HRM Strategies and Applications at John Lewis Partnership Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices at John Lewis Partnership, a prominent retail organization in the United Kingdom. It examines the purpose and functions of HRM, focusing on workforce planning, recruitment strategies, and employee benefits. The report evaluates the effectiveness of HRM practices in enhancing organizational productivity and profitability, while also considering internal and external factors, including employment legislation, that influence HRM decision-making. Furthermore, it analyzes the importance of employee relations and illustrates the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, offering specific examples from John Lewis Partnership. The analysis covers both the advantages and disadvantages of the company's recruitment and selection procedures, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to talent acquisition and management. The report concludes by highlighting the critical role of HRM in fostering a positive work environment and ensuring legal compliance, ultimately contributing to the overall success of the organization.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
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Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................4
Task 1:.............................................................................................................................................5
LO1: Explain the purpose and scope of HRM in terms of resourcing an organisation chosen of
your choice with talent and skills appropriate to fulfill business objectives. [P1, M1, D1, P2, M2]
.........................................................................................................................................................5
P1 Explain the purpose and the functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and
resourcing the chosen organization of your choice.........................................................................5
Purpose and functions of the Human Resource Management department which is necessary for a
better workforce planning:...............................................................................................................5
P2 Explain the strengths and weakness of different approaches to recruitment and selection for
the chosen organization...................................................................................................................6
LO 2: Evaluate the effectiveness of the key elements of HRM for the organization chosen of
your choice: [P3, M3, D2]...............................................................................................................9
P3 Explain the benefits of different HRM practices within the organization chosen of your choice
for both the employer and employee...............................................................................................9
P4 Evaluate the effectiveness of different HRM practices in terms of raising the chosen
organizations profit and productivity.............................................................................................10
LO3 Analyze internal and external factors that affect HRM decision-making at or the chosen
organization of your choice, including employment Legislation:.................................................13
P5 Analyze the importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision
making for the chosen organization...............................................................................................13
P6 Identify the key elements of employment legislation and the impact it has upon HRM
decision making for the chosen organization................................................................................14
LO4: Apply HRM practices in a work-related context for the chosen organization. [P7, M5]....15
P7 Illustrate the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific examples
from the chosen organization.........................................................................................................15
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Conclusion:....................................................................................................................................17
Reference list:................................................................................................................................18
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Introduction:
The Human Resource department of an organization is the wing, which handles the
maintenance, control and management of the employees. Human resource management has three
major functions. The primary function of the human resource management department is
recruitment of fresh employees in the system, along with this the Human Resource management
department looks into the matter of employment benefits which includes health plans, retirement
and pension plans and leaves. The human resource department of any organization also handles
the legal matter.
In this research project we have considered John Lewis Partnership; the company is a
multinational retail brand functioning from the United Kingdom. The company is one of the
most celebrated retail industries in the United Kingdom. The Human Resource team of the
company is primarily focused on recruitment of candidates and welfare and wellbeing of the
employees. Other than this there is an array of duties and responsibilities that the Human
Resource management department of John Lewis Partnership needs to address.
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Task 1:
LO1: Explain the purpose and scope of HRM in terms of resourcing an organisation
chosen of your choice with talent and skills appropriate to fulfill business objectives. [P1,
M1, D1, P2, M2]
P1 Explain the purpose and the functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and
resourcing the chosen organization of your choice
Workforce planning can be defined as the process by which the efficiency and effectiveness of
the work setting can be maximized. Workforce planning is necessary in order to determine that
the capability and competence of the system can enhance the overall business process (Cascio
2018).
Purpose and functions of the Human Resource Management department which is
necessary for a better workforce planning:
 The first and foremost responsibility of the human resource department is hiring and
recruitment of new candidates. The entire selection process is controlled and monitored
by the human resource team. It is necessary for the department to identify the
requirements of the company and provide a job description accordingly. The department
determines the methods by which the screening process can be conducted. The Human
Resource manger looks into the matter of filtering and short listing the candidates
according to their profiles and capabilities (Bratton and Gold 2017).
 It is also the duty of the Human Resource team to address the benefits of the employees.
The department looks into the affair of the welfare and wellbeing of the employees. The
benefits of the employees are handled and maintained by the human resource team. The
benefits include retirement and pension plans, leaves and the health benefit plans. The
human resource department of John Lewis Partnership handles the benefits and other
amenities of the employees and the staffs.
 There are instances where the employees and staff of John Lewis Partnership have been
upset about the work environment and needs a solution to the issues. In such a case it is
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the duty of the Human Resource team to address the issues and queries of the employees
and the subordinates and present possible solutions in order to solve the query or issue.
 It is the duty of the human resource management department to address the technical or
other subsidiary issues that the employees might face. There could be instances where the
work environment of the organization can hinder the efficiency of the process work. The
human resource management department of John Lewis Partnership focuses on the
factors in order to minimize the disruption in the work setting (Bratton and Gold 2017).
 In order to access maximum capability and performance from the employees, the human
resource management department of John Lewis Partnership conducts frequent
workshops and training programs. Training and development programs of the employees
and staffs are necessary in order to enhance the efficiency and quality of the business
process and functions.
 It is also the duty of the Human Resource Management department to maintain the
ambiance of the workforce. It is necessary for the HR department and the management to
monitor the environment and ambiance of the work setting in order to avoid any kind of
confusion or misconduct among the employees. Regular check is necessary in order to
avoid any kind of future disruption.
 All the legal parameters of the company including the salary and other parameters are
handled and monitored by the Human resource department of John Lewis Partnership.
 The Human resource department should monitor the performance of the existing
employees. There are situations where the performance of the employees have relatively
declined and it is the duty of the Human resource department to provide regular training
programs and counseling sessions to the employees in order to increase the efficiency
(Bratton and Gold 2017).
P2 Explain the strengths and weakness of different approaches to recruitment and selection
for the chosen organization.
John Lewis Partnership has a tensile approach towards the selection process of the candidates.
The organization has a three-step process for recruiting fresh candidates in the system. Both
internal and external recruitment is done in order to minimize the employment turnover
(Brewster et al., 2016).
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After advertisement and promotions of the job vacancy, the management of the organization
shortlists the candidates who have applied for the post with respect to the eligibility criteria and
their individual profiles.
The next step is the company follows is informing the employees via cell phones and the next
process is initiated. The next step is the aptitude test for the shortlisted candidates. The severity
of the test is quite high and most of the candidates are filtered out.
After the aptitude test, the shortlisted candidates are then called for the group discussion round.
In the group discussion round the management of the company evaluates the communication
skill and professional approach of the candidates.
The shortlisted candidates are then called for the final round. In this stage, the candidates are
interviewed personally and the final list of the selected employees is presented.
The above process is particularly for external recruitment. However, in order to minimize
employment turnover the management of John Lewis Partnership also recruits from inside the
system. Internal recruitment is necessary as the employees are already a part of the system and
they are aware of the policies and procedure of the company. Besides, the extra effort on training
and development can be avoided (Brewster et al., 2016).
The selection procedure that John Lewis Partnership follows has certain pros and cons. The
advantages and disadvantages of the selection procedure that the company follows are mentioned
below:
Advantages:
 The stiffness of the selection procedure is necessary in order to filter the candidates in
order to segregate the capable and worthy candidates.
 Aptitude tests are necessary in order to determine the general idea and knowledge of the
candidates. Every company demands that the employees are well aware of the current
scenario of the country and the world and it is necessary that the employees are aware of
the facts for better decision-making process.
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 Group discussions are mandatory in order to determine the professional approach and the
communication skills of the candidates. It is necessary for the employees to be able to
communicate with the clients for better business process.
Disadvantages:
 There have been instances where worthy and capable candidates can be filtered out
because of the stern selection process of John Lewis Partnership. For the specified role of
a data analyst, better general knowledge skills are not actually required. However, the
company filters most of the candidates based on their aptitude. In such a case, there may
be a possibility that capable candidates can be slashed out.
 Another disadvantage of the selection procedure that the organization follows is
confusion among the candidates. Because of the layered selection process, it has been
observed that the candidates have often been misguided and there is a situation of conflict
and confusion. A transparent mode of selection procedure will avoid the confusion
among the candidates.
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LO 2: Evaluate the effectiveness of the key elements of HRM for the organization chosen of
your choice: [P3, M3, D2]
P3 Explain the benefits of different HRM practices within the organization chosen of your
choice for both the employer and employee.
The human resource department of an organization has a huge contribution in determining the
overall business output and scenario of the company. In order to have an expanding and
successful business it is necessary for the management of the concerned organization to monitor
the process and functioning of the system. There are certain set of practices that the human
resource department of an organization follows in order to increase the efficiency and
effectiveness of the work setting (Ruth Mayhew 2018).
The human resource department of John Lewis Partnership addresses certain set of
practices for better productivity of the system and the benefits of employers and
employees:
Better working environment: In order to achieve maximum proficiency from the employees
and staff, the primary and the most important practice that the HR team needs to address is
providing a safe and optimistic work environment. It is necessary that the ambiance of the
workplace is suitable and comfortable enough for the employees because any kind of disruption
in the work setting can hamper the business output. Along with this, the HR team needs to
address the issues and conflicts among the employees. There could be instances where the there
is a circumstance where there is conflict and commotion among the employees, in these kinds of
situations it is the management who looks into the matter and presents necessary solutions in
order to eliminate the current issue and avoid any kind of future conflicts. This approach is
necessary to resume the efficiency of the work force and thus will be beneficial for the
organization and the employers. (Armstrong and Taylor 2014).
Implementation of technology: The Human resource department of John Lewis Partnership has
a well-equipped system on which the system works. Adapting the technological digital
advancements has accelerated the process of the company. The most noteworthy approach of
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technology in the HR department is an online portal for data and information. The Human
resource software that the company uses is necessary because it is less time consuming and all
the data for employees and other business processes can be compiled inside one online platform.
Along with this the payrolls, leaves and official letters are presented to the employees via
electronic mails. This approach will enhance the business process which will be beneficial to
both the employer and the employee. There could be situations where because of an issue the
company might be unable to perform physically and in such a case the HR team can inform the
employees via electronic mails and if necessary, they can work from home.
Training and development process: Another approach towards better Human resource
management practice is routine monitor and check on the existing employees. It is necessary for
John Lewis Partnership to scrutinize the work setting on a regular basis in order to stabilize the
quality and performance of the work setting. The human resource department of the company
focuses on performance management of the employees and the staffs. The performance
management system that John Lewis Partnership follows includes training and development of
the employees, systematic approach towards the work force, fair and just decision-making
process, appraisal of the employees and the staffs. This approach is necessary in order to elevate
the optimism and motivation level of the employees. There could be instances where the a
particular employee has performed well in the assigned task, and if the management decides to
praise the concerned employee and presents incentives then it would be a great source of
motivation for the employee and a mode of encouragement for the other staffs. The training
process is necessary in order to groom the employees and this facilitates the employers and the
company to receive efficient and effective work (Brewster 2017).
P4 Evaluate the effectiveness of different HRM practices in terms of raising the chosen
organizations profit and productivity
There is several practices in the Human resource management planning that is incorporated in
order to run the organization successfully. There are numbers of activities that the HR managers
need to fulfill in order to maintain the sustainability of the organization, which is as follows:
Creating a workforce:
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This is the most vital factor that the human resource managers need to fulfill properly. The main
task of the human resource managers is to create a proper workforce based on the skillful
workers and the experience possessed by the employees. Being one of the renowned retail
companies in the UK market, the HR managers of the company need to be careful enough in
order to improve the business efficiency of the organization. With almost 85,000 staffs, it is
possible of the organization to have the proper workforce for the company itself.
Managing Workforce Conflicts:
It has been justified by several researchers, if the workplace is suitable for the employees and for
the managers, the overall efficiency increases. Hence, it can be stated that, there should be proper
rules and regulation for the organization in order to maintain a proper organizational culture
(Camps, et al., 2016). However, the retail sectors organization need to incorporate several
factors, which will improve their business efficiency at the same time to gain a firm position in
the market. Moreover, the john Lewis Company has maintained a proper organizational culture
that is beneficial for the entire organization to progress further in the market.
Knowledge is power:
The lost productivity, low employee strength and the feeble organizational values often distracts
the organizational procedures. There are several strategies that the company may follows in order
to justify the knowledge acquired by the employees of the organization (Sanders and Yang,
2016). Hence, it can be justified that while the HR manager re selecting employees for the
organization, they need to judge the professional and the personal skills possessed by the
organization. Based upon the skills, the HR managers need to employee those people in those
sectors where they can give proper efforts. The HR managers of the John Lewis Company need
have set up proper strategy based upon which the company gets the proper employees for the
organization.
HRM in corner office:
The personal administrative functions of the HR departments of the organization are related with
the payroll processing, transactional HR manners and the signing up the employees for
improving the organizational efficiency. Besides this, several organizational tasks like creating
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the joint ventures, the HR departments of an organization do handling workers, the strategic
planning for the organization. In this scenario, John Lewis Company has come up with effective
HRM practice that has become fruitful for the organization in order to expand their business in
the market.
The human resource management function involves several practices, which is somehow
different from the HR automated functionalities. One of the key functionalities of the HR
managers is to recruit, hire or fire people from the organization. Some of the key functions of the
HR manager are as follows:
Recruitment and selection:
This is the key functionality of the HR department is to select employees who are capable to
work in the organization. Hence, the HR managers must be aware about the entire functionalities
in the organization so that the HR managers can choose the employees with the proper skills and
the ability (Conway et al., 2016). Hence, the mangers of the HR department need to be careful
enough to judge the skills possessed by the employees who are appearing for the job. However,
the HR managers need to also make the employees train properly so that they can complete the
given task with appropriate skills. The John Lewis Company is coming up with innovative HR
practice based upon which the employees can work efficiently for the organization to fulfill the
organizational motives (Storey, 2014). The employees of the company need to pass thorough
several tests before they are selected for the organization. Apparently, the existing employees of
the organization are trained after a certain time interval and at the same time, the HR managers
get proper justification of the improvement of the employees. Based on the robust HRM
Practices, the John Lewis Company has managed to recruit almost 85000 employees for the
different departments of the organization.
Building a Flexible Workplace:
Creating shifting demographics in the workplace is also a vital task of the HR manager. Now a
day the workers of the organization want different types of the working ambience compared to
that of the previous century. Apart from this, the organization wants to retain the efficient
employees for them in order to improve the business efficiency. Hence, the HR managers of the
John Lewis company has made a flexible work schedule, working environment, culture and
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