sale and other
relevant aspects are to be promoted by the organization effectively that can benefit the
organization but climatic issues majorly affect the way of working and the transportation
services.
Apart from that, the technology also plays an imperative role in the development and growth. It
fastens the services and helps in gaining positive outcome. It reduces the cost and other
expenditure measures. With the proper use of technical frames, it will be easier to enhance the
productivity and effectiveness. The use of internet of things is also helpful for the promotional
activities of the companies that increases awareness and helps in enhancing the brand value
accordingly.
Demographical conditions also affect the strategies and working operations, which is organized
by the working staff. It is most important to research the market and analyze the needs of the
people according to provide them with such required services with the satisfactory outcome.
The HRM of the organizations makes the strategies and then used many approaches for
attracting the people. Age, gender, location and the nationality of people is measured in these
criteria for providing the services to the people according to the trend. As it is well known that
there is huge competition in the marketplace and each of the organization makes their own
strategies and regulations for gaining the competitive advantages. Moreover, the HRM
department of the company gives the opportunity to the people as well as motivates them by
different tactics, so that they can easily perform better towards accomplishing the goals and
objectives. Due to high competition and market trends, they must choose the right candidate
for their organization, who can be able to enhance the effectiveness and productivity.
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ANALYSIS OF HR FUNCTIONS, POLICIES AND PRACTICES
In order to manage functions and competitiveness within the marketplace, the HR department
of both the companies like Mothercare and M&S have been utilized the Ulrich model. It helps in
providing a better understanding of the factors and manages the performance level as well.
Figure: Ulrich Model of HRM
[Source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/99571841744620915/?lp=true]
The major role of HR services can advise on the employment relationship that also coordinates
working climates with the organizational support.
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CONCLUSION
It is concluded that the HRM practices play an imperative role in managing, directing, and
controlling of the operations. Different policies and functions of HRM have been described with
the high commitment HRM practice; which manages working operations of the organization
and helps in increasing awareness among the people accordingly. Furthermore, the models and
other soft or hard HRM practices have been discussed.
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REFERENCES
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