Analysis of HR Functions and Employee Engagement Strategies

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HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................2

TASK 1....................................................................................................................................................3
(A) PURPOSE OF THE HR FUNCTION AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR AN ORGANIZATION......................3
(B) STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS OF THE SELECTION METHOD USED.................................................4
(C) POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN BE DONE BY CHOCOLATE PRESENCE TO ENHANCE ITS
SELECTION PROCESS..........................................................................................................................4
SELECTION METHODS USED BY A CHOCOLATE PRESENCE................................................................6
TASK 2 APPLICATION.............................................................................................................................7
(A) PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR THE COMPANY ‘CHOCOLATE PRESENCE’.......................................7
(B) ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF THE METHODS OF ADVERTISING JOBS (INTERNALLY
WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND ON THE NOTICEBOARD OUTSIDE THE MAIN ENTRANCE)...........8
(C) THE RECOMMENDED JOB ADVERT FOR THE RECEPTIONIST VACANCY TO BE PLACED................8
Task 3...................................................................................................................................................10
(A) BENEFITS TO BOTH THE ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES OFFERED BY MICROSOFT..............10
(B) FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENT FOR STAFF AND BENEFITS TO BOTH MICROSOFT AND
EMPLOYEES.....................................................................................................................................11
(C) HOW MICROSOFT MOTIVATES ITS WORKERS THROUGH THE WAY IT DESIGNS ITS JOB ROLE. .11
TASK 4..................................................................................................................................................13
(A) WHAT IS EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND WHY IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF EFFECTIVE
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS IN MICROSOFT............................................................................................13
(B) KEY APPROACHES TO ENGAGING WORKERS DISCUSSED IN THE SUMMIT AND HOW THESE
APPROACHES IMPROVE COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE...................................................14
(C) KEY ELEMENTS OF UK EMPLOYMENT LEGISLATION EXPLAINING HOW THEY INFLUENCE HR
DECISION MAKING SUCH AS RECRUITMENT, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AND REWARD.........15
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................17
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INTRODUCTION
In this assignment, the purpose and importance of the HR function will be discussed
according to a given current problem and future plans/growth. Attracting the applicants and
recruiting them is the core function of HRM. Different types of selection methods are used
in the organisation so that the company can select the best among all. The HR looks for the
best-skilled labour of the organisation. Merits and demerits for the organisation will be
discussed in accordance with the methods used for advertising the job profile to the general
public. Law governing the HRM and its processes will also be observed. This will enable the
organisation to inculcate the best practices which will help the employee to become
important in their workforce.
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TASK 1
(A) PURPOSE OF THE HR FUNCTION AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR AN
ORGANIZATION
Human resource management is the management of human by the organization, keeping in
mind that fuller utilization of resources takes place. It is a process wherein organization
recruit people based on their talent and ability to perform the job (Bratton and Gold, 2017).
There are various HR functions that should be kept in mind by Human resource officer for a
chocolate company. These are:
 Recruitment of the employees in the organization
 Management of workforce and selecting the talented people for the job
 Training the employees and evaluating their overall development
 Employee satisfaction so that they can work efficiently
 Inculcating team-building attitude among each employee of the organization.
Managing human resource properly by the organization is very important. For every
organization, to achieve success human resources should be managed efficiently. The roles
of HRM within the organization are:
 Making good relations with the employees- By making a healthy relationship with
the employees, the HR department of Chocolate Presence will be able to solve the
grievances effectively. Also, the HR manager can properly guide the employees and
create a stronger relationship between them.
 Training and development- Proper training is given to employees will ensure
effective working in the organization. The HR department manages the training and
development of employees within the organization. These departments train the
employees in such a way that they can adapt to any type of environment and
perform well enough for the organization.
 Recruitment of the employees- There should be continuous recruitment of new
workforce in the company. Also, the numbers of applicants are high as there is a high
rate of unemployment. This company should recruit new employees so that they can
come up with more new innovative ideas and designing techniques. Though
recruitment is a long process it is needed in the company with the increasing rate of
demand in the market for chocolate.
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 Safety of employees- It is the most important role of HR manager in an organization.
For a chocolate company, the HR manager should make sure that employees are
safe from big machines. Since many of the chocolates are made from honey, the HR
manager should see that employees work safely from honey bees.
 Maintaining goodwill of the company- A good reputation in the market ensures the
number of customer retention. This goodwill can be created by providing the
customer with good quality chocolates, behaving nicely with them, giving good
services to them etc. The company should be able to gain trust and confidence of its
customer.
(B) STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS OF THE SELECTION METHOD USED
The strength of the selection method used is:
 Detailed questions can be asked by the candidate during the interview.
 The response rate is high since the candidate is in direct contact with the company.
 The candidates are not influenced by other candidates and focus on their personal
growth.
 Former description of the candidate's personal as well as the professional life could
be done easily.
 Respondent answers all the questions on their own and does not depend on anyone
else.
The weakness of the selection method is:
 The process involved in the selection method is time-consuming.
 Costly since it involves the number of processes to be undertaken by the company.
 The interview can be different to different interviewer. The same interview may have
a variant impact.
(C) POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN BE DONE BY CHOCOLATE
PRESENCE TO ENHANCE ITS SELECTION PROCESS
In order to ensure that chocolate Presence selects the right candidate for the job, they
should keep in mind the following potential improvement points:
Visualize the selection funnel- The selection process created by the Chocolate Presence
should be such that it creates a whole picture of the strategy. By visualizing all the
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possibilities and consequences the company can make selection easy and on time. A rough
diagram of all the process should be created in advance by the company. This will enable
them to make decision quick and reliable.
Communicate- Communication is the key to success for every organization. With many
people involved in hiring a candidate, it is the duty of the Chocolate Presence to
communicate about the strategy to each member involved in the process. Keeping them
updated with the process will help the organization to work efficiently.
Figure 1 – PERCENTAGE OF COMMUNICATION NETWORK
Source- Haver, 2019.
Make candidate experience a priority- The Company should try to create a positive impact
of the selection process in the mind of the candidate. The company should make it simple
for the candidate to understand the procedure and their responsibility. The company should
also make sure that they provide proper attention to those candidates and solve their
queries.
Application of HRM practices in the workplace
Some of the examples of HRM practices include- Hiring, training, payroll and performance
management. Without applying these practices it becomes difficult for the company to
manage the working. Some of the practices performed by HRM managers are:
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Motivating employees- Employees should be hired or promoted in regular interval so that
they are satisfied with their jobs and work efficiently. The company should make the
employees realize that they are important for the company.
Flexible working condition- HR manager should look closely to this issue. They should plan
such an environment for its employees that they do not feel awkward coming for work.
Flexible working time should be adopted by the company since there are many employees
who are old and need proper rest hours.
SELECTION METHODS USED BY A CHOCOLATE PRESENCE
The selection process is lengthy and a bit complex (Evalue, 2006). The processes undertaken
by the Chocolate Presence are:
Online screening and short-listing of applicants- Online screening of the applicants can be
done either by sending mail to the applicants to fill the form or through an advertisement
for a required job profile. Short-listing of the applicant is usually done on the basis of the
experience and qualification of the candidate. Chocolate Presence looks for those
candidates who are expert in chocolate making and have well knowledge about the
ingredients used for making chocolate.
Various tests are conducted- After shortlisting the suitable candidate, the company conduct
different types of test. These tests ensure the company that they choose the right applicant
for the job. The test includes a psychometric test and ability and aptitude test. Once the
applicant passes in this test, the company can conduct an interview of these candidates.
Interview- After the tests are conducted, the company conducts an interview which is
generally informal and basic for the candidate. The interview is taken by the well trained
and skilled interviewer. This interviewer has complete knowledge about the company and
its working.
Selection decision- The final decision is made by the company, keeping in mind the process
they conducted for the applicant. The decision is generally taken by the HR manager and
final recruitment is done accordingly.
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TASK 2 APPLICATION
(A) PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR THE COMPANY ‘CHOCOLATE PRESENCE’
Required specification for the post of “Receptionist” at Chocolate Presence-
Figure 2 – YORKSHIRE CHOCOLATES
Source- Industry Yorkshire, 2019.
Professional experience- Experience of at least 2 years as a professional baker in a well-
known shop or industry.
Skills Required-
 Creative
 Culinary expert
 Good decision maker
 Organized and should maintain hygiene
 Attention to details
 Efficiently works for the organization.
Education- Should have done Masters in chocolate making and other bakery products.
Additional skills-
 Well aware about the MS Office
 Excellent communication skill
 Have knowledge about various techniques and methods used in bakery products
 Innovative packaging of products
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(B) ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF THE METHODS OF ADVERTISING
JOBS (INTERNALLY WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND ON THE
NOTICEBOARD OUTSIDE THE MAIN ENTRANCE)
The advantages of internal recruitment to the organization are:
 Company culture, rules and regulations are already known to the employees.
 The company is well aware of the employee's strength and weaknesses.
 Employees can be hired at relatively less cost than employees if hired from outside
the organization (Poppulo, 2019).
Disadvantages of internal recruitment are:
 The company may not get qualified employees.
 Groups overall performance can also be disrupted.
 May lead to a boring place to work for as no innovative idea is generated.
The advantages if the job description is mentioned on the notice board outside the main
entrance:
 Potentially skilled people would get the opportunity to apply for the job.
 A new and talented employee in the company.
 Fresh faces and ability to generate new ideas.
Disadvantages if, the job description is mentioned on the notice board outside the main
entrance:
 Higher cost involvement.
 Time-consuming process.
 Create dissatisfaction among the existing employees.
(C) THE RECOMMENDED JOB ADVERT FOR THE RECEPTIONIST VACANCY
TO BE PLACED
Advertisement is a medium through which people can come to know what is going around
them. Be it trending clothes or new technology, customers easily come to know about new
things with the coming up of various advertisement campaigns. An advertisement may
relate to a person, product, place, service or thing (Mailer, 2018). For the vacancy of the
receptionist, we can advertise in various places. Such as:
 Social media- Social media includes advertisements on Instagram, television,
Facebook or any other app. By advertising the vacancy of the receptionist, people or
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suitable candidate may come to know quickly about the job vacancy and may apply
for the job. Social media reaches people with greater speed as compared to another
medium of advertising in an effective way. Advertisement here could be paid or
unpaid. A simple advertisement mentioning the specifications required will enable
the organization to choose the best among all.
 Local press- Advertisements given in local daily press or newspaper will also attract
the candidate. This local employee can be hired by the company and may increase
the chances of paying a low salary.
 Radio announcement- This is the medium used by everyone. A catchy quote or
rhyme enhances the effectiveness of the advertisement. Also, the company should
clearly mention the specification required to them so that only skilled employee
apply for the job.
 Public speaking events- For the job of the receptionist, the company may make an
announcement at public places. This may include a market or a mall where retention
of people is high on a daily basis.
 Posters- This is also one of the effective ways of advertising for the vacancy. Posters
can be pasted at various places in the city, mentioning the job requirement. This will
enable the interested candidate to apply for the job.
 Yellow pages- The job for the receptionist can be applied in yellow pages. Here the
ads are well arranged in a chronological manner so that people can easily look for
the desired job. These yellow pages usually have special packages to get the
business.
 Websites- There are various sites where a company can apply for the vacancy of job
receptionist. Examples of such sites can be naukri.com, monsterindia.com,
timesjob.com, freshersworld.com, shine.com etc.
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TASK 3
(A) BENEFITS TO BOTH THE ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES OFFERED BY
MICROSOFT
Interning with Microsoft is a chance to build a successful career which can also provide a
full-time position in the company as well as assign the challenging work from day one.
Microsoft provides different opportunities for students with various programs and schemes
(Paperap, 2018). It's a great opportunity for the employees to explore their passion and
interest. Employees will also enjoy perks and benefits such as gym facility, fitness classes
and range of health-related products. Also, it’s an opportunity for the employees to build
their network with people living abroad. Company discount, hot-desking, free train rides,
electric cars, café and access to the forensic lab are some of the benefits provided to
employees.
The benefits provided to the organization include:
Discovering new talented people- By hiring such intern they would choose to stay for a long
term with the company.
Reduction in overall employee workload- Microsoft can fragment the workload with a large
number of people. They can transfer the easy jobs to interns and focus more on big
projects.
Minimal cost- Internship is generally cost-effective. For internship employees generally, do
not argue much for a paid internship rather they also work for an unpaid internship. The
employees work for the company even in low wages.
Increased productivity- New employees come up with great zeal to work and are all excited
to perform the task. This motivation increases the productivity of the company.
The benefits provided to the employees are:
Good working environment- The HR department should provide a good atmosphere to the
employees. By proper coordination between the employees and flexible working hours,
employees would be happy to work.
Health and safety- The Company must provide its employees better health facility and
safety at workplace. Various schemes should be made by the company to motivate the
employees to work effectively for the organization.
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Rewards and Benefits- Employees should be rewarded for the work they do for the
organization. The company must also plan benefits for them so as to motivate them. These
rewards and benefit will make the employees recognized in the company. Also, by doing so
satisfaction level of the employees will increase.
(B) FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENT FOR STAFF AND BENEFITS TO
BOTH MICROSOFT AND EMPLOYEES
Following are the benefits employees and Microsoft has from flexible work arrangement:
 Increase in performance- Flexible working hours allowed the employees to take
proper rest and feel relaxed. They can be much healthier sitting at home and
performing the task assigned to them. Employees working from home can work in
less stress and happily. It allows them to enjoy the freedom and complete their job
effectively.
 Improvement in team communication- There are people who live at faraway places
and cannot reach office as per the timings. Therefore, for such people. Being at
home and communicating regularly via phone is quite accessible. Microsoft also
offers such a condition to its employees.
 Innovation and improved productivity- "Work from home" had offered relief to the
employees. By working from home the employees of the company can complete the
work on time and with greater ease. Different innovative ideas are also bought up by
the employees who are working from home. This shows that work from home has
improved increased in productivity and innovative ideas.
(C) HOW MICROSOFT MOTIVATES ITS WORKERS THROUGH THE WAY IT
DESIGNS ITS JOB ROLE
Microsoft allows people to know that they are an important part and shapes the future of
the company. By letting employees know their worth in the company, Microsoft empowers
its employees (Ruchira, 2016). And by this approach, Microsoft is able to compete in the
market. The various ways in which Microsoft motivates its employees are:
Stock option plan- This plan allows Microsoft to motivate the employees. Microsoft knows
how to attract employees to work for them. This philosophy motivates employees to work
efficiently and be loyal to the company.
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