UK Retail HRM: Recruitment and Selection Strategies at Marks & Spencer

This literature review investigates the impact of Human Resources Management (HRM) strategies on recruitment and selection processes within the UK's retail industry, using Marks & Spencer (M&S) as a case study. It defines recruitment and selection as vital processes for identifying the right candidates for vacant positions, highlighting the importance of both internal and external recruitment methods. The review emphasizes the significance of employee skills and performance in the retail sector, where employees directly interact with customers. It outlines the specific recruitment and selection processes adopted by M&S, including identifying hiring needs, preparing job descriptions, talent searches, screening, interviewing, and the offer of employment. Furthermore, it discusses various strategies employed by M&S, such as developing a clear employer brand, creating company-reflective job posts, utilizing social media, investing in applicant tracking systems, exploring niche job boards, considering campus recruiting, treating candidates as customers, and implementing employee referral programs. The review also differentiates between internal (transfers, promotions, rehiring former employees, employee referrals) and external (employment agencies, advertising, job fairs, direct recruiting) recruitment types used by M&S to acquire and retain skilled employees.

Component Three:
Literature Review

Component Three: Literature Review
Topic: To investigate the impact of strategies adopted by human resources management in its
recruitment and selection process in UK's retail industry: A study on Marks and Spencer
Concept of recruitment and selection in UK's retail industry
According to Paradela, de Oliveira Dias, de Oliveira Sampaio and de Castro Fernandes,
(2019), recruitment and selection are considered as the process of identification of right
candidate at right position so that to fill out vacant job position. Recruitment is the process which
is related with human resource management of an organisation and assist the organisation to
manage process of selecting right candidate for the vacant job role. This is considered as a long
process but at the same time this is one of the major process which is related with acquiring
success in overall manner. There are two sources of recruitment such as internal and external
recruitments so that vacant position can be filled with deserving candidate. Recruitment is one of
the vital process which helps the organisation to appoint and retain skilled people in the
organisation. Selection is the process which is related with identifying applicants out of pool of
people as accordance with possessed skill set so that right candidate can be appointed at the right
location so that business competencies can be attained. There are various methods that can be
used within selection process such as screening, interviews, medical tests, checking references
and many others. This manner whole the process of appointing an employee can be managed and
this would be highly useful in acquiring overall success in the organisation in the context of
employees and their skills.
According to Hamza, Othman, Gardi and Anwar, (2021), In the context of retail
industry as employees are directly connected with customers so for this industry skills and
performance of employees are essential to be managed and increased. Using calibre of employee
numerous customers can be added to the business and succession opportunities can be developed
by the organisation. This is stated that there are various measures which are used by the retail
industry in order to manage their employee and one of them is using of transparent systems of
recruitment and selection. Recruitment is the activity which is related with searching of potential
candidates whereas selection is the process which is related with selecting the best candidates
and offering them job so that business objectives can be aligned with strengths and capabilities
of employees. The key factor of recruitment is advertising a job whereas key factor of selection
is to appoint the candidate which is highly suitable for the job and could assist the employees to
1

manage overall business objectives. These are the processes which are having higher degree of
importance as these are the processes which help the organisation to attract and appoint talented
staff so that using skills and efforts of such employees business objectives can be managed.
Hiring process can increase the overall working performance of the retail industry as employees
are considered as the frontier of the organisation in which such aspects can be managed in
appropriate manner. These processes are holding vital degree and helps in developing well-being
of the organisation so that business operations can be executed in systematic manner and at the
same time long term success opportunities for the business can be acquired.
Process of recruitment and selection adopted by M&S
According to Villeda, McCamey, Essien and Amadi, (2019), recruitment and selection
are considered as two vital aspects which are taken by the organisation in order to appoint right
candidate at proper place. The process of recruitment and selection are elaborated as under:
Process of recruitment:
The process of recruitment is associated with 7 steps such as Identifying the Hiring Needs,
Setting up the Best Recruitment Team, Preparing the Job Description, Talent Search, Screening
and Short-listing, Interviewing, Evaluation and Offer of Employment and Introduction and
Induction of the New Employee. Using this process the recruitment process can be exerted and in
accurate manner employee can be appointed at right position. With the help of executing process
of recruitment in significant manner this will be easier that to attain efficiencies of employees at
different level so that business objectives can be attained.
Process of selection
The selection process is also associated with different stages such as Initial Screening,
Completion of the Application Form Employment Tests, Job Interview, Conditional Job Offer,
Background Investigation, Medical Examination and Permanent Job Offer. Using these steps
process of selection can be executed with Marks & Spencer so that to provide appropriate job to
deserving candidates (Klepić, 2019).
Strategies used by M&S for recruitment and selection
According to Mugizi and Nuwatuhaire, (2019), M&S uses the several strategies for
recruitment and selection. Developing the clear employer brand is one of the strategy. M&S uses
the branding strategy for recruitment by properly developing the clear employer brand in order to
recruit the skilled and experienced candidates. Creating the job posts which reflect the company
2

is an another strategy. M&S has the tactical way of formulating the job descriptions and posting
it so that the maximum number of candidates can apply and the selection of the candidates can
be easy and strategic in nature. Using social media is also one of the strategy. M&S uses several
social media applications such as Facebook and Instagram along with the YouTube and Twitter
and many more in order to have the wide reach to the candidates. Investing in an applicant
tracking system is also an another strategy. M&S has good investment in the appli9cant tracking
system because it helps in monitoring the recruitment activities accordingly.
According to Jones and Comfort, (2019), Exploring the niche job boards is one of the
strategy. M&S also explores the candidates with low job profiles as it helps in referring the
candidates for the high job profile and it relates the internal advertisement of the company to hire
the candidates. Considering campus recruiting is an another strategy. M&S also conducts the
campus hiring by visiting several colleges as per the job profile in order to conduct the mass
hiring for the organization. Treating candidates as customers is also one of the strategy. M&S
has the strategy that they always treats their candidates as customers because they tries to
convince candidates in order to retain the skilled and experienced employees. Considering
employee referral program is also an another strategy. M&S provides the employee referral
money to their existing candidates at each candidate the employee is referring.
Types of recruitment and selection used by M&S
According to Orton, Green, Atfield and Barnes, (2019), M&S basically uses the two
types recruitment and selection. Internal type of recruitment is one of the type of recruitment and
selection where company recruits from the existing employees of the organization. External type
of recruitment is an another type of recruitment and selection where company recruits externally
with new candidates. Transfer is one of the type of internal recruiting. M&S uses this type to
recruit where they transfer the employees at those locations where there is high need so that
human resources can be utilised at its maximum. Promotions is an another type of internal
recruiting. M&S conducts the promoting activity so that their employees can read and tries to
hire for the organization at their own benefit. Rehiring former employees is also one of the type
of internal recruiting. M&S has also approaches the employees who ere once working for the
organization but left due to some reasons. Employee referrals is also an another type of internal
recruiting. M&S pays their existing employees if they provide good candidates for the
3

organization. It provides motivation to the employees to refer more good candidates for the
company.
According to Fontana, Iori and Nava, (2019), Employment agencies is one of the type of
external recruiting. M&S uses this type when it has to hire the mass employees for the same job
role because they provide good candidates for the firm. Advertising is an another type of external
recruiting. M&S advertise on the social media along with the proper job description where
external candidates apply for the same. Job fairs is also one of the type of external recruiting.
M&S usually participates in the several job fairs where other organizations also visits to hire
externally. Many candidates participates in the job fair from all over the world which is an
effective type of recruitment and selection. Direct recruiting is also an another type of external
recruiting. M&S uses various job platforms to hire on a direct basis such as naukri.com and
indeed.com and many more.
4

References
Books and Journals
Fontana, M., Iori, M. and Nava, C.R., 2019. Switching behavior in the Italian electricity retail
market: Logistic and mixed effect Bayesian estimations of consumer choice. Energy
Policy, 129, pp.339-351.
Hamza, P.A., Othman, B.J., Gardi, B. and Anwar, G., 2021. Recruitment and Selection: The
Relationship between Recruitment and Selection with Organizational
Performance. International Journal of Engineering, Business and Management, 5(3), pp.1-
13.
Jones, P. and Comfort, D., 2019. “Better Retail, Better World”: A commentary on British
retailers and the sustainable development goals. Journal of Public Affairs, 19(2), p.e1910.
Klepić, I., 2019. Correlation of recruitment and selection of human resources and the
performance of small and medium enterprises. Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy, 65(4),
pp.14-26.
Mugizi, W. and Nuwatuhaire, B., 2019. Recruitment, Selection and Employee Commitment of
Academic Staff in the Context of a Private University in Uganda.
Orton, M., Green, A., Atfield, G. and Barnes, S.A., 2019. Employer participation in active labour
market policy: from reactive gatekeepers to proactive strategic partners. Journal of Social
Policy, 48(3), pp.511-528.
Paradela, V.C., de Oliveira Dias, M., de Oliveira Sampaio, D. and de Castro Fernandes, G.I.,
2019. Best Managerial Practices in Retail Business in Juiz De Fora-MG. International
Journal of Management, Technology and Engineering, 9(3), pp.3521-3538.
Villeda, M., McCamey, R., Essien, E. and Amadi, C., 2019. Use of social networking sites for
recruiting and selecting in the hiring process. International business research, 12(3),
pp.66-78.
5