Human Resource Management Report: Squires Garden Centres Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices at Squire's Garden Centres, a medium-sized UK-based business. It begins with an introduction to HRM functions, emphasizing workforce planning, recruitment, and selection processes. The report explores the purpose of HRM, recruitment and selection methods, and the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches like interviews and assessment tests. It also provides suggestions for improvement. Furthermore, it examines the application of HRM practices in a work-related context, including job descriptions and person specifications. The report highlights the benefits of various HRM practices within an organization, such as training and development, reward and compensation, and the importance of employee relations. Finally, it discusses employee legislation and its impact on HRM decision-making, providing a detailed overview of the company's HRM strategies and their effectiveness.

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Purpose and the functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning............................1
P2 Strength and weakness of different approaches to recruitment and selection...................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P7 Application of HRM practice in a work related context...................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P3 Benefits of different HRM practice within an organization..............................................6
P4 Effectiveness of different HRM practice in terms of raising organizational profit and
productivity.............................................................................................................................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
P5 Importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision making........8
P6 Key elements of employee legislations and the impact it has upon HRM decision making
..............................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is the most crucial function of a company in which
managers take responsibilities to organise, manage and control entire activities. It will help in
improving and enhancing overall performance of business through which higher profitability can
be earned. In this context, a report has been prepared on 'Squire's Garden Centres' which deals in
medium sized business. It offers a wide range of plants and gardening products to customers as
well as provide them solutions also. Some major purpose and functions of HR of this firm related
to workforce planning with different methods of recruitment and selections as well as advantages
and disadvantage of the same has been discussed in following project (Guest, Paauwe and
Wright, 2012). Other than this, benefits of HRM practices in context with employer and
employees has been revealed in further part. Lastly, importance of employee engagement and
different legislation as per employment has also been mentioned.
TASK 1
P1 Purpose and the functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning
Human resource management in a company is all about improving and enhancing
workers performance to the highest level as per their job role. As a business cannot run
appropriately without adequate staff therefore, it is main function of HRM to introduce most
eligible people at workplace. It refers to acquire services of employees, develop skills and
encourage them to give high commitment towards success of business goals. In an organisation,
HRM revolves around organising, staffing, planning and controlling overall activities of
business. In context with Squires Garden, its business was developed by D.J. Squire in 1936 with
main aim is to become first garden centre in UK. It is a family owned business which deals in
medium sized sector. Through various approaches and practices of HRM as well as under
leadership of D.J.'s son Colin, present firm has achieved this goal. It offers a wide range of
quality products related to garden like plants, furniture, houseplants and more (Kim and Bae,
2017). This firm drives continuously excellent customer service with a highly experienced and
qualified horticultural staff. In customer service department, employees are much knowledgable
to solve queries of people related to plants.
Purpose of HR functions in Squires Garden Centre:-
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 Recruitment and selection: It is the process of hiring people at workplace by carrying out
a long procedures. It includes advertising, screening and selecting right candidates as per
job demand. The main purpose behind performing this function of HR is to attract highly
qualified and potential applicants by offering them a particular job with attractive salary
package. Before this process, managers of Squires Garden used to execute proper staffing
plans as well as grade adequate number of staff which are needed at workplace. In case of
forecasting of workers, it is highly depended upon annual budget, short-term and long-
term goals of business. Along with this, other purpose behind recruitment and selection is
to reduce cost of errors like giving jobs to under-qualified and unskilled employees etc. Training and development: During recruitment and selection procedure, it is necessary
for a firm to provide orientation program to new recruiters so that they can understand
roles and responsibilities of them easily. Apart from this, whenever new technologies are
introduced or any type of modification created at workplace, managers should provide
training and development program to existing employees. It will help them in developing
their skills and enhance knowledge in a particular field. Thus, training and development
is also a main function of HR in which major purpose of employers is to increase
productivity of employees.
 Reward and Compensation:Under this function of HR, employers are used to recognise
performance of employees by giving them different kinds of rewards and compensation.
It includes bonus, paid holidays, high incentives and more with main purpose is to
motivate workers to work hard. As per Squires Garden, employers of this firm are used to
provide special rewards to employees like 25% discount after probationary period which
is of three months, pension plan, childcare voucher and more.
Thus, all these functions of HR aid Squires Garden in building a strong reputation at UK
marketplace. It has a good working environment and products which offer to customers are of
high quality through which this firm can become 'an employer of choice' easily.
P2 Strength and weakness of different approaches to recruitment and selection
Recruitment and selection approaches is an important procedure of a firm in which
managers are used to hire most desirable and capable candidates at workplace who are able to
perform as per demand of their job role. In context with Squires Garden, it is one of the most
reputed company of UK which offers a wide range of plants and garden products. But from last
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some years, this firm faces a high labour turnover issues because HR managers have failed to
recruit right persons at workplace (Costea, Amiridis and Crump, 2012). Therefore, it is important
for them to use effective approaches of recruitment and selection procedures so that capable
employees can be introduced at workplace. In addition to this, management should provide
training to new recruiters through they can understand roles and responsibilities of them in
proper manner.
In this regard, some benefits and drawbacks of current recruitment and selection methods
of Squires Garden for recruiting right employees within workplace are given as below:-
Methods Criteria Advantages Disadvantages
Interview and
assessment test
Under this process,
managers used to
prepare a test format
for candidates who are
applying for a
particular post. Under
this assessment test,
applicants are required
to get minimum 55%
marks for further
interview process. As
Squires Garden is a
retailer firm so,
assessment test covers
knowledge of some
spoken languages and
variety of plants,
gardening techniques
etc.
The main advantage of
this test is that it will
help HR managers in
reducing time related
to screening
procedures, reviewing
resumes, conducting
and coordinating
interviews etc. It also
improve interview
process to hiring ratio
so that best suitable
candidates can be
selected for further
process of interview.
Behaviour, attitude
and sharp skills of
candidates cannot be
judged by assessment
test. It is also required
that questions are to be
framed well so that
occurrence of fake
answers can be
reduced. If managers
want to measure
personality then this
process fails to obtain
such result.
Informal interview After assessment test,
selected candidates
As facing an interview
is a main nerve
It is time consuming
approach as this
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will face informal
interview process
which is carried by
managers of Squires
Garden. This process
help in determining
common sense of
selected candidates
related to identify new
ways for performing
an activity in efficient
manner. Along with
this, main purpose of
HR team of Squires
Garden behind
choosing this approach
of recruitment and
selections is to match a
perfect applicant for
business.
cracking point for any
person therefore,
informal interview
method give some
relief to them. As they
don't have to face
interview directly, as
informal one doesn't
follow any particular
style. The main
advantage of this
method is that it is
flexible, very practical
as well as more
comfortable for
analysing skills of
candidates.
method doesn't have a
specific format and
direction. It also
creates a negative
opinion about business
of an organisation.
Potential improvements that should be made to the selection methods of Squires Garden
Centres:
As currently Squires Garden face high employee turnover so, it is recommended to HR
department of this company to use effective approaches of recruitment and selection. In this
regard, they must add psychological and formal test for improving their techniques of
recruitment (Chang, Chiang and Han, 2012). Psychological test helps in accessing personality
and ability of new recruiters by conducting a language and mathematical test. It will help in
introducing a right person at workplace as per job role. The main advantage of this method that it
is cost effective as well as provide long term benefits to this company. Along with this, through
formal interview process, interviewers can evaluate skills and characteristics of candidates with
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pre-set questionnaires. It is considered as most effective, consistent as well as legal protect
method as under this process, managers can provide information related to job description to
candidates in proper manner.
TASK 2
P7 Application of HRM practice in a work related context
In order to attract and hire high qualified employees in Customer Service Department,
HR team of Squires Garden Centre has made some necessary documentation for this process:
Job Description
Job Details
Post: Customer Service Assistant
Department: Customer Service Department
Job Purpose
 Act as first person between customers and company by greeting them well
 Determine requirement of customers by indulging in small conversation
 Oversee stock
Roles & Responsibilities
 Assist with payment process
 Record Customers informations
 Provide appropriate information to consumers related to services or products of
company
Person Specification
Post details
Department: Customer Service Department
Title of job: Assistant
Skills and Knowledge:
 Ability to handle customer's problems
 Able to take calls and identify customer related problems
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 Knowledge about horticulture
 High Leadership skills
 Excellent planning as well as presenting skills
Experience:
 3 year working experience in Horticulture Field
Qualifications
 Diploma degree in Customer Service
 Grade C in GCSE English
Both above documents will be given by HR managers of Squires Garden Centre in
broadcasting and newspaper for job advertisement (Bondarouk and Ruël, 2013). Both of these
methods have own advantages and disadvantages as newspaper is considered as most appropriate
as well as cost effective too but is is limited in expansion. While broadcasting is as compared
much expensive but able to reach at vast area.
Along with this, some main interview question which are asked generally by interviewers
of Squires Garden Centre to selected candidates:
Q1) Introduce your self?
Q2) What do you know about this company?
Q3) Have you taken training ever in Horticultural Apprenticeship Scheme?
Q4) How can you handle problems with frustrated clients?
TASK 3
P3 Benefits of different HRM practice within an organization
In a business organisation, the main role is played by human resource management as it
helps in developing and managing a good working environment at workplace. In order to
enhance productivity of business and employees, management used to implement various HRM
practices which provides benefits to employees. Squires Garden Centre is famous for its most
qualitative products and best customer services, because it gives equally importance to workers
and provide them training programs on regular period of interval. It will contribute in building
workforce more strong and capable. In this regard, some main benefits of training and
development program for employees and employers are:
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Training program is one of the best HRM practices through which people at workplace
can remove their weaknesses as well as enhance abilities also (Benefits of employee and
employer through HRM practices. 2017). It will also given them opportunity to learn something
new which aid them to make career more bright and get promotion at workplace as well
(Karmiloff-Smith and et. al., 2015). If workers become able to work as per requirement of
business them it will aid them to make more incentives and get chance to acquire higher position
by completing a task in predetermined time.
While in context with employers, they are responsible for providing as well as conducting
training like Horticultural Apprenticeship Scheme in proper manner. It will also help in
introducing new and innovative ways for retaining employees for longer profitability of business.
By conducting such programs, employers get chance to engage workers in group task which
helps in developing good relations among them also. This will lead to reduce chance of conflicts
among employees also.
Opportunities to permanent staff members
It has evaluated that if employees get chances to take training under professionals then it
will lead them to get permanent job at workplace also (Horwitz, 2011). It will also help in
earning more incentives and gain good appraisals. In Squires Garden Centre, employers are
following proper lucrative scheme which is based in incentive plan aids employees to gain
opportunity of being permanent or gain higher position. Other than this, by providing special
rewards like paid holiday leaves which is near about 5.6 weeks in a year, long service awards
and more. This company also provides Bupa Health Cash Plan Scheme to workers, under which
they have given opportunity to get health related plans like dental, chiropody, reflexology and
more.
P4 Effectiveness of different HRM practice in terms of raising organizational profit and
productivity
In an organisation, HRM concerns more on planned management of workers for
optimising performance of workplace. It covers many practices like recruitment & selection,
training & development, job evaluation, performance appraisals, health and safety etc. All these
practices are beneficial for a company in raising its profitability and productivity (Hauptmann
and Steger, 2013). In context with Squires Garden Centre, employers of this firm concern more
on providing flexible working hours to employees so that they can work in stress free
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environment. It will lead this firm to obtain high performance of workers employees and attain
their full commitment towards achievement of business success in a short period of interval. In
addition to this, for creating and maintaining positivity at workplace, HR department also used to
engage employees in group related task. It will help in developing healthy relations between
them through which occurrence of conflicts and issues can be reduced.
In Squires Garden Centre, employees are treated equally as employers and customers.
Along with this, employers believe that only with commitment of workers, help in gaining
success of business. The main purpose of this company is to generate happiness among people
who are worked in it. In order to generate knowledge among employees that they are working in
a successful business and work of them is worthwhile as well as satisfying (Gurkov, Zelenova,
and Saidov, 2012). Employers of Squires Garden provide various opportunities to workers
through which they can develop their abilities and make career more bright. It includes
'Horticultural Apprenticeship Scheme' as knowledge of horticulture is first priority of business of
this firm. Therefore, all associated people are required to become familiar with this field and
enhance knowledge as well. Some major effectiveness of this practices of HRM for raising
productivity and profitability of employees are:-
 Apprentices in horticulture will lead exciting working lives of people at workplace. It will
provide opportunity to workers to develop their career in horticulture field.
 The Main motto of this scheme is 'Grow Our Own' which reflects that employers will
provide training to every employees for developing skills and abilities of them. It will
help employees to give right and necessary informations to customers and advice them
accordingly.
 This type of training also help employees in getting permanent job in this garden centre
which is more creative, energetic and fast paced company.
TASK 4
P5 Importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision making
Employee engagement is considered as a situation where workers of a firm get engaged
in work with full commitment. If employees at workplace are engaged in complete sense then it
will tend to avoid conflicts, fighting and development of negative relations with others. So, it
will help them in enjoying a warm and healthy relationship with colleagues. Thus, if a company
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wants to perform well and enhance its productivity then, it is necessary for employers to provide
an effective platform to workers where they can share good relations among themselves and
deliver a high performance. As good employee relations aids a firm in getting high productivity
and commitment of people towards set goals.
Ways of employee engagement: In context with Squires Garden, some steps are given below
for generating healthy relationship among workers:-
 Effective communication: The first and foremost strategy for developing good relations
in people who are associated with business is effective communication. It is essential for
management of Squires Garden to communicate effectively with others by putting their
ideas and thoughts into relevant words. They should try to provide information related to
business policy and any kind of modification to workers in clear and precise manner so
that misconception would not occur (Chang, Chiang and Han, 2012). Along with this,
employers should try to provide information in written modes of communication which is
more reliable as compared to verbal. Maintain decorum: Managers of Squires Garden are required to develop some policies
through which decorum of workplace can be maintained. It includes inform workers
about how to behave with others and be polite to everyone at workplace. In addition to
this, give strictly instruction to employees that they are not allowed to use abusive or
other type of languages within organisation which will lead to create disputes among
them. It will help in developing and maintaining effective working environment through
which productivity of employees can be increased.
 Counselling sessions: It is the best way by which a firm can bring positivity at workplace
and develop effective relationship among employees. In this regard, it is essential for
employers of Squires Garden to provide counselling session to workers. Under this
session, people can share their issues with professionals related to working environment
and behaviour of management or colleagues. Through this process, HR managers can
resolve problems of workers easily and provide discrimination free environment through
which higher commitment of them can be developed towards set objectives of business.
P6 Key elements of employee legislations and the impact it has upon HRM decision making
The term employee legislations refers to employment protection measures which are
established by government of a country in order to give rights to people at workplace
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(Bondarouk and Ruël, 2013). These measures are mostly related to two regulations which
include hiring like training requirements, fixed-term contracts etc. and firing such as redundancy
procedures, dismissals process of a company. Therefore, to amend these legislations, UK
Government has made various laws like Health and Safety Law 1974, Data Protection Law 1998,
Minimum Wage Act 1999 and more. These laws put a large impact on HRM practices of an
organisation as it is amendable for managers to comply the same with business activities. During
recruitment process, it is necessary for them to entail candidates about procedure of working
place, provide them proper training so that they can become familiar with new atmosphere
(Importance of employment legislations on organisation. 2018). In addition to this, for increasing
motivation HR managers also recognise their performance and give them rewards as well. In
context with Squires Garden, since it is medium size company therefore, to gain retention of
existing employees is much essential. It will help in reducing expenses which is required for
recruitment procedure, training and more. In this regard, some major employee legislation and its
impact on HR decision making process of Squires Garden are given as below:
Sex discrimination Act 1975: It is considered as one of the main legislation of UK which
was enacted in 1975. According to this law, it is necessary for a company to provide
discrimination free environment to employees and treat them in equal manner. Employers should
not distinguish workers as per their sex, age and gender. As Squires Garden operate its business
in retail sectors and provide gardening products in which women and men both are capable to
work equally. Therefore, if this company will provide equal employment to workers then it will
help in enhancing image of business at market place (Pereira and Anderson, 2012). Thus, it is
necessary for HR managers of this firm to develop policies which are amendable for both male
and female employees. Along with this, they have to make sure that no discrimination on the
basis of different characteristics of workers occurred at workplace.
National minimum wages Act 1998: It is also equally important as other legislations and
established in 1998 according to which government has set certain limited amount for workers as
per job role in a company. In this context, HR department of Squires Garden requires to give
proper salary to employees by considering this act. Along with this, they have to give appraisal
to workers according to performance so that retention of them for longer time can be developed.
Disability discrimination Act 1995: This act was formed in 1995 under which it is
amendable for companies to give equal treatment to disable employees also and provide them
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