Analysis of HRM Recruitment and Selection Processes at Sainsbury's

This report provides an in-depth analysis of human resource management (HRM) practices, specifically focusing on the recruitment and selection processes employed by Sainsbury's, a major supermarket chain. The report begins with an introduction to HRM, highlighting its purpose and functions within an organization, followed by a detailed examination of the strengths and weaknesses of various recruitment and selection approaches, including internal and external recruitment methods. It then explores the benefits of human resource practices, such as recruitment, selection, and training, and their impact on employee and employer outcomes, as well as the effectiveness of different HRM practices in raising organizational productivity and profit. The report also discusses the significance of employee relations in influencing decision-making processes and the key elements of employment legislation and its impact on HRM decisions. Finally, it examines the application of HRM practices within the organizational context of Sainsbury's, drawing conclusions about the effectiveness of these practices. The report aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of HRM's role in achieving organizational goals and enhancing business efficacy.

Recruitment Process

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1..........................................................................................................................................3
P1. Purpose and function of HRM ...........................................................................................3
P2. Strength and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection.................5
TASK 2..........................................................................................................................................8
P3. Benefits of Human resource practices within an organisation............................................8
P4 Effectiveness of different HRM practices for raising organisational productivity and
profit..........................................................................................................................................9
TASK 3........................................................................................................................................11
P5 Significance of employee relations in influencing decision making process....................11
P6 Key elements of employment legislation and its impact on decision making of HRM....12
TASK 4........................................................................................................................................13
P7 Application of HRM practices in organisational context..................................................13
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES ..........................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is the accumulation of several practices in which business is
trying to put control and management measures in order to provide management assistance to
employee of the organisation. Human resource is pertained to high responsibility of executing
plans and implementing in so as to get their business objective achieved in a proper way.
Similarly this department is having significant role of recruiting candidates those are having apt
skills and capabilities so as to prepare path of business success. This report is prepared in order
to recognise all the concepts regarding recruitment and selection which are utilised by
Sainsbury’s. Sainsbury’s is one of the biggest supermarket chains which are dealing in clothing,
home wares, electrical items and many more. The company is keeping more than 120000
employees in which they are catering in all over UK with Scotland, Ireland, Belfast and North
east United States. This report involves elaboration of HR functions and their strength and
weakness within process of recruitment and selection. Along with this this report involves
benefits of employee relations within business and role of HRM practices in goal achievement
for overall business. (Onk and Joseph, 2017)
TASK 1
P1. Purpose and function of HRM
Human resource management is the procedure which includes numerous dimensions of
business such as recruitment, selection, orientation, induction, training and development and
many more. Human resource department is playing very crucial role in managing workforce so
as to takeout maximum benefits form their skills and accomplish goals and objectives of the
company. Sainsbury’s is having their operation in various countries and they are indulged in
supermarket chains. Within the business HR department is playing effective role and they are
establishing their interrelationship with other departments in order to provide high product
satisfaction to customer. HR manager of Sainsbury’s is requisite to execute various functions so
as to provide desirable output to the company. These functions are described as under:
 Recruitment & Selection: This is one of the significant functions so as to provide
assurance to the business in providing appropriate employee ate right designation and
vacant position. This is beneficial for the business as these candidates works as catalyst

in achieving overall objectives. Within this HR manager of Sainsbury’s is recruiting
capable employees and managing recruitment process in such a way that operational
efficacy can be enhanced and quality can be improvised.
 Training & Development: This is other prominent function of HR department so as to
provide training and development within organisational functions in order to enhance
employee and business efficacy as well. In this employees are getting full support over
leadership from their leaders and leader is taking different sessions of employees in
order to enhance their skills. These programmes are assisting the employees in
increasing their skills and capabilities so as to provide support to the company in market
change situation. In the context of Sainsbury’s HR manager is planning for various
training sessions in order to provide development to business and employee as well.
(Obedgiu, 2017)
Purpose:-
The major purpose of human resource management is to provide assurance to the
business operation of performing functions in a better way by which performance and
productivity can be improvised. With the help of highly effective human resource team
additional competitive edge can be received by the business and this is the reason that high
sustainability can be achieved by the business. In the context of Sainsbury’s human resource
manager is having following main purpose:
 Law compliances: The main function of human resource manager is to provide legal
framework to the business functions and ensure that all the required legal formalities has
been followed. These implications are essential for the business as this is helpful in
protecting the business form any law suits and to execute obeyed business functions.
Within this function HR manager of Sainsbury’s is requisite to acquire thorough
knowledge of all required laws and legal framework and this is helpful for them in
enhancing overall business efficacy and productiveness.
 Performance appraisal: The human resource department of the business is maintaining
records of individual and team performance of employees as by this gap within
performance can be removed. In this context HR manager of Sainsbury’s is preparing a

sheet in which performance of individual is being stated. By this gap in poor
performance can be bridged in significant manner.
P2. Strength and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection
Recruitment and selection is considered as one of the most prominent function of HR
department and with the help of these functions skills and capabilities of new joining
employees and existing one in order to achieve business objectives in proper manner.
Within function of recruitment and selection HR department is concerned in order to
provide ample skill set and capabilities in candidates which are newly recruited so as to
ensure that these candidates are creating path for overall goal achievement. New joining
employees are getting chance to enhance their skills so as to provide assistance to the
business in achieving their business objectives in significant manner. (Bratton and Gold,
2017)
Recruitment: This process is stated as in which proper candidates are searched for the
job role which is most appropriate for them. Within this HR department designs job vacancy in
order to initiate recruitment process of candidates. There are majorly two types of recruitments
which are elucidated as under:
Internal recruitment: Within this approach Sainsbury’s is trying to fill up their
vacancies by communicating to internal employees and providing them new opportunities to
enhance and showcase their talent and skills in proper manner so that new opportunities can be
rendered to them along with enhancement of business growth. Within this approach trust and
healthy relations can be maintained within employee and employer which is providing high
efficacy to the business and individual person as well. Promotion and transfer is the major type
of internal recruitment by which employees can be promoted to some higher post and or some
other location (Patterson and et. al., 2016). Some of the strength and weaknesses are
enumerated as under:
Strength Weakness
 In internal recruitment is helpful in
saving cost and avoiding additional cost
incurring in recruitment and training
 This method is restricted to internal
talent and neglects outside talent by
which adverse situation can be faced by

process.
 Similarly this process is helpful in
building trust within employees and by
this they feel valued and enhance their
overall contribution to the business.
business of selecting inappropriate
candidate for the job profile.
 Similarly internal recruitment can be
faced in the process of internal
recruitment which may hamper overall
company image in adverse manner and
market goodwill can also be decreased.
External recruitment: External recruitment is the type of recruitment in which Tesco
can fill up their vacant position by posting job advertisement on websites and various journals.
Within this process outside candidates are called and they are provided an opportunity to prove
them that they are eligible and appropriate for the given job as per their skills and hold
capacities. Within this it is easier for management to take proper decisions and appoint most
suitable candidate on vacant job role(Boon and et. al., 2018). Some of strength and weaknesses
of this approach are enumerated as under:
Strength Weakness
 One of the major strength of external
recruitment is that large talent pool is
given opportunity to showcase their
talent so high chances are possessed by
business that they can get most
appropriate person appointed.
 Similarly with the help of high skill set
employee business objectives can be
achieved in significant way and in
minimum span of time. (Bailey and et.
al., 2018)
 This is a very costly process as high set
up is required to be arrange to call
number of candidates by which
business will have to sacrifice their
profitability.
 Similarly this is a time taking process
so in case of urgent post filling this
method cannot be adopted by
businesses.

Selection: This is defined as the process in which most appropriate candidate can be
selected those are having most appropriate candidate after going through many screening test.
This approach is providing various negative aspects such as within single dimension a person
cannot be judged for their capabilities. Within this approach Sainsbury’s is having two
variations which are explained as under:
 Systematic: This approach involves numerous steps in which capabilities and skill set
of candidates are emphasised on a single aspect by which major benefits can be
obtained. Various tests are taken under this approach such as p psychometric test,
screening test and many forth. Some of the strength and weaknesses of this approach is
elucidated as under:
Strength Weakness
 This method is helpful in selecting
most appropriate candidate for the
vacant position.
 This method is attracting high talent
pool in which skilled candidates can be
selected within vacant job role.
(Altarawneh, 2016)
 This is known as a time taking process
in which vacancy cannot be filled at
early time.
 This is proven as a negative approach
in which morale can be decreased of
unselected candidates.
Unsystematic approach: This approach is the process in which various candidates can apply
for the job role and they do not follow any specific process for selection and they select on
random basis. After selecting candidates their designation is selected by the company that on
what post their capabilities can be used to the fullest. Recognition of capabilities is dependent
on discussions and interviews and many screening tests and many more. This method is having
various negative and positive aspects which elucidated as under:
Strength Weakness
 This covers up less timings in which
candidate can be selected in a very low
 This is not specific that this process
remains error free so when wrong

time.
 This method is known as cheap method
so can be utilised by business without
any complexities
candidate is selected then it can be said
that business will have to face various
difficulties.
 The chances of missing deserving and
appropriate candidates are very high
and by this the method is not suitable
for the business. (Osborne and
Hammoud, 2017)
TASK 2
P3. Benefits of Human resource practices within an organisation
A very significant role is executed by HR department in the organisation that they
manner workforce and resources in such a manner that high business benefits can be attained by
the business and resources can be utilised to fullest manner. Within this context HR manager of
Sainsbury’s is adopting various practices in which organisational goals can be achieved by
overall workforce and business efficacy can be improvised. The assistances of HRM practices
to employees and employer are numbered below differentially:
HRM practices Employee Employer
Recruitment and selection Various growth
opportunities are adapted
in recruitment process
which is advantageous for
the business. By internal
recruitment appreciation
can be provided to the
internal workforce by
providing them
opportunities of
The HR manager of
Sainsbury’s is executing their
major responsibility of
recruiting and selecting most
appropriate candidate within
vacant position so as to
provide high efficacy to the
business and rendering distinct
position in market place. This
method is having direct

enlightening their skills
and capabilities. Various
methods are used in order
to enlarge talent
opportunities which are
given to candidates and
this is rendering high end
opportunities to them in
order to serve company.
(Janssen, van der Voort
and Wahyudi, 2017)
implication on the
performance of Sainsbury’s
and helping them in enhancing
their market position.
Training & Development The training and development
approaches are assisting
employees of Sainsbury’s in
enhancing their skills and
capabilities to the fullest level.
This is helpful in providing
career development to the
employees so as to render
them far better career options.
Employer of Sainsbury’s is
organising training and
development sessions in their
business so as to enhance skills
set and other capabilities of
employees. The employees of
Sainsbury’s are highly
benefitted from the same as
market image can be enhanced
by performing in a better way
and this is the reason why the
company is having high end
market opportunities to grow.

P4 Effectiveness of different HRM practices for raising organisational productivity and profit
For the major reason to enhance efficiency at individual level HR department is playing
efficient role as within this they are examining and controlling performance of each and every
employee within individual level. This is helping them to tracking performance of their
employees in a very advantageous manner by which overall productivity and efficacy can be
enhanced. In Sainsbury’s high profits are earned by them due to high productivity and this is
the reason that company is enjoying effective market share. Various practices of HRM are used
by Sainsbury’s in order to get high market sustainability and to protect their employees for
aligning their goals with business goals as well. These adopted practices possess direct
relationship with productivity and profitability of the business and these practices are explained
as under in context of Sainsbury’s:
 Recruitment and selection: The process of recruitment and selection is defined as the
procedure in which appropriate candidate is searched, evaluated, selected so as to fulfil
vacant job role of the company. This is taken as the most crucial function of HR
department as this includes appointing the most appropriate person at the position and
the person is selected from pool of candidates. This function is utilised in Sainsbury’s in
order to provide development and capabilities in employee by which high growth
opportunities can be grabbed by the company. In the background of Sainsbury’s the
company is having sufficient productivity in their business and this is the reason that the
company is efficient in obtaining high customer satisfaction thereon. As the company is
having apt skills in their business so they are able to provide their organisation specific
edge in the marketplace by which success can be adopted by them for longer duration.
(Thunnissen, 2016). By adopting proper recruitment and selection techniques by
Sainsbury’s high skill set can be introduced in organisation due to which high efficacy
can be introduced which leads to greater productivity. This is the method by which
Sainsbury’s can acknowledge inhaled skills in their organisation and set clear path of
goal attainment.
 Training & Development: This is categorised as the manner in which skills and
capabilities of employees are enhanced by giving them session regarding training and
development program. The HR department of organisation is highly responsible for this

as they arrange training sessions for employees in order to provide them assistance over
their job role and sharpen their skills. By rendering ample amount of training employees
of Sainsbury’s are performing well in their assigned job role and enhancing their career
opportunities for career enlargement. With the help of these trainings modifications can
be implemented in the business without facing any prominent complexities and high end
success can be attained. Training and development plays an essential role in
organisational success as this is the aspect which is helpful in enhancing capabilities and
skills of working employees due to which complexities can be eliminated in business.
Form the above discussion it can be concluded that recruitment, selection, training and
development are essential aspect of business which helps in enhancing organisational capacities
and efficacy. With the help of ample techniques of recruitment and selection, high skills set can
be introduced in business which leads to make b break free path of goal attainment. On the
other hand by adopting proper training and development in Sainsbury’s skills and capabilities
can be improvised which leads to enhancing overall capabilities.
TASK 3
P5 Significance of employee relations in influencing decision making process
Human resource department is executing responsibility of formulating effectual
decisions which are apt for business growth and sustainability as well. These decisions are
associated with legislative implementation, employee compensation, business functions and
many more. Similarly HR manager is highly responsible for establishing effectual
communication between employee and higher authority so as to transmit each of the prominent
information in a very useful manner. This is required by the business that employee relations
are effectively handled so as to provide long edged solution areas in which full efficacy of
employees can be drawn out. On the other hand employee relations are having direct impact
over policies and framed decisions as in presence of good employee relations no conflicts can
be seen in the business due to which any policies can be implemented in an easy manner. This
is highly required by HR manager of Sainsbury’s that effective relations can be enumerated by
them so as to make their employees high satisfied and motivated. (DeCenzo, Robbins and
Verhulst, 2016)

If ineffective relations are possessed by Sainsbury’s then this may draw negative impact
over the business in terms of efficacy and productivity. By ineffective employee relations
conflicts can be created in the business and grievances could not be heard by higher authority.
By keeping effective relations skills and knowledge of employees can be used in most
appropriate manner in which relation between employee and employer can be made friendly
which resultantly lead to high overall performance. This is advised for HR manager of
Sainsbury’s that efficient relations are to be drawn by them.
 HR manager of Sainsbury’s is putting their high focus on employees so as to reduce any
cultural differences and providing them equal opportunities to enhance their career
options.
 HR manager is required to provide ample and appropriate amount of appraisal to their
employees so as to motivate them for performing in better way in near future.
 For the major purpose to increase talent and skills of employees several training
sessions are to be arranged by the company so as to provide assistance to employee
within any new project.
 In decision making process involvement of employees should be taken by HR manager
so as to obtain new business ideas and enhance their growth options and opportunities.
P6 Key elements of employment legislation and its impact on decision making of HRM
Human resource management is working as core segment of the business and they are
having various essential roles in their business so as to assist them in their growth and planning
stage. The HR department is having role of formulating effective strategies in which business is
having high opportunities for success. There are various legislative requirements which are
required to be fulfilled by HR department in order to frame error free policies. These policies
are helpful in protecting rights of stakeholders and other employees. There are various
legislative requirements in UK in which UK is highly strict in enforceability of these laws
which are enumerated as under:
 Health & Safety law: This law is related with health and safety measures of employee
within working area. This law is helpful in protecting employees form any misconduct
which can harm their health and generating issues regarding their safety at working
premises. Within this law employer is having high responsibility of creation of such