Line Managers and Leaders in Employee Development at Marks & Spencer

This report investigates the role of line managers and leaders in employee development at Marks and Spencer. It aims to understand the key responsibilities of line managers, their impact on employee growth within the organization, and effective strategies for talent management. The research employs a positivism research philosophy and a deductive approach, utilizing quantitative methods to analyze data collected from a survey of 42 respondents. The findings highlight the importance of line managers in managing teams, providing guidance, and fostering communication between top management and employees. The report also explores how leaders can use various leadership styles to motivate employees, create a positive work culture, and implement talent management systems and reward programs. The study concludes by recommending strategies for Marks and Spencer to enhance employee development and talent management through effective leadership practices, training opportunities, and the adoption of advanced technologies. This analysis contributes to a better understanding of the crucial role of line managers and leaders in enhancing employee performance, productivity, and overall organizational success.

Project Report (Part 2)

Table of Contents
Chapter One: Introduction...............................................................................................................1
Title: The role of line managers and leaders in employee development in Marks and Spencer
................................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Research Aim and Rationale............................................................................................1
1.2 Research Questions..........................................................................................................2
1.3 Research Objectives.........................................................................................................2
1.4 Significance of the Research............................................................................................2
Chapter Two: Literature Review.....................................................................................................3
2.1 Introduction of Literature Review....................................................................................3
2.2 Main Body........................................................................................................................3
2.3 Conclusion of Literature Review......................................................................................3
Chapter Three: Methodology...........................................................................................................3
3.1 Research Approach...........................................................................................................3
3.2 Research Strategy.............................................................................................................3
3.3 Research Methodology.....................................................................................................3
3.4 Research Tools.................................................................................................................3
3.5 Sampling...........................................................................................................................5
3.5.1 Identifying Population and Research Site.....................................................................5
3.5.2 Sampling Strategy.........................................................................................................5
Chapter Four: Findings....................................................................................................................5
4.1. Data analysis....................................................................................................................5
4.2. Presentation and interpretation of facts...........................................................................6
Chapter Five: Discussion...............................................................................................................12
Chapter Six: Conclusion, Recommendations and Implications for Further Research...................13

6.1. Conclusion.....................................................................................................................13
6.2. Recommendation...........................................................................................................13
6.3. Implication for further research.....................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

Chapter One: Introduction
Title: The role of line managers and leaders in employee development in Marks and Spencer
The line managers and leaders tend to play a vital and important role within the success of
a firm by the way of supporting proper guidance and coordination in day to day business
operation to effectively meet the set business goal (Riva, Magrizos and Rubel, 2021). Further, it
has been seen that the line managers and leaders are directly responsible for managing the
individual teams and employees along with leading proper mentoring and coaching to ensure that
teams meet its target on time. Apart from this, ensuring regular training as well as supporting the
effective development and proper communication are also the key role of manager and leaders.
The current project is conducted on Marks and Spencer which is a well known British
multinational retailer the headquarter of which is located at Paddington, London, England (Saks,
2022). The Marks and Spencer is having specialisation in selling of cloths, home products beauty
items and other food items. Further, being a multinational company, Marks and Spencer is
having a huge workforce therefore; this study is conducted to review the role of line managers
and leaders in employee development in Marks and Spencer.
1.1 Research Aim and Rationale
Research aim
“To develop better understanding about the key role and responsibility of line managers
and leaders along with determining its importance in employee development”. A research
project on Marks and Spencer
Research Rationale
The selection of the current topic is seemed rationale as ensuring and leading out
continuous employee development is vital and essential for all business organization to have
higher productivity and business success. Further, undertaking and selection of the current topic
is also significant as it provide better analysis about the role of the managers and leaders in
guiding and motivating employees to support better talent management as well as ensure timely
achievement and accomplishment of set organizational (Luu, 2021). Apart from this, the
undertaking and leading out the current project is also rationale and significant from the personal
together with the academic view point of the researcher as it supports and brings out the better
understanding about the concept of employee management and development. Beside this, it also
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supports improvement within current skills and competency level which supports better future
development.
1.2 Research Questions
 What are the key responsibility of a line manager and leader within a firm?
 How a vital role is being played by the line managers and leaders in leading better
employee development within Marks and Spencer?
 Which can be the some effective ways and strategies for line managers and leaders of
Marks and Spencer that would supports better employee development and talent
management at its workplace?
1.3 Research Objectives
 To determine about the key responsibility of a line manager and leader within a firm.
 To investigate about the vital role played by the line managers and leaders in leading
better employee development within Marks and Spencer.
 To recommend some effective ways and strategies for line managers and leaders of
Marks and Spencer that would supports better employee development and talent
management at its workplace.
1.4 Significance of the Research
The undertaking of the current project is seemed significant as it ensures better
understanding about the crucial role of line manager and leader within a firm which enhances the
level of performance of employees as well as also led higher productivity. Along with this, the
current project is also significant to provide the understanding about the vital role played by the
line managers and leaders in leading better employee development thus ensures continuous
improvement within the skill and competency level and also ensures higher motivation which
support effective talent management (Penconek and et. al., 2021).
Chapter Two: Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
Literature review has been termed as the overview of the research, writing and previously
published information in order to gain better understanding as well as knowledge related to the
topic in order to conduct research work (Narayanan, Rajithakumar and Menon, 2019). In an
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organisation it is very essential for manager to fulfil their responsibility in order to manage, lead,
motivate and retain employees for achievement of the company goals. It has been determining
that employees are the most valuable asset of the company for that the leaders and manager must
make the effective strategy to engage them for personal and professional development to meet
the desired future goals. Literature Review helps the researcher to know about the negative and
positive side of the topic in order to evaluate the data in accurate manner.
2.2 Main body
What are the key responsibility of a line manager and leader within a firm?
As per the view point of the Walbridge (2020) the line manager and leader are the first layer of
the level of the management which directly interact with the employees along with accountable
for their work (Ambrosius, 2018). The main responsibility of the manager and leaders are
manage staff members of their team addition to observe, monitor and evaluate their performance,
contribution along with development. They act the mediators between top management and
workers who are working at production and lower level. They convey information and
communicate the decision taken by the management to the employees so they work according to
it for the management of the company goals (Ahmad and et. al., 2021).
They perform their practices in such a manner so the employees work in unity and
maintain the coordination among their work by communication with each other. further, the
leader measures their performance with plan in order to determine the needs of training to
employees in order to increase their skills for overall growth and development of the company.
They develop trust among workers and motivate them to step out from their comfort zone to
generate creativity in order to increase productivity and performance (Brière, Le Roy and Meier,
2021).
How a vital role is being played by the line managers and leaders in leading better employee
development within Marks and Spencer?
According to the perspective of Keeble (2021), the line manager and leaders plays most
important role in the organisation as they lead, direct and manage the employees in same
direction toward the achievement of the company goals (Kumar, 2022). The leaders use various
leadership style as per the situation to encourage employees for better working. They make their
culture favourable and positive so employees feel motivated by communicating and listening
their needs to retain them for long term. They are responsible for managing and directing the
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employees for the systematic flow of work in Marks and Spencer. They make team as per the
skills and qualification to complete the project by using advance and digital technology. After
that they evaluate their performance and give them reward for their satisfaction in order to retain
them in organisation for future success (Jayathilake and et. al., 2021). They provide information
to top professionals in order to organise the training and development for the improvement of
employees productivity along with performance to meet the desired objectives. It helps the
company to increase the overall effectiveness and quality of the product and services to increase
the customer experience. They also make effective plan to adopt new technology in their
working as well as provide opportunities to employees to push their limit in order to gain leading
position in the market. By using advance technology in their organisation they measure the
performance of workers and bring effective communication among them in order to reduce
conflict, difference and misunderstanding among them. By using effective management system
the manager and leaders can increase the quality of working and better coordination in team
which helps them to reduce cost, waste and time in the production process (Chanana, 2021).
Which can be some effective ways and strategies for line managers and leaders of Marks and
Spencer that would supports better employee development and talent management at its
workplace.
As per the viewpoint of Aina (2020), the management of the Marks and Spencer must use
talent management system, reward system and make their culture favourable in order to motivate
employees so they feel confident, satisfied to meet the company goals. By allowing them to
participate in decision making to complete the task as well as get better opportunities to increase
overall effectiveness of the company. They must also give rewards to employees for their good
work so other also develop feeling to get more rewards to meet their professionals’ goals. By
provide training to them as well as send them for gaining practical knowledge to workshop so
they develop creative skills to bring innovation in company in order to increase customer base,
profitability and market share (Hongal and Kinange, 2020).
2.3 Conclusion
As per above presented information, it has been concluded that Line manager and leaders
has to play various responsibility in order to support and manage employees for the achievement
of organisation goals. They evaluate employees’ performance, increase coordination,
communication, team working as well as provide training to the employees. They perform
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various role such taking decisions regarding training, rewards and number of employees in a
team in order to enhance overall effectiveness of the company.
Chapter Three: Methodology
3.1Research Philosophy-
It refers to the system by following it the researcher obtain the accurate and real knowledge
about the in order to conduct the research work in systematic manner (Bairagi. and Munot,
2019). There are four type of Research Philosophy methods such as pragmatism, Realism,
Positivism along with interpretivisim which enable the researcher to make effective solution of
which is determine in research work. the positivism research philosophy method is used in their
project which allow the researcher to gain more understanding about the responsibility of line
manager and leaders for the talent management in order to complete the research work in
systematic manner and in less time.
3.2 Research Approach
It can be understood as the procedures and plan in order to conduct research to meet the desired
goals as well as provide accurate information to the readers. The two main research approach are
Inductive and deductive which helps the researcher to make effective plan for their research
work (Daniel., Kumar and Omar, 2018). In this project the deductive approach is used as it
enables them to analysing, testing, evaluating along with scanning the information, facts or data
in order to complete the objectives of research.
3.3 Research Strategy
It has been determining as the step by step plan which give proper direction to the researcher to
lead their efforts, ideas and working towards the achievement of goals in effective manner. There
various research strategy includes case study, survey, experimental research and many more. The
investigator conduct survey in order to gain proper insight and collect data or necessary facts by
questionnaires.
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3.4 Research Methodology
It refers to the method, tools to conduct research and collect data for analysing the work (Larshin
and Lishchenko, 2018). The two type research methods are Qualitative and Quantitative research
which enable the researcher to make their information more reliable and useful for readers. In
this project the researcher used Quantitative method in order to collect numerical data by
allowing 42 respondents to answer the questions. It is most cost and time effective techniques
which enable them to complete their research work in less time and more systematic manner.
3.5Data collection-
There are two type of data collection method such as primary and secondary data which helps
the researcher to collect information by directly interacting with employees and sources. In this
report both primary and secondary data is used to finish their investigation work. Primary data
refers to the first hand data which the researcher collect by asking questions to the 42 employees
in Marks and Spencer. Whereas they collect secondary data from the site, report and information
in company website for further investigation related to their topic (Iovino. and Tsitsianis, 2020).
3.5 Research Tools
Use of the below stated questionnaire has been made for the collection of the data:
Questionnaire
Q1) Do you have any understanding regarding the key set of the responsibility of the line
manager and the leader within a company?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Limited understanding
Q2) As per your view point what are the key set of the responsibility and duties that are
being performed by a line manager and leaders within a company?
a) Directing and managing the flow of work
b) Evaluating team performance
c) Division and assignment of task
d) Ensuring regular training and mentoring
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e) Leading effective coordination and communication
Q3) Do you have the agreement with the fact that a vital role is being lead by the line
managers as well as the leaders in supporting higher employee development within Marks
and Spencer?
a) Agreed
b) Strongly agreed
c) Disagreed
d) Strongly disagreed
e) Neither agreed nor disagreed
Q4) Which are key issues and challenges faced by the line managers and leaders of Marks
and Spencer in ensuring and leading proper development of employees?
a) Managing conflict
b) Working with diverse range of employees
c) Lack of effective use of leadership
d) Ineffective communication
e) Lack of effective accountability and performance level
Q5) Are you agreed with the fact that adoption and making use of the effective leadership
and management policy would support the better talent management and employee
development within Marks and Spencer?
a) Agreed
b) Strongly agreed
c) Disagreed
d) Strongly disagreed
e) Neither agreed nor disagreed
Q6) Which can be the most effective set of strategy that can be adopted by the line
managers and the leaders of Marks and Spencer to have better employee development and
talent management at its workplace?
a) Providing of regular training
b) Use of performance based rewards and recognition
c) Supporting effective communication and regular feedback
d) Use of participative management
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3.5 Sampling
It refers to the collect a sample form the huge number of population in order to finish the
conducted research in less time and find out the effective solutions for problems. The two type
sampling methods are probabilistic and non-probabilistic which aid them to collect accurate and
valid information(Islam, 2018). The researcher collect sample by allowing 42 participants in
their questionnaires along with they use London website of Marks and Spencer by using random
sampling method to collect primary data in less time and cost.
Chapter Four: Findings
4.1. Data analysis
Q1) Do you have any understanding regarding the key set of the
responsibility of the line manager and the leader within a
company?
Frequency table
a) Yes 39
b) No 2
c) Limited understanding 1
Q2) As per your view point what are the key set of the
responsibility and duties that are being performed by a line
manager and leaders within a company?
Frequency table
a) Directing and managing the flow of work 7
b) Evaluating team performance 8
c) Division and assignment of task 7
d) Ensuring regular training and mentoring 9
e) Leading effective coordination and communication 11
Q3) Do you have the agreement with the fact that a vital role is
being lead by the line managers as well as the leaders in
supporting higher employee development within Marks and
Frequency table
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Spencer?
a) Agreed 15
b) Strongly agreed 19
c) Disagreed 4
d) Strongly disagreed 2
e) Neither agreed nor disagreed 2
Q4) Which are key issues and challenges faced by the line
managers and leaders of Marks and Spencer in ensuring and
leading proper development of employees?
Frequency table
a) Managing conflict 10
b) Working with diverse range of employees 7
c) Lack of effective use of leadership 8
d) Ineffective communication 7
e) Lack of effective accountability and performance level 10
Q5) Are you agreed with the fact that adoption and making use
of the effective leadership and management policy would
support the better talent management and employee
development within Marks and Spencer?
Frequency table
a) Agreed 12
b) Strongly agreed 25
c) Disagreed 2
d) Strongly disagreed 1
e) Neither agreed nor disagreed 2
Q6) Which can be the most effective set of strategy that can be
adopted by the line managers and the leaders of Marks and
Spencer to have better employee development and talent
management at its workplace?
Frequency table
a) Providing of regular training 12
b) Use of performance based rewards and recognition 9
c) Supporting effective communication and regular feedback 8
d) Use of participative management 13
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