HRM Report: Analyzing HRM Practices at Mark & Spencer

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices at Mark & Spencer. It begins with an introduction to HRM and its importance, followed by an examination of workforce planning, recruitment, and selection processes, including internal and external sourcing methods, along with their respective strengths and weaknesses. The report further explores the benefits of various HRM practices, such as training and development, employee security, performance-based rewards, and fair compensation, for both employers and employees. It evaluates the effectiveness of these practices in terms of raising organizational profit and productivity. Additionally, the report analyzes the significance of employee relations in influencing HRM decision-making, emphasizing the importance of communication, engagement activities, and shared vision. The report also touches upon the impact of employment legislation on HRM decisions and concludes by illustrating the application of HRM practices with specific examples, providing a holistic view of HRM strategies within the context of Mark & Spencer.

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1. Explain the purpose and the functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and
resourcing an organisation..........................................................................................................3
P2. Explain the approaches to recruitment and selection process with their strengths and
weaknesses..................................................................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P3. Explain the benefits of different HRM practices within the organisation for both the
employer and employee..............................................................................................................6
P4. Evaluate the effectiveness of different HRM practices in terms of raising organisational
profit and productivity.................................................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P5. Analyse the importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision
making.........................................................................................................................................7
P6. Elements of employment legislation and affect upon HRM decision-making.....................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
P7. Illustrate the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific
examples......................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management defines as the department which is responsible for
recruitment, selection, training and orientation in the organisation is called Human resource
management.(Solomon, Steyn, 2017). There is a significant importance of HRM in successful
running of the business. It also responsible for fuller and effective use of employees in the
organisation for the achievement of business goal. Mark&Spencer is the chosen organisation for
this report. It is a British company deals in food products, home product and cloths. Company is
founded by Michael Marks in 1884. Its headquarter is in London, England. It is currently
operating 959 stores in the UK. This report will cover the purpose and various function of human
resource management and strength&weakness of different approaches to recruitment and
selection process. Furthermore, it will explain the contribution of HRM is development of the
organisation and earning more profitability. It will explain the key elements of employment
legislation and impact upon decision making.
TASK 1
P1. Explain the purpose and the functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and
resourcing an organisation.
Human resource management is responsible for resourcing an organisation with the
efficient staff that can contribute in the achievement of the organisational objective. It is the most
essential asset of the business and employees are the only aspect by which organisation can not
be run. (Triana, 2017). So it is very important to have concern with the human resources in
Mark&Spencer.There are various functions and purpose of HRM in resourcing an organisation
are follows:
Purpose of HRM:
 The main purpose of HRM is to maximum usage of manpower for successful
achievement of the business goal.
 HRM helps in organisational development as hiring skilled and knowledges employees
for their organisation.
 HRM also focuses on strict code of conduct in relation to labour law that all the law
should be followed in a right manner.
Functions of HRM:

 HRM is responsible for performance appraisal of the employees so that employees can
evaluate themselves in the work place.(Loon, 2016).
 It also helps in learning and development of employees by organising various training
sessions and seminars.(Seo, 2017).
 It also perform effective recruitment process in the achievement of business goal by
hiring a efficient manpower in the work place.
P2. Explain the approaches to recruitment and selection process with their strengths and
weaknesses.
Recruitment is a process of preparing a job description, finding the interested candidates,
processing of applications, selecting the potential candidate, appoint that person and do
induction, orientation, training and development in the organisation. It is the first step of creating
strong team in Mark&SPencer. Approaches to recruitment are as follows:
Internal sources:
These are the internal sources of hiring the employees in the organisation in which
recruiter hire the person from their company itself for filling the vacancy with the internal
references of the employees and the management. there are various method of internal sourcing
are follows:
 Internal advertisement- The advertisement within the work place for hiring a person is
called internal advertisement. This involve new letters, emails and forms.
 Promotions- It is the process of giving job to the candidate at higher level or Increasing
their post that will leads to increase in salary of the employees.
 Transfer- This is a process of hiring the person from other branch of the company. It is a
horizontal process.
Strengths of Internal recruitment
 There is no need of training the employees. They are well aware of function of
organisation.
 This process motivates others to work hard for the promotion and get higher pay scale.
 It is easy to hire best talent within the organisation.
Weaknesses of Internal recruitment
 Restrict the entry of young talent.
 Demotivation among other employees after see their co-worker at higher post.

 This process leads to vacant the position of the employees who is promotes to other post.
External sources:
This is a process of hiring the person from external sources like advertising, job portals,
references and recruitment companies. (Renwick, 2018). To meet the competition with other
companies, It is necessary to find the best employees, who can given their best in achievement of
the business goal. Various method of hiring the employees are follows:
 Recruitment Agencies- These are the companies who coordinate with the interested
candidate for the job by giving notification on their websites and more and will take some
consultancy fees for offering job.
 Campus placement- These are the sources of hiring the potential manpower form driving
the campus recruitment.
 Walk In- This the process in which interested candidate visit the office and conduct the
interview for getting job.
Strengths of External recruitment
 Best candidate can be hired for the specific job role, which can give their best in
achieving business goal.
 There is zero degree changes of partiality between the candidate.
 It helps in creating opportunities to talented candidates.
Weaknesses of External recruitment
 There is a huge cost on advertising and hiring the candidate.
 This is more time consuming process than internal sources.
 Sourcing skilled candidates can be tough in this process.
Selection is a process of taking the candidate for the specific job role by hiring the
candidate who have relevant qualification for the job role and have full knowledge about their
area and skills in a specific job. Approaches to selection process are follows:
Interview
It is the structural conversation in which interviewer will ask the questions to the
interviewee.(Hom, 2017). It is a one-on-one conversation which is comparsis of discussing the
specific job role and identifying the relevant skills and knowledge in the interviewee.
Strengths of Interview
 The interviewer can examine the non-verbal behaviour of the interviewee.

 The interviewer can judge the order of question and examine the spontaneity of the
interviewee as well.
Weaknesses of the Interview
 it is a time consuming process.
 It can be a biased process.
Ability test
After conducting a interview, candidates will perform ability test that will help the
interviewer to test the knowledge and on the basis of this, candidate is able to give their best
efficiency in this test.
.
TASK 2
P3. Explain the benefits of different HRM practices within the organisation for both the
employer and employee.
There are various practices which is help in maintaining good relationship with the
employees. It will help in achieving business goal. Various practices of HRM are follows:
 Training and development- This is the important practice which is essential for the
employees to work effectively in the organisation.(Heyden, 2017). Training involves
learning of the individuals in their specific area. It will help in effectiveness of the
individual in their performance and contribute to earn maximum profit in Mark&Spencer.
 providing security to employees- HRM is responsible for giving complete security to the
employees in the work place. This includes various safety measures in the organisation
and help in maintaining the positive working environment in Mark&Spencer. This is
beneficial for both the employee and the employer. If the employee is safe in the
workplace so It can achieve its objective easily and help the employer to earn maximum
profit.
 Performance and reward- This is the duty of the HR to evaluate the performance of the
individuals for the effective operations in the business and should appreciate with the
reward for the achievement. This will help in enhancing the overall performance of the
individual and leads to achieve more profit and growth of the business I different market
segment.

 Fair and performance based salary- this is the main concern of every employee to get the
better salary in their job profile. It will help in motivating the manpower in the operation
for the better earning and profitability for the business. After evaluating the overall
performance of the individual on the basis of punctuality, Effective work. HR should give
compensation according to performance and the efficiency. It will initiate the employees
to work in a better way.
P4. Evaluate the effectiveness of different HRM practices in terms of raising organisational
profit and productivity.
HRM plays a important role in the Mark&Spencer. The main motive of the company is to
maintaining good relationship in the organisation which help in achieving the business goal. For
generating more profit the staff and the manger contribute their full capabilities in the
achievement of the goal.(Harper, Snowden, 2017). There are various practices of HR like
Development of employees in their area and training of the employees, fair compensation on
evaluating their work performance and provide safety in the workplace. It also focuses on reward
management of the manpower. This will help in creating motivation power in the organisation.
The main motive of providing training to the employees is to enhance the skills, knowledge and
abilities in the organisation that will help in achieving organisational goal.
HRM is also responsible for identifying the best candidate that can match the
requirements of the job profile. It can be done by having effective interview and various test in
the business for checking the knowledge of the individual.
TASK 3
P5. Analyse the importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision
making.
Employee relationship is the foundation of effective workflow in the organisation. This is
the relationship of employee and the employer with the motive of achieving organisational goal
that will help the employee in better performance appraisal and employer in getting good output
in the operations (Greenfield, 2019). Better relationship of the employees will help in
minimizing the conflicts in the organisation. If the employee will not give their best in the
operations than it will affect the productivity of the employee in workplace. Healthy relationship

in the staff will help in achieving the organisational goal and create positive environment in the
organisation, Relationship can be with employees, subordinates and the employer. Decision
making can be influenced by proper involvement of the employee in the decision process.
Management should take a suggestions and ideas of the employees so that organisation can take
right decision and all the employees would be agreed on action taken. There are various factors
that will help in building good relationship in the organisation and can impact the decision
making that are follows:
 Better communication- Communication is the best ways to make a good relationship in
the organisation. When someone is having clear point of view and clear message to the
listener. (Ehnert, 2016) It will help in creating good impact on individual. Employees are
the essential part in achieving business goal effectively. There should be a effective
channel of communication through which employees can build strong relationship among
themselves. Proper communication can be done by having direct interactions in the
business with all the staff.
 Employment engagement activities- This is defined as the various business activities
that is organised for the employees and their betterment. This includes meetings,
Conferences and business parties. Employment engagement helps in face-to-face
interactions between the employees and also initiates the understanding in the employees
by analysing others behaviour and attitude. If there is a employment engagement
activities in the organisation then employees will get motivation and work in a effective
manner that helps the organisation to achieve business goal.
 Share vision- when company share their business plan and order of action. It will help in
getting good suggestions from the staff in the advancement and changes in the
organisation. (DeCenzo, 2016)Vision of the organisation gives idea and way to do the
business. This will help the employees to their business in effective manner.
P6. Elements of employment legislation and affect upon HRM decision-making.
Employment legislation is the aspect in which all the rules and regulation are involves for
the organisation. These rules and regulation will impact the decision making of the employees in
the business. These all rules and regulation are formed by political authority. It will helps in

smooth running of the business. The key element of laws and regulation under employment
legislation are as follows:
 Data Protection Act, 1998: This is the act which is concern with how data is carried and
used in the organisation. This is imposed by the UK government. Under this Act,
Mark&Spencer have to protect their personnel information within the organisation and if
any information is passing through the computer should be legally approved under the act
of Data Protection.
 National Minimum Wage Act, 1998: This act says that all the organisations are bound
to follow the guidelines for giving minimum wages to the employees in their specific job
role. This is the necessary to the employer to give minimum wages to the employees.
 Equality Act, 2010: This law says that every employee in the organisation should be
treated equally. There should be no discrimination on the basis of caste, colour, gender,
religion etc.(Chambel, 2016) there should be equal opportunities for all the employees to
show their talent and skills. Mark&Spencer is liable to give equal chances to every
candidate to enhance their skills.
TASK 4
P7. Illustrate the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific
examples.
There are some vacant post in Mark&Spencer and for this manager is looking for skilled
and capable manpower in the organisation. There are various technique to advertisement of their
job role, but Mark&Spencer is using social media platform to advertise their job role. This will
help in easy recruitment and selection of the employees. It helps in saving the time and cost of
the Human Resource Manager for getting potential manpower.
Advertisement for the role:
VACANCY
Marks & Spencer recruiting for Assistant Human Resource Manager

Post – Assistant human resource manager
Qualification - Master in the field of Human Resource
Experience – Minimum 2 years in the Human resource department
The chosen candidates will be call for interview.
The candidates can apply here via email or post.
Last Date to apply- 6 December 2020
Address: Wilson St, Leeds 5AD
Email: hrm&[e-mail]
Contact: 3435567454
After this advertisement, Manager will select the potential candidate that have good
skills and knowledge by conducting various selection test.
Job Description
Job Description
1. Job details
Title of the job :- Assistant Human Resource manager
Department – Human Resource

2. Job Purpose
 hiring the manpower in organisation
 Effective control on business activities.
 Increasing efficiency with the motive of earning maximum profit.
3. Duties and Responsibilities
 Evaluate the work performance of employees
 Training and development of staff
 Motivation of employees
Person specification
 Post: Assistant Human Resource manager
 Department: Human Resource
 Key: This shows what is required as an evidence:
 (A): Application form, (I): Interview, (R): Role
Attributes Primary Secondary
 Qualification &
Experience
 Post graduation in
MBA in Human
Resource.
 Good speaking skills
 Certificate related to
personality
development
 leadership Experiences
 certificate in
communication course

 Skills or knowledge  Excellent verbal and
non-verbal
Communication Skills
 Ability to work alone
with winning spirit.
 Good in problem
solving
 Knowledge of basic
power point
presentation.
 Knowledge of excel for
maintaining records
 Multitasking and
dynamic thinking
Questions asked by the Human Resource manager at the time of interview that will
examine the knowledge, capabilities and skills of the candidates. There are various questions
asked by the interviewer are follows:
Interview Question
Q.1. Give a short introduction of yourself
Q.2. What is the reason of joining this organisation?
Q.3. What you want to be in 5 years?
Q.4. What are your strong points?
Q.5. Why should I hire you?