Human Resource Management: Recruitment and Selection Report for M&S

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, with a specific focus on the recruitment process. The report begins with an introduction to HRM, its purpose, and functions, using Marks and Spencer as a case study. It then delves into the strengths and weaknesses of various recruitment and selection approaches, such as video interviewing, employee referrals, application forms, CVs, and aptitude tests. The report further explores the benefits of different HRM practices for both employers and employees, including providing security, self-managed teams, and training. An evaluation of these practices in terms of their impact on organizational profit and productivity is also provided. The importance of employee relations in influencing HRM decision-making is analyzed, along with the key elements of employment legislation and their impact. The report concludes with the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific examples.

Human Resource
Management/
Recruitment Process

Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
LO 1............................................................................................................................................................3
P1 Purpose and the functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and resourcing an
organization.............................................................................................................................................3
P2 Explain the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection..............4
LO 2............................................................................................................................................................6
P3 Explain the benefits of different HRM practices within an organization for both the employer and
employee.................................................................................................................................................6
P4 Evaluate the effectiveness of different HRM practices in terms of raising organizational profit and
productivity.............................................................................................................................................7
LO 3............................................................................................................................................................8
P5 Analyze the importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision making.......8
P6 Identify the key elements of employment legislation and the impact it has upon HRM decision
making.....................................................................................................................................................9
LO 4..........................................................................................................................................................10
P7 Illustrate the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific examples......10
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management can be defined as the effective management of people
within an organization that can help it in gaining a competitive advantage. The primary purpose
of human resources is to make sure that the company is able to function effectively (Armstrong
and Taylor, 2020). Organization chosen for this report is Marks and Spencer, a multinational
British retailer of grocery and household items. The company was founded by Michael Marks
and Thomas Spencer in the year 1884 and is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The
report explains the purpose as well as functions of human resource management. It also explains
the strengths as well as weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection. An
evaluation of the different HRM practices along with importance of employee respect to
influencing the decision-making is also included in the report.
LO 1
P1 Purpose and the functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and resourcing an
organization
Human resource management is important because it significantly contributes to the
overall success of an organization and helps it in achieving goals and objectives. HRM can be
referred to as the effective management of employees within the organization so that all the
business processes are carried out smoothly. The primary purpose of human resource
management is to manage the various needs of the company as well as its employees. As per the
view point of Andra Picincu, the purpose of human resource management is to prevent various
issues within the organization like poor work-life balance, lack of job and career development
opportunities etc. and enhance the overall performance by recruiting the right people for the right
job (What Is the Purpose of HR Management?, 2020). HRM also helps in the process of
workforce planning as well as resourcing within the company. The different functions of human
resource management are explained below -
Planning – This is one of the major functions of human resource management as it helps
the management of the company to establish procedures so that it can achieve goals and
objectives effectively (Armstrong, 2019). The process of planning involves determining the

personnel programs as well as planning about the workforce that can contribute to its overall
goals.
Organizing – Once the goals and objectives are planned, a proper structure for the
organization is developed. This helps in carrying out the different operations. This includes
coordinating different activities to the employees, grouping different activities into functions
various functions.
Directing – The HR managers of Marks and Spencer develop plans and direct the
employees in order to help them with their jobs (Bailey and et. al., 2018). The directing function
of HRM basically involves encouraging and motivating the employees to work efficiently in
order to achieve the goals of the organization.
Controlling – This function of management human resource management is basically
concerned with measuring the overall performance. The HR managers at Marks and Spencer
measures the performance of their team members with the set standards. This helps them in
controlling the overall performance of the department.
Performance Appraisal – The human resource department of an organization works in
accordance with the other departments individually in order to evaluate the performance of the
employees. The process of performance appraisal can either be carried out quarterly or once in a
year.
P2 Explain the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection
Recruitment can be defined as the process of identifying, attracting, shortlisting and
interviewing candidates that are suitable for the rights jobs within the organization. On the other
hand, selection refers to the process of shortlisting the right candidates who possess the
necessary skills and qualifications that match with a vacant job (Berman and et. al., 2019). The
different approaches to recruitment and selection along with their strengths and weaknesses are
explained below.
Recruitment

Video Interviewing – Many organizations are opting for this approach in order to recruit
the right candidates for the jobs that they are suitable for. This approach helps an organization in
saving both time as well as resources.
Strengths: The strengths of this approach are that it involves low costs and the employers
are able to screen candidates who are present at remote areas. Also, there is less pressure on the
candidates as the approach allows them to be more relaxed.
Weaknesses: There can be issues with the internet as the process is primarily dependent
on a fast as well as stable connection of internet (Bratton and Gold, 2017). This can lead to a
poor quality of video and also, the response time for the candidates is limited.
Employee Referrals – This is an internal approach to recruitment in order to find
candidates for an open job position within the company
Strengths: The approach helps the company to attract qualified and skilled employees to
work for a particular job opening. It also helps the company by avoiding the extra burden of
costs involved in advertising as well as shortlisting candidates. This further leads to a reduction
in the load of recruiting process.
Weaknesses: There are chances of hiring employees who have similar perspectives which
can make the team lack diversity. The existing employees might refer candidates who are not
suitable for the vacant position.
Selection
Application forms and CVs – This is the traditional approach that is used by organizations to
select suitable candidates.
Strengths: Using CVs and application forms in order to select the right candidates help in
making quick judgements about them, their qualifications as well as experience (Hewett and et.
al., 2018). This can also help in making a quick background check of the applicant.
Weaknesses: The amount of paperwork is increased as in order to select and shortlist the
candidates, it is important to first go through their resumes individually.

Aptitude Tests – Aptitude or ability tests include various areas like verbal and numerical
ability, general intelligence motor abilities etc.
Strengths: This approach helps the managers to make better decisions related to hiring
and recruitment. Also, besides interviews this approach can help in understanding if an employee
will be able to handle responsibility or not.
Weaknesses: It is not necessary that a candidate will necessarily perform good in an
aptitude test. There can be anxiety among the candidates which can affect their performance in
the same.
LO 2
P3 Explain the benefits of different HRM practices within an organization for both the employer
and employee
Implementing effective HRM practices within an organization can help it in achieving its
goals and objectives (Kianto, Sáenz and Aramburu, 2017). The different practices of human
resource management along with their benefits for both the employer as well as employee are
explained below.
Providing security to the employees – This is one of the major HRM practices that
should be practiced by all organizations. Providing security to the employees can help in
increasing their engagement towards work and maintain a proper work life balance. This is
beneficial for the employer of Marks and Spencer as the employees work effectively and the
company is able to retain them for a longer period of time. On the other hand, the employees will
get a chance to achieve their individual career goals.
Self-managed and effective teams – Organizations should promote the development of
effective and self-managed teams (Koch, Gerber and De Klerk, 2018). This is because
employees in such teams can take quick and informed decisions. This is one of the benefits for
the employer as the overall productivity of the team is increased and they work towards a
common goal. In context to employees, there is a reduction in the conflicts with an increased
level of motivation.

Training in relevant skills – Marks and Spencer provides training to its employees in
order to help them acquire new skills and enhance overall knowledge relating to latest trends.
This is beneficial for the employer because the employees are more productive and develop new
skills that allow them to work more effectively. The employer can measure or track the overall
performance as well as training needs of the employees. On the other hand, employees get an
opportunity to identify their areas of strengths and weaknesses (Why Training Is Needed For
Employees To Achieve Business Success, 2020). As a result, their level of job satisfaction and
morale is increased.
P4 Evaluate the effectiveness of different HRM practices in terms of raising organizational profit
and productivity
Effective human resource management practices can significantly contribute to the
overall success of the organization. It is important to implement these practices if the company
wants to attain goals and objectives (Korff, Biemann and Voelpel, 2017). There are many
benefits of implementing various human resource practices like they can help in improving the
overall productivity of the organization as well as increasing productivity on the whole. An
evaluation of various HRM practices in terms of raising organizational profits and productivity is
explained below –
Training and Development – Training and development include activities that a
company conducts in order to improve the overall efficiency as well as effectiveness of the
employees. It allows the employees to enhance their overall knowledge as well as develop new
skills in order to perform better at a given task. Marks and Spencer conducts regular training for
its employees so as to increase its overall productivity as compared to its competitors.
Employee Empowerment – This includes providing employees a certain responsibility
to make decisions regarding organizational tasks. Empowering employees can be beneficial for
them as well as the company because the employees work more productively helping the
organization to achieve its goals. Also, there level of engagement is increased and are highly
motivated. This leads to an increase in the productivity due to which the profitability rises.
Employee Incentives – If an organization recognizes the efforts of its employees and
provides them rewards or other benefits, their overall level of job satisfaction as well as
productivity will increase (Markoulli and et. al., 2017). As a result, they will be more engaged in

their jobs and work at desired level. This can help in increasing the company’s overall
profitability and gain a competitive advantage against competitors.
Positive and healthy work environment – The HR managers at Marks and Spencer
ensure that there is a positive and healthy working environment as it can help in improving the
overall performance of the company. For example, they promote goof employer employee
relations. This makes the employees feel safe about their respective jobs and thus, perform in an
effective way.
Fair evaluation system – Having a fair system for evaluating the overall performance of
the employees allows the employees to perform inn the desired way. As the overall productivity
of the employees will increase the company will be able to perform more efficiently and gain a
competitive advantage against competitors. As a result, there will be an increase in the
profitability as well.
LO 3
P5 Analyze the importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision
making
Employee relations can be defined as the efforts made by a company to effectively
manage the relationship between its employers and employees (Morgeson, Brannick and Levine,
2019). Organizations that have good employee relations, treat their employees in a fair and
consistent manner. Due to this, employees are committed to and engaged in their respective jobs.
The primary purpose of employee relations within an organization is to strengthen the
relationship between employer and employees. They are important because they help in
motivating the employees to perform in the desired way and contribute to the overall success of
the organization. Also, companies with good employee relations are able too make informed and
significant decisions. Also, if the employees are satisfied and engaged in their jobs, they will be
more productive.
A single employee cannot work on his own and therefore requires support from other
people, which is why promoting good employee relations within an organization is important.
Marks and Spencer has employer and employees who are comfortable in working with and
assisting each other with different tasks in order to achieve a common goal. Involvement of

employees allows them to influence the decisions that are being made by the managers (Nieves
and Quintana, 2018). Their opinions and suggestions can help the human resource managers to
make decisions that will be beneficial for the organization in respect to increasing overall
profitability as well as performance in the market. When the employer and employees share good
relation with each other, they are able to complete the assigned tasks within the provided time
and in a productive way and are loyal to the organization.
There are many benefits of effective employee relations, like the rate of employee
turnover reduces as the company offers its employees with various rewards and benefits. The
employees are satisfied with their jobs and work in the desired manner helping the company to
achieve its goals and objectives. Besides this, the employees have knowledge about the recent
trends of the market as their networking skills are strong (Stewart and Brown, 2019). There is an
improvement in the overall motivation levels of the staff members and they provide valuable
opinions and suggestions that allow the managers to make effective decisions relating to human
resource management. Therefore, these are some reasons why good employee relations are
important for an organization’s overall growth and success.
P6 Identify the key elements of employment legislation and the impact it has upon HRM
decision making
There are certain employment legislations that all organization within the United
Kingdom should comply to while making decisions relating to human resource management.
These include The Employment Rights Act, Equal Pay Act, the National Minimum Wage Act
etc. the various elements of employment legislation include Equal employment opportunities to
all employees working in the company, social security, working time regulations, term ad
termination, scope of employment, safety and health, working conditions etc. These elements
ensure that both employers as well as employees adhere to the legislation. It can have a
significant impact on the overall HRM decision making in the company as the main purpose of
the legislation is to protect the employees from any kind of discrimination at the workplace.
It is important for the HR managers to create policies and procedures that are clear and
ensures proper organizational management (Tang and et. al., 2018). Legislations also control the
wage policies as well as alternative wage plans for ensuring equity and justice. If the
organization fails to comply to these legislations, it has to deal with consequences. Special

human resource plans that match with the policies of the workplace should be developed. Also,
all employees should be provided with the minimum wage under the National Minimum Wage
Act. Legislation controls various policies that are related with payroll and other benefits related
to the same. Therefore, all organizations are required to implement various legislation within
their workplace in order to make informed decisions and perform effectively.
LO 4
P7 Illustrate the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific examples
Human resource management is an important aspect within an organization which
ensures that right candidates with relevant qualifications and experience are recruited. Effective
human resource management helps in resolving any conflicts among employees in order to
ensure a healthy and positive working environment at the workplace (Van Esch, Black and
Ferolie, 2019). The human resource department of an organization provides training and
development to new employees so that they get an opportunity to acquire new skills and enhance
their knowledge about different business processes. Marks and Spencer is one of the leading
retailer in the United Kingdom that empowers its employees and provides them rewards and
benefits based on their performance. An advert for the role of Human Resource Executive along
with a job description as well as offer letter for the candidate are included below –
Advert
Marks and Spencer
REQUIRED
Human Resource Manager
Applicants from dynamic and experienced backgrounds are invited for the role of Human
Resource Executive at Marks and Spencer. Please contact us if you:
 Have a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Human Resources with a relevant
experience of minimum 3 years
 Possess excellent communication skills, both written as well as verbal
 Expertise in using MS Office packages
 Strong networking and leadership skills

 Willing to work in a challenging environment
 Able to work independently and interpersonal skills
Attractive salary package along with other benefits will be offered. Interested candidate are
required to send in their applications within one week to [e-mail].
Job Description
Job Description
Job Role: Human Resource Executive
Department: Human Resources
Place: London United Kingdom
Roles and Responsibilities
 Direct all hiring and training procedures for new employees in the company
 Administer benefits and rewards, retirement and health plans for the employees
 Ensure that managers as well as employees across the workplace are connected with
each other and share positive relations
 Regularly meet up with employees in order to review their individual performance and
discuss and problems they might be facing
 Fully understand and adhere to labor laws within the workplace
 Promote a positive work environment wherein employees are comfortable to work
productively
 Work with the HR Manager to develop policies and strategies to be implemented in
order to achieve organizational goals and objectives
Requirements
 Excellent written and verbal communication skills
 Comfortable working in a dynamic and changing work environment
 Should have a go-getter and positive attitude
 2 to 3 years of experience of working in the same field and comfortable with working
as part of a team
 Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management

 Strong interpersonal skills with keen to motivate other employees within the workplace
Offer Letter
Marks and Spencer
Appointment Letter
11th September, 2020
137 Abbey Road,
London
United Kingdom
Dear XYZ,
I am very pleased to offer you the position of HR Executive at Marks and Spencer.
This is a full-time position effective from 25th September, 2020. As a full-time employee, you
are also entitled to the standard benefits offered by the company. The principle features of the
employment offer are enclosed along with this letter.
If you accept this offer, I would appreciate your signing and returning a copy of this letter
from your side at the earliest. If you have any questions regarding employment policies and
procedures, do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
ABC
(Human Resource Manager)
I accept the above offer: