Employability Skills Report: Marks and Spencer - Personal Skills

This report examines employability skills within the context of a line manager's role at Marks and Spencer. It begins with an introduction that highlights the importance of employability skills for graduates and sets the stage for an analysis of responsibilities, objectives, and personal development. Task 1 focuses on the line manager's responsibilities, including managing sales and motivating employees, and outlines performance objectives such as increasing efficiency and achieving promotions. The report then delves into the effectiveness of skills in achieving these objectives, emphasizing communication and analytical skills. Recommendations for improvement, including communication training and sales tactics, are provided. Task 2 addresses work-based problems, such as training needs, and explores various communication styles across different management levels within Marks and Spencer. It also examines effective time management strategies. The report concludes with an overview of the role of an employee within a team to attain shared goals, team dynamics, and alternatives for task completion.

Employability Skills

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Own responsibilities and objectives.................................................................................1
1.2 Own effectiveness for these objectives............................................................................2
1.3 Recommendations for improvement................................................................................2
1.4 Motivational techniques...................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Solution for work based problems....................................................................................3
2.2 Variety of style to communicate at various level in the organisation..............................4
2.3 Effective time management strategy................................................................................4
3.1 Role of an employee in their team to attain the shared goal............................................5
3.2 Team dynamics.................................................................................................................5
3.3 Alternatives to complete task and attain team goals........................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
4.1 Evaluation of the methods which are used in to develop solution of problems...............6
4.2 The strategy for resolving problem..................................................................................7
4.3 Evaluation of implementing strategy................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Graduates who want to expand their career for a long time have to generate some
qualities in their attitude and behaviours, some basic skills are making them able to work in the
competitive world(Benson, Morgan and Filippaios, 2014.). Every employer wants an employee
who have all qualities to work in their company and organisation. An employer does not want to
invest more efforts from their end on training and learnings. So this is an essential part for a
graduate to learn these skills in their educational sessions which supports them in their work and
future career. This report is having focused on the Marks and Spencer, this company is having
deals in the clothings, home products and luxury food products. This is a retailer company and
having a long chain of super markets in the UK and in other countries also. They are selling their
products by online portal and they are having several departments and having their own
responsibilities. So they are focused on to recruit skilled employees who have job skills like;
communication, critical thinkings, personal development, leadership skills, presentation skills,
numeric, IT skills etc. This report is having discussions on own responsibilities and objectives of
an employee in the organisation and personal development to attain them(Tomé, 2007.). An
employee is having their own role in the team and they are having their own problems and they
have resolve this to manage their activity and to attain their goals.
TASK 1
1.1 Own responsibilities and objectives.
As I am working as a line manager in the Marks and Spencer, it is essential for me to set
my own responsibilities and the main goal to generate money by sale of products. Here is some
of them:
Manage sale: It is my responsibility to generate money via business activity and arrange
employees in a proper manner to increase the sale and turnover of the company. Marks and
Spencer is having various products to sale in their store so I have to mange sale of each and
every products. The line manager is having duty to set their employees to motivate their
customer to buy a product in their stores.
Motivate employees: Motivational charge is a need of the employee and it makes them more
responsible towards the company(Kazilan, Hamzah and Bakar, 2009.). Marks and Spencer is
having dedicated employees in the sales teams who are working to increase their sale and so I
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have to motivate employees which is working in my team to perform better and to be more
supportive for Marks and Spencer.
Performance objectives working as a line manager in the Marks and Spencer:
Increase efficiency according to targets: Many of line manages are employed in the Marks and
Spencer so it is essential for me to increase my performance to achieve my targets as per the
competition in between the line managers (Robinson, Garton and Vaughn, 2007.).
Promotions: It can help me to be promoted for the higher position in the company, so I have to
make my focus on objectives and targets which are given by my seniors.
Incentives: It can help to the me to increase my salary and bonus on each and every month.
Prices: Marks and Spencer is having target and they have a prices scheme for the employees, so
I have to improve my performance to attain the objectives.
Desired position: As I am working as a I line manager and I want to be a marketing manager so
it is essential for me to improve my performance.
1.2 Own effectiveness for these objectives.
Effectiveness is an essential element for me to achieve my objectives, so it creates an
necessity in me to increases my skills to increase my efficiencies and effectiveness to achieve my
objectives and fulfil my responsibilities in the organisation. To manage sales of the organisation,
I have to make my focus on the customers and their needs in products and services. So I have to
be more communicative with the customers to analyse their needs. I am having potential and
skills to get these objectives and as well as I am liable persons to manage sales department and
encourage their business activities in a full flow. I have analytical, comparing skills to manage
performance of each employee in the department. Some basic skills supports to me to perform in
the competitive world and to manage business activities, some of those are here for explanation;
Identification of skills: I am having my own department and a team and also I have my own pre
decided goals which have to attain by the them in exact given time. I know the potential of each
employee which helps me to arrange them in proper sequence to manage their activity according
to their skills and potential(Zaharim and et. al, 2010,).
Motivational methods: Each team member is a pillar of their team and a team member is having
some problems and not working properly in the team, this is a morale duty of me to resolve their
issue and motivate him for work.
Strength of the objectives:
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 Incentives can help to me to make a better performance of mine.
 Prices also can be help full for me to increase my performance.
Weakness for the responsibilities:
 As I have a responsibility to increase sales so it is essential for me to be more
communicative which is my weakness.
1.3 Recommendations for improvement.
Regular improvement is a basic need of an employee and a manager, they have to make
improvements in their work and behaviours. Each person is having some problems in their
attitude and behaviours which is affecting their own work and also in to attain their own
objectives in the organisation(Wickramasinghe and Perera, 2010.). In the context of my personal
work in the Marks and Spencer I have to manage my activity in a proper way company's
clothing sector so I have to be more communicative with the customers and as well as employees
which are working in the sales and marketing. So the I have to make improvements in my
communication skills to be more efficient for the company to analyse the customers needs and
demands. I have to motivate my front line employees to encourage customers which are visiting
their super markets. So I have to make research on the internet to know the techniques which are
effective to motivate the employees towards their goals and targets. I have to make some
activities to attract customers to buy their clothes(Wilton, 2011.). I can also use some discount
schemes on the sale of clothings and they can also provide sales discount vouchers for clothes.
Personal development plan
Topics Methods to improve Supporting material Assessment criteria
Communication Training A communication and
vocabulary advisor
When I will satisfy
customers
Sales Marketing tactics Marketing journals
and books
When I will get my
sales targets
1.4 Motivational techniques.
I can use motivational techniques to increase my performance and as well as to motivate
employees to perform better for the organisation and these are;
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Goals setting: It is essential for me to set my goals and targets to increase my skills and
performance as per the needs to be effective as per the targets. This is a type of motivation which
can be used by me to give a motivate employees to perform better and achieve their targets. This
is the best motivational techniques and these are used by the many companies, an employee can
be more productive for the organisation by this. Targets can creates a mind set on the employees
which helps to the to perform better to attain them.
participation of employee: I have to increase my employee participation in the decision making
process which helps to me to be more communicative with the employees, I can make better
plans with this to increase sales and as well as to improve communication skills (Cassidy, 2006.).
An employee feels that he is an important part of this organisation and it is making a direct
impact on their performance and thinking level.
TASK 2
2.1 Solution for work based problems.
An employee is making their efforts in the favour of the organisation so this is a moral
duty of the company to give them a better environment to work and resolve their all conflicts and
problems which are making a disturbance in their work. The human resource manager is a person
who is liable to make solution of their employees, this is a person who is highly responsible from
company side towards their employees and if an employee is having some issues related to their
work environment, trainings, salary and some personal issues they have to make discussions with
the HR manager(Mason, Williams and Cranmer, 2009.). Here is a brief of some work based
problems and their would be solutions:
Trainings: This is a need of a new joiner to make their activities in the organisation. Marks and
Spencer is recruiting new persons to enlarge their work potential and they are providing a proper
training session to their new joiners. But this is not surety that they are fully developed to work
in the organisation and some times they have some problems in their work. So they have to
communicate with their managers to resolve this problem and management have to provide them
again a training session or a on the job training to resolve their issues related to the
work(Stephens and Hamblin, 2006.).
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2.2 Variety of style to communicate at various level in the organisation.
Marks and Spencer is having a huge structure and different level of the management, it is
a basic need of the company cause they are having various activities and also several products to
sale. So they have to manage their all products and their sale. They are having different
departments which are having their teams and their set of goals. So these all are making
coordination to attain the organisational goals. Marks and Spencer is having different level in the
management, in the first they are having top level management than middle and at last lower
level, all level are having their own style to communicate which are:
Top level management: Board members and owners are included in this level and they are using
written communication cause they have to make authentic communication and they can use it in
the future as a proof or evidence(Cranmer, 2006.).
Middle level management: This is mix type level and they can use formal and informal style to
communicate in the members. Mostly mangers becomes in this section and they can use formal
and informal way of communication.
Lower level management: The line manager and their employees are included in this segment.
Mostly manager are using informal way to communicate with their employees and they are using
only verbal and oral communication to order their employees.
2.3 Effective time management strategy.
Marks and Spencer can use this strategy to manage their time and attain their goals on the
given time period. Here it is;
Make a list of work ; This is a process which have to be done by the departmental manager, they
have to make list of their work at the start of the day(de Guzman, and Choi, 2013.). Company is
having their own targets and each manager have their own work which have to be done in the
day so they have to make list of their work in a 'to do list'.
Involve employees: Manager have to involve their employees in this process and they have to
show this list to their employees. Which can give them a knowledge about their target which
have to attain by them any how in the day(Saunders and Zuzel, 2010.).
Set priorities; The manager have to set their in the priority order management, they have to set
their priorities and which have to be done earlier and this is a duty of the manager to set this.
Define it to employee: Now this is a responsibility of the manager to define the work and assign
work to their employees.
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Supportive person; Manger have to assign a supportive person to each employees and it is
making a better bonding in the team members.
3.1 Role of an employee in their team to attain the shared goal.
Each team is having their own goals and which have to attain by the employees by their
shared efforts. Marks and Spencer is having multiple teams in the company to attain their goals
and they are having their own roles in team which can be define by the Belbin team roles;
Shaper; It is a very important person in a team which is a manager in the team. They are
working in a team to motivate their employees and peoples towards their target and work for the
day.
Implementer; This is a person which is dividing the work in between the team members, team
leader is a person which are working on this(Wye and Lim, 2009.).
Team worker; All team members are a team worker and they are working for their shared goals.
These persons are supporting to their team to attain their goals.
Planter; A planter is having the role to resolve the conflicts and problems of their team
members, some members are not getting their work so the planter help them to define their work.
3.2 Team dynamics.
Team dynamics is having four stages in the Marks and Spencer and these are;
Forming; When new joiners comes in a team, they are having a formal introduction of each
other. This is the first stage which have to help them to make a relation to each other. In the
Marks and Spencer company, they are helping their team members to make a bonding in the
company, each manager conduct a lunch meet in the lunch area to make a introduction of each
other(Baker and Henson, 2010. ).
Storming; This is a stage where new employees are making adjustments in departments, they are
new and new joiners are having discussions with each others to make a coordination in their
activities. Marks and Spencer is having team where new employees and old employees have to
make their personal adjustments. Old members have to support their new subordinates.
Norming; After all the discussions and adjustments these new joiners are now having normal
with their works and their team members. All of the team members are now working as a team
member(Stoner and Milner, 2010.).
Performing; All the discussions, they are having their work in their team and they know how to
perform their work. This is a the last stage of team dynamics.
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3.3 Alternatives to complete task and attain team goals.
Company is having a big structure and management level to attain their organisational
goals, they are having deals in the cloths which is going down so they have to give a proper
focus on to increase the sale of their clothes and this is a task of the front line department. The
departmental manager have to use these alternative methods in their team and their work.
Manager have to communicate with their employees to encourage their motivational level. If a
team members is not getting the exact way to perform their work, manager have to elaborate
them to perfect solutions and help in their work. Communication is a tool and a alternative way
to resolve the problems of their employees and also in to give them a brief about their work.
Another factor is that manager to make a support system in their department which helps those
employees who are suffering from the work pressure, this is an alternative which can give a
relief to their team member to manage their work on the given time limits, it is also help them to
perform a quality work from their end(Martin, West and Bill, 2008.).
TASK 3
4.1 Evaluation of the methods which are used in to develop solution of problems.
Some tools and methods are here for evaluation on the basis of their role and success in
the recruitment process in the Marks and Spencer;
Trial and Error; This is a strategy which can use by the employer to implement a new idea in
the organisation. A HR manager can use this in the company to make new procedures of
recruitments. This is a method which is having many trail stages for new idea and manager can
make changes if they feel to refine this idea to attain the desired goal(Bakar and Hanafi, 2007.).
It is a time taken process and not effective in the recruitment process.
Heuristics: This is a method which can be used at the last point when the manager and employer
does not having any option. This tools is having strength in learning, discovery and problem
solving. Results are not appropriate but it can be used to make consistency in the process and
work flow(Rosenberg, Heimler and Morote, 2012.). This method can be used in those problems
which have less impact on the productions.
Mathematics: This is a totally logical and arithmetical method which can produce an appropriate
and accurate result for a problem and it have to preferred in the first by the manager and
employers to resolve their conflicts and problems.
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In the HR process company have to use the mathematics to calculate the effect of the
result when they are recruiting new employees and how they are effective for the company and
to attain their targets.
4.2 The strategy for resolving problem.
Marks and Spencer is having new employees which is having several problems and they
have to resolve these conflicts at the initial level. Company is using a particular pattern to resolve
their problems of their new joiners and here it is;
Identification of problem; This is the first part to identify the problem of a new employee and
the departmental manager having a lead role in this. They communicates with the particular
worker to find out basis cause(Singh and Singh, 2008.).
Generate and implement alternative solution: Now the manager makes an alternative solution
for their problems which helps the employee on the initial level. If the new joiner not getting the
how to work, the manager can assist them for a time being.
Evaluation of alternative; After it the manager who are responsible for the particular employee
have to evaluate this alternative solution to analyse this solution is having a positive impact and
it is working on the employee.
The above given process is used by the company and they are making initial solutions of their
employees(Zaharim and et. al, 2009.).
4.3 Evaluation of implementing strategy.
This strategy is making an impact on the new joiners, mostly this process is used in to the
recruitments and training needs of the the new employees. The first stage is having
communication in between the new joiner and manager. It is making a bonding in between the
company and new employee. This procedures is increasing faith and loyalty in their employees
and it is making their employees more productive for the company and also making them
motivational towards work(Butterwick and Benjamin, 2006.). They are making alternative
solutions which is making consistency in the work flow. So this is a quality of this process and
this is making them more productive. Company's work chain is having strength by this and it is
helping the company to attain their targeted goals in the pre decided time period.
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CONCLUSION
From the above carried out analysis is has been concluded that their various kind of
responsibilities and roles which are to be fulfilled with an organisation. Marks and Spencer have
to be more focus on to recruit new employees and they have to use time management in their
activities to attain their targeted goals in the given time period.
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