HRM Report: HR Functions, Recruitment, and Employee Engagement

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, focusing on two companies: Say it with Chocolate and Microsoft. The report begins with an introduction to HRM, emphasizing its purpose and importance within organizations. It then delves into specific aspects, including the roles and responsibilities of an HR manager, exploring recruitment methods and their advantages and disadvantages, as well as potential improvements to current practices. The report further examines person specifications for a receptionist position and suitable advertising mediums. It also covers training schemes, developmental opportunities, flexible working practices, and motivation strategies. Moreover, the report analyzes employee engagement, its integral role in employee relations, and key approaches to engaging workers. Lastly, it discusses UK employment legislation and its influence on HR decision-making. The report provides a detailed overview of each topic, offering valuable insights into effective HRM strategies.

Human Resource Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
A) Purpose and importance of HR function and current problems & future plans for further
growth.........................................................................................................................................1
B) Different duties and role of a Human Resource Manager......................................................2
C) Benefits and limitations of current selection methods with comparing it to other
approaches of recruiting..............................................................................................................3
D). Potential improvements useful in present recruitment methods...........................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
A). Person specification for receptionist job...............................................................................5
B) Suitable medium for placing the job advertisement...............................................................6
C).Advantages and disadvantages of the previous methods of advertising jobs in the Say it
with Chocolate............................................................................................................................8
D). Question asked in the receptionist interview......................................................................10
PART 2..........................................................................................................................................10
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
A). Graduate and apprenticeship training scheme and its benefits...........................................10
B). Different developmental opportunities available for the permanent staff members...........11
C). Advantages of flexible working practices...........................................................................12
D). Motivation through reward system and job design.............................................................12
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................13
A) Employee engagement.........................................................................................................13
B). Employee engagement an integral strategy of employee relations.....................................13
C). Key approaches to engaging workers.................................................................................14
D). Employment legislation in the UK and explain how they influence human resource
decision making........................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Human Resource is considered as an essential term that is that in every business for
managing all activities related to the recruitment, hiring, select to several persons as an employee
of the cny. It is the systematic pro of recruiting and developing employee's skills and teaching
them organisational work in order to achieve company's objectives (Akey and et.al., 2017). This
report is based on two companies i.e. Say it with Chocolate and Microsoft. In this report, it will
cover purpose of HR function and its importance. It will also cover roles and responsibilities of
HR officer and advantages and disadvantages of the current selection methods and describes it
required improvements. Further, it will cover person specification for receptionist job and
rationale for suitable medium for advertisement. It will also cover advantages and disadvantages
of the previous methods used for advertising jobs. Furthermore, it will describe apprenticeship
and graduate training schemes and developmental opportunities are available toff. Lastly, it
includes labour engagement with employee relations with its key approaches and it will also
contain detailed information about employment legislation in UK.
PART 1
TASK 1
A) Purpose and importance of HR function and current problems & future plans for further
growth
In Say it with Chocolate Company, there is a human resource department which secures
employee's values and provides them proper security. The HR manager accomplishes all
functions and tasks related to his or her workforce (Albrecht and et.al., 2015). For example:,
recruitment, selection, provide training, organising development programs, maintain employee
relationship and many more. The main motive or purpose of all these works is to reduce labour
turnover rate and make maximum profits for the company. In this context, major importance and
purpose of HR manager's function to Say it with Chocolate, describes are as follows:
 The purpose of HR function is to maintain coordination in between organisation and
workforce at each level.
 HR manager conducts his or her work properly to follow new plans and strategies for the
welfare of company.
 To increase labour productivity in order to expand sales and profits
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 To attract employees towards organisation and reduce labour turnover rate Functions are useful for business in recruiting staff and providing better facilities to them
so that they can work properly without any trouble and problem.
Current problems – In this company, some problems has aroused which are related to the
selection of right candidates in the company. Management faces high labour turnover rate so that
they must apply new effective plans strategies (Babalola, Patience and Afolabi, 2018). In this
context, they can facilitate better training as well as development programs and they also
increase employee's benefits, perquisites and allowances in order to retain work force.
Future plans for further growth – Say it with Chocolate Company can apply new strategies and
plans for growth and development of company in the competitive market. Management of this
organisation has an opportunity that it is based in the area where unemployment is very high so
that they have a chance to appoint several employees at lesser cost.
B) Different duties and role of a Human Resource Manager
In the say it with chocolate company, the HR officer conducts various types of functions
and works l for benefit of company. In his daily job, he or she accomplishes different role in
order to fulfil organisational goals and targets.
In this context, there are some important functions and responsibilities of HR officer describes as
follows: Hiring and recruiting – It is a systematic process of screening, captivating and selecting
the qualified and potential applicants (Banfield, Kay and Royles, 2018). The Human
Resource manager conduct this task for attract the intelligent candidates and encourage
them for do work properly. Every HR manager must be responsible for selecting right
person for the organisational job and work. Procurement – In this process, the human resource management start this function with
recruit the best workers from external and internal sources and procurement of manpower
(Bolman and Deal, 2017). Management is also liable to provide induction. Human
resource manager is responsible for appointing employees. Performance appraisal – In this task, HR manager encourages his supportive staff
person through stable and constant appraisal that can lead to their better performance. For
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assessing the performance measurement, management use scientific evaluation
techniques and strategies. Training and development – This is an essential task for every company and its work
force, so the HR manager should accomplish this function with providing effective
training facilities (Bratton and Gold, 2017). Every new employee needs to learn
organisational work and increase their skills and knowledge. All training programs
sharpening the skills of workforce and it also useful for expansion of company.
 Maintenance and motivation – In the company, workers are to be encouraged constantly
to bring the best outcomes. The HR officer must conduct this work and make sure about
proper security and safety of their potential workers.
C) Benefits and limitations of current selection methods with comparing it to other approaches of
recruiting
In every company, the human resource management is included in the growth and
development of the organisation. It start its procedure with selection of individual candidates and
provide them various allowances and perquisites in order to gain desired objectives and goals
(Brewster and Hegewisch, 2017). The company uses different types of methods for example, test
and interview for selecting the right person for organisational work. In this context, major
advantages and disadvantages of these methods discusses as below:
Methods of
recruitment
Meaning Advantages Disadvantages
Internal recruitment This method is refers
as, management hire
employees from their
own organisation and
choose right person for
their higher level job
(Brewster and et.al.,
2016).
In this method they
Management uses
those persons who
already employed in
the company so they
know everything about
them.
It is provides an
opportunity of
promotion to existing
Major disadvantage is
HR manager has only
limited numbers of
employees.
Management know
about the work
efficiency of
employees so they can
hesitate for choosing
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appoint existing
worker and it is
something like
promotion.
employees.
It is easy and cheaper
function so that the
HR manager can
accomplish it quickly
without any
disturbance (Cooke,
Saini and Wang,
2014).
They also get the best
employee for the right
job.
There are no more
requirements for
induction and
orientation so saving
in expenses.
the right employees.
External recruitment It is an essential
method where the HR
manager recruit
applicants form
outside the business.
In this method, the
main benefit is
external person brings
new ideas, techniques
and innovation about
the work (Debroux,
2017).
Many people have a
wide range of
experience.
There are a huge
opportunity for the
best and suitable
candidates.
This process is longer
and costly.
It may increase
organisational
expenses due to
interviews and
advertisements.
This process can not
suitable and effective
every time.
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Third party
recruitment
In this method, the
human resource
department hire
candidates from
various recruitment
agencies (Domsch,
2017). Those agencies
provide better person
for the organisational
work and known as
consultancy firms.
Management gets
better workforce for
their organisational
work.
In this method the HR
manager gets skilled
and talented persons in
the company.
It is time consuming
and costly for
company.
There are not any
control over the
employees.
There may be
communication issue
in between
management and
employees.
D). Potential improvements useful in present recruitment methods.
In the Say it with Chocolate business, the human resource management use various
methods for recruitment and selection better candidates. They use test and interview method for
selection process. Test has conduct by two main subjects English and Maths. This method is use
for knows about all strengths and weaknesses of a particular candidate (Eaton, 2017). It is
conduct through a written test. In this context, management can apply Psychometric Test for
choosing the best candidate. It is measure an individual reasoning, logic, reading and listening
skills that are useful for this organisation. Human resource management also use Integrity Tests
and improve existing test method. This provides better upliftment to the company's growth.
Further, the HR manager also use Group Discussion method for every selected candidates. In
the interview method they apply new strategies for make it better in order to expand
improvements in existing methods. In this context, they use different assessment centres for
reduce the operational cost and getting the right applicants.
TASK 2
A). Person specification for receptionist job.
In the Say it with Chocolate organisation, there is a requirement of receptionist post and
for this position the candidates must requires various types of skills and talent (Fagerström and
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et.al., 2014). In this context, the person specification includes all desired informations and
personal attributes about a particular candidate for example experience, knowledge etc. It is
similar to job description but it is provides more detailed.
Say it with Chocolate
Person specification for receptionist job
knowledge, experience and skills:
 Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
 Capability to work with own initiative and being a participant of group.
 Relevant experience in Information Technology with M.S. Word, Excel and power
point.
 Ability to meet deadlines and accomplice workload.
Qualification
 Bachelor degree in relevant course
 customer service qualification
 any other qualification
In this company, the receptionist job is very crucial so candidate must be skilled and
qualified. All applicants must have patient, motivated, ability to build up relationship, public
speaking and time management etc.
B) Suitable medium for placing the job advertisement.
The Human Resource Management uses various types of advertisements methods for
placing the vacant job (Gatewood, Feild and Barrick, 2015). Management needs to fulfil the
receptionist post through the perfect candidate.
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In this context, the HR manager can use some advertisement methods for example ads on
company's website, newspaper advertisements, pamphlet, television, print media, radio
advertisements and many more. Further, describes some suitable medium for placing the job:
Company Website – It is an essential method to attract more applicants to applying vacant
receptionist's post. Company can also use different websites like indeed, twitter, monster,
Facebook and so many for placing the job advertisement (Jackson Schuler, and Jiang, 2014). It
is an effective technique that may use for this purpose. In this context, there are a lot of jobs
posting sites that have been registered as free in the past and it has regenerated to paid in recent
years. The human resource management also reviewed all the best free job posting websites and
ensure about their accomplishment of that vacant post.
Newspaper Advertising – For advertisement, it is the best method that transparent, easier and
more convenient for the selection process in this Say it with Chocolate company. Management
can book ads related to the recruitment in reputed and well known newspapers and consult with
various media organisation who charge some amount for whole process (Jacobson and
Lambright, 2018). This is more trusted and reliable method because newspaper read by every
person. The name of such newspapers directly adds a brand of trust to the job advertise in them.
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Illustration 1: Different types of advertisement
(Source – Advertisement, 2018 )

It is allows a high range of public which considers newspaper as a knowledge gainer. It also
targets to the right people.
C).Advantages and disadvantages of the previous methods of advertising jobs in the Say it with
Chocolate.
Methods for advertising job Advantages Disadvantage
Newspaper It allows a wide range of
population that is useful for
organisation.
The human resource management
use its various tools that are
relatively inexpensive.
Ad space in newspaper
can be expensive for
the organisation.
There are an
expectation that it
have a short shelf life
because newspapers
are normally read once
and then discarded
(Kramar, 2014).
Management of this
company may be
paying to send
message to a lot of
people who will
probably never be in
the market.
Newspapers are a
highly visible medium,
so the competitors can
quickly react to its
prices (Malik, 2018).
Company website This is an essential method that
maintain the brand value of
Company's website
take long lead times
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company.
Its prices have go down through
past years due to effective changes
and in technology and its
advancement.
It has less expensive compare with
another methods.
It also increases the organisational
goodwill and brand image
(Marchington, and et.al., 2016).
that is a demerit.
It is based on size of
company, target
market and it can
expensive for the
organisation.
Social media advertising It has ability to reach a wide area
of population especially youth.
All ads can easily modified,
rectified and adjust instantaneously
based on results.
It also allows to quick and track
that are effective for the campaign.
It can build great customer
relationship and maintain it.
This method's
targeting is fewer
because there are a
huge breadth and
diversity of audience.
In this context, there
are many visitors
mainly go to social
media sites to socialize
and they are not
interested in
advertising (Moore
and Jennings, 2017).
Traffic is complicated
in the learning stage of
the buying process so
for this reason it is
more important to
teach and inform than
sell outright.
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Advertisements in the Magazines This method allows to the human
resource department a huge
audience and it caters or target to
the specific group of person.
In magazines, there are quality of
paper is better colour reproduction
(Mura and Horvath, 2015).
It can also allow small size
advertisement because small size
of papers.
It takes more time so
management think
about this method in
some week and
months advance.
Advertisement space
and layout cost are
higher.
D). Question asked in the receptionist interview.
In the Say it with Chocolate company, for the receptionist interview, the human resource
management may ask some questions. These are describes as below :
Question 1 What Are Your Strong Points As Receptionist ?
Question 2 Why Do You Think You Are Perfect For This Position ?
Question 3 How Will You Convince An Unsatisfied Guest Of Our organisation ?
Question 4 What Is Your Typing Speed When Using Word Processing Software ?
Question 5 How Would You Encourage Yourself To Work Well Regularly ?
Question 6 How Would You Measure Your Performance On This Job ?
PART 2
TASK 3
A). Graduate and apprenticeship training scheme and its benefits.
In every organisation the apprenticeship training scheme is an essential program that
provides on roll job training to their potential employees for example classroom training. It is
render under surveillance the Human Resource Manager (Nel and et.al.,2014). It is offers in the
systematic process for new employees. In the Microsoft organisation, it is providing effectively
to its newly appointed workforce.
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