Human Resource Management: Topical Issues Report and Analysis

This report delves into various aspects of Human Resource Management (HRM), commencing with an introduction to the subject and its significance in organizational success. It explores the Guest model of HRM, detailing its components and application within River Island, a UK-based fashion brand. The report contrasts Storey's definitions of HRM, personnel, and Industrial Relations (IR) practices by comparing Willmott Dixon and Wates, two UK-based construction companies. It further assesses the implications of a strategic HRM approach for line managers and employees within River Island. The report also examines flexibility models, specifically within EasyJet, discussing different types of flexibility and their application. It evaluates the impact of flexible working practices from both employee and employer perspectives. Topics include the avoidance of discrimination, equal opportunity, diversity management, and the importance of employee health, safety, and welfare, as well as the evaluation of e-recruitment.

Topical issues on managing human
resources

Introduction
This assignment is about the human resource management and the practices used by them
for the success of the company. The management conducts all the business operation to recruit
the best selected candidate to maintain the peace and harmony in the company. Firstly, Guest
model is explained in which the human resource and other aspects are covered that are required
for the effective management are considered and explained in detail while considering the
organization in it. Another aspect that is discussed in this assignment is the importance flexibility
and its implementation in the company. Flexibility is the concept that has gain weightage over
few years and it is important that it is implemented in an effective manner in the company.
Another aspect that human resource has to deal with is the avoidance of discrimination in the
company. It is also important that equal opportunity and managing of the diversity be practiced
in the correct manner in the company that is also discussed in this report. Last and the final
concept that is health, safety and welfare of the employees in the workplace and how employers
takes necessary initiative in that context in the company and also e- recruitment is also evaluated.

Task 1
1.1. Explain Guest’s model of HRM as applied to the organization of your choice.
Guest model of human resource management has various parameters that are used for the
purpose of analysis for the better and effective management of human resource in the
organizations. The various analysis dimensions are human resource strategy, outcomes, and
practices. Also there is behavioral, financial and performance outcomes. There are various
polices that are made which are in relation to recruitment, selection, system used in rewards,
communications and many other (Guest, 2011). All the management strategy is made in
accordance with it. This model is implemented in the company called River Island that is UK
based brand of fashion which runs its working around the globe. This company is a private
company that is owned by family of Lewis. This guest model is applied in the River Island in a
way that is explained below-
Human resource strategy- Strategy in this company is done on the basis on the talent that is
encompasses by the staff. So company would hire those staff that are talented in there designated
working so that effective result may be encompasses by the company.
Human resource outcomes- This is based on the matter like the staff of the River Island
encompass the quality of commitment as well as flexibility towards the company. Policies are
required to be made in a way that would increase the system of communication among the
employees.
Human resource practices- The practices used in the company are in accordance with all the
rules and regulations that are required for the better working of the staff in the company.
Behavioral- The behavior of the employees in relation to the working are in all focus about the
sufficient outcomes from the employees. The behavior of the employees is good that causes a
good outcome for the company.

Financial- The financial result of the company is significant that is only possible due to the best
outcomes of the human resource in the best staffing strategy.
Performance outcomes- The performance of the company is significant over a long period of
time that shows that human resources of the company are working significantly.
1.2 Choosing two organizations of your choice compare the differences between Storey’s
definitions of HRM, personnel and IR practices.
Willmort Dixon and Wates are two UK based company that are engaged in the business of
construction. Both are the well-established private companies that are running its operation in an
effective manner. According to Storey’s definition industrial relations means the relationship and
the interaction among the employees and employers of the company. Personnel are the main
employees of the company that are active in the working and providing outcomes for the
organizations. In relation to HRM practices there are two forms they are hard and soft HRM. In
the Hard HRM employees are treated and considered as a cost as well only market issues are
considered (Al, 2012). On the other hand the soft HRM is the practice in which employees are
treated as resources and there issues are given the priority.
In the Willmort Dixon hard HRM is used in which it treat its employees as a cost and market
issues are focused. It manages its company with the control and following all the compliances.
Whereas Wates is the company that uses the soft HRM practices in the company as they treat its
employees as a resource and perform the entire task by considering them in an effective manner.
They try to make there employee committed towards their work with no external pressure. They
also work with the cooperation among the employees and enhance the team work that is essences
of the success of every company in the world. With this soft HRM approach company would be
able to work more accurately and complications or non-friendly environment arises that occurs
in the Hard HRM in the Willmort Dixon Company( Sanders & Yang, 2016).
Personnel management is regarded as an administrative function which helps the business
entity to organize all the activities in effective manner. Under personnel management, it is
crucial for the business entity to maintain effective relationship between employers and

employees. However, on the other hand Industrial practices shows effective terms and
relationships amid organizational employers and workers.
Personnel management helps in managing all the practices of business entities which
underpins the work aspects of Human Resource Management. This is also crucial for the purpose
of managing employee interest in the organization. According to Storey, the definition of HRM
has changed a lot for the past 100 years. Earlier HRM was related to management of
organizational work practices; however currently HRM is concerned with retaining the interest
of employees so that they can assist in contributing greater efforts to the organizational
development.

1.3 Assess the implications for line managers and employees of developing a strategic
approach to HRM for any organization of your choice.
Line manager are the lower level managers who managers the working of the employees and
they are more focused on the working of the employees and reporting the same to the higher
authorities in the company. There are many functions that are carried out by the line managers as
they are the important resources for all the company as they are the one who handles and derived
outcomes from the employees in an effective and efficient manner.
There are certain responsibilities of the line managers in the River Island Company. They are
responsible managing the various operations, quality checking of the employee, leadership
criteria and many others aspects that are required for the better working of the organization.
There are various implication involved with the line managers like there are changes in the
management policies, style of leadership or the person who leads the company then the line
managers has to change all its working style so that effective working may be effective in the
River Island company. Apart from that employees are also held certain implications like thereat
in the security in the job or remuneration that is granted to them or the other incentives that may
affect the working of the employees due to the change in the strategic approach of the River
Island Company (Figueiredo et.al, 2016).

Task 2
2.1 Explain how a model of flexibility might be applied in your organization.
Flexibility is the working criteria that would help in the effective working of the organization
from starting to the end. The flexibility is defined as a way through which the work is conducted
from the employees by the managers in an effective and efficient manner so that work balance is
created that would result in the effective growth of the organization. There various models
constructed by various theorist that define the flexibility in a better and effective manner. Easy
jet is regarded as the largest UK based Airline Company operating business in competitive
market place. According to the Taylor model in relation to the flexibility, employees are required
to be working in an effective and effective manner so that the results may be derived for the
better management of the company. Company has taken various aspects in relation to the better
outcomes from the employees as they provide certain guidelines to the employees of the
company along with the necessary details about their performance so that a better and effective
management may be established by the company. Employees are working towards the goal of
becoming the largest company in relation to the airline company of the world. Company has also
leads to many changes in its working so that flexibility in the working may be attained by the
organization that would be beneficial in the long run of the business. Apart from that they try to
become more flexible for the accommodation of the employees in the company so that they do
not prefer to switch off the job as it would become a hard perspective for the company as best
employees would leave the job (Veise et.al, 2014).

2.2 Discuss the types of flexibility which may be developed by your organization.
Many types of elasticity help the business entity to balance their work and diminish the
work pressure of the employees that would help in the increase in the productivity of the
company that would help the company to achieve its goals and aims. Like in the easy jet
company numerical flexibility helps in the better working of the employees. Like the human
resource provide the part time employment to the certain designated employees of the company
such as the security staff who are appointed for the limited time that helps them in the flexibility
in there working. Even company provide training contract to the employees to develop their
personal skills that become effective to reducer the work pressure and helps in the flexibility of
the company. Company also provides seasonal employment at the time of peak season to the
employees. Apart from that numerical functional flexibility is also considered by the company by
enhancing the team work in the company that can easily reduce the work pressure and would be
effective for the long term perspective of the company. But in this type there are certain aspects
that required full consideration before implementing the same to the company management like
working interest of the employees in the designated job, specialist education that can enhance
working and retaining the skills in the company. If all these factors are considered by the
company then there more chances that company can easily implement the functional flexibility
in the company without any difficulty (Akşin et.al, 2015).

2.3 Assess the use of flexible working practices from both the employee and the employer
perspective.
The aspects of Flexibility is crucial that helps the company as well as employees of the
company. In relation to the employees there are various advantages associated in the Easy jet
company like with the flexibility the work pressure reduces that enables the minimizing of the
stress of the employees as well as help them to avoid all the negative thoughts that encompasses
the negative impact of the employee. With the proper management the work is distributed in
such a manner that would help providing balance between work and family as well as in work
and life. It also creates a motivation to the employees to work with more potential in there
working. For the employers there are also benefits associated with it such as employees would be
happy working in the flexible environment that would help in the retaining them in the company
as it would minimize the cost as well as provide importance to the employee’s needs. So it
becomes important that flexibility be implemented in an effective manner in the company. This
helps in recruiting the more effective staff in the Easy jet. It also provides support and motivation
to the employees so that no wrong measures may cause troubles to the company (Beltrán et.al,
2013).

2.4 Discuss the impact that changes in the labor market have had on flexible working
practices.
Labor market flexibility is the situation in which the analysis of the willingness of the
labor to the change in the working conditions and other personal aspects like wages etc.
Company has to formulate the policies and regulation in accordance to the labor market as labor
are the employees who work at the base level in the company and if they are not satisfied with
the changes in any aspects that are related to them then there the productivity of the company
would be reduce that would finally impact the profits of the company. Organization provides
wages to the labors for there working and if they reduce their wages then there may become an
unsettling situation that hamper the working of the organization in an effective manner. In the
current scenario company is required to provide wages that are equilibrium in the market for that
purpose many times company suffer financial disadvantage. Apart from that there is the
existence of the trade union that protects the rights of the labors and if any unfair means are
implemented on them then company would not be able to respond in an effective way. Now days
a proper training session are provided to the labors as there existed flexibility in the company and
its operations so they may adapt to the working criteria of the business in an effective and
efficient (Baumgärtner et.al, 2015).
Labour market situations have been changing from past years and employees are getting
more concerned about work-life balance. This generates the need of flexible working hours and
as a result, changes arise in labour market place. Such changes have a direct impact on
organizational practices. Currently, employees are not ready to mobilize to different places as
they prefer to work in a specific place as well; thus this impacts the company’s practices. In
such situation, it becomes difficult for the business entity to manage the operations of different
countries. Further, because of flexible working hours, labour market has changed a lot and this
brings more transformation in company’s activities.