Human Resource Management in GlaxoSmithKline: A Report

This report provides a detailed overview of Human Resource Management (HRM), focusing on its purpose, functions, and various approaches. It explores HRM practices like learning, training, development, payment, reward, and performance management within the context of GlaxoSmithKline. The report also highlights the importance of employee relations and legislations, including the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Equal Pay Act 1970. Furthermore, it includes a practical application section with a job specification and interview questions for a Medical Representative position, illustrating how HRM principles are applied in a work-related context. The report emphasizes the significance of HRM in achieving organizational goals, ensuring employee satisfaction, and fostering a productive work environment.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Purpose and functions of human resource management with different approaches....................3
HRM practices.............................................................................................................................6
Importance of employees relations and legislations....................................................................7
Application of HRM practices in work related context...............................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Human resource is an essential element for every organization, in-fact the success of
every organization depend upon its workforce. Also, it is equally important that human resource
should be managed carefully so that maximum output can be achieved which leads to the
achievement of company as well as individual goal. In this project we will study about the
concept of HRM along with its purpose, functions, approaches, its importance, HR practices and
HR legislations.
MAIN BODY
Purpose and functions of human resource management with different approaches
HRM: It refers to that process by which the employees or people of the company are managed
which will increase the efficiency and performance of the employees on one hand while it leads
to the achievement of company's objective on the other hand ( John and Taylor, 2016).
Purpose of HRM:
Since, employees are the main assets of the GlaxoSmithKline which is one of the famous
pharma company in London. GlaxoSmithKline always ensures that the right candidate will be
employed and it is also equally important that the cost which is incurred for employing the
people or retaining them should be fully utilized which means it should be properly decided that
how much amount should be spent on training of employees and how much compensation should
be paid to them (Nankervis, 2019).
Because it is usually seen that the employees leave the company due to low salary or bad work
environment or some other reason. And for that reason also, HRM and HR managers are very
important because they always ensure that the right candidate will be employed at right position
so that, the company will not suffer or face such situation in the future. In short, it would be right
to said that the main purpose of HRM is to ensure maximum utilization of employees in such a
manner that the GlaxoSmithKline's objective will be achieved.
Functions of HRM:
There are many functions of HRM, out of them some are:
Planning of human resource:

The first and foremost function of HRM is to identify the actual need and requirement of
employees in the GlaxoSmithKline and accordingly making of plan by which they can be access
and appointed.
Recruitment and selection:
Once the need of human resource is identified then the next function includes their
recruitment which means the process by which employees will be attracted toward the
GlaxoSmithKline and become ready to join the GlaxoSmithKline. This step includes getting
application from the interested employees. Once the application will received then the next
function is to properly select the required and best candidate as per the actual need (Ahammad,
2017).
Development:
It is also the function of HRM that the employees will be satisfied from their work and
their development also take place which means that the proper training and skill development
training should always be given to employees which will benefits them in their work as well as
for future.
Reward:
It is also one of the important function of HRM that they give reward to the employees as
per their performance in terms of salary, recognition, status and many other ways which will
motivate the employees and more focussed towards the GlaxoSmithKline's goal.
Approaches to HRM and recruitment and selection:
Hard HRM approach:
Under this approach, company is only considered its goal achievement by employing
only the best and most desired employees and doing their maximum utilization which means
company treats employees only as a means or resource by which objective will be achieved.
Strength: Company's goal achievement, maximum utilization of human resource, result oriented
approach with low cost investment, good opportunity for desired employees are some strength of
hard HRM approach.
Weakness: Demotivation among employees, non fulfilment of individual goal, lack of
opportunity for growth are some weakness of hard approach.
Soft HRM approach:

In this approach company treats employees as an individual and understand their need
and try to meet their needs also along with its own objective. Under this approach company
usually give full chance to all the employees to show their talent (Muthuku, 2020).
Strength: Equal opportunity to employees, motivation, more dedication, goal achievement are
some strength of soft approach.
Weakness: Delay in goal achievement, high cost, loss of specification are some weakness of this
approach.
From the above two approaches GlaxoSmithKline usually adopt that approach which is most
suitable as per the current need and requirement which means in case of delay or non interest in
employees towards its goal achievement objective then GlaxoSmithKline adopt hard HRM
approach and direct the employees only towards goal achievement while in case of good going
and already heading towards company's goal then GlaxoSmithKline adopt soft approach.
External and Internal approach of recruitment:
Recruitment can be done either internally means within the company like by transfer or
company can adopt external recruitment approach like campus recruitment to hire the
employees.
Strengths of internal recruitment: Low cost, more knowledge about employees, employees
familiarity, easy process are some strengths of internal recruitment.
Weakness of internal recruitment: lack of new concept and talent, conflicts, slow growth are
some weakness of internal recruitment.
Strength of external recruitment: more talent availability, fresh talent, external opportunity,
wider choice are some strength of external recruitment.
Weakness of external recruitment: High risk, high cost, high time are some of the weakness of
external recruitment.
Selection approach:
It is that process by which the desired and suitable candidates will be selected by
following different methods like telephonic interviews or written tests and many more.
Strength of telephonic interviews: time saving, cost saving, better interaction, and many more.

Weakness of telephonic interviews: lack of personal knowledge, falseness, wrong information,
lack of accuracy and many others.
Strength of written test: idea to know the knowledge of candidates, personal interaction,
accuracy, perfection and many more.
Weakness of written test: chances of fraud, selecting improper candidates, unreliable and many
others.
As per the need and situation GlaxoSmithKline adopt the different types of recruitment and
selection methods and ensures that the best and deserving candidates will be selected and
appointed with required skills and talent so that, the goal and objective of GlaxoSmithKline can
be achieved with full involvement and dedication of employees.
HRM practices
HRM practice: it includes all those policies and practices which includes the functioning of
human resource like staffing, retention, growth and development and many more. There are
many HRM practices, some of them are:
Learning, training and development:
It is one of the main HRM practice which ensures that the employees will always learn
something new in regards to their work. It is also the main practice of HRM by which they
ensure that proper training should be provided to employees in case of any difficulty or
organizational change so that the overall development of the employees will take place.
Adopting this practice is very beneficial for employer because he will get updated knowledge
with innovativeness, more efficient employees, better workforce (Michael, 2019).
On the other hand it is equally important for the employees also because by proper training and
learning they will update their knowledge, it will improve their skills, improves their
performance and overall the whole development of employees will take place.
As, this practice ensure the quality improvement of employees which is very beneficial for the
GlaxoSmithKline because it will not only help in the achievement of goal but also improvise the
business operations which leads to high growth and profits for the GlaxoSmithKline.
Payment and reward management:

Since, money is very important for everyone thus to ensure proper payment and rewards
to the employees is also an important practice of HRM. This practice ensures that employees will
be rewarded as per their best performance which will not only motivates them but it also leads to
a more improvement in their performance.
It is equally beneficial for both employer and employee because if employees actions, work will
be recognized and rewarded then they will contribute with 100% capacity which is again very
beneficial for employer and the GlaxoSmithKline because this will all ultimately leads to the
more employees retention and which finally leads to the achievement of goal only by which the
profits and sales of the GlaxoSmithKline will increase (Azeez, 2017).
Performance management:
This is also one of the important HRM practice which GlaxoSmithKline usually follows
and it includes the monitoring and avoiding the defects and more improvement in performance of
the employees which is very important for the employer because due to improved performance
more employee contribution in terms of best practices will be received which will benefit the
GlaxoSmithKline in terms of increase in sale proportion of its pharma products. Also,
performance management helps the employees to choose the right actions and make them more
efficient (Obedgiu, 2017).
Importance of employees relations and legislations
Importance of employees relation:
Employees relations are very important for running the organisation smoothly. Some are
discussed below:
Decision making:
Employees can't take decision by their own, they need some guidance from others which means
that, the employees relation and sharing of views and ideas are very important for decision-
making. This will also help the management of GlaxoSmithKline to take decision with the dual
importance and consideration of employees.
Easiness:
Performing the work by individual in comparison of group is much tougher which means that
employee's relation make the work easy which is also very beneficial for GlaxoSmithKline to

take decision regarding the performance and distribution of work (Boella and Goss-Turner,
2019).
Discourage conflicts:
Healthy employee's relation among themselves create good working environment and avoids
conflicts which helps the GlaxoSmithKline to take decision regarding the work which will again
leads to the achievement of goal (Santhanam, 2017).
Reduce Turnover: Good employees relation with good company environment will definitely
reduce the turnover of the employees which made very easy for GlaxoSmithKline to take
decision regarding the retention and appointment of new employees (Muller, 2020).
Employees legislations:
There are many employees legislations which GlaxoSmithKline follows to protect the
employees and to create more trust and retention of employees. Some of them are:
Health and safety at work act 1974:
GlaxoSmithKline strictly follows health and safety act 1974 and tries to protect their
employees from any harm which may occurs in the labs or during sales of its products. It doesn't
take any measure regarding risk which is impossible to avoid but it takes measures by explaining
the employees regarding the possible risk in advance and helps them to minimize the loss which
may occur from the risk (Nicolaidou, Varianou and Boustras, 2017).
Equal pay act 1970:
GlaxoSmithKline also follows this act which ensures that the employees should be
treated equally in terms of payment and should not be discriminated in terms of sex which means
man and women (Smith, 2016). Every employee is equal and treated and paid equally in terms of
their work is the main policy which GlaxoSmithKline follows in the company.
Application of HRM practices in work related context
Job specification:
Job Position: Medical representative
Closing Date: 18/12/2020

Job Responsibilities: Scheduling appointment with doctors, pharma shops to promote
company's product and sale, In-depth understanding about company's products, conduct
promotional practice, create product awareness, solve queries and provide advice.
Job Requirement: Basic knowledge in the field of medicine with the background of science
biology, Graduate from science stream, strong knowledge of pharma market.
Additional Skills Required: patience, good marketing and communication skills, self-
confidence, strong knowledge of medical products and equipments.
Interview questions for the job of Medical representative:
1. Tell me something about yourself
2. Do you know what is the main role of medical representative?
3. How much you are aware about the recent medical products and equipments?
4. Tell me about toughest and challenging task of medical representative
5. What will you do if you face rejection during interaction with any doctor?
6. Why you want to join this company?
7. How much salary do you expect from this company?
CONCLUSION
From the above study it is understood that without human resource which means employees,
organization can't do its operation because it is HR only who converts the words and plans into
actions. Also, by adopting the adequate approaches, motivating and rewarding the employees
and self understanding about the importance of employees by the company, can increase the
efficiency and working ability of employees on one hand while it leads to the achievement of
company's goal on the other hand.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
John, R. and Taylor, B., 2016. Human resource management.
Ahammad, T., 2017. Personnel Management to Human Resource Management (HRM): How
HRM Functions. Journal of Modern Accounting and Auditing.13(9). pp.412-420.
Azeez, S.A., 2017. Human resource management practices and employee retention: A review of
literature. Journal of Economics, Management and Trade, pp.1-10.
Boella, M.J. and Goss-Turner, S., 2019. Employee relations. In Human resource management in
the hospitality industry (pp. 307-318). Routledge.
Michael, A., 2019. A handbook of human resource management practice.
Muller, D., 2020. HR is stepping up on employee relations. HR Future.2020(Aug 2020). pp.20-
21.
Muthuku, M., 2020. Soft HRM Model: Human Capital as the Greatest Asset for Organizational
Performance. Journal of Human Resource & Leadership.4(2). pp.14-29.
Nankervis, and et.al., 2019. Human resource management. Cengage AU.
Nicolaidou, O., Varianou, C.M. and Boustras, G., 2017. The future of health and safety
legislation and the role of different stakeholders in occupational safety and health
legislation. In Prevention of Accidents at Work (pp. 235-242). CRC Press.
Obedgiu, V., 2017. Human resource management, historical perspectives, evolution and
professional development. Journal of Management Development.
Santhanam, and et.al., 2017. Impact of human resource management practices on employee
turnover intentions. Journal of Indian Business Research.
Smith, M., 2016. Equal pay. In Encyclopedia of Human ReSmith, M., 2016source Management.
Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
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