Analysis of HRM Functions and Practices at British Airways

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices at British Airways. It begins with an introduction to HRM, defining its core functions and objectives within an organization, and then provides background information on British Airways. The report details the HRM functions, including recruitment, compensation, health and safety, and job design, alongside the importance of training and development. It also explores the strengths and weaknesses of different recruitment and selection approaches, such as 'Best Fit' and 'Best Practice,' along with internal and external recruitment methods. The report further examines key HRM practices like training and development, job design, and flexible working, with a comparison between eHRM and traditional HRM methods. The report also highlights the benefits of these practices for both employees and employers, emphasizing how they contribute to improved productivity and profitability at British Airways. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings regarding HRM practices at British Airways, offering a comprehensive overview of the airline's approach to managing its human resources.

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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION________________________________________________________1
TASK 1_______________________________________________________________2
TASK 2_______________________________________________________________5
TASK 3_______________________________________________________________8
TASK 4______________________________________________________________10
CONCLUSION________________________________________________________15
REFERENCES________________________________________________________16

HRM
INTRODUCTION
HRM (Human Resource Management) is the process of hiring, training, motivating,
developing etc. staff members in order to convert them as valuable assets for the organization.
It’s important to carry out HRM in an enterprise so that desired goals and objectives can be
attained. This report is based on British airways which is a flag carrier airline in UK. Firm is
located in Waterside and was founded in the year 31st march 1974. This assignment cover
definition of HRM and what are the functions of human resource management in an organization
(Albrecht and et. al., 2015). Also, strengths and weaknesses of recruitment and selection are
focused so that improvements can be done respectively. Additionally, HRM practices like, job
design, performance management, flexible working are discussed. However, it throw light on
employment relations and how laws aid to retain them for longer time period.
(fig. 1)
Background of the British airways
British Airways is a flag carrier airline in UK. Founded by Stephen William and
Lawrence Gunning in the year 1974. In 2011 this airline merged with Iberia in order to create
International Airlines Group (IAG). IAG is the second biggest airline in Europe and third ample
airline group in terms of annual revenue across the globe (Overview of the British Airways,
2017). It is listed in London Stock Exchange and is the first airline to generate more than
$1billion on single air route.

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TASK 1
Human resource management can be defined as coordination of organization's people by
training, hiring, motivating etc. In order to achieve business goals and objectives (Alfes and et.
al., 2013). The main objective of the HRM is to achieve goals and objectives in the set time
duration. The various objectives of HRM are as follows:
Increasing sells: Firm by adopting HRM in their organisation they can raise their sales
volume of the product in the market.
Raising profits: When customer base for the product or services are raised then huge
profits can be maximized in the competitive world.
The various functions of HRM are explained as follows:
Recruitment: It is one of the major function of HRM in an organization. In order to raise
the productivity level in the company HR need to hire skilled employees for the vacant post. By
doing so desired goals and objectives can be achieved in the cut throat competitive world. British
Airways does both internal and external recruitment to select right candidate for the vacancy.
Compensation: Staff members should be given timely compensation for their hard work
so that they get motivated to perform better. British Airways give monetary (cash amount,
cheques etc.) and non-monetary (holiday trips, gifts etc.) incentives to their effective workers so
that they work day and night to meet the emerging needs of the customers.
Health and safety: British Airways follows all the laws framed for the workers in order
to safeguard their right in the working premises (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). By doing so
skilled and capable staff members can be retained for longer time duration and they can be
motivated to work effectively to achieve the set goals.
Job design: Airline Company hire qualified and skilled workers for the post so that best
results can be achieved. Moreover, employees turn out ratio can be reduced when hiring is done
effectively for the post. All this leads to smooth functioning of business in the market place.
The distinguished purpose of human resource management are discussed as follows:
Training and development: British Airways provide training and development to its
workers so that their skills can be nourished which can be used for the growth of the business.

HRM
The main objective of HRM is to motivate the employees in order to increase workforce
efficiency.
Recruitment introduces to the entire process of attracting, shortlisting and choosing and
appointing suitable candidates for particular job role (Bloom and Van Reenen, 2011). Selection
refers as an important process of selecting the most talented and suitable candidates for the
vacant post within an organisation. Therefore both recruitment and selection is most significant
process for an enterprise to recruit and select most suitable candidates. There are two types of
recruitment and selection approach which is “Best fit” and “Best practice”. Both are introduces
most essential and important approach of recruitment and selection which will help British
Airways to recruit and select knowledgeable workforce for given job role.
Best Fit approach: It introduces as a useful approach which focuses the significance of
ensuring that human resource strategies which are appropriate of suitable to the situation within
an organisation. This circumstances mainly related with business's culture, external environment
and operational process.
Strength Weakness
Best fit approach help British airways to recruit
suitable and experienced candidates who have
knowledge about how to deal complex
situation easily.
Best fit approach is not appropriate for British
Airways in selection and recruitment of
suitable candidates for given job position.
Best Practices approach: It is an effective approach which is based on hypothesis that
there is a set of human resource management practices (Boxall and Purcell, 2011). This practices
mainly related with training and development, recruitment and selection, flexible working hours
etc. there are different number of best practices which is used by British Airways such as
employment security, self-managed teams, selecting hiring etc. There are some advantages and
disadvantages of best practice approach which are determined as under:
Strength Weakness

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 Best practices approach help British
Airways to provide training to a
motivated and skilled workforce which
will help them by retaining employees
for long time.
 One of the main weakness of Best
practice approach as it require more
time and cost of an organisation.
Internal and external recruitment: Internal recruitment is when the organisation looks to
fill up the vacancy from within its present employees (Bratton and Gold, 2012). External
recruitment is when the company looks to fill the vacant post from any appropriate applicant
outside of an organisation. There are some strength and weakness of internal and external
requirement which are determined as under:
Strengths and weakness Internal recruitment External recruitment
Strength Internal recruitment help
British Airways to increase
employee morale (Recruitment
and selection, 2017).
One of the main strength of
external recruitment is British
Airways have greater choice
for selection.
Weakness In this type of recruitment,
British Airways has limited
choice.
One of the main weakness of
external recruitment is it
require high cost of an
organisation.
Example: Promotion introduce as an
important part of internal
recruitment which is used by
British Airways. As it will
help them in retaining
employees for long time.
Advertisement refers as most
essential type of external
recruitment which is followed
by British Airways. As there
are some advantages of this
recruitment such as better
adaptation to the changing

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environment, Rejuvenates
organization etc.
Conclusion: From the above given information, it has been concluded purpose and
functions of human resource management. These are related with selection and recruitment of
talented employees within and outside of the organisation.
TASK 2
Human-resources management is a best practices of hiring and selecting talented
employees within an organisation (Brewster, 2017). There are different key elements of HRM
such as training and development, job design, flexible working, performance management etc.
All these are essential for employer and employees of British Airways. All these are essential but
some useful HRM practices are determined as under:
Training and development: It is one of the main practices of the HRM. Training
introduces to a systematic setup where workers are taught and instructed matters of technical
skills related to their job (Budhwar and Debrah, 2013). In British Airways, there are different
methods used by manager for providing training to their employees such as simulation, role
playing, coaching etc. All these are consider suitable methods and used by British Airways to
train their employees within given time duration.
Benefits to the employees Benefits to the employers
Training and development help an employees
by increasing its knowledge and skills about
specific criteria. Training program will also
support workers in strengthening their ability
and knowledge in acquiring promotion and
many other career opportunities.
Different types of training and development
techniques such as Coaching, simulation, role
playing etc. will support employer to enhance
employee's performance that assist them in
accomplishing the competitive benefits and set
objectives at marketplace.
Job design: It introduces as a core functions and practice of HRM and it is mainly linked
to the specification of method, relationship and content of jobs in order to satisfy organisational
and technological requirements as well as the personal and social needs of the job. In British

HRM
Airways, there are mainly two types of job design such as enlargement and enrichment. Both are
essential and effective which will help both employees and employers to make strong
relationship within an organisation (Buller and McEvoy, 2012). Job enlargement means taking
charge for much more responsibilities and roles which are not given in the job description. On
the other hand, job enrichment provides more control as well as managerial access in order to
perform tasks and responsibilities in more accurate and systematic manner. There are some
benefits of job enlargement and job enrichment for both employees and employers are
determined as under:
Benefits to the Employees Benefits to the Employers
Through job enrichment a workers finds
satisfaction as well as contentment in their job
and via job enlargement they feels more
worthwhile and responsible in the British
Airways.
There are different benefits of job design or job
enlargement for employers such as increased
work flexibility, no skills training required and
reduced monotony.
Differences between Electronic Methods (‘eHRM’) and Conventional Methods (traditional
HRM)
Basis of comparison eHRM Traditional HRM,
Meaning E-HRM introduces as the
planning, implementation and
application of IT for both
networking as well as
supporting at least 2 individual
and collective player in their
common performing of Human
resource activities.
Traditional HRM introduces as
an effective and essential
practices of recruiting and
hiring candidates for specific
job role.
Approaches Recruitment and selection of
candidates over internet
There are different approaches
of Traditional HRM which is

HRM
(Cascio, 2015). It also includes
different approaches such as
performance appraisal, reward
etc.
job analysis, recruitment and
selection, maintaining
employee relations,
compensation management,
performance appraisals, and
training and development.
Example: British Airways is a service
industry that follow eHRM to
recruit best candidates without
wasting any time and cost.
British Airways also used
traditional HRM for recruiting
and selecting candidates within
and outside of the organisation.
There are different types of Human resource management practices such as flexible
working, performance management, training and development etc. All these are consider
essential practices of HRM which will help a British Airways to improve their productivity and
profitability level easily (Chelladurai and Kerwin, 2017). In British Airways, performance
management and flexible working is a best HRM practices which will directly help them to
improve their profitability and productivity level.
Flexible working: It introduces as an effective way of working that suits a worker's
requirements, for instance: having flexible start as well as finish time period, working from home
etc. This practice of human resource management increase motivation and job satisfaction
among employees. As it will also support an organisation to retain employees for long time and
maintain them strong relationship. Thus, option of flexible working hour for employees help
British Airways by enhancing its productivity as well as profitability level without wasting any
time.
Strength Weakness
Flexible working increased feeling of personal There is no clear delineation between work and

HRM
control over schedule as well as work
environment. It will help British Airways by
reducing turnover of valued staff.
home. In this, some people take benefits of the
flexibility and instead watch Netflix with their
email screen open.
Performance management: It refers as an effective and important process of developing
a work environment as well as setting in which employees are enabled in order to perform their
best within British Airways. In addition to this, it is a whole work method that get down when a
job role is defined as required (Guest, 2011). Effective performance management is significant
and beneficial to British Airways. Via both formal as well as informal processes, it supports
them align their workers, systems and, resources to meet their strategic objectives. Therefore,
performance management is most essential practice of human resource management which will
support them to improve their productivity and profitability. It will also assist them by retaining
employees for long time.
Strength Weakness
Give an in-depth review of a worker's
performance which will help British Airways
to enhance their productivity and profitability.
In performance management, narrative
evaluations are more difficult for British
Airways to compare with other.
TASK 3
Employee relation: The term 'employee relations' introduces to an organisation's efforts
in order to manage relationships between employees and employers (Han, Chiang and Chang,
2010). An enterprise with a good and strong employee relations program gives fair as well as
consistent treatment to each and every worker so they will be attached to their jobs role and loyal
to the British Airways.
Importance of employee relation: Employee relation is most essential and important for
an organisation by increasing its sales and market ratio. Good employee relation will also
support an enterprise to accomplish long term goals and objectives within given time duration. In
British Airways, there are different number of employees are work with the motive to attain
competitive benefits and objectives.

HRM
Role of trade union: Unions play most important and effective role within workplace of
British Airways. One of the main role of trade union is to resolve workplace problems by being a
voice for workers and playing as a bargaining representative in bargaining negotiations (Huselid
and Becker, 2011).
There are different key area of decision making by human resource management in the
British Airways. It includes job design decisions, recruitment decisions, training & development
decisions, performance management decisions, compensation decisions, health & safety. All
these major role which should be played by British Airways in order to maintain strong
relationship with employees. There are different ways for improving employee relation which
are determined as under:
 Employees have some expectation from British Airways to get fair as well as just
treatment at workplace (Jiang and et. al., 2012). So The British Airways must ensure
that workers should be treated fairly and equally as well as favouritism must be
eliminated.
 British Airways should include their all employees in decision making process which will
help them in maintaining better relationship and also retaining them for long time.
 British Airways should use different types of motivation techniques or theories such as
Development of Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory, Creation of Herzberg’s Motivation
Hygiene Theory, Implementation of McClelland’s Need Theory and Development of
McGregor’s Participation Theory (Lu, Zhu and Bao, 2015). All these are determined
effective ways for an organisation to retain workers for long time and maintain them with
better relationship.
Employment legislation introduces as the law and regulation that regulate employment
within the workplace. There are different elements of employment legislation which directly
influence on human resource management decision making. Some important laws related with
British Airways are determined as under:
Health & Safety Act 1974: This act ensure regarding employees health and safety within
working environment of an organisation while performing different activities or tasks. According

HRM
to this act, Manager of British Airways must provide safe working environment to their all
employees, so that they can work easily and help an organisation to accomplish long term goals
and objectives (Marchington and et. al., 2016). With the assist of this, manager of British
Airways emphasis on establishing healthy or positive working environment to its each
employees. As it not harm to employees at workplace and enhance their moral towards
achievement of long term objectives and goals. For example: decision-making process of
British Airways manager is also impacted because each decision are made according to the
health and safety legislation. As it will help an organisation to increase their productivity and
performance level within given time duration.
Anti-Discrimination Act 2010: It is unlawful to discriminate according to different
number of protected attributes such as age, race, sex, disability, intersex status, gender identity,
sexual orientation and so on in employment. For example: This act also impact on HRM
decision making while recruiting and selecting of employees within and outside of the company.
Therefore, this act also impact on growth and profitability of British Airways.
Equal pay act 1970: It was an Act of the Parliament of the UK that prohibited some less
positive treatment between men and female in forms of pay as well as conditions of employment
(Mosakowski, 2017). For example: This act is flowered by British Airways which will impact
on HRM decision making while deciding pay scale of employees as per their performance. For
example: accurate adoption of this act will help British Airways to retain employees for long
time and gain better results within given time duration.
Conclusion: According to the above mentioned information, it has been explained better
employee relation is important for growth and success of British Airways. Different elements of
employment legislation and its impact on HRM decision making have been completed.
TASK 4
Human resource management introduces as an essential process of recruiting, hiring,
managing and deploying an enterprise worker's. There are different types of HRM practices such
as training and development, recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, flexible working
hours etc. All these are consider main and effective type of HRM practices which is used by