Human Resource Management Report - HRM Practices at Sainsbury's

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices within Sainsbury's, a major UK supermarket chain. The introduction establishes the importance of HRM and its functions, focusing on workforce planning and resourcing. The report examines recruitment and selection methods, comparing internal and external approaches, and evaluating their strengths and weaknesses. It explores various HRM practices that benefit both employees and employers, such as training and development, and how these practices contribute to increased profit and productivity. The analysis includes an assessment of employee relations and the impact of employment legislation on HRM decision-making. The report illustrates the application of HRM practices through specific examples, concluding with a summary of key findings and references. The report covers various aspects of HRM, including recruitment, selection, training, and employee relations, with the aim of improving organizational performance.

Human Resource Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1. Explain the purpose and functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and
resourcing an organisation......................................................................................................3
P2. Explain strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection.4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P3.Different HRM practices in an organisation which can help employees as well as
employers...............................................................................................................................6
P4. Different HRM practices that help an organisation to increase in profit and productivity...7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P5. Analyse importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision
making....................................................................................................................................8
P6. Identify the key elements of employment legislation and impact it has upon HRM
decision making......................................................................................................................9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P7. Illustrate application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific examples
..............................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
HRM is very essential for an organisation as this manages and handle all the business
operations and activities of an organisation. This is a department in an organisation which works
for hiring and selecting applicants for the firm. This is mainly used to manage the humans who
are working in organisation (Banfield, Kay and Royles, 2018). Present report is all about
Sainsbury's, which is one of the largest supermarkets of UK. This firm was founded in year 1869
by John James Sainsbury. Firm has been headquartered in Holborn, London. This report is going
to discuss about the concepts of Human Resource management along with its purpose and
functions. Along with this, benefits and drawbacks of Recruitment and selection methods are
also going to be discussed. The explanation of how HRM practices used in workforce along with
their benefits in context of both employer and employers are going to be evaluate in this report.
TASK 1
P1. Explain the purpose and functions of HRM, applicable to workforce planning and resourcing
an organisation
Human-Resources management is the process of developing and hiring best highly
skilled candidates for organisation in order to run and operate business effectively. This is all
about directing, controlling and guiding the humans resources through training and development
programmes, giving reward according to their working performance so that employees get
motivated towards their work and perform their task effectively and efficiently (Bratton and
Gold, 2017). There are some function which are to be performed by HRM department of
organisation for effective running of business which are outlined as below -
Functions of HRM
1. Training and Development – This function of HRM helps organisation in providing
training to existing staff members of the firm in order to trained them and enhance their
knowledge, so that they can learn about new technology used by firm. Also they can get
trained and increase their skills so that they can able to perform their task in better
manner which help them to attain desired business goals easily (Brewster, 2017) . In

context with Sainsbury's, firm provide training sessions for the existing employees so that
they can enhance their skill and knowledge.
2. Recruitment and Selection – This is the main function of HRM which is used to hire and
select appropriate candidate for organisation. Recruitment is all about hiring the best and
skilled applicants at right place for right job. On the other hand, selection refers to as
selecting or choosing right candidate for suitable job position (Brewster, Brookes and
Gollan, 2015) . In context with Sainsbury's, this function will be very beneficial for the
firm as by this they can hire best talented and skilled applicants which help them attain
their desired goals and objectives.
Purpose Of HRM
The main purpose of HRM is to enhance working capability of employees which tends to
increase in productivity and profitability of the firm. The aim of HRM can be attained by making
positive and strong relationship between the management and employees of the firm.
The two approaches of HRM are also addressed here, which states effectiveness of HRM
functions, these are mentioned as below -
1. Hard Approach : Hard approach in context with human resource will result in cost-
effective manpower where decisions are to be taken quickly by top management. In this
approach, the staff members of the firm are treated as the resources within the firm. The
hard approach does not value the employees and they are being controlled by their
superiors in order to attain the business goals (Friedman, 2017) . In context with
Sainsbury's, they do not follow this approach as for them employees are on top as without
them, the firm cannot run well.
2. Soft Approach : In this approach, employees are to be treated as on first priority as for the
firm they are the only source for gaining the competitive advantage. The firm uses this
approach for enhancing the skills and knowledge of the employees for their development.
This approach is to be used by Sainsbury's as for them employees are important and the
firm makes decision as per the viewpoint of employees. By this approach, the
organisation build the strong relationship between the employer as well as employees.
P2. Explain strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection.
Recruitment and selection methods are to be used by the firm in order to hire the right
candidate for the right job at the right position. The recruitment is to be done by Sainsbury's by

using the two methods such as internal and external recruitment methods. After recruiting the
best suitable candidates , the firm will follow the process of selection for choosing appropriate
candidates for the vacant position (Harrison and Lock, 2017) . The best methods used by the firm
Sainsbury's are outlined below along with their strength and Weaknesses -
 Internal Recruitment Method : In this type of recruitment method, the firm will recruit or
hire the candidates from the company itself. The methods used for internal recruitment
are promotion, transfer, etc. The promotion method is to be used by the firm Sainsbury's
to recruiting the candidates.
Strength Weaknesses
Employees are motivated by the promotion. The major drawback of this method is that
promotion of an employee according to its
working performance can demotivate the other
staff members and can create disputes among
all of them.
This method recruitment saves the time and
cost of the organisation.
The promotion technique is not applied on
each worker as this is done by analysing the
working performance of the employees.
External Recruitment Method : In this method of recruitment, the hiring of applicants
is to be done by using the external sources like, placement by campus, by consulting the agencies
and the online recruitment method, etc. The firm Sainsbury's can use the online recruitment
method for hiring the best candidates from the huge number of applicants (Gheiratmand and et.
al., 2015) .
Strength Weaknesses
This method of recruitment is beneficial in
hiring the fresh candidates with higher skills
and capability.
If the design of the company's website is not
good and is having the technical issues then the
potential candidates will not apply to the post
of that company and this can harm the goodwill
of the firm.
This method of recruitment is very cost This method of recruitment can bring

effective for the organisation. discriminatory with those candidates who do
not having the knowledge of how to apply
online for job.
Methods of Selection – Selection is all about evaluating and interviewing the applicants
for the specific job and selecting the individual for the employment which is based on the
specific criteria. The selection method is to be used by the firm in order to select or choose the
right and appropriate candidate for the job. The selection of the recruited candidate is done by
interview method of selection (Lu, Zhu and Bao, 2015) . In this, the candidates are to be selected
with the process of interview and during this a mock test can also be taken by the HR manager of
the firm Sainsbury's, so that the deserving candidate must be hired for the vacant position.
Strength Weaknesses
The query or any issue occur between the
interviewee and the interviewer is easily
resolved at the time of interview as at that time
they are in front of each other.
This method is treated as the incomplete
procedure for the process for hiring any
candidate, as interview is not enough to select
an applicant.
This method of selection helps the firm to
build the strong relationship between the
interviewer and interviewee and create the
mutual understanding between them.
There is a risk that the personal information
can get disclosed by the interviewer.
This method of selection helps the firm to save
their time for selecting the appropriate
candidate.
Interview is having no evidence that what
actually happen in the process of interview.
TASK 2
P3.Different HRM practices in an organisation which can help employees as well as employers.
HRM is very important function of an organisation as this helps the firm in improving
and building the strong and positive relationship between both the employer as well as the
employee. The HRM practices which are to be considered by the HR manager of Sainsbury's are
elaborated below -

 Recruitment and Selection – Recruitment and selection process is the important part of
any organisation as this includes the assessing, screening and selecting the right
applicants for right job. In respect of Sainsbury's, this process is the part of their
organisation culture (Marchington and et. al., 2016) . They are following the appropriate
selection and recruitment process as according to them placing the right candidates at
right position makes the organisation to operate their business effectively.
 Training and development – Training is refers as to provide sessions for new employees
so that they can be able to understand working criteria of the firm and can be able to
perform their assigned task easily. Along with this, development of the existing
employees is necessary so that they can enhance their skills and knowledge and can be
able to accomplish the goals and objectives of the firm effectively.
Benefits to employees Benefits to employers
1. This will beneficial in providing
healthy discrimination free working
environment to the staff members of
the firm (Mosakowski, 2017) .
2. Training and Development helps the
employees to enhance their skills and
knowledge so that they can easily attain
goal of the firm.
1. Training and development help the
employers in gaining employee retention and
this increases productivity of the firm.
2. The process of selection helps in selecting or
choosing the right applicant which can
advantage in achieving the desired business
goals of the firm in effective time frame.
P4. Different HRM practices that help an organisation to increase in profit and productivity.
In today's life, the Human resource management is playing essential role as this will
assist to manage and handle those staff members who are working in organisation, and also this
will maximise more profits. The various HRM practices which are considered by organisation
are hiring appropriate candidate, enhancing knowledge and skills of existing candidate so that
they can be able to perform their best and accomplish the organisational targets easily and in
effective time frame. There are some of activities of HRM which will help the firm Sainsbury's
in enhancing their profit margins along with their productivity, these are outlined as below -
1. Selective Hiring : This is the HRM practice which is very important in each organisation.
Sainsbury's is hiring and selecting those applicants which they think that they have the

quality and capability to do that work for which they are getting hire. The firm must
recognised the knowledge and skills for which they are hiring the applicants (Moutinho
and Vargas-Sanchez, 2018) . The candidate must be able to attain the goals of the
organisation in effective time frame. In this, the training sessions are to be provided to
candidates in order to enhance their skills and knowledge. This will result in developing
effective and self managed team in the firm, which helps in reducing pressure for work.
This is also giving reward and providing the compensation to employees according to
their working performance. All this will help in raising productivity and profits of
company.
2. Sharing Information – This is very important HRM practices for the firm, as this helps in
gaining knowledge and information about work they have to done. The employees can
share information with other and by interacting they can easily plan to how to attain
business targets (Alfes and et. al., 2013) . In context with Sainsbury's, they can adopt this
HRM practice, as this will help employees to develop good flow of information and
reduces status difference among the staff members of company. As the employees share
and manage the information properly, which result in better outcomes. BY sharing
information, the organisation can innovate ate their products, as the share information
also result in sharing the ideas and views by which the products are modified and
innovated which will enhance productivity and profitability of the organisation.
TASK 3
P5. Analyse importance of employee relations in respect to influencing HRM decision making.
Employees are said to be most essential part for an organisation, as they are the resources
which use to work for them and also help organisation in attaining their goals and objectives. For
an organisation, it is very much important to make good relation with their employees, as this
help them in attaining their goals and objectives in effective manner. Along with this, it is duty
of HR manager working in Sainsbury to provide proper rewards to their employees according to
their performance. As this will help their employees to perform better and attain gaols and
objectives of them. Good relationship between employee and employer is very much important
for HRM decision making :-

1. Good relationship between employee and employer will help HR manager of Sainsbury
in identifying needs of them, so that manager can make strategies for fulfilling these
needs. As this will increase employee engagement at work place.
2. Also, it help manager in involving employees in process of decision making, so that they
can make effective decisions at their work place (Budhwar and Debrah, 2017) .
3. Along with this, good relationship between employee and employer will help HR
manager of Sainsbury by reducing chance of conflicts at work place.
Therefore, it is very much important for HR manager of Sainsbury to make good and
healthy relationship between their organisation and employees. As this will help both of them in
attaining their goals and objectives is effective manner.
P6. Identify the key elements of employment legislation and impact it has upon HRM decision
making.
Each and every nation have their own rules and regulations that needs to be followed by
organisations. UK is one of the biggest business hub of world, and also it has its own rules,
regulation and legislation which are very much important for an organisation to follow them. As
for an organisation, most important part is their employees, therefore for government of UK has
very strict rules for protecting employees from different types of harassment (Chelladurai and
Kerwin, 2017) . For HR manager of Sainsbury, it is very much important to study these rules and
make strategies according to it.
1. The Employment Act – This act is associated with basic rights of employees working at
work place. In this it is very much essential for an organisation to provide rights like right
to privacy, fair compensation and freedom from discrimination. As this also have huge
impact on decisions made by HR manager of Sainsbury. As due to this, it is very much
important for them to make policies and take decisions, so that they can cover all these in
appropriate manner. Otherwise it can cause to huge financial loss as well as can cause
loss to goodwill of organisation.
2. Sex Discrimination Act 1984 – This act use to say that, for an organisation it is very much
important to have approximately same number of employees according to their sex, and
also it is very much important for them to pay equal as per their designation at work
place. Therefore, for HR manager of Sainsbury, it is very much important to make sure
that the number of male and female employees at work place are approximately equal and

also salary and wages paid to them are equal according to their designation (Ehrnrooth
and Björkman, 2012) . As not doing so can fix them in different legal and financial
problems.
TASK 4
P7. Illustrate application of HRM practices in a work-related context, using specific examples
This section is going to cover the Job Specification, Person Specification, Job offer letter
along with with the applications of HRM Practices.
Application of HRM Practices in Sainsbury's is outlines as below -
There are huge number of employees in company Sainsbury's, so to manage all of them
in the same time would become difficult for superiors by which employees are getting
demotivate and their performance level tends to decline. In order to enhance performance level
of the staff members and to adopt changes taking place in competitive market, the firm
Sainsbury's has implemented PMS which is stated as performance management system which
will help firm in attaining the goals and objectives of department (Ganopoulos and et. al., 2013) .
At last, this is stated that main reason behind implementing this system was to improve
performance level of the employees.
Job Specification
Job Details
Post : HR Assistant
Company : Sainsbury's
Job Purpose : Applications are invited from energetic and dynamic candidates those who will
be responsible to deal with the day-to-day responsibilities of HR and will act as the mediator or
link between the employees and company.
Roles & Responsibilities
 The applicant is having the responsibility of assisting with daily operations of the
functions of HR along with their duties.
 The applicant must update and compile the records both in hard and soft copies of all
the employees.
 The applicant should coordinate with projects, training, meetings and surveys.
 Have the responsibilities of dealing with the employee requests related to the issues and

problems.
 They should communicate and interact with the people when it is necessary and
required.
 They should coordinate and interact properly with the candidates and conduct
interviews for them.
 Assist the recruiters to source applicants and update the database.
The salary package offered by our firm will be attractive and other incentives will also be
provided to the hired candidates.
Resume or CV of candidates can be sent to the email Sainsbury's [e-mail] or contact at
0140-9766643.
Time-scales
Inviting the Resume or CV 25- 5 May, 2019
Shortlisted Candidates 7- 9 May, 2019
HR round 12 May, 2019
Date of Interview 15-18 May, 2019
Person Specification
Person Specification
Post : HR Assistant
Department : HR Department
Key : The things required as an evidence :
(A): Application form, (I): Interview, (R): Role
Attributes Essential Desirable Application
Form
Interview Role
Qualification
&
Experience
Bachelor
degree or
Master
degree in
Experience in
Human-
Resources
management
The
application
form will
contain all
Interview of
the HR
assistant
must fulfil
The role of
HR
assistant
should be

business
administr
ation.
and in the
working
on the
skills of
assistant.
the
informatio
n related
to the
candidates
.
the
expectatio
ns of the
interviewe
e.
to assist
the day-
to-day
operation
s of the
HR
responsib
ilities.
Skills or
knowledge
Excellent
verbal
and non-
verbal
communicatio
n skills.
Ability to
handle
and
manage
all the
problems
and issues
of the
employee
s.
The personal
information is
required in
this form such
as name,
Contact no.,
Email, etc.
The candidate
which has
been
called for
the
interview
process
must be able
to respond of
all
the questions
asked in the
interview.
The HR
assistant
must
have the
role to
compile
and
update
the
records of
the
employee
s.
Creation of Structured Interview – From the above job advertisement, Sainsbury's can be able
to gain the attention of hug number of customers. This will be helpful for the firm in selecting
the best and highly skilled candidate. After this, the interview round is to taken and for that the
set of questions are to be required by the interviewer, these are as follows -
1. Tell me that how you can be beneficial for our organisation?
2. What are the main roles and responsibilities which an HR assistant needs to be perform?
3. How will you maximise the profit margin of the organisation?
4. Do you have any such skill which differ you from other candidate?