HRM in Retail: Analyzing People Management at Tesco and Sainsbury

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of people management within the context of Human Resource Management (HRM), focusing on Tesco and Sainsbury, two major players in the retail sector. It evaluates the pros and cons of HRM, explains the current role of HRM and its systems, and explores the role of the HRM department in creating coherence with HR policies and practices. The report also presents a comparative analysis of the corporate strategies of Tesco and Sainsbury, highlighting key differences, similarities, implications, and consequences. Furthermore, it reflects on the author's own people management and team-working abilities, considering the impact of HRM practices on organizational effectiveness and employee engagement, ultimately demonstrating how effective people management contributes to achieving organizational objectives such as higher profitability and sustainability. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of adapting HR strategies to align with business goals and maintain a competitive edge in the retail sector.

People Management

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
Critically evaluating the pros and cons of HRM........................................................................1
Explaining the current role of HRM and human resource management system.........................2
Explaining the current role of the HRM department & function in creating coherence along
with HR policies and practices of TESCO and Sainsbury..........................................................3
Presenting company corporate strategy- key differences, similarities, implications,
consequences................................................................................................................................4
PART-2............................................................................................................................................6
Reflection of own people management and team-working ability..............................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
People management is associated with having the process of talent acquisition, offering
training & development, motivation and day to management of employees. In the current era, it
is highly crucial for the companies to pay attention on having the effective people management
procedure in turn accomplishing organizational objectives. The current study will focus on
having the significant information regarding the role of HRM now and its system. This will
include the insights of implications & consequences of staff, line managers, organization and
sector. Its role in creating the coherence will be included in the present study to get the depth
understanding. The recent report will emphasis on using two companies such as TESCO and
Sainsbury which operates in retail sector for offering groceries, clothing, etc. in turn key
differences, similarities, implications consequences, HR policies and practices will be involved.
PART 1
Critically evaluating the pros and cons of HRM
Human resource management in the current time is highly required as it offers the
various form of the competitive advantage to the organization (Solayappan . and AP. 2019).
There are different form of the activities which is basically executed by HRM in respect to have
the higher profitability & sustainability via ensuing the optimum utilization of the resources.
This shows that effective management of employees to uplift its overall position in optimum
utilization of resources to gain effective functioning (Sony, 2020). These are the benefits and
limitations which are basically faced by both the specified organizations operating in retail
sector.
Pros
 There are different form of the benefits which is obtained by having the human resource
management that are as follows:
 The one of the major benefit is to boost the employees' performance via conducting
training & development in effective manner.
 It is responsible for having corrective strategy so that right employee at proper position
to have ensured that reliable utilization of resources to avoid errors & conflicts.
 This is related with offering the higher job satisfaction by enabling to get competitive
skills to have higher retention of employees can become possible.
Cons
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 There are certain lacking areas which is required to be focused by the firm in turn
attaining performance of organization get negatively affected (Alewell and Rastetter.
2020).
 There is requirement of maintaining the safe distance which impact the performance of
manager in respect to take strategic decision.
 Lack of support is achieved by the employees from the management in course of training
as program conducted is suitable or not can not be evaluated effectively.
Explaining the current role of HRM and human resource management system
There are different form of the roles which are played by human resource management in
companies that help to accomplishing the organizational objectives. In the current era,
organization require paying attention on having proper management of its human resources in
respect to have reliable adherence with industrial laws and regulations. This is needed to follow
the set of roles which includes recruitment and hiring, training & development, maintaining
employee relationship, managing company culture, employee benefits, creating safe working
environment and handling disciplined actions.
 The one of the significant role which is executed by firm that involves recruiting and
hiring employees according to the required capabilities in turn accomplishing the
organizational objectives of having right employee at corrective position can become
possible.
 Training & development is associated with ensuring that offering competitive edge to
employees by teaching them skills, attributes, etc. to uplift the overall position (Wang,
Zhang and Wan, 2022).
 Maintaining employer and employee relationship by having mutual contribution in
success of firm so that helping staff to attain their roles, creating positive dynamics,
resolving grievances, etc can become possible.
 Maintaining company culture is important to boost the overall performance of firm to
decline the employee retention in turn accomplishing the effective performance can
become possible.
 Managing the employee benefits via taking reliable remuneration, secure working
culture, etc activities conducting in ethical manner so that change implementing can be
done effectively.
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 Formulating safe working culture to have greater potential from employees to avoid
discrimination harassment, intimidation & exploitation can be properly done.
 Adhering to employment, etc laws that can help in successfully operating is done by
HRM of the company.
Human resource management is the system that is basically having the suitable
application to manage human resource & having related process for life cycle. This ensures that
appropriate level of management & smooth functioning of data, data human resource and
business processes can become possible. There are different benefits which is basically achieved
by the enterprise that helps in promoting transparency & having effective employee engagement
within company that inclines the overall effectiveness. The one of the significant benefit is that
having employee regularly, empowerment of employees, safeguarding rights of staff, improving
organizational effectiveness, meeting the business goals and objectives, etc. On the basis of this
it can be specified that it is highly useful in the organization to get the competitiveness.
TESCO and Sainsbury are the two competing organization in order to have the higher
effectiveness in its overall practice so that profitability & sustainability can be achieved. HRM is
has the major level of the impact on the organization's staff, manager, etc in both the positive
and negative pattern (Cao,2019). The main reason behind this is that aim of conducting the
practice is to achieve higher effectiveness in its overall functioning so that accomplishing
objective of higher profitability & sustainable position in sector can be achieved.
The staff and the line managers in the company get the corrective path for carrying
forward the operational practices which favorably influence the overall working of organization.
This leads organization to get corrective pattern of steps and strategies that can hep in having
effective creation of coherence by eliminating chances of conflict and having the appropriate
position to uplift the functioning in the retail sector. The main reason behind this is to get the
ability to adhere the required rules in the sector such as contract, employment, etc laws in turn
attaining the organizational objectives such as higher profitability and sustainability achieving
can become possible.
Explaining the current role of the HRM department & function in creating coherence along with
HR policies and practices of TESCO and Sainsbury
There are different form of the HR policies and practices which are executed by the
organization in respect to gain the reliable effective outcome can be achieved (Ho and Kuvaas,
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2020). It is important for the firm to pay attention on having such practices which can permit to
get the coherence by ensuring that effective coordination of the all the strategies can be
effectively done to have inclined pattern of functioning to have higher revenue, profitability,
sustainability, etc. There are different form of the HR roles which are played by enterprise
includes talent management, compensation & benefits, training and development, HR
compliance and workplace safety. HR function in the organizations play role of having effective
recruitment, retaining employee, improving enhancing the organization to have workplace
culture and environment.
TESCO as being one of the international organization uses the different form of the HR
policies and practices that helps in gaining the competitive ability to have higher profitability &
sustainability. The course of the action which is basically executed by the organization to have
the effective recruitment tales analysis, provision of good working environment, programs
aimed at retaining employees so that effective performance to maintain equality working culture
(Silic. and et.al. 2020). All the practices of the organization focus on having the competitive
edge by developing effective HR policies in turn reliable profitability & lower employment
turnover can be derived. These all aids in complying with organizational strategy of cost
reducing in turn higher positive impact can be derived.
Sainsbury as being one of the significant operator in the retail sector pay attention on
having the effective ability to coordinate with the organizational required employees to perform
effectively in turn overcoming the competition can become possible. The HR policy helps to
coordinate with the corporate strategy of diversification via taking different policies in turn
effective growth & development can be achieved (Steffensen and et.al. 201). This formulates the
HR policies such as effective compliance with employment, health & safety, etc so that effective
functioning to coordinate with organization requirements. The human resource course of action
which is followed by firm is having training & development, feedback mechanism, performance
appraisal, etc actions so that effective results can be achieved. These all affect the functioning of
the organization in the positive manner so that higher effective level of coherence can be
achieved to get the competitive edge.
Presenting company corporate strategy- key differences, similarities, implications, consequences
Business strategies are ones that are unique to all the business firms and are dependent
upon the objectives it wishes to achieve in the future. Moreover, the major differences in these
4

two firms is that Sainsbury is focused on growing steadily through adopting the effective
marketing techniques so that is it is able to expand easily into various regions. Also, through
covering the huge market it would be able to earn higher amount of revenues. However, in case
of Tesco it can be said that major HR corporate strategy is to hire those individuals within the
workplace that are able to maintain the low cost strategy of firm.
Also, it can be said that currently Sainsbury is having the corporate strategy of the
simplifying all the business operations so that valuable goods could be delivered to the
customers (Hutsaliuk and et.al., 2020). Furthermore, it is focused on identifying the cost saving
programmes so that more choice and innovative products might be offered to large number of
people. On the other hand Tesco strategy is more relied on ensuring diversification of the
products so that greater profits could be earned in the future.
However, in context so similarities it can be said that both the companies are using the
best of the technologies that so that working processes could be made easier and also the large
units of the production could be generated in less period. Furthermore, both these companies are
focused on ensuring efficiencies in their products or services so that maximum customer
satisfaction could be maintained (Hernandez and Menon, 2021). Thus, it can be said that using
digital technologies major implications of both these firms is that they are able to fulfil all the
customer needs on timely manner and also able to retain the best of employees within the firm
for longer time-frame. Also, the companies are able to continuously introduce new products in
the market with the saves time and costs that is further helpful for both of them to maintain the
competitive advantage. Moreover, major consequences of such strategy is that in times like
pandemic where most of the business in UK were negatively impacted adopting such type of
technological strategy is not good as it involves lot of cost and thus it would only decrease the
overall profits of the firm (Espahbodi and et.al., 2019). Furthermore, to maintain and to
positioned brand image the company also has to invest lot in the market research which in turn
would not result in loss of economies of scale to excessive use of cost. Thus, it can be said that
though corporate strategy of the business is made for development of the firm in-spite of this
both the firm need too continuously review the market and the changing behaviour of the
customer so that future risk and losses might be minimized and better business practices might
be adopted in the future.
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PART-2
Reflection of own people management and team-working ability
This part is reflection is on my team work abilities and people management efficiencies
that are existing inside me. Furthermore, it can be said based on my personal observation and
view from others that my team working abilities and people management technique is very good
as I am able to handle large number of diverse people effectively at particular point of time.
Also, I am very well efficient in distributing the work among the group through knowing each
individual strength and weakness so that certain project could be carried out in time with the
least amount of mistakes. Moreover, through applying the Gibbs model of reflection it can be
said that initially while working in the organization I was given the group assignment where I
had the feeling that there would be lot of wok that needs to be carry out and as such I was little
stressed to do so (Gibbs' Reflective Cycle , 2022). However, I have evaluated that things actually
went very well as at end our group was able to produce the good quality work and finish it on
the given deadline.
Moreover, the during group project I have come to know that two people in the group
have cancelled to be part of the assignments but having high motivation level the groups was
ready to take certain responsibilities of their part. Although, after the completion of the project I
have analysed that one thing that did not go well was that our group haven't focused on the
minute details while delivering the project presentation and because of this reason the
presentation images and matter included was very long and in some places inappropriate
(Karnieli-Miller, 2020). Thus, I have realized that earlier I should have gone through samples so
that more effective presentation could have been delivered in positive manner. Moreover, I have
learnt from overall situation that challenging decision in terms of more research could have been
done so that greater positive output could be derived. Also, through this overall presentation and
collecting 360 feedback for the students and my working colleagues I have analysed some major
strengths and weakness inside me. Hence, I have realized that my communication skills are very
strong due to which I was able to interact with diverse groups in most effective way.
Furthermore, my time management skill was also very good due to which I was able to manage
and organize various things on time without having any kind of delay. However, in context of
weakness I have analysed that my problem solving skills are little weak and therefore I am not
able to devise the best solutions in challenging times. Furthermore, based on my own knowledge
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I have realized that my researching skills are also not very good as my presentation has very
limited amount of accurate data results and further the data collected was also not very accurate
in accordance with topic that had been assigned to me. Thus, this skill needs to be improved so
that more accurate information might be collected for the future analysis of any project that
would be assigned to me (Richard, Gagnon and Careau, 2019). Moreover, I need to work on
technological skills as during completing of the project I have analyses that I was not able to
operate certain software that are required to deliver the best presentation to colleagues. Also, I
was totally dependent on help of the others so that my work could be made easier while
operating various digital technologies and also I do not face many difficulties in carrying out
various result on such technologies.
However, having the best people management qualities have allowed me to build up
strong relationships with my colleagues that is helpful for my both personal and professional
growth in the future (Russell, 2018). Moreover, I have been able to develop better understanding
on the complex ideas that had been presented by my group through development of active
listening skills. Furthermore, below is action plan that have been devised by me so that certain
skills that are lacking in inside me and need improvement could be developed within the
accurate time frame. Also, through the action plan I would be able to focus on the area of
development that are essential for my owns personal growth as if these are not improved than
there are chances that I would not be able to garb better opportunities in the future. Moreover,
this action plan would help me in clarifying my future objective and would also help me to
remain focused so that I am able to move in right direction and achieve certain goals within the
specified time frame. Also, this plan would also help those people that are struggling to develop
similar activities in the future
Goals to be
achieved
Steps to be taken Resources
required
Success criteria Time frame
Problem solving
skill
 Team
discussion
s relating
various
 Article
s
 Journal
s
 comput
 Able to
solve the
complex
problem
within the
5 months
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problems
 Interactive
sessions
 Solving
the real
life
business
examples
er
 Interne
t
least time
 Positive
outcome of
the solution
that has
been
provided
 Able to
manage
complex
tasks within
the
workplace
individually
Technological
skill
 Participati
ng in
online
courses
 Practising
daily on
various
software's
(Slade
and et.al.,
2019)
 Taking the
help of
mentor to
learn new
technologi
es
 Compu
ter
 internet
 You
tube
 Able to
complete
various task
using digital
software
 Not being
dependent
on others for
using digital
technologies
at workplace
 Able to
achieve the
desired
outcome
through
using
3 months
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technology
Researching
skill
 Need to
take the
help of
supervisor
s to learn
the way of
researchin
g
 Taking
help of
senior or
colleagues
 Taking out
daily time
to research
on various
topic and
researchin
g them
with
supervisor
s for
reliability
 Library
 books
 laptop
 Interne
t
connec
tion
 Able to
collect data
form
verified
sources
 Being able
to collect
right
statistics
with more
accurate
informations
 positive
result and
outcome for
each project
that is been
undertaken
for the
future
9 months
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that human resource is one o the significant
aspects which is required to be taken into the consideration for accomplishing the success. The
current study has given focus on having the information regarding the advantages and
disadvantages of human resource. In addition to the study has given emphasis on current role of
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HRM includes the talent acquisition, formulating safe working culture, evaluating performance,
etc. in turn accomplishing the organization objective of higher profitability can become possible.
This has involved the significant information regarding the HRM system that give level of
management & smooth functioning. This has includes the emphasis regarding the current role of
the HRM department & function in creating coherence to get the depth understanding. The
similarities, key differences, implications & consequences of corporate strategy of both specified
organizations such as cost declining and diversification. HR policies and practices used by these
both specified organization is involved in current study to get favorable impact. The reflections
have been involved to get the depth understanding.
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REFERENCES
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pp.156-168.
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behavior. Review of Financial Economics. 37(1). pp.149-167.
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Online
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle . 2022. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/gibbs-
reflective-cycle>.
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