Report on HRM Practices: Workforce Planning and Employee Relations

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, focusing on Sainsbury's as a case study. It begins by explaining the purpose and functions of HRM in the context of resourcing and workforce planning, highlighting the roles of building diverse teams and developing talent. The report then discusses the strengths and weaknesses of various recruitment and selection approaches, including internal and external recruitment methods, online screening, interviews, and aptitude tests. Furthermore, it examines the benefits of HRM practices such as training and development, rewards and recognition, and performance management for both employers and employees. The significance of employee relations in influencing HRM decision-making and the impact of employment legislation are also explored. The report concludes with practical examples illustrating the application of HRM practices within a work-related context at Sainsbury's, emphasizing the importance of HRM in enhancing productivity, profitability, and employee satisfaction.

Human resource
management

Contents
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................3
PART A...........................................................................................................................................3
Explanation of purpose & functions of Human Resource management in context to resourcing
and workforce planning of an organization.................................................................................3
Explain the strengths & weaknesses of various approaches to recruitment as well as selection.
......................................................................................................................................................5
Explain the benefits of different Human Resource Management practices within an
organization for both the employer as well as employee.............................................................7
Efficiency of various practices of HRM in context of increasing profit margin.........................8
Significance of employee relation in term of influencing decision making of HRM..................9
Key factors of employment legislation and effect upon HRM decision-making........................9
PART B.........................................................................................................................................10
Illustrate the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific examples
....................................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is defined as the function of recruitment, selection,
orientation, induction, performance appraisal and so on in compliance with labour laws. It plays
an important role in maintaining employee relation and motivation as well. The main objective
of human resource department is to hire the best and effective candidate for the company who
has the capability to perform activities in a proper manner (Bailey, Kelliher and Garavan, 2018).
It also provide training and development session to the staff members that has positive influence
on productivity and profitability of the company. For the present report, Sainsbury’s is taken into
consideration. It is the second largest multinational retailer in United Kingdom. The company
has presence in more than 15 countries and have around 12,000 employees. It was founded in the
year 1869 and its head office is located in London, UK. The report consist of two parts as in the
first part scope, purpose as well as functions of human resource management. Along with this,
the report will cover different approaches of recruitment & selection with its strength as well as
weaknesses. Moreover, Various HRM practices along with its influence on productivity and
performance is described properly. Furthermore, employee relation and its benefits to both
employee and employer is cover in the report. In the second part, applications of Human
resource management practices is elaborated properly in the report.
PART A
Explanation of purpose & functions of Human Resource management in context to resourcing
and workforce planning of an organization.
Human resource Management is formally notified as HRM, it is a fundamental
organizational practice that is undertaken for fulfilling the workforce needs of the entity by
hiring, recruiting, doing and managing the people who are working in the company. Human
Resource Department of the entity are responsible for several tasks such as creating policies,
putting them into effect and controlling and governing them in accordance to manage the people
efficiently. The Human Resource Department of Sainsbury like every other company's
department perform multiple roles with separate purposes and functions. Thus, role, function and
purposes of HRM of Sainsbury are elaborated underneath which are applicable to workforce
planning and resources in the company.
Role of HRM:

 Building diverse teams- Diversity in workplace is a very common aspect nowadays
which creates and increases the competitiveness of the organisation. Diverse teams
several experts holds different point of views are inspired by their experiences and
inspirations. This time the Human Resource Department place an important role of
bringing people together by developing synergy among their mentality and viewpoints.
The HRM department of Sainsbury is responsible for overseeing the recruitment process
for building the diverse teams for the company and specifically works to develop a
mixture of different personalities rather than number of women and men in management.
 Developing and retaining talents- The modern era of business and practices is evolving
and it turns out that organisations like Sainsbury are significantly dependent upon the
quality of their employees and their performances (Banfield, Kay and Royles, 2018).
Huge amount of money is invested in development of workforce as well as a lot of time
is spend as well in the similar activity. Very common purpose behind the same is true to
increase the ability is of individuals and build a competitive advantage through it for the
firm. Therefore, HRM is responsible for development of employees and their role is to
identify the best development opportunities for employees that keep them motivated and
loyal towards the organization allowing them to stay for the longer period in the
company.
Functions of HRM:
The functions of human resource management are classified in three following categories which
are mentioned below:
 Managerial function- Under the function of HRM the team of Sainsbury has multiple
roles which they play and focuses on certain aspects. The respective managerial functions
that are performed by human resource team are planning, organizing, directing and
controlling.
Purpose: The sole purpose of managerial function of HRM unit of Sainsbury is
determining the needs of organisation and fulfilling then according to the expectations
and requirements by planning, organising and directing the actions of individuals in
favour of companies mission and vision.

 Operative function- The next function which is played by Human Resource Department
in Sainsbury is concerned with the development of the workforce and there retention in
the organization for the longer period. This is known as operative function where the roll
human resource team place is of recruiting and selecting employees, job designing,
performance appraisal, training and development, wage and salary administration,
employee welfare, maintenance, labor relations, personnel research and personnel record.
Purpose: The purpose of operative function is to embrace employees and their abilities
by effective management. With the help of operative function the Human Resource
Department works with concerning the benefits of individuals and stay focused in the
particular direction.
 Advisory function- The human resource team is a supportive body for the company as
well as the workforce. The team has experts who manages both the organizations
requirements and employees as well. This is why Human Resource Department is a
prominent segment to move for seeking advices and effective functioning. Therefore, the
HRM of Sainsbury advice to the top-level management and other technical department
head in relation with managing and bringing the potentials out of the Employees.
Moreover, workforce also seek support and suggestions of HRM while working within
the respective firm.
Purpose: The sole purpose of advisory function is to offer the best possible solutions and
is resolution to both the employees that is the workforce of Sainsbury as well as the top
level management of the company.
Explain the strengths & weaknesses of various approaches to recruitment as well as selection.
Recruitment:
It is a procedure which is useful in recruiting new candidates that are freshly talented and
scaled which is beneficial for company. It tends to include selecting and attracting candidates to
perform prominent job role which is related with company (Boella and Goss-Turner, 2019). It is
performed by the HR manager of Sainsbury in order to recruit competent and skilled candidates
to perform prominent job roles and duties for company.
Approaches: it has significantly two approaches that are mentioned as underneath:
Internal: this procedure is helpful in terms of filling the vacant post within an
organisation by recruiting skilled and talented employees. As per this approach only those

employees are being recruited who are currently working within the company with the help of
two significant methods that are mentioned as under
Promotion: it is considered as and prominent activity regarding the progression and success of
employees. For this employees are being promoted to the another post with the help of their
performance skills and experience. Employees are promoted under the one company in which
they are currently working.
Transfer: as per this process employees are being transferred from one place to another place by
working in an organization. This method is beneficial as in this employees get chance to explore
themselves and also plan for there enhancement of skills.
External: according to this procedure the blanks job position is field with the knowledge
and skilled candidates and also hired from the outside of the organization. As per this approach
employees are recruited from the external side of company and for this there are several methods
that are used by organization and some of them are mentioned as underneath
Advertisement: it is the most popular recruitment method that is helpful in terms of recruiting
candidates from the external side of company full stop as per this method the prominent details
are of world two people considering the particular job with the help of newspaper television
magazines and so on.
Campus recruitment: this method is helpful in order to recruit skilled and new candidates with
their fresh knowledge and innovative mind set and they are hired from educational entity
colleges and institutions.
 Strengths: recruitment is the low budget and prominent to hire candidates in terms of
filling the vacant job position in Sainsbury (Bratton and Gold, 2017). Moreover it is
beneficial in terms of getting new and skilled candidates for the better performance and
productivity of company.
 Weaknesses: due to internal recruitment method company does not properly explore
itself and it did not get new and fresh candidates for effectively performing various
functions. Moreover it is quite expensive because of promotional and advertisement cost.
Selection:
It is an effective procedure that tends to organized screening scrutinizing and shortlisting of
candidates it is prominent to identify the qualifications and knowledge of people.

Approaches: It tends to include four significant approaches that are used by Sainsbury and it is
discussed as underneath:
Online screening: in this procedure applications are collected regarding the job and these
are sent by candidates with the help of official website and emails for the selection and further
procedure is relies on the screening.
Interview: as per this process in this candidates are recruited on the grounds of Basic
questions and it is organized as a face to face round in terms of identifying the personality and
confidence level of candidate.
Ability and aptitude test: it is helpful in order to identifying the prominent knowledge
and competencies of candidates for the company in terms of getting skilled and talented
employees.
Personality profiling: it is helpful for the company in terms of identifying the behavior of
candidates as they are suitable for the particular job post or not.
 Strengths: online test are organized by various organization in terms of recruiting
candidates by identifying the scores of candidates in an easy method. Interviews are
useful in terms of identifying the actual personality of employees by observing them
(Brewster and Hegewisch, 2017).
 Weaknesses: due to online test most of the candidates get nervous and demotivate as
their questions are quite complicated. Interviews are time consuming as it is the lengthy
procedure that need more time.
Explain the benefits of different Human Resource Management practices within an organization
for both the employer as well as employee
There are various practices of human resource management such as recruitment and
selection, rewards and benefits, training & development, performance management and so on.
This are mentioned below in relation to strength and weaknesses as well:
Training and development:
It is defined as the process of enhancing the skills, knowledge and capabilities of staff
members in an effective manner. In addition to this, it help company to improve its performance
level and attain objectives of the organization. This procedure is useful in encouraging staff
members of Sainsbury’s and help in increasing productivity and profitability of an organization.
The benefits of such practices to employees and employers is given below:

 Benefits to employees: Training and development practice enhance the skills and
knowledge of employees due to which they put full potential and gain rewards at
workplace. In addition to this, it also assist improving living standard and status in
society as well. Benefits to employers: It is analyzed that increase in skills and knowledge level of
employees improve the performance and productivity level of company. In addition to tis,
it also help an entity to give quality service to customer that has positive impact on its
brand image at marketplace.
Rewards and recognition: It is consider as the most effective HRM practices which encourage
staff members to put their efforts in attaining objectives and meeting with the targets of company
as well. With reference to Sainsbury’s, it give both financial as well as non-financial benefits to
its staff members which encourage them and make them feel valued at workplace due to which
they remain in organization for longer time period. Benefits to employees: The staff members of Sainsbury’s are motivated and enthusiastic
to perform their job role & after get receiving rewards and benefits, they become more
confident that help in both personal and professional growth as well.
 Benefits to employers: In context with employers, motivating employees by giving
rewards make them feel valued and enhance their efficiency level that directly leads to
increase in profitability and market performance of company (Brewster, Mayrhofer and
Farndale, 2018).
Efficiency of various practices of HRM in context of increasing profit margin
There are different kinds of practices that must be connected to HRM that is adopted by
Sainsbury’s to increase productivity as well as profitability which is given below:
Motivation it is determined as significant practices that are related to HRM which will be
beneficial for enhancing profitability or productivity of company. In context of Sainsbury, the
supervisor focuses on providing proper program of motivation to its subordinate that helps in
influencing and conducting their task or work in an appropriate manner. It is necessary to
motivates employee in order to perform their work in better manner.
Retention is determined as another practice that is related to HRM which is important for
increasing profitability or productivity within business organization. In reference of Sainsbury,

the supervisor focuses on sustaining talented subordinate by offering different advantages such
as promotion, rewards as well as remuneration and many more.
Training in context of Sainsbury, by conducting effective training session, the supervisor
can enhance level of profitability and productivity. The organization offer proper training session
for collecting information that is related to latest technology and also it help in enhancing
knowledge or skills in context of advanced technology.
On the basis of above given element, there are various factors which is connected to
HRM that offer different benefits that help in increasing profitability level of company. The
management of organization offer motivational program to its subordinate that help in increasing
skill during the period of time. It also helps in increasing knowledge or skill that is related to
motivation that help in improvement of growth or success of organization during particular
period of time.
Significance of employee relation in term of influencing decision making of HRM
Employee relation consider as an efforts which is made by the organization for handling
different relationship between employees as well as employer. In context of relation of employee
and determine superior relationship with its manager and its employees. It is significant to create
superior relationship that is helpful in taking appropriate decisions and also help in solving
different kind of problems as well as issues which assess that there is a better relationship among
employees as well as employers that help in reducing or eliminating the possibility of grievances.
It help in enhancing loyalty of subordinate that help in communicating in proper manner by its
management team for resolving issues are problem in an appropriate manner. It is also useful in
taking proper decision and also shares their views as well as opinions in mind set of senior
management level in company. In context of relation of employee and determine superior
relationship with its manager and its employees.
Effective communication system is considered as a significant for managing appropriate
relationship because they emphasize on interacting with each other in proper manner and also
provide view that assists organization in taking appropriate decisions during particular phase of
time period.
Flexible working arrangements are advantageous for company to maintain appropriate
relation with staff member. The supervisor of company focuses on managing superior relation in
context of flexible hour of working (Kaufman, 2019). There are various examples which is

connected to flexible hour of working such as over time, shift work, work from home and many
more.
Key factors of employment legislation and effect upon HRM decision-making
Employment legislation is determined as a legislation that considers all kind of protection
that is connected to employment and also provides security to it subordinate from any kind of
unethical practices that is prevailed in company. In reference of Sainsbury, there are various
kinds of legislation that is going to be mentioned below:
` Equality Law 2010 is determined as a legislation which is offered by UK Government
for offering security to its staff member. In reference of Sainsbury, they follow these kinds of
legislation in a proper manner. It is necessary or important to offer equal treatment to its
subordinate for performing their task in an appropriate manner and also it help in bring the
favorable atmosphere with and business organization. This legislation also enhance subordinate
by offering equal rights to its staff members during the period of time.
Discrimination act 1975 this is offered by UK Parliament to provide safety and security
to both men and women and do not focus on discrimination that is completely depend on
religion, age, sex race and many more. In reference of Sainsbury, the organization offer equal
rights to subordinate and also offer proper training to its subordinate that helps in conducting
their task in an appropriate manner.
Sex discrimination Act was given in the year of 1975 and this act offers safety to it
subordinate from any kind of discrimination in term of gender. They also provide equality to all
people within company. The Sainsbury provide security to its staff member in context of
discrimination. The HR professional of organization offer compensation to both men as well as
women. They also provide leave policy to both of them. There is various kind of legislation that
helps in recruiting suitable candidate which imposes direct impact on decision which is taken by
HR manager of organization.
PART B
Illustrate the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific examples
Job specification
It is a document that involve information associated with job applicants and roles as well
as responsibilities which a person require to perform within the company. It is analyzed that such

description is useful in order to manage process of selection (Marchington, 2016). Moreover, it
assist Human resource manager and higher authorities of Sainsbury’s to attract best candidate
and select them in a proper manner. It is analyzed that in present, there is requirement of HR
assistant in Sainsbury’s and for this, the HRM practices is given below:
Title of the Job: HR Assistant
Address of the place: Sainsbury’s
Overview of the Job: The main role of Human Resource assistant is to maintain the records of
employees and suggest effective strategy in order to employees with the set objectives. He/she
has to bridge employee relation by resolving conflicts and handling grievances in an appropriate
manner.
Qualification Required: .
 Post graduate in Human resource
 Graduate/Diploma (HR)
Experiences & required Knowledge:
 Have knowledge about employee regulations and legislations.
 Identify the requirements of training of employees
 Use the payroll management system effectively and execution of HR strategies
 Analyse the need of training and development approaches
 Effective knowledge about employee legislation and regulations
Skills needed:
 Good Interpersonal skills
 Effective Communication skills
 Cognitive and management skills
(B) Curriculum vitae:
John Wander
Address: LMN street lane, UK
Phone no: 00879-98235
Objectives: To secure the job in a reputed organisation where I can use skillset for developing
and growth opportunities. To create a positive working environment and achieve objectives on

time period.
Work experience:
 Minimum experience of 2 years
 Working in Human Resource filed (minimum 9 months experience)
Qualification:
 Bachelor degree in administration
 Masters in human resource
(C) Interview question:
1) Explain your 3 strength & weaknesses?
2) Why you want to work as a Human resource assistant in this organisation?
3) As per your view point, what skills you have that will enhance company's human resource
management?
4) How will you improve employee engagement within the company?
5) What is your point of view on managing conflicts & grievances?
(D) Offer letter:
Dear John Wander
We feel grateful to inform you about that you are selected as Human Resource assistant in
Sainsbury’s. It is inform you that you have attempted all the process in a proper manner and
your skills will help in gaining success and growth of company. The job roles as well as
responsibilities is given below:
Job roles & responsibilities:
 Recruit & selection of best candidates for the organisation
 Identify personnel needs as well as demands effectively & manage the Human Resource
Management practices
Reporting to: Human Resource manager
Basic salary: $300000 per month
Working hours: 9.30AM – 6.00PM