Evaluating HRM Practices, Legislation, and Relations at M&S

This report provides a detailed analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices at Marks & Spencer (M&S). It examines the purpose and functions of HRM, including recruitment, training, and employee issue management. The report evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of internal and external recruitment approaches, highlighting the impact on employee motivation and talent acquisition. Furthermore, it explores the benefits and effectiveness of various HRM practices, such as training and development, in enhancing employee performance and organizational productivity. The importance of employee relations in HRM decision-making is discussed, along with the key elements of employment legislation and their influence on HRM practices. Finally, the report applies HRM practices to a work-related context, providing insights into how M&S manages its human resources to achieve its business objectives. This document is available on Desklib, a platform offering study tools and solved assignments for students.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Organisation Overview................................................................................................................3
LO1..................................................................................................................................................3
P1: Purpose and functions of HRM.............................................................................................3
P2: Strength and weakness of different HRM approaches of recruitment..................................4
LO2..................................................................................................................................................6
P3: Benefits of different HRM practices.....................................................................................6
P4: Effectiveness of different HRM practices in organization....................................................7
LO3..................................................................................................................................................8
P5: Importance of Employee Relations.......................................................................................8
P6: Key elements of employment legislation............................................................................10
LO4................................................................................................................................................11
P7: Application of HRM Practice in a work-related context.....................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
Human resource management is all about managing and controlling the human resources
associated with the organisation. This report will project the case study of Marks and Spencer
Company about the human resources management of the organisation. Henceforth, report will
emphasis on different purpose and scope of human resource management in organisation.
Strengths and weaknesses associated with different approaches of recruitment and selection will
also summarise in this report. Benefits related to different HRM practices will also further
summarise in this report. Effectiveness of various HRM practices in regards to enhancing the
profitability of organisation will also analyse in this report. Furthermore, report will also discuss
about the employee relationship in influencing the decision making of HRM. Different employee
legislation impact over the HRM practices will also analyse in this report. Different HRM
practices related to work will also discuss in this report.
MAIN BODY
Organisation Overview
Marks and Spencer Company was established in the year 1884 by the founders of the
company Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer. Company is associated with the retail sector and
becomes one of the leading parts involve in the retail business across the globe. Headquarter of
the company is located in United Kingdom. Currently company is serving its services in more
than 1400 locations across the globe by opening up stores and ventures. Company offers clothing
range, food products and home products to meet up customers’ requirements.
LO1
P1: Purpose and functions of HRM
Purpose and functions related to human resource management can be projected in
following points.
Recruit skilled employees: This is among the primary purpose and functions of HRM is to
recruit the most skilled human resources at various designated positional roles in Marks and

Spencer Company. It becomes important for the company to have a skilled work force that can
meet up all different objectives of the business.
Employee training and development: Conducting training and development of employees’ part
of the Marks and Spencer Company is also among the major role and responsibilities associated
with the human resource management in Marks and Spencer Company (Plaskoff, 2017).
Training and development of employees allow company to enhance the capabilities of all the
human resources part of the organisation.
Manage employee issues: Managing issues related to employee’s part of the organisation is also
considers as primary role and responsibilities HRM in Marks and Spencer Company associated
with. It becomes important for the company to manage the employee issues in order to achieve
the high level of employee satisfaction in organisation. This further channelizes into long term
employee sustainability at various designated positional role in company and also it reduces the
labour turnover rate of company.
All the above mentioned roles and responsibilities are among the primary roles associated
with the human resource management in organisation. The above mentioned roles allow
company to achieve all its human resource requirements in organisation.
P2: Strength and weakness of different HRM approaches of recruitment
Human resource management in Marks and Spencer Company follow both the
approaches of recruitment and selection in company. Both the approaches caters its own luxuries
and also disadvantages that can be summarises in following points.
Internal recruitment
Internal recruitment is a part of the recruitment and selection approach follow by HRM at
Marks and Spencer Company (Peccei and Van De Voorde, 2019). This practice allows company
to meet the designated positional requirement in organisation with the support of existing
employee base of company. This practice follow the give the rewards to employees already a
part of Marks and Spencer Company as a result of productive performances. This is conducted in
form of promotions of employees at higher designated positional role in company. Employee
gets more authorities associated with the higher designated position role in company.

Strength of internal recruitment
Internal recruitment allows company to promote productive employees of company at
higher designated positional role in company. This practice of recruitment has allowed company
to motivate employee’s part of the organisation towards performing more productive functional
activities in company (Boon, Den Hartog and Lepak, 2019). This practice is more like giving
rewards to employees in company in against to the productive and efficient operation functions.
This practice of recruitment has also channelized into effective work culture at Marks and
Spencer Company.
Weakness of internal recruitment
Internal recruitment allows company to meet the designated positional requirements of
company by promoting its existing employees at higher designated roles in company. This
practice of recruitment and selection has restricted company in approaching new talents in the
organisation. New talents always bring new dimensions in the organisation. Due to internal
recruitment company could not entertain the best advantages of recruitments (Yong and et.al.,
2020). This approach has also further created a political atmosphere in organisation. The entire
process is immensely influenced with the internal politics of Marks and Spencer Company that
has restricted the advantages of the practices. Many times non deserving employees got
promoted at upper positions due to higher influence in organisation.
External recruitment
External recruitment is a process in which company recruit employees not part of the
organisation in current time. In this approach company approaches other graduates and
professional not part of organisation to meet different designated position in organisation.
Advantages of external recruitment
External recruitment allows company to approach fresh and experienced professional and
graduates not part of the organisation in current time towards filing up various designated
positions in company. Company get to channelize the experience of such new entrants for
enhancing the growth of company.

Disadvbantages of enternal recruitment
The recruitment cost of this practice is more than the internal recruitment practices.
Company also needs to invest in conducting training and development of employees recruited in
these practices so that they can deliver the best productivity in company.
LO2
P3: Benefits of different HRM practices
Employer benefits
Employer in company get many benefits from different practices channelizes by Human
Resource Management in organisation. Practices like recruitment and selection allows employer
to meet up different positional requirements of organisation. Practices like training and
development allows employer to enhance the potential of employees in order to achieve more
effective productivity and work efficiencies from employees (Karami, Farokhzadian and
Foroughameri, 2017). Practice like talent management allows employer to improve the work
culture of company. Internal recruitment practice of HRM allowed employer to deal with the
employee motivation and confidence and it allowed company to motivate employees of company
towards performing more efficient functional activities in company. Employer gets many
benefits from all the different practices HRM in company channelizes to meet up the designated
responsibilities in organisation.
Employee benefits
Employee of Marks and Spencer Company also gets many benefits from the different
practices HRM use to meet up the responsibilities. Recruitment and selection practices allow
employees to get a job in a reputed organisation. Internal recruitment practices allow employees
to improve the growth in company. HRM also follow the practice of conducting training of
employees these support employees to achieve the best level of potential and work efficiencies in
company (Analoui, 2018). HRM also support employees in dealing with any issue in
organisation. HRM also conduct sessions to boost the employee morale in organisation. It can be
stated that HRM practices support employees more than the employer that also resulted into

proper work culture at organisation. Employees of company get many benefits from the different
practices follow by HRM at company.
P4: Effectiveness of different HRM practices in organization
There are a lot of practices which are followed by the human resource management of
Marks & Spencer so that the needs and objectives of the company can be met. There are a lot of
opportunities which the employees of the company can have and the impact of the practices is as
follows.
External Recruitment
The candidates who are not a part of any other organization are given an opportunity by
Marks & Spencer if they are matching the standards of the company so that the reputation of the
organization is not affected.
 Benefits to employees
This gets in a great opportunity for individuals to be able to work with great organization in
the market or industry. There are a lot of perks, incentives and other benefits which are given to
the employees from the organization so that they can give their best and have a better experience
in the industry.
 Benefits to employers
There are a lot of benefits which the employers of Marks & Spencer can have because of the
Human resource management which is that there are new ideas which can come in. There are
experiences which are shared and that can make everyone grow in the industry effectively.
Internal recruitment
This is the most used factor in Marks & Spencer because experience in this field makes
the individuals have better experience and skills which is making the company have a unique
identity in the market. The higher designations in M&S are filled with older and knowledgeable
employees who were associated with the company from a long run.
 Benefits to employees

The employees are going to want higher designations or have increase in salary or other
benefits will be given to them in the company in M&S. The employees which are associated with
the organization from a long run are having this right and there are policies which are made for
the benefit of the employees.
 Benefits to employers
The employees who have been working in the organization are motivated all the time to give
their best in the company so that they can grow in the market (Papa and et.al., 2018). The
production level and quality of the products are going to be maintained because the employees
want to get higher designation.
Training and development
There are programs like training and development for the employees of M&S so that the
standards and implementation of changes can take place effectively and this is done by human
resource management of the organization.
 Benefits to employer
The employees are given training and development program so that they can improve and
give the best in the industry. To have a growth in this industry there has to be an improvement
which is required so that the organization will be able to function effectively and the growth
opportunities in M&S is going to be higher.
 Benefits to employees
Training is given to employees because they need to improve their skills like research,
communication, etc so that there would be better functioning. The employees have to be given
the best of environment and the right skills so that they know what is expected out of them so
that they will be able to function accordingly in the market.
LO3
P5: Importance of Employee Relations
Employees relations generally plays an excellent role in respect to influencing HRM
decision-making. Basically, HR manager of Marks and Spencer (M&S) has always required to

take decisions towards maintain an effective relationship between employees and employer
(Chiang, Lemański and Birtch, 2017). Currently human resource management within most
organisation arranges various events, where it invites both employer and employees. The main
aim of HRM behind organising this type of events is, to build an effective relationship between
employees and employers. HR manager at M&S should always consider this small thing, when
any company has an effective relationship between employers and employees. This is the main
reason that HR manager at M&S is get mostly influenced for taking decisions towards
maintaining very productive relations within organisation. According to different business
experts, an employee mostly like to work within that workplace where existing management has
already maintained effective relations between employer and employees. Basically, when HRM
of Marks and Spencer maintains effective relations between employees and employer, then
existing employees of this company will put their huge efforts within the workplace, and at the
end, this retail organisation will be able to generate very huge profit margins within the market
just because of effective employees’ relations.
Currently HR manager of company can take different decisions towards developing
employee relations within workplace of M&S. For example; HR manager should take decision
towards properly adhering employment law. Basically, when HRM of company properly adhere
employment law, then employees will be felt valued by the company. Reason is, employment
law gives opportunity to employees for systematically using their different rights. On the other
hand, HR manager can take decision towards solving various difficulties and problems of
employees which has based their salary and leaves etc. This decision of HRM can also positively
influence to the workability of employees. While conducting hiring practices, the HR manager
need to ensure that, it’s all practices are running in ethical manner. When human resource
management of M&S will properly follow all business ethics while hiring employees, then this
decision of human resource management can increase the dignity of employees, because after
this step of HRM they can be realised that they are working in very great and ethical organisation
(Pukienė and Škudienė, 2016). M&S’ upper management should consider this that, currently
most organisations and companies are putting their great efforts for maintaining extra-ordinary
relationship between employees and employer. Reason is, by taking this step these organisations
can easily develop their performance and productivity within the market. So that, upper

management within M&S also responsible to give order its HRM for taking decisions towards
building great employees relations.
In this modern and dynamic world, there are effective relations between employees and
employer is one of the best keys for an organisation to take very effective work from own
employees. That’s why upper management of this retail company should put its huge efforts for
making great employees’ relations. According to the upper management of M&S, there are
human resource is everything for this organisation, so that existing management not conducts
such attempts within its business operations which can negatively affect to employees’ relations.
So that, due this factor, HRM of this company has succeeded in maintaining extra-ordinary
relations between employees and employer of M&S.
P6: Key elements of employment legislation
Key element of employment legislation also has highly affected to the decision-making
of HRM (Siriyanun, Mukem and Jermsittiparsert, 2019). Basically, HR manager responsible to
consider each and every element of employment legislation while conducting its various HRM
practices. It is very necessary to HR manager for maintaining ethicalness within its daily
operations. There are business ethics always motivates to human resource management of
company for systematically considering all elements of employment law during every practice.
There are some key elements of employment legislation has been discussed below which highly
influences decision-making of HRM.
Safety and security: Safety and security is the first key element that can affect to decision-
making of this company. According to employment law, HR manager of any company
responsible to take appropriate decisions towards providing a safe and secure zone while their
working time period. On the basis of Maslow’s motivational theory, there are employees always
like to work in that work zone or workplace where present HRM already has taken decisions
towards providing proper safety and security to all employees. HR manager should take decision
for taking care employees’ health aspect, because it is necessary for increasing levels of
performance of all employees.
Equality and diversity: This is the next one of the key elements of employment legislation
(Iqbal and et.al., 2019). According to this element, HR manager of M&S need to take decision

towards providing equal growth opportunity to all employees. In this situation, while conducing
hiring processes, HRM responsible to judge any candidate on the basis of its skill and talent, and
should avoid for judging candidates on the basis of their caste, religion, ethnicity etc. On the
other side, HR manager of this company have to take decision towards removing those all
elements from business environment of M&S which can be negatively affected to equality and
diversity element of employment legislation.
Working time regulations: This is another key element of employment legislation. Working
time regulation element of employment legislation has affected to HRM of M&S for taking
decisions towards properly following then working time regulations HR manager should always
ensure that, no department of company can take additional and extra work from employees. In
any case, if any department of company has taken extra work or over time work from an
employee, then HR department responsible to take decision towards paying that employee for its
overtime or extra work. HRM should aware company’s all department should systematically
consider working time regulations on their respective workplace. In case, if any department of
wants to take overtime work from employees, then that department have to first inform to the HR
department (Shin, Jeong and Bae, 2018). That’s why this element of employment legislation also
highly affects to the decision-making of HRM within M&S.
LO4
P7: Application of HRM Practice in a work-related context
Currently human resource management plays an excellent role within the M&S’s all over
growth. According to upper management of this company, M&S can’t easily achieve its business
objectives on time without involvement of HRM. There are human resource department or
management provides an excellent and effective workforce to this company. Currently this retail
company has a workforce of many skilled and talented employees just because of its human
resource management. Existing HR manager of this company is too active its present job role,
this is the main reason that M&S has very productive HRM practices. There are HR manager of
this company believes in using modern strategies and tactics for systematically conducting
different HRM practices within the company’s business environment. Top-level management of
this company also has encouraged to human resource manager for using different modern HRM

strategies, because it is necessary to systematically conducting all HRM practices (Alkhalaf,
2019). In this company, human resource management plays excellent role in building great
relations between employer and employees as well, in which this too good HRM practice,
because great employees’ relations mostly positively affect to all over growth of a company.
There are human resource management of M&S mostly give high priority to only those
candidates within its practices of hiring who really has well-developed skills and competencies.
Upper management of company has very satisfied with this HRM practice, because it provides
an effective workforce to this retail company. M&S is continuously putting its huge efforts for
getting an effective workforce, because main competitors also are taking different decisions
towards gaining an effective workforce. Basically, an effective workforce has enabled to this
company for gaining great competitive advantage within the market. On the other side, there are
HR manager at M&S responsible to take decisions towards properly following all elements of
employment legislation. For example; HR manager should give equal growth opportunity to all
employees within the workplace. Then, HRM need to provide a safe and secure workplace also
to all employees, because it is essential in the terms of highly motivating employees in
company’s daily operations (Escribá-Carda, Balbastre-Benavent and Canet-Giner, 2017). While
conducting hiring processes, HR manager have to consider all candidates on the basis of skills
and talent instead of their caste, religion, colour etc. It is too necessary task to HRM for running
its all practices in an ethical manner.
HRM at M&S takes different steps towards providing proper training and development
sessions also to all employees. It is very important to this retail company, because when
employees get proper sessions of training and development, then they can easily develop their
various skills, abilities, competencies and area of knowledge. This is only way to human
resource management in the terms of providing an effective workforce to Marks and Spencer.
HR manager has mostly focused on developing and improving its various skills of HRM for
achieving appropriate outcomes. Existing HRM practices are highly contributing in increasing
the profitability ratio of M&S within the UK’s retail industry (Leszczynska, 2016). Currently the
marks and spencer is one of the leading retail companies of the United Kingdom, in which
human resource management is a key function here to this company for maintaining own high
reputation within the national and international market.