Human Resource Management Functions and Practices at Tesco PLC

This report provides a comprehensive overview of Human Resource Management (HRM) functions and practices within Tesco PLC. It begins by outlining the core purposes of HRM, emphasizing its role in managing employees to enhance organizational performance and productivity. The report then delves into specific HRM functions, including planning, organizing, directing, and controlling, as well as operative functions such as recruitment, training and development, professional development, compensation and benefits, performance appraisal, and ensuring legal compliance. Different approaches to workforce planning, including workforce, workload, and competency approaches, are examined. The report also explores recruitment and selection sources, contrasting internal and external methods. Furthermore, it touches upon training and development approaches. The analysis highlights the importance of employee relations and the impact of employment legislation on HRM decision-making, concluding with practical applications of HRM practices within the context of Tesco's operations.

Human Resources Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Purposes of Human Resource Management................................................................................1
Function of Human Resource Management................................................................................1
Different Approaches of HRM and Strengths & Weaknesses of Approach................................4
Benefits of HRM practices for Employer and employee.............................................................8
Effectiveness of HRM Practices on Performance and Productivity of Organization..................8
Importance of employee relation in context of HRM decision making.......................................9
Key elements for the employment legislation that impact the Human Resource Management
decision making. .......................................................................................................................10
Application for specific Human resource management practices in context of work...............12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management (HRM) is a strategic approach of organization which is
based on the purpose to manage employees for better performance in improved productivity of
company. It is work of human resource department to help the organization to gain competitive
advantage in market. Management of employee means improve their performance to increase
productivity of company (Bratton and Gold, 2017). This report is explaining the brief of HRM
functions and practices in Tesco Public Limited Company. Tesco is a global level groceries and
general retail store. Tesco is the largest grocery store in United Kingdom. It was founded in year
1919 by jack Cohen. There are 6800 shops Tesco is operating around the world. This report is
explaining various function and practices of Human resources department which are applicable
for work force planning and resourcing Tesco. The different recruitment and selection
approaches of HRM are covered in study. Benefits of HRM practices is explained for both
employees and employer. The importance and influence of employee relation on HRM decision
is explained in report. Key elements of employment legislation is explained for decisions of HR
department. Application of HR practices id explained related to work.
MAIN BODY
Purposes of Human Resource Management
Human resource is the department is one of the most important department of Tesco
PLC. The purpose of HRM in an organization is to prevent issues which can reduce the
performance of organization. The purpose of Human resource department is to keep the
investments of company in right place and in right people to maintain profit of organization. It is
important to select right people in organization to keep environment of organization good for
overall performance (DeCenzo, Robbins and Verhulst, 2016). The other purposes of HRM are to
manage talent in organization to improve performance of each employee. To complete this
purposes HRM perform different functions which are important for company.
Function of Human Resource Management
To complete company goals related to productivity and performance HRM perform
various functions. The purpose of these functions of human resource management are designed
to meet comp[any goals in the best efficient way. Main functions of HRM in Tesco are staffing,
training and development, motivation and maintenance. These are the most important functions
of HRM are managerial and operational functions.
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Planning
The planning is the most important part in an organization. This is most essential part in
the performance . For better performance it is important to work on a pre defined plan to improve
the efficiency of system. To decide the working process and method it is important to make plan.
The execution of the task is based on the planning. If specific plan is not designed then company
procedures will be affected by this. For the future goals of the organization HRM need to plan
for company goals. This will help the organization to complete the task with high efficiency and
high performance.
Organizing
In Tesco it is important to manage the operation of organization in better manner to
complete goals (Chelladurai and Kerwin, 2018). In organizing process the work of HRM is to
grouped the employees in teams tom improve the task handling for particular goal. Other thing is
to perform the task allocation for the employees as per their skills and educational qualification.
This proper allocation of task will improve the productivity of Tesco PLC. In function of
organizing it is also duty of Human Resource Management is to allocate the power to specific
person to manage the operations of organization.
Directing
It is work of HRM to provide and suggest proper direction to the employees to work in. it
is important for Tesco to decide the direction of work. The direction of work force can be
decided or conclude by the planning. In the directing the employee the continuous motivation of
employee is required. As per the requirement the specific methods and procedures are used by
HRM to encourage and motivate the employees to perform better for organization success and
efficiency.
Controlling
it is duty of HRM to track and control the activities of employees to maintain
productivity of process. The controlling is consists of monitoring and task handling of
employees. In the controlling the work progress is tracked by HRM to ensure that the employees
are following the specific pre decided method or plan. This is very important to maintain the
procedure of organization to get specific required outcome. For better goal completion
controlling is required must.
Operative Function of HRM
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Recruitment
This is the most important function of HRM in an organization. As the requirement of
organization HRM has to conduct recruitment of new candidate to manage the work force with
in the organization (Brewster and Hegewisch, 20170. To organize a recruitment drive
organization have to perform different activities ensure proper selection procedures. The
different activities are developing job description, publishing job posting on public network,
sourcing the relevant candidate, interviewing, salary negotiations and making job offer letter.
Training and Development
This is also one of the most important function of Human Resource Management. In the
training and development function HRM designs particular training for employees to improve
their productivity. There are different new methods and innovations are implemented in
company to improve productivity of organization. This new technologies are implemented in the
organization are difficult to adopt. Employees need to be trained on this new methods to get
friendly with new procedures. By controlling and monitoring procedure HRM tracks the
performance of employees. After the monitoring process human resource department designs the
training session for employees. There could be multiple reasons of training. The main purpose of
training and development is to improve the skills and knowledge of particular group of
employees.
Professional Development
In an organization it is really important for employees to work as professional.
Professional behaviour of employees can help the organization to increase its productivity in
market place. So it is function of HRM to develop the professional skills of employees and
workforce (Morgeson, Brannick and Levine, 2019). The professional development is considered
as improvement of technical and management skills of workers to improve the overall
performance of Tesco Public Limited Company.
Compensation and Benefits
In an organization company have to provide different type of facility to employees which
are mentioned in legislation and government acts. HRM maintains the different compensations
and benefits of employees to provide them ethical safety. HRM manages these different facilities
which are provided by companies to employees. This particular benefits are working hour
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flexibilities, Extended holiday, Dental and medical insurance, maternal and paternal leaves and
education reimbursement of children.
Performance Appraisal
Performance appraisal of employees are also manages by HRM in Tesco. HRM tracks the
working and performance of each employee. The appraisal of employee is based on individual
performance of employee. This is the one of the best way to motivate the employees. Through
the performance approval Human resource management tries to full fill needs and expectations
of employees.
Ensuring Legal Compliance
It is duty of HRM to make the employees aware of their rights in organization. On
different time human resource management department conducts meetings to provide the
information of changes and reformation of legal changes in employee rights. HRM also deals
with the legal issues of employees and try to prevent such condition in Tesco.
These are the various functions of human resource management in Tesco.
Different Approaches of HRM and Strengths & Weaknesses of Approach
Workforce Planning
There are three approaches of workforce planning which are work force approach, work
load approach, competency approach. In this three approaches of workforce planning are used by
HRM to calculate the need of employee in organization. This three approach are best to find
specific number of employees a organization need to perform different operations (Brewster,
Mayrhofer and Morley, 2016). The different workforce planning approaches are used to forecast
the need of employees in the organization to meet the goals of company.
Workforce Approach
In the workforce approach the need of employees is calculated as per need for particular
task. The need of employee is decided by the number of people required to complete the task. If
for a task required number of employees are fix then the approach of HRM will be to full fill this
requirement by allocate specific number of employees to particular task.
Strengths
1. work load is equally divide in this approach
2. High employee satisfaction can be achieved.
Weaknesses
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1. Not good for small businesses.
2. The Efficiency of each person is different so not applicable at all conditions.
Workload Approach
In this type of approach the need of employees is decided by the quantity of work. For
larger work load more employees will be required to complete task and same for small task less
employees are required (Banfield, Kay and Royles, 2018). This also consider as good approach
of HRM to allocate work to employees.
Strengths
1. Cost efficient for organization.
2. Good approach for labour work in company.
Weaknesses
1. less performance can be achieved by this method.
Competency Approach
In this approach the current and future work force are analysed to fing competency needs
to achieve the goals and missions of organization.
Strengths
1. Better task performance can be achieved.
2. Efficiency of this approach is high.
Weakness
1. Performance and quality of each employee is different so hard to forecast
In Tesco PLC for forecasting the need of employee workforce approach is used (Guest, 2017).
Because the Tesco is in retail business workforce approach will help to full fill the business
requirement of company.
Recruitment and Selection
There are two type of sources for selection and recruitment in any company. This sources
are known as internal sources and external sources of selection and recruitment.
Internal Sources
in this type of source the hiring and selection of employee is performed in the
organization internally. In this type of selection approach the openings in the organization are
full filled by promotion or transfer method.
Strengths
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1. Simple and easy approach.
2. Help the organization to gain trust of employees.
3. This action highly motivate the employees.
Weaknesses
1. it can cause conflict between employees.
2. This also can cause demotivation in other employees.
3. Less number of options are available.
External Sources
In the external source approach company go for recruitment drive in colleges to get fresh
talent. Advertisement and professional association is used to fill required place in company
(Brewster, Mayrhofer and Farndale, 2018). In this type of approach the company go out of
organization and promote the vacancy in organization through different methods and invite
employees to come for personal interview.
Strengths
1. Encourages new opportunities for new job seekers.
2. The branding of organization improves through external sources.
3. Biased interview and partiality between candidate does not exist.
Weaknesses
1. It takes more time than internal sources.
2. Required high capital to organize external drive.
3. Expectation of external candidate is high which is not good for organization.
In Tesco PLC the both kind of sources are used. For higher position in organization the internal
sources are preferred and for entry level openings external approach is used by Tesco public
Limited Company.
Training and Development
There are different kinds of approaches and methods are used by HRM to conduct
training and development of employees (Jabbour and de Sousa Jabbour, 2016). The approach of
training and development is based on individual performance of employees. The different
approaches of training and development are Stretch Assignments and Projects
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In this approach the employees are given with different assignments to recover in the
fields where they are lagging at. This is the self development approach of HRM. The project or
assignment could be any activity such as listening and reading.
Strengths
1. it does not require extra resources.
2. No need of extra effort in training and development.
Weaknesses
1. Less efficient way to perform training.
2. Not effective for all employees.
Mentoring and Coaching
In this process of training and development person is provided with senior mentor who
can monitor work of employee and help him to improve performance of employee.
Strengths
1. Effective way of training cause higher experience of senior mentor.
2. Employee can gain new skills and experience of tutor.
Weaknesses
1. Person can feel insecure during the training.
In the Tesco PLC the mentoring and coaching kind of approach is used to perform training and
development work.
Performance Management and reward system
Performance management is the strategy used by organization to improve the
performance of employees by providing them better work environment (Shen and Benson,
2016). Thew different approaches of performance management are promotion, reward
management and appraisal. These all type of methods are used by Tesco PLC. In promotion
methods the employees who are performing good in organization are promoted to upper position.
Rewards and appraisals are provided to employees on their better performance in the
organization. These are the best effective ways to improve the performance of individual
employee.
Strengths
1. Highly effective for employee motivation.
2. Encourage other employees to perform better.
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Weaknesses
1. It can cause conflict between employees.
Benefits of HRM practices for Employer and employee
HRM practices are one of the most important function within the business as it is aimed
at controlling, managing and coordinating human resource of the company. These practices
benefit the organization in creating the positive environment at workplace (Taylor, Doherty and
McGraw, 2015). Also, HRM practices are aimed at bringing and selecting the optimum talent
within the organization. These practices benefits both the employers and employees at the
workplace.
Benefits for the employers
 Effective management of the human resource within the company helps the employers in
increased overall performance of the individual employee.
 Employer ensures the proper achievement of the main goals of the company.
 It allows the employer to maximise higher profitability of the firm.
 Effective HRM practices at workplace provides many opportunities to the company
regarding the diversification of the company in the global market.
 Also, Employers can be benefited as effective implication of the HRM practices are
responsible for the long term retention of the employees which helps in growth and
sustainable development of the firm.
Benefits for the employees
 Effective Human resource practices promotes the positive behaviour of the employees
and effective communication at workplace.
 It helps in motivating the employees.
 Effective HRM practices helps in facilitating the monitory benefits for the employees.
 HRM practices are also aimed at promotions along with the appreciation which satisfies
the basic needs of the employees.
Effectiveness of HRM Practices on Performance and Productivity of Organization
The different practices used by the human resource department are most effective and
useful in better production and performance of organization. Different practices used by HR
department improve the performance of organization. By the recruitment procedure HRM selects
the best suitable candidate for current opening in organization. Selection of right person help the
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Tesco to complete organizational goals with higher efficiency (Stone and Deadrick, 2015).
Training and development procedure improve the performance of employees by improving their
personal and professional skills and knowledge. The other operation like employee management
and relation improves the work environment of Tesco good to work. This is how HRM practices
improves the performance and productivity of company.
Importance of employee relation in context of HRM decision making.
It is very important to maintain the healthy relation employee relation in an organization
as it leads to success and make the employees more efficient, productive and motivated towards
the work and the same time it strengthens the employee-employer relationships. For the
organization like Tesco it is very important for the Human resource department to retain the
talent so that HRM of Tesco can take the decision (Huo and et.al., 2015.). Positive relation of
employee impacts the human resource department in its decision making of Tesco and that helps
in achieving the objective of business. If the company is having the good employee relation than
it can do more focus on the communication of employees and in their engagement and this will
help the employees of the company to understand the values and morale of the company.
To maintain the employee relation is always helpful for the company as many times the
management also need the guidance as well as advice from the team because many times they
also omit the important points and in that the employees come out with the brilliant ideas that
helps in achieving the target in efficient manner. While implementing the plans their impact is
also evaluated in an open forum so the employees can also contribute and express their opinion
freely (Hollenbeck and Jamieson, 2015).
Coordination in the workplace make the employees happy and increase their productivity in their
working. If there is lack in coordination the employees will lose their focus and concentration if
they were having the unnecessary tension so if the employees are working together in the way of
coordination they can evaporate their tension in easy way. As the employees of Tesco is having
the coordination the human resource management can also take any decision and it will be easy
for the employees to follow these decision at the same employees were motivated to go office if
they are having the healthy relationship. It also minimizes the conflicts and fight among them.
Employee relation is also helps to Tesco in attaining their goals in efficient manner at the
same also helps in the enhancement of growth an in the productivity of employees. Healthy
relation of employee make the motivation among them and that leads to build the healthy
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relation among employees relation in terms of profitability as well (Buettner, 2015). Employee
engagement maintain the relation between the employees and helps the Tesco to have the growth
in future as well as they can share their mutual understanding so this will give the benefit in the
future to manage the work in defined manner.
Employee Engagement is the concept in organisation that shows the extent at which the
employees feel the connection to the company and also at the same do the commitment for the
work. Approaches used for the employee engagement are:
FLEXIBLE APPROACH of the organisation used by Tesco
ATKINSON APPROACH OF FLEXIBILITY
This approach aims to provide the flexibility to the employees of the organisation with
the medium of job security that motivates the employees to do the work hard and must have the
peace of mind. Employees are ready to take the challenges that is being given by the company
even they are difficult in implementation that make the company more flexible and make the
suitable working environment for the employees and also maintain the balance in between the
working life and personal life without breaking the peace of mind and gives the employee
satisfaction.
Key elements for the employment legislation that impact the Human Resource Management
decision making.
Employment legislation is the law that is being governed the employment in the
workplace for everyone who work there. This is the government policy that tells that employers
can not discriminate against any of it employees and to the applicants of job base on color, age,
race, community, nationality and disability they have to treat all the employees equally.
Employee legislation helps in achieving the protection of employer employee relationship in the
department by the enforcement of various laws in the company that is related to health, wages,
equality and many other acts (Brewster, Mayrhofer and Farndale, 2018). This helps in
eliminating the conflicts among the employees and also improves the practice of employment so
the employees can become more productive.
Health and Safety Act 1974
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As per this act the employers need to give the training regarding the information and
supervision about the Health and Safety of the employees at the work place. As Tesco is one of
the big organization and having large number of employees so they must follow all the norms of
the health and safety act. It is the primary law in legislation that while operating the company
adequate training is to be given to the employees to make them understand about the health and
safety procedures and they must be adhered about it. Proper welfare provisions is to be there for
the staff. This act pressures the company to give the better quality of services and provide the
equal right to the employees. This will improve the decision making of the human resource
management as from these act they promote the equality among the employees and if any
employee is being injured in the course of employment than they provide the best treatment to
make the employee fit and come out from the injury, through this the legislation will impact the
decision making and ensure the employees about the safety of their health.
Equal Pay Act
It is the act of Labour law which prohibits the company that they can not pay the wages
on gender based. It is being amended as the Fair labour standard act that mandates the equal pay
for equal work and forbid the employers for the different payment of wages to the men and
women if they possess the same skills and responsibilities. Equal pay act is the effort to correct
the discrimination of gender that is being in practice in earlier times (Berman and et.al., 2019). In
fact now the employees who think that they are being discriminated can file against the
complaint for the company for not having the equal employment opportunity commission and
can go in the court. This will help the Human resource management in decision making in the
equal allotment of work and responsibilities.
Minimum Wages Act 1998
As per the minimum wage act 1998 it is being implied for the whole of UK from 1 April
2018 minimum wages of $7.83 per hour has to be given to employees that are above the age of
25. It is being applied to all the organization that they have to pay the minimum wages to all the
employees working over there. It will benefit to company in reduction of employee turnover and
also increase the efficiency and helps in building the profitability to Tesco.
Family and Medical leave Act 1993
This act will cover the employees that is being required employers to give the protected
job and unpaid leave for qualified medical and having the valid reason if they are having serous
issue of family (Aryanto, Fontana and Afiff, 2015). This will be applicable for the employees
11

who have been in working for last 12 months with the company or either completed the 1250
hours with the company these leave can be availed if the employees is having serious illness,
injured the member of family etc. this act helps the HRM in motivating the employees of the
Tesco and also develop the sense of commitment in the work place.
Disability and Medical Privacy Protections
Many laws mention that how the employer will treat the employee with the disability or
in the medical condition. As the disability act prohibits the employer in discriminating against
the employees as per the basis of perceiving the disability. Employers also need to take the
reasonable accommodations while performing their job duties such as provide the interpreters for
the customers who are disabled and also make them access about the goods and services. In this
the human resource manager need to give the information regarding this to the department
managers about what information they should be require in certain medical situation (Albrecht
and et.al., 2015).
Application for specific Human resource management practices in context of work.
JOB SPECIFICATION
Job title Human Resource Manager
Date 10/06/19
Organization Tesco
Qualification Required Essential Desirable Meet
Must be having the
Bachelor's degree in the
Human resources or having
the diploma in human
resource management or the
field related to it.
Post Graduation: Posses the
degree of MBA in human
resource management.
Having the skill of advance
excel and having the basic
knowledge of operating the
software of human resource.
Having the basic knowledge
of making the power point
presentation and good in the
Yes
Yes
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data entry.
Must posses the excellent
communication skills in
both oral and written and
having the good
interpersonal skills.
Yes
Experience Required
Minimum one year of
experience in the working of
MNC is required.
Yes
Personal characteristics of
Human Resource
Manager
Possess the skills of team
player and can lead the
team.
Having the positive attitude
and flexibility towards the
work.
Having good skills of
presentation.
Having the good sense in
ethics.
Having the ability of
leadership and ability to
motivate others.
Yes
yes
yes
Roles and Responsibilities
Responsible for the mailing,
receiving and transferring
the calls.
Responsible for fixing the
appointments and in
scheduling the meetings.
Resolve the conflicts among
the employees.
Knowledge of employment
13

law and use it in the specific
situation.
Maintain the important
documents of department
and possess the basic
knowledge of tax.
Questions related to the Job interview:
 Mention the main roles and responsibilities of human resource department while doing
the daily operation and create the healthy environment in organisation.
 What are the functions of HR that impact the planning of organisation.
 Define success as per your view.
 How you can handle the stress in the team and the way to resolve the conflicts among the
members of the team.
 Tell us about you one strength and weakness.
Offer Letter
Mr. John
25 Victoria street
Dumfries, United Kingdom
Dear John,
We are pleased to offer you for the position of Human Resource Manager of Tesco. We hope
that you will be consider as an asset of the company and you are having the great skills and
enthusiasm. We are looking forward for the contribution you will give to the company.
Your date of joining will be from 1-07-2019 and the annual package you will be getting is
$1,00,000 per year. You are entitled with other benefits that include the full family coverage of
medical, insurance of dental and optical and other benefits that is being attached to the offer
14

letter that shows the break up of your salary and other holiday benefits. Company is having five
days week and your shift timing will be 9:30 am to 6:00 pm.
Hope you will accept this offer letter and please fill all the necessary details with the required
documents in below link and mail that is being required before on boarding. In case you are
having any query feel free to contact us.
We are looking forward with the positive revert and welcomes you to become the part of Tesco.
Regards
Alexa flint
(Human Resource)
HOD
Tesco company
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CONCLUSION
From the above report it is being summarized that these report contains these report
contains the various purpose of human resource management and also illustrate the various
functions that includes planning, recruitment and selection, training and development etc. this
report contains the ways to maintain the employees' relation so the Human resource manager can
take the decision and maintain the harmony. Employee engagement is being explained in this
report by explaining the theory of Atkinson Flexibility Approach. This report illustrates the
different legislation that are health and safety act, equal pay act, equal wages act etc. and shows
how it impacts the decision making of Human resource management.
16

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