HRM Strategies: Analysis of Chocola Fantastica and Microsoft Companies

This report provides an in-depth analysis of human resource management (HRM) practices at Chocola Fantastica and Microsoft. The assignment begins by examining the purpose and importance of the HR function, focusing on recruitment strategies, rewarding systems, and employee selection methods. It then assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the employee selection process at Chocola Fantastica, offering suggestions for improvement. The report further delves into the specifics of a receptionist job role, including person specifications and recruitment strategies. Finally, it explores the benefits of graduate training schemes, internships, and flexible working arrangements offered by Microsoft. The report highlights the key aspects of HRM, providing valuable insights into employee management and organizational development.

Human resource
management

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is the basic approach which influences the management
strategies inside any organisation. It is done so that business can develop and establish strong
grounds for increasing revenues and goodwill. The sole purpose to develop HRM is to enhance
performance standards within organisation, major influence is made through policies and
provisions developed by them. Its main focus is on several departments like recruitment of new
employees in firm, providing increase in salary and incentives and providing rewards for
excellent target achievement's for company. In this assignment two companies known as
Chocola Fantastica and Microsoft are into consideration. The main scope of human resource
management is the procedures to recruit and select employees for proper workings in their
categories.
Task-1
a) Purpose of the HR function and its importance to the organisation, given its current problems
and future plans for further growth.
Human resource is an important department that is present in organisations for managing
and dealing with issues and problems related to employees working in the company. HR deals
with various things like welfare of employees, taking care of employees and keeping them happy
at workplace. HR department is needed in any organisation for providing equal rights to al
employees and providing them positive work environment. The field of human resource
management is to properly provide guidance and improvement in employees and new candidates
of organisation. It has involvement at every hierarchy of place and has a major impact in
decision making process of such places.
Purpose: This field looks upon all employees as their primary asset of Chocola
Fantastica, and customers are believed to be the main source to achieve satisfaction. The work to
be done should be done on time and with proper quality. Also in case of any hindrance between
work and employees is also removed by this panel (Chen and et. al., 2016).
Main functions of HRM team at Chocola Fantastica.
Recruitment: HRM has always been known to bring professional and well known
candidates which are best for their required field. Here, people are brought to be given their
specific tasks which will help in achieving the better analysis of all the organisation’s needs. This

is the main purpose of HRM panels at Chocola Fantastica, this enhances and increases influence
of workings and stability levels of organisation. This will ensure that talent and skill management
is monitored so that organisational objectives are achieved successfully (Chowhan and et. al.,
2017).
Rewarding events: Any place where people are working for the betterment of
organisation seek rewards at time for their excellent performance in work area. Such things are
best motivation techniques which will help in providing better results in their overall
performance in firm and also it improves standards of work in environment, with reference to
Chocola Fantastica, team of human resource management keeps record of all employees which
helps them in bifurcating best performance employees among all. This boost morale of employee
and induces loyalty towards firm. This will ensure that employee turnover are reduced and
morale is increased so that productivity is enhanced which in turn leads to achievement of
objectives (Direnzo and et. al., 2015).
b) Provide strengths and weakness of selection of new employees in firm.
Organisation uses different methods to recruit and select employees for job roles so that
best candidate is selected which ensure productivity in performance. Chocola Fantastica uses
recruitment and selection procedure which will help company to choose right candidate form all
applicants.
Recruitment: It is process by which applications are invited by individuals so that best
candidates can be selected out of those. Chocola Fantastica is based on area where
unemployment is high which will benefits company to have large number of applications.
Internal Recruitment: It is process by which existing employees are informed about
available job role and vacant position so that current workforce, friends, family or close relatives
can apply for employment.
Strength is that it offers promotion to existing employees and reduce cost of selection
for Chocola Fantastica.
Weakness is, it attracts few number of candidates as compared to other recruitment
process.
External Recruitment: In this approach of recruitment, applicants are invited from outside
the organisation and applications are accepted from individuals who are not current employees of
company.

Strength is that it provides fresh and talented inflow of candidates in Chocola Fantastica
for better productivity.
Weakness of this method is it is costly approach and takes times to yield better results.
Selection: In this process sequential steps are laid down to select candidates for current job role.
This process ensures that right individual is selected from available applicants so that talent is
managed and cost of selecting employees can be reduced. Chocola Fantastica uses two different
approaches to select candidates that are as follows:
Systematic Selection: In this approach proper steps are laid down by company so that best
candidates is selected out of given pool of individuals. There are systematic procedures which
needs to be followed by Chocola Fantastica to select employees.
Strength of this method, it has systematic approach towards selecting candidates which
proves to be efficient.
Weakness is that it is complex in nature and its results depends on HR manager abilities
and skills which may differ.
c) Provide two suggestions for improvements in Chocola Fantastica.
 Correction in written test: There is written test in selection procedure of Chocola
Fantastica of Maths and English which is necessary to pass in order to get selected. But
there are complaints about test being biased and efficient to select individuals, so there is
need that it is as per selection norms and its confidentiality should be protected. (Girard
and Girard, 2015).
 Systematic sequence in process: Chocola Fantastica have adopted unsystematic process
in selections method in which there is no sequence in followings steps. Even there is
informal interview which hinders quality of skilled management in organisation. So there
is need that systematic approach is followed by company to select right employee.
Task-2
a) Prepare Person Specifications for job role of Receptionist
There are some basic qualities which have to be present in an individual to become the
correct receptionists and give the correct services in the organisation. There are basic elements

which have to being a receptionists and should be cleared in the procedure. In the following a
proper presentation of description of job of an receptionists is present (Head and Alford, 2015) .
PERSON SPECIFICATIONS
Job Title: Receptionist
Department: Administration
Responsible To: Administration Manager
Attributes Essentials Desirable
Core Competencies Employee should possess
good communications and
interpersonal skills to greet
clients with welcoming
nature.
To greet all visitors at the place
and give them full support in
understanding things either on
telephone or verbally.
Experience The person should be well
experienced in attending all
calls and things at the
reception.
Individual should be capable
enough to handle queries on
call.
The experience in basic
communication factors and time
management should be present in
candidate.
Knowledge Diploma or Post-graduation
degree in area of
management is mandatory.
At least there should be 2
years of experience with the
candidate (Hitt and et. al.,
2016)
Graduate in management field
and passed by any certified
college or university.
Experience of 1 year of working
as a receptionists at a reputed
place or organisation.
Role requirement  Direct clients by  Keeping area of reception

giving instructions
and maintaining stock
of stationery.
 Booking, arranging
and keeping records
of meetings.
 Maintains security,
logbook and issuing
entry passes to
visitors and clients.
hygienic and organise.
 Completing paperwork
related to administration
and meetings
 Distributing post and
couriers to respective
departments.
 Answering and sorting
calls to respective
receiver.
b) Strength and Weaknesses of different approaches to selection and recruitment
Selection is a process in which organisation shortlist right candidates as per according to
job requirement of company. In scenario of present company naming Chocola Fantastica, HR
manager develops own own assessment team for hiring new employees Mentioned below
selection process is defined:
Selection: Selections is termed as a process within with candidates get screened as per
according to the designated job post. Selection process may differs from company to company.
In a selection process number of factors such as, preliminary interviews, receiving applications,
screening of applications, medical examination and final selection is included. In relation with
Chocola Frantastica, company HR manager effectively decides to frame assessment test of maths
and English. In this candidates are required to get pass with 50%. With this they get selection in
organisation preceding with interview of 15 minutes. Thus, with the help of this managers can
effectively able to selection best effective candidates for organisational post. Mentioned below
there are some weaknesses and strength:
English test:
Strength Weakness
 With the help of English test company
can effectively able to select suitable
 Main weaknesses that has been hold by
this process is that due to lack of

candidate for receptionist job role. confidence eligible candidates may not
get selected.
Math Test
Strength Weakness
 With the help of maths test company
can effectively able to check calculative
skill of candidates.
 Those candidates who applied for
receptionist post possibly fail to clear
math test
As per the above mentioned discussion, it has been analysed that company is required to
make improvement in their selection criteria of English and Math test. This will aid them to
select candidate as per according to job requirement. .
c) Best place to recruit the position of receptionists.
This advert should be given over the main official website of the company Chocola
Fantastica. Several people who visit this site or people who are connected to this place can
recommend people who are to be required in the field. Putting the advertisement of such
vacancies should be done for the fact that people can directly fill their forms ion the official
website and seek the basic knowledge about the work from their only. Social networking sites
will help them gain a lot of vivid people which can be the best person qualified for the job. This
will invite a pool of candidate’s application and through the selection procedure one can select
the correct candidate for job (Long and et. al., 2016).
Task-3
a) Microsoft offer graduate training schemes and internships provide its benefits.
Training and Development: Training schemes and internships effectively aid supervisor
to effectively enhance workforce performance that simultaneously lead towards increase in
productivity of company. Training schemes to employees being offered via conference meetings
so to increase their knowledge and skills. In relation with Microsoft, training schemes and
internship are offered to employees that will further aid them to increase their work proficiency
along with productivity and profitability of company.
Benefits of training and development from perception of employee:

With the help of training and development employees can effectively able to increase
their skills and knowledge that will later aid them to develop themselves in a personal and
professional manner. In addition with this, training and internships workers can improve work
efficiency of employees that in return lead towards creating positive and productive working
environment that will help in creation of systematic work culture. For an instance, with the help
of training schemes employees can able to understand new programming language with the help
of which development of coded in software can be done.
b) Microsoft offers a range of flexible working arrangements for staff. Work from home: This option is made available by the company as per the field is very
much complex and full of burden so people can provide certain level of things. Microsoft
has provided several employees the option of work from home where they can give
specific things and get paid working from their homes. In case some employees which
are not able to reach office or have some personal issues are given this facility so they
can earn sitting at home.
 Working hours as per week: in Microsoft the working hours are not counted as per the
workings in the whole day but it’s done for the whole week. Employees have to work in
the whole week as per the hours decided for the whole week this allows the employee to
be flexible and relax as according to the proper workings in the environment of the firm
By providing this benefit to employees Microsoft can effectively able to accomplish their
short term projects in a proper time frame and in best quality.
c) Evaluate how Microsoft motivates its workers through the way it designs its job roles.
Microsoft is the organisation which is very much in favour for its employees and shall
always think in the favour of providing the best services to them. There are several things that is
performed by the company. There are several techniques which are done by the fact that they
have to follow up every such things so that ball the employees feel motivated and have to
provide as a matter of fact that there are many ways through which the employee can be kept
happy and content. The following mentioned are some attributes which will be given for the
betterment of society in the organisation:
Reward: it is the best way to enhance and support any employee which is in the field
workings. Microsoft is very much aware about its all employees and the best workings in their
understanding. It is very important for improving the status of employees which work the best in

the organisation and they shall provide several things which will be provided for the organisation
(Soomro and et. al., 2016).
Incentives: these are given on either monthly or quarterly basis to all the employees
which work extra or have to work for certain projects. Such employees gain benefits in monetary
terms apart from their salary. This motivates the employee to work further and work better as
well. It also increases the loyalty of the employee towards the organisation and it shall induce the
qualification of the employee.
Training and development: at Microsoft it is believed that people have to gain better
knowledge of several departments such as new technologies are launched and the basic
references are to gain the knowledge. This way the employee becomes aware about any new
changes in the environment and it will help the employee in making more achievement's in the
firm.
The various benefits that Microsoft provides to it's employees are listed below -
Healthcare
 Comprehensive healthcare coverage for employee and dependents
 Health club discounts and memberships
 Easy access to 24 hour health line
 Provides benefits to autism therapy
Family and Parenting
 Maternity leave
 Adoption fee assistance
 Discounts on child care services
 paid time off for new parents
Task-4
a) What you understand by the term employee engagement; and why is employee engagement
such an important part in effective employee relations in Microsoft?
Employee engagement play an important role to manage relationship between employee
and employer. An organisation can increase more profit with the help of employee engagement
term. It builds a strong relationship which increase overall performance of workforce as well as

organisation in an effective manner. HR manager of Microsoft also use this term to increase the
mortal of their employees. Beside bit sometime fair treatment with employees within
organisation is also effect on the growth of company.
It is important for HR manager of Microsoft to maintain effective relationship with their
employees. It is necessary to inform about cost and time with they invest in a particular project.
Through this, employees also feel comfortable and contribute in various activities of company. It
also effects in negative manner when employees and employer relationship unbalance in an
organisation. Some problems and conflict increase between employees and employer because of
less communication, working environment of organisation and various things. All these activities
impact of the performance, productivity in negative manner.
Employee engagement play an important role in effective employee relation. This term
basically build a relationship between organisation and employees in an effective manner. It also
helps the organisation in target achievement. Effective relationship between employees and
employer in Microsoft also effect on the decision making process. Microsoft use various strategy
to build strong relationship with employees by these things like open communication with
employees, leadership with clear purpose also important. Beside it Microsoft also use inspiring
and sustaining engagement which also inspire employees in many actives. All these things
support employees and organisation in target achievement which can be individual or
organisational. This also inspire employee top work in organisation with high dedication.
b) The key approaches for engaging employee in an organisation
There are some certain key approaches such as Microsoft Stream, yammer and
Sharepoint. All these approaches effectively aid in employee engagement process in an
organisation. Mentioned below these approaches are defined:
Sharepoint: In this workers get informed with latest news, different types of sites and
pages that combine conversation and content from Microsoft Office. While, Sharepoint and
Microsoft aid employees to connect via native-mobile intranet. In addition with this, team leader
provide guidance to employees at diverse range of geographical locations via video call.
Yammer: In this approach, there is a combination of connect and engage employees in
an organisation. In relation with Microsoft, with the assistance of Yammer management create
clear transparency in between workforce and information in a working environment. This is one