Analyzing HRM Practices: A Case Study of Marks and Spencer

This report provides an overview of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices at Marks and Spencer, focusing on workforce planning, recruitment, employee relations, and their impact on organizational profit and productivity. It examines the purpose and functions of HR managers in workforce planning, analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of different recruitment and selection approaches, and determines the benefits of HRM practices for both employees and employers. The report also assesses the importance of employee relations in influencing HRM decisions and explores the impact of employment legislation on HRM decision-making. Furthermore, it discusses the application of HRM practices in the workplace, emphasizing training and development, positive working culture, and staffing strategies to enhance organizational performance. This comprehensive analysis highlights the critical role of HRM in achieving organizational goals and maintaining a competitive edge in the retail industry. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments for students.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1 ..........................................................................................................................................3
P1 Purpose and functions of Human resource manager which are applicable for workforce
planning and resourcing in Marks and Spencer ....................................................................3
P2 Determine strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection.4
TASK 2...........................................................................................................................................7
Determine different benefits of human resource management practices for both employee and
employer in Marks and Spencer ...........................................................................................7
P4 Determine different human resource management practices for increasing organisational
profit and productivity...........................................................................................................8
TASK 3 ........................................................................................................................................10
P5 Determine importance of employee relations for influencing human resource decisions10
P6 Determine elements of employment legislation and impact on HRM decision- making11
TASK 4 ........................................................................................................................................12
P7 Determine application of Human resource management practise followed in workplace 12
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is an important element, to determine manage and recruit
workforce management in the organisation. Human resource management deals with managing
the human capital in an organisation to achieve organisational goals and objectives. It is the role
of human resource manger to recruit talent candidates in an organisation. Human resource
manger recruits, hires and train the workforce to achieve work productivity. As human capital is
an important asset for the organisation so it becomes crucial workforce development. Human
resource manager performs different function to implement strategic plans and objectives set by
top level management. Marks and Spencer is an multinational retailer dealing in clothings, food
industry, banking services and develops in order to save electrical energy, capturing large share
of market with stores in 57 countries (Anderson, 2015). This report covers functions of human
resource management,strengths and weakness of different approaches to recruitment, benefit of
different human resource management practices, effectiveness of human resource management
practices to organisational profit, importance of employee relations in respect to influence HRM
decision, application of HRM practices
TASK 1
P1 Purpose and functions of Human resource manager which are applicable for workforce
planning and resourcing in Marks and Spencer
Human resource management involves different functions for coordination efforts of human
capital to achieve organisational objectives. Human resource management functions are carried
by human resource manger for recruiting, maintaining, developing the human workforce to carry
business functions. Human resource manager in Marks and Spencer performs different functions
to achieve organisational objectives (Bowen, 2016).
Purpose
The purpose of human resource management is to manage and coordinate the work
efficiencies of human workforce. Different purpose of human resource management in
workforce planning and resources are discussed below:
Employee recruitment: The major purpose of the human resource management is to retain
employee in the organisation. Retaining employee in the organisation is an important function.
Human resource manager in Marks and Spencer hires and recruits employee are highly skilled

and efficient to achieve the productivity at work. Human resource manger screens from the list
of different candidates and selects candidates that matches with the job profile (Bratton, J. ed.,
2020).
Positive working environment: Human resource management helps to promote positive
working environment in the organisation. It manages the workforce diversity in the organisation
to develop an sense of discipline and ethical working environment. Human resource manger in
Marks and Spencer maintains workplace environment to maintain positive working
environment.
Employee motivation: Human resource management promotes employee motivation to
achieve productivity and efficiency at work. Human resource manager renders different financial
and non financial incentive to the employees to encourage and motivate employee to achieve
work efficiencies.
Functions
Human resource management performs different functions of achieving organisational
objectives. Different functions of human resource management are stated below:
Staffing: Staffing is recruiting the right person for right job position. Human resource
management helps in staffing and retaining employees in the organisation. Staffing is an
important element to retain talented employees in the organisation. Marks and Spencer retains
highly skilled and efficient employees so achieve work efficiencies. It formulates strategic plans
and policies to achieve organisational objectives and the major functions of human resource
manager to implement to strategic plans and policies and assigns job roles to employees
(Bringezu and Bleischwitz, eds., 2017).
Training and development: To fulfil the standards of the job performance, human resource
manager in Marks and Spencer render training and development programmes to employee to
increase the productivity of employees. Training and development are given to new joinees,
employees assigned to new project, or to the employees who does not achieves the work
standards.
P2 Determine strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to recruitment and selection
Recruitment
Recruitment is the process selecting and hiring the desired candidates whose skills and
knowledge matchers with the job requirements offered by the company. In marks and Spencer,

human resource manager recruits the best suited candidates from different other candidates.
Different internal sand external approaches of recruitment with it strengths and weakness are
stated below:
Internal approach
Internal approach of staffing of candidates through the helps of internal management. It
involves job opportunity through circulating mails in the organisation, pin the job vacancies in
the notice board (Chadwick, Super and Kwon, 2015.). Different internal recruitment approach
used by marks and Spencer includes:
Employee referrals: Employee referrals involves references by employees in an organisation,
these are the most cost effective sources of recruitment, as employees in an organisation refers
the names of different candidates for the job position.
Strengths: It is the cost effective method of internal recruiting, as the employer does not have to
put much efforts and save of screening and selecting candidates. When employees refers the
name of different candidates it helps to fill the vacancy of job positions.
Weakness: It can be ineffective method of recruiting as employees might refer to their friends
and family who might or might not posses different skills and knowledge for the job position.
Transfer: transfer the process of recruiting used by Marks and Spencer, it involves transferring
to the desired candidates from on job location to the other (Dubin, 2017). The strengths and
weaknesses of transfer are as:
Strengths: Transfer is an effective approach of internal recruitment which fill the vacant job
position in an brand location of the organisation with highly skilled and experienced employee.
Weaknesses: the major drawback of transfer involves that employee might feel demotivated and
uncomfortable in new job location. It further spoils the productivity of the employee in the
specific job location.
Promotion: Promotion in another approach of internal recruitment which involves promoting
employees from one job position to another, promoting involves transferring person in same
location but different job role and department. The strengths and weakness of promotion are
discussed as :
Strengths: Promotion helps top it motivates employees as they feel in higher job position. Marks
and spencer usesw this apapartoach so that employee satisafction can be acheived tthrough these
apaproaches. Further it helps to fill the job vacancy of job position. Promotion is beeen rendered

to the employees who are highly experienced for the specific job position (Hofstetter and
Harpaz, 2015).
Weaknesses: The drawback of promotion is that it lose focus of employee from the work, as
employees feel highly prestige and misuses the power of higher authority which further reduces
the productivity of employees.
Selection
Selection is the process of screening the right candiate for the right job position.
Selection involve different choosing from different pool of candiates in accordance to the job
requirement and matching them their skills with the job position. Marks and spencee usews
different approaches to select right candiates for the job position.
Ability and aptitude test: Ability and aptitude test are beben conducted in order to check the
skills acquired by different personnel. These involves different verbal and non verbal test,
technical test and other numerical test to determine the skills acquired by different individuals.
To select the right candiate for the job role, Marks and Spencer conduct different test to
determine non technical and technical effeciencies of the personnel.
Group exercises: Selection through group exercises involves discussion where different topic
are given to individuals and they are asked to speak about it, it helps the employer to show that
how employees respond to different business events. Group exrercise helps to know that how
effectively candiadates can communicate their views and opinions in different scenarios. Marks
and Spencer uses group exercises for selecting different candiates to evalaute how effecetive
they can communicate and express their views (Kim and Hyun, 2017).
Psychometric testing: Psychometric testing involves evalauting the mental efficiencies that
how far the company can adapt and take decsions in any business situation. It helps to analyse
differernt the mental capabilities of an individual.
Interviews: Interviews are the most important apparoch to evaluate the effeciencies of a
candiate. Human resource manager in Marks and Spencer conduct interviews selecting different
candidates. Interviews are conducted either from online mode or face to fcae. Interviews are
conducted to ensure that the desired candiates fulfills different standards set by the organisation.
Human resource manager ask different question regarding technical and non technical skills (Liu
and et.al., 2017).

TASK 2
Determine different benefits of human resource management practices for both employee and
employer in Marks and Spencer
Human resource management is an important tools to manage the productivity and
efficiency at work. Different human resource practices benefit both employee and employer.
some of these practices used in Marks and Spencer are discussed below:
Trainings and development
Training and development are the functions which helps to enhance the productivity of
employees at work. Human resource management helps to render training and development
opportunities to employees to achieve personnel and professional growth (Maheshwari and
Vohra, 2015). The benefit of training and development activities to both employees and
employers are stated below:
Benefits to employer
Achieve productivity: In marks and Spencer, training and development activities helps to
improve employee performance. Employer innovates different strategic plans and policies,
implement these policies in the organisation. Human resource manager renders training and
development programmes in order to achieve organisational objectives. By giving training to
employees, it helps to enhance employee productivity to accomplish assigned job task (Mathis,
Jackson and Valentine, 2015).
Benefits to employees
Personal and professional growth: Training and development programmes helps to
accomplish professional and personal growth. Where employee in an organisation can improve
their skills and knowledge by training and development activities. Professional skills helps
employees to acquire competencies to achieve business skills and knowledge. Training and
development helps to achieve professional skills from the work experience. It also helps to
achieve personal growth where customers can acquire career growth opportunities (Mone,
London and Mone, 2018).
Positive Working culture: Marks and Spencer promotes employee engagement promotes
positive working culture in the organisation, as employees works with dedication and
determination in the organisation which helps to achieve organisational objectives.
Benefits to employees

Employee engagement: Employee engagement promotes ethical working environment in the
organisation which also develops good working culture and employee relationship in the
organisational.
Benefits to employer
Employee retention: By practising employee tenement in the organisation, employee retention
can be achieved. Employee engagement helps to build equitable working relationship among
employees which encourages employees to retain in an organisation. Human resource manager
in Marks and Spencer promotes employee engagement to retain employees in organisation for
long. Satisfied employees are more longer to stay in the organisation, human resource manger in
Marks and Spencer renders timely appraisals and incentives which motivates employees.
P4 Determine different human resource management practices for increasing organisational
profit and productivity
Human resource management practices helps to manage employee performance and
productivity in the organisation. Different human resource practices involves motivate
employees to achieve the organisation objectives. Different human resource management
practices in Marks and Spencer are discussed below:
Staffing and recruitment
The most important human resource practice involves recruitment and staffing, human
resource manager in Marks and Spencer screen different candidate to recruit them in the
organisation. Recruitment of talented employees is crucial for implementing the organisational
goals and objectives (Morgeson, Brannick and Levine, 2019). Highly efficiency workforce are
required to carry organisational objectives and functions.
Training and development
Training and developments the important practices of human resource management.
Human resource manager in Marks and Spencer conduct training and development programmes
for employees which boost work performance of the employees. As highly efficient contributes
in achieving organisational objectives. Rendering training and development improves their
existing skills and knowledge which helps to enhance productivity. Employees feels responsible
for completing different job roles. It helps to achieve organisational objecti8bvres and promotes
business growth (Nicholas, 2018).
Talent management

Talent management is an human resource practices which helps in maintaining talented
workforce in an organisation. Human resource manager manages the pool of talented workforce
in organisation to continuously achieve work efficiencies. Human resource manager in marks
and Spencer render different appraisals and incentives so that employee feel valued in the
organisation. It also involves rendering continuous training to employees to improve their work
efficiencies and productivity. Talented workforce contributes in achieving organisational
objectives.
Performance monitoring
Performance monitoring is an important human resource practice to evaluate the
effectiveness of the job roles performed by employees. Human resource manager in Marks and
Spencer evaluate and monitors performance of each individual. HR manger render special
training and assistance to employees so that they matches with performance standards.
Performance monitoring helps to develop highly efficient employees so that the business
achieves growth and stability in the market and successfully accomplishes organisation
objectives (Pandita and Ray, 2018).
Job Opportunities
Human resource manger in Marks and Spencer renders different job opportunities to
employees. So that employees can perform different task even at challenging business events. It
helps to bring flexibility in job performance. It holds employee responsible for carrying different
job roles. Human resource manager assigns new project with proper training and guidance so
that employees perform different job roles effectively.
TASK 3
P5 Determine importance of employee relations for influencing human resource decisions
Employee relations are determined social and ethical bond shared by the employees in a
workplace. It is important to develop healthy relationship between employees to promote
effective communication. Human resource management promotes employee relations in order to
maintain the ethical working relationship in the organisation (Pareek and Rao, 2015). The
importance of employee relation are discussed below
Resolves conflicts

The major objectives of employee relation is that it helps in resolving conflicts among
employee. Employee relationship and engagement helps in defining positive working
environment in an organisation. Human resource manger promotes conduct different seminars
and conferences where employees communicates their issues and concern. By addressing their
issues an concern it helps develops cooperation between employees .
Effective communication
Communication is the major source of conveying organisational objectives to the
employees. Employee relationship promotes effective communication between employees and
employer human resource manger in Marks and Spencer encourages communication among
employees by conducting formal and informal meet where employees can express their opinions
in the decision making activities where each employees feel valued for their own opinion.
Effective communication helps to engage employee relationship which promotes good working
environment and employees feel comfortable while communicating and interacting in their
teams.
Highly efficient workforce
Human resource management promotes employee relation which helps in building highly
efficient workforce. Employee relations promotes effective communication in the workplace
which helps easy flow of information in the organisation. Human resource management in marks
and Spencer promotes employee relations to achieve organisational objectives. It is crucial
element to achieve business growth and success (Sharma, Sharma and Agarwal, 2016).
Employees feel motivated and trust among each other which helps to reduce the burden of
workload as there is easy division of labour in the organisation. Thus, employee relationship
promotes highly efficient workforce in the organisation.
Employee motivation
Employee motivation is determined when employees are highly motivated and
encouraged for performing organisation function. Marks and Spencer promotes employee
relations which helps to build an strong bond of social relations between employees which helps
to interact to different employees in the organisation. Moreover that employees also feels a sense
of belongingness in the organisation which motivates and encourages employees to
accomplishing assigned work. Daily routine work might can be tedious process employee

relations motivates and encourages employees to achieve continuous work efficiencies and
productivity (Soo and et.al., 2017).
Problem solutions
Employee relations render employee engagement in the workplace which helps to ensure
that employees work effectively in a goal directed behaviour. It promotes effective
communication in the workplace which helps to evaluate solutions for different problems. It
engages employees to work effectively in different business situations and events. Employee
relation also improves interaction of different individuals which helps to solve different issues
which increases conflict and clashes of opinion, employee relations also promote smooth flow of
information which helps in attaining performance productivity.
P6 Determine elements of employment legislation and impact on HRM decision- making
Employee legislation is determined by rules and regulation set for safety and security for
employees, it involves different standards set for employee welfare. Any organisation has to
bind with these employee legislation in order to promote ethical working environment in the
organisation. Different employee legislation used by Marks and Spencer are as:
Health, safety measures
According to the factories act 1948, this law defines different health, safety and welfare
measures to assure the employee safety an welfare in an organisation. It defines employee safety
and security while in the working premises it involves granting sick leaves and emphasis on the
working hours so maintain employee health (Stewart and Brown, 2019).
Payment of gratuity,1972
It involves in rendering the compulsory payment of gratuity to the employees at the time
of retirement, resignation or death. It also states that employees experience will not be
mandatory due the death of employee, an organisation has to render the compensation payment
to employees at the time of such circumstances.
Payment of wages, 1936
This law governs the payment of equitable remuneration to the employees. Marks and
Spencer follows this law by giving fair and equitable remuneration to employees to the
employees so that employees motivated and encouraged in the organisation. Human resource
manger in Marks and Spencer practices this law so that employees feel engaged in managing
organisational functioning. HR manger gives salary and wages to the employees without any

reduction of any extra charges from the employees. When employees are been valued and
rendered fair remuneration it helps to retain employees in the organisation. Moreover Marks and
Spencer develops a goodwill in the market of promoting ethical and fair business policies (Van
De Voorde and Beijer, 2015).
Workmen compensation,1923
Workmen compensation law determines to compensate employees in case if they meet
any accident during the work course, though the law strictly restrains from employees employer
holding responsible for the cause. Marks and Spencer practices this law and gives benefits and
compensation of meeting any accident by the employee in the employment period (Van
Wingerden, Derks and Bakker, 2017).
TASK 4
P7 Determine application of Human resource management practise followed in workplace
Job description
Job description defines the set of roles and responsibilities performed by the employee in a
specific job position. Marks and Spencer have covered all the import functioning to performed
by Human resource manager.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Organisation: Marks and Spencer
Job position: Human resource manager
Job purpose: To manage workforce of organisation and formulate strategic plans and policies
for employee retention.
Roles and responsibilities:
 Recruit and hire skilled candidate
 Formulate strategic plans for workforce development
 Conduct training and development programmes
 Promote effective communication among employees to develop employee engagement
Required skills
 Graduate from well University
 Post graduate from reputed University
 Computer aided skills

 Knowledge about current technology
 Effective communication skills
 Critical decision making skills
 Knowledge about different human resource management approaches
Curriculum vitae
Leo Jenner
Address: SS Street, 5th lane, London, UK
Contact number: 00953-24333
Objective: I am looking forward to work in an multinational organisation to achieve my career
goals.
Qualification:
Bachelor's degree in commerce
master's in banking and finance
Experience:
Work as financial analyst for 1 year
Worked as an marketing manger for 8 months
Worked as human resource manager of 7 months
Personal specification
Preparatory notes for interview
Offer letter
Dear Leo,
This is to inform you that you are been selected for the job position of human resource manager
in our organisation, marks and Spencer. We look forward for cooperation and dedication in our
organisation.
Job roles and responsibilities:

 Hires and recruit talented candidates
 Training and development programmes for employees
 To give compensation and other benefit to employees
 Assign roles and duties to employees
 Salary offered: $ 30,000
 Working hours: 10:00AM- 6:30PM
CONCLUSION
Human resource management is the function for managing human workforce in an
organisation to chive the productivity. Highly efficient workforce helps to achieve organisational
objectives. It is the important function to manage workforce of an organisation. It involves
different functions for recruiting, selecting and hiring different individuals to match their skills
with the job position. Human resource managers selects and screens different candidates and
recruits talented workforce. As human is the most important aspect of any organisation so it is
crucial to develop human workforce in an organisation. HR manager provides training and
development activities to enhance the competent skills of the employees. Human resource
management involves different functions to attain for human capital development.

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