Human Resource Management Report: Marks & Spencer Plc Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices within Marks & Spencer Plc. It begins with an introduction to HRM and its strategic importance in achieving organizational goals. The report then delves into the purpose and functions of HRM, focusing on workforce planning, resourcing, recruitment, selection, orientation, training, development, and employee performance management within the context of Marks & Spencer. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of both internal and external recruitment methods, followed by an exploration of the benefits of HRM practices for both employers and employees, including conflict resolution, training, flexible workplaces, and employee retention. The report also touches on the importance of employee relations and key elements of employment legislation, offering a holistic view of HRM's role in a multinational retail environment.

Human Resource Management

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is the area of management which is initiated with strategic
approach to effective utilization of resources and planned workforce, so that they help business
to gain competitive advantage and attain goals and targets properly (Schuler, 2012). In
organisation, HRM is the source to gain strength and realistic opportunities. In current scenario,
organisation has more pumping funds and money to make it effective and proper to achieve
organisational goals. This report will be carried on Marks & Spencer Plc is the leading
multinational retailer which lead its business in clothing, home care products, food product and
luxury goods. This report will cover various purpose and function of the HRM in the context and
also the strength and weaknesses of different approach of recruitment and selection stage. This
will also put light on benefits of different HRM practices in context with both employer and
employee. Apart from this, it will put discussion on ground of importance of an employee
relation to influence decision making and key elements of employment legislation.
TASK 1
P1 Purpose and functions of HRM in the workforce planning and resourcing an organisation.
Human resource management is considered as strategic approach for the purpose of an
effective management of an organisation's workforce, so they would gain the business advantage
for the long period of time (Riscoe, 2016). For HRM, it has been designed for maximising the
employee's efficiency and performance for accomplishing the defined goals or targets of an
organisation. In context with Marks & Spencer, purpose and function of the human resource
management should be well-defined and acknowledged. As Marks & Spencer is the leading
clothes and garments retailer in United Kingdom, it is necessary that HRM should be implement
in such a way that goals or objectives of a company would attain and achieve properly and
effectively. The purpose and function of the human resource management are as follows:
Purpose: The main purpose of human resource management is to regulate and take care
of the HR practices in order to maintain the function and activities for the purpose to achieve
long term goals or objectives of an organisation. Hence, in order to avoid this, Marks & Spencer
needs to link various strategies and plan with the purpose to achieve organisational goals or
targets.

Function: Organisation is regarded as combination of many people who works with
common purpose of surviving business, hiring workforce, giving them training and development
and motivate them for purpose of achieving company's objectives and defined targets. In context
with Marks & Spencer, there are various function of human resource management which are as
follows:
Recruitment & Selection: In context with Marks & Spencer, this is the major function of
human resource management of the company to recruit most suitable and perfect candidate,
select them and train and develop for fulling the required vacancy and space. Here, perfect
candidate means person with right skills, talent, knowledge and information. For this purpose,
HR professional needs to be competent in order to judge and notice the behaviour, attitude and
personality of the person (Gold, 2017).
Orientation: It means process when any new employee introduced to existing employer's
and employee, aware about infrastructure, systems, hierarchical structure, products an d service
of an organisation. In context with Marks & Spencer, it is the duty of HR professional to make
new employee aware about the current and future trends and past of the company. In this
function HR should provide the clear insight about the vision & Mission of the company, targets,
products or services etc.
Training and development: This is the prime and foremost function of every organisation.
In context with Marks & Spencer, after the recruitment & selection and orientation of an
employee, next phase is training and development of them. This phase is very challenging and
critical activities of the HR professional, where an employee needs to learn, adapt and gain
various:
Knowledge: Regarding the current market scenario, about company, their products or
services, customer profile, acknowledgement etc.
Skills: Such as communication skills, attitude building, personality development,
dressing sense, customer engagement etc(Bratton, 2017).
For Marks & Spencer, it is the major duty and responsibility of the HR manager to make
sure that all the activities regarding the training and development should be conducted with
proper rules and regulations.
Managing employee performance: In context with Marks & Spencer, effective employee
performance is necessary for the organisation to achieve their well-structured goals and targets.

Employee performance generally comes from high level motivation, inspiration, confidence by
the seniors and top level executives and person. In order to enhance performance of an
employee, Marks & Spencer should provide adequate pay and compensation, performance based
incentives etc. This will help company to attain their long term objectives and goals (Taylor,
2014).
Enhancing good working conditions: This is the main function of HRM in which HR
executives of the Marks & Spencer needs to implement and formulate strategies and plans for
enabling and motivating their employee's to achieve their defined goals and targets and also
enhancing the effective and proper working culture in the company.
P2 Explain the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection
Recruitment is the process of searching for the prospective candidate and stimulating and
motivating them to apply for the job. It involves looking for an appropriate candidate by giving
advertisement in the newspaper, journals and magazine and on employment websites or portals
(Armstrong, 2015). This involves internal and external sources of recruitment. After recruitment,
selection is the second process, when candidate is judged on the basis of aptitude, analytical,
behaviour, personality and attitude etc. In context with Marks & Spencer, it is necessary and
important to understand and analyse various strength and weaknesses of both the concepts. The
following discussion will be taken place to know the current and future scope and chances of
improvement and rectification. The explanation on this matter is as follows:
Recruitment:
Internal recruitment: It involves recruiting candidate from inside or those who already
employed in an organisation. It is completely based on merit cum seniority basis. In this, suitable
candidate is to be hired from the existing base of workforce such as transfer, promotion and
references etc. The strength and weaknesses are as follow:
Strength:
Saving time and cost: In this, employee is generally hired from internal sources such as
through promotion, transfer to the higher opportunities and references. It is helpful in saving time
and cost for recruitment and selection (Purce, 2014).
Less risky: Internal recruitment is less risky and protected. In this, employee for desired
job position is hired from either the current base or past employee. So, in that case, organisation

is no need to hire and look for an employee from outside sources. Hence, it will result in less
time and cost saving (Maguire, 2013).
Weaknesses:
Limited excess to employee: In this sources of recruitment, candidates are limited and
required skills, knowledge and talent are not available at the higher level. Hence, it will also lead
to less skilled employee.
External recruitment: It involves hiring most prospective and appropriate candidate
outside the company. In that case, company needs to hire an employee from outside sources such
as recruitment agencies, newspaper advertisement, other companies, campus placement,
employee referrals, job fair, employment agencies etc. (Renwick, 2016 ). In context with Marks
& Spencer, it will be beneficial for company to get and hire most talented and skilled employee's
in their organisation. The strength and weaknesses of external recruitment are as follows:
Strength:
Wide range of candidate: In this source of recruitment, there are large number of person
for available designation or job role. So, employer used to hire candidate from outside sources
such as through employment agencies, campus placements, job fair, employee referral etc.
Through this, company would get most skilled, talented and well-equipped by knowledge
candidate.
Weaknesses:
Cost and time consuming: This is one of the most critical and time consuming source of
recruitment. In this, organisation is required to incur huge cost in advertisement in newspaper,
magazine, journals along with recruiting through third party, employment agencies where
company needs to give some percent of commission.

Illustration 1: Types of Recruitment, 2018
Selection: It is the process of differentiating between applicants in order to identify those who
have factors such as appropriate skills, talent and knowledge and higher likelihood for the job. It
involves several tests such as aptitude test, personality test, analytical test, case study analysis
etc. (McEvoy, 2012). This process comes after the recruitment and can take along with the
interview stage. The main strength of selection is that it provides appropriate candidate who is
equipped by relevant skills, knowledge and talent to perform their tasks or job. Such candidate is
used to come after the entire process of hiring. The main weaknesses are it leads to incurring of
high cost and time consuming.
TASK 2
P3 Explain the benefits of different HRM practices for employer and employee
HRM practices are essential in an organisation for both employees and employers. In
Marks and Spencer to manage organisational activities and to improve employee’s performance
human resource management has important role (Buller, 2016). It involves different activities
such as – recruiting, training, firing, paying, employee welfare administration, etc. All these

activities are incomplete without employees and employer coordination. There are different
benefits of HRM practices to both employees and employers such as – increasing motivation,
training and development, retaining qualified employees, flexible workplace, maintaining good
relations, etc.
Employees benefits: - There are different benefits for employees by applying HRM
practices which are described here:
Conflict solving: Human resource management helps in solving conflicts arisen between
employees or management in the organisation (Fine, 2012). In context to Marks and Spencer
they help in interpreting operations and policies of company and determines suitable behaviour
in the organisation. Along with this they make efforts to provide appropriate solutions for
different matters such as - improper language, poor attitude, insubordination, and any other ill-
mannered behaviours in the organisation.
Training and development: - It is also one of the important role of human resource
management to provide effective training and development to employees. In Marks and Spencer
they execute various training programmes considering employees needs and requirements to
improve their performance. HRM practise refers to an asset for employees, as it is useful for
improving their skills to serve customers. Individuals working in M&S can take appropriate
benefit of continuous training programmes organised by HRM (Szamosi, 2018).
Information resources: - It is also one of the important responsibility of human resource
management. In M&S HR managers provides all relevant information related to employees such
as – assisting programmes, different benefits, compensatory advantages, leave of absence, etc.
For example – If an employee's leader is not able to provide answer for any question , then it will
be answered by HR department.
Employers benefits: - Some advantages of HRM practices for employers are explained
below:
Flexible workplace: - Effective HRM practices helps in building flexible environment in
workplace. In Marks and Spencer present employers also excepts contrasting conditions in
comparison of past. It is easy to keep more flexibility in the organisation, as today's workers and
their skills are diversified. Flexible workplace involves work location, work groups composition,
accountability, work assignment, communication types, etc (Johnson, 2018).

Developing better relations: - Keeping better relationships with workers in the
organisation helps employers in their development tracking. In Marks and Spencer it supports in
assessing their performance and appropriate actions are taken, in order to control them. Human
resource management drafts company's marketing programme and business.
Encouraging optimistic behaviour: - Applying HRM practices in M&S will help in
promoting positive behaviour between employers and employees. It helps in motivating them
and becoming more efficient. It creates favourable situations in the environment and make them
productive.
Retaining educated employees: - Human resource practices plays an important role in
recruiting and selecting qualified employees. In Marks and Spencer, it supports flexibility and
easy approach in workers advantages. Its benefit to employers is that they gain well educated and
qualified staff in the organisation. Therefore, it helps in reducing turnover and controlling risk.
P4 Effectiveness of different HRM practices for organisational profit and productivity.
HRM will be effective for Marks & Spencer in regarded with raising profit and achieving
goals or targets of an organisation (Daley, 2012). Since after the implementation of the Marks &
Spencer, company has been grown at the huge level and raised their productivity at the greater
level. There are various effectiveness of HRM practices in context with company are increasing
employee morale, productivity, efficiency etc. In context with Marks & Spencer, detailed and
comprehensive explanation is required for the betterment understanding of effectiveness of HRM
practices:
Innovation and high performing employee: It is the role and responsibility of the human resource
management to promote healthy and innovative environment to motivate and enhance their
employee to work effectively and efficiently for attainment of an organisational goals (Kim,
2012). In Marks & Spencer, it would be beneficial for an employee to increase their productivity
as well as their contribution in the profit making for Marks & Spencer.
TASK 3
P5 Importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision making
Employee relation is refer to as the company’s efforts to maintain the relationship
between an employee and employer for accomplishment of common goals. Maintaining healthy

and well-motivated employee relation is pre-requisites for every organisational success.
Favourable employee relationship is required for higher productivity and employee satisfaction.
It is taken into the consideration for removal of issues and problems relating to the people
management in an organisation. In context with Marks & Spencer, company should ensure that
good employee relations should be motivated and given more priority to accomplish defined
goals or targets. It is required to discuss importance of employee for influencing effective HRM
decision making in a proper and effective way:
Helpful in the employee loyalty: Creation of motivating and encouraging working
environment will help Marks & Spencer to increase employee loyalty towards their organisation.
If there is an effective employee relation, it would help an organisation in a several ways such as:
employee retention, effective training and development, pay and remuneration, reducing cost of
managing workforce etc. For organisation, it is required to enhance will power of an employee to
work and perform their task or work efficiently (Alton, 2013).
Enhance productivity: In context with Marks & Spencer, strong relation among
employee to create pleasant atmosphere in an organisation. Effective productivity always comes
from employee productivity and increased morale of them. In current scenario, companies are
investing more on employee relationship such as tours, visits, parties etc. This is required to
make each and every employee adjust and share their value and thoughts.
Delegation of work: Employee relation is very efficient in the proper and effective
delegation of work and task. Through delegation, it would easy to make good and effective
relations among employee by providing equal opportunity to everyone with the proper skills and
talent of an employee. For delegation, it is required to have equal contribution, vision, mission
and values of an employee to make it happen. In context with Marks & Spencer, in order to gain
effectiveness in work, it is necessary to have delegation in both work and roles and
responsibilities (Daley, 2012).
Pure communication: It is necessary to have effective and pure communication skills,
personality, and attitude to influence the behaviour of senior person or employer as well as other
employee or colleagues of an organisation. Employee relation plays thee significant role in an
overall development and modification of an organisation. For accomplishing goals and
objectives of the Marks & Spencer, employee may wish to take various interaction such as eye-
breaking session, self-introduction, mutual understanding etc. For Marks & Spencer, it is

suggestible for company to conduct all given interaction for every two months. It would
definitely result in achievement of business targets and goals.
After such discussion, Marks & Spencer could get several opportunities to improve their
relation between employee and employer. Mutual understanding and consent is important to
raise the confidence and motivation of the workforce to enables long term collaboration and team
work for purpose of attaining goals and targets
P6 Key elements of employment legislation and the impact it has upon HRM decision making.
In context with Marks & Spencer, there are various legislation with regarded to
employment and decision making process for the development and achieving the business goals
or objectives are as follows:
Employment legislation: It is the law which regulate the employment in the organisation
with everyone who is working. Employment law is important, as it ensures identification of
employees to be employed or not. It determines relationship of both employers and workers.
Businesses having more employees, should use employment law (Kim, 2012). These legislations
are made by government and state law, in order to secure rights of employees working in the
organisation. In context to Marks and Spencer these laws are for employee’s protection such as –
promoting safety and welfare, protecting discrimination, formation of required level to support
economically, minimising work interruption because of organisational conflicts, etc. There are
different acts for employees which are explained under:
Fair Labour Standards Act: This law was made in 1938 and since its origin it has been
altered many times. The Fair Labour Standards Act is an employment law which regulates
different business activities such as child labour legislation, minimum wages, extra pay to the
employees who are doing overtime, record keeping, etc. In Marks and Spencer using these laws
by human resource management will promote employee’s protection and provide appropriate
wages for their work.
Occupational Health and Safety Act: - This act was made in 1970 by Occupational
Health and Safety Administration. These laws need company agreement with different laws
which helps in preventing workers from dangerous working surroundings (Kianto, 2012). In
marks and Spencer this law will provide safety measures to employees who informs about
presence of uncertainties in the workplace. The HR managers should keep certification of all

information related to dangerous materials and must train employees for unsafe jobs in the
organisation.
The Age Discrimination Act: - The Age Discrimination Act was enforced in 1967. This
legislation is for the protection of employees and individuals completed the age of 40. It protects
them from discrimination in the workplace or during recruitment process. In context to Marks
and Spencer this law should help those employees from discrimination who are over the age of
40 and protect them against it.
The Medical Disability Act: - The medical disability act describes how an employee is
treated in a disable condition, as it is for employee’s favour (Andreeva, 2016). In Marks and
Spencer this act is applicable as it is a big organisation and it has many employees who should be
protected from discrimination on the disability basis.
The Equal Pay Act: - The equal pay act was enacted in 1963. It protects employees from
paying different wages on basis of gender for same responsibility level and position of
employees. In context to Marks and Spencer, company should determine that everyone should
get equal salary and should be protected from discrimination of extra pay.
Impact of these legislation on HRM practises: - Human resource management has
essential role in coordinating these laws in the workplace. In context to Marks and Spencer the
HR manager should complete all the formalities and liabilities related to law. The influence of
these laws is regarding to employees, as they impact their working environment, work load,
salary problems, etc.
TASK 4
P7 Application of HRM practices in a work-related context
Human resource management is the field of management which basically deal with
managing and controlling the manpower and workforce in an organisation to obtain the effective
and productive results. The major role of HRM is its overall contribution in the developing and
making the manpower or workforce capable to complete and perform in his/her more confidently
and efficiently. Also, its role is to pro-active cultural and working environments in an
organisation. Human resource management has several roles such as motivating, co-ordinating
and enhancing an individual to increase its productivity and effectiveness for any task to be
performed. In Marks & Spencer, company has to prepare the job advertisement which will cover

both job description along with the specification of the person. It is similar as the job analysis.
Organisation needs to identify the potential and reliable candidate for the required and available
job designation. For this, Marks & Spencer needs to discuss job description along with person
specification for hiring the prospective candidate in the company are as follow:

Job Description
Marks & Spencer
Job code: 342R
Job title: Marketing manager
PFD exemption: Yes
Report to: General manager
Date of joining: 15. December, 2018
Summary: The marketing manager should be responsible for all promotional and marketing
campaign for creating awareness of the product and also the brand image. The person must have
adequate and proper skills, talent and knowledge. They need to align and utilize it for
development and welfare of the company.
Roles & Responsibilities
 The main role is to deliver company with profit and revenue generation along with the
achievement of the marketing goals and objectives.
 To conduct campaign and marketing activities such as public engagement, customer
management and acquisition.
 To maintain the brand image and awareness of the Marks & Spencer product & services.
 To generate maximum profitability through marketing and promotional activities.
Person specification
Job code: 342R
Job title: Marketing manager
PFD exemption: Yes
Date of joining: 15, December, 2018
Required Skills: Interpersonal skills, analytical potential, negotiation skills and communication
ability. Candidate should be well-mannered and must have effective personality and attitude to
tackle the work and problems properly.
Experience: Minimum 2 year plus experience in the managerial position with an adequate
knowledge and skills.

Qualification: Must be diploma in managerial course with marketing and finance
Language: Well-formal in the English and other regional language
Other attributes: Candidates should be equipped with negotiation, grievances management and
arbitration skills etc.

CONCLUSION
From the above report, it is concluded that human resource management is an important
aspect in an organisation. It deals with managing and regulating the manpower in order to raise
their potential and ability to attain self as well as organisational goals and targets. It is useful to
discuss the purpose and function of the human resource management practices and activities.
Employment legislation has provided the support to an employee regulation and function in
contribution to the organisation. In the company, employee relations have resulted in effective
co-ordination between employer and employee within the organisation. Every recruitment and
selection process have their own importance and benefits. It is necessary to understand and know
failure in these process to make it effective and efficient.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals

Online
Purpose of Human Resource Management. 2018. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-management/chapter/purpose-of-human-
resource-management/>.